Strzelecki in a Forester?
Submitted: Monday, Mar 24, 2008 at 15:55
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Member - Leon & Amanda W (NSW)
Hi all - first post, but longtime lurker on the site (so be reasonably nice ;) )...
A couple of years ago we camped for a while in the Flinders, and loved the place. One of the day trips we did was through to Mt Chambers. I was not only amazed at the great condition of the tracks out there, but the country side sucked me in big time.
We're now thinking about doing another trek, using the Forester and towing a Camper Trailer (nothing flash, but good quality) - wanting to do from
Sydney to
Menindee up to
Cameron Corner, Old
Strzelecki Track to
Innamincka, down Strzelecki and turning off to head south to Mt Chambers then across to Wilpena (take breath now!).
Google Map of planned route Also looking at doing
Mungo National Park on the way back
home!
The distance doesn't faze me - I am wondering whether I'm pushing my luck though with the Forester. Am thinking I should put better tyres on (any ideas?) - not sure about anything else I really should do.
So - what do you reckon? Is it do-able in the Subby? Any other pointers?
Also, am likely to be at
Innamincka the weekend of the Annual Gathering - do you guys with real 4wd's eat 'soft-roaders' for breakfast, or will you be nice? ;)
Thanks all - looking forward to more trips, and sharing with you all some that I've already done.
Reply By: Keith_A (Qld) - Monday, Mar 24, 2008 at 17:36
Monday, Mar 24, 2008 at 17:36
Hi L/A - we were out at
Coongie Lakes, west of Innaminca, when the Cooper was in flood in 2006, and along the track came - a Forrester - driven by two elderly statesman (around 80yo).
They were not towing, but the cardinal rule is - take it easy.
Take a good air pump, so you can drop tyre pressure if you need to traverse very soft sand, and you should have no trouble . (If it rains, there are some clay sections that could prove interesting).
We drove from
Brisbane into Camerons Corner via Thargominda & Bulloo Downs,
Sturt National park & Fort Gray (a MUST stopover).
We had planned to refuel at Camerons corner - but they had run out - of all fuel - so carry extra and plan for such unexpected adventures.
We run Bridgestones on our Forrester (but Toyo Muds on the Patrol).
Brilliant country (Get off and stop for the roadtrains) - ...Keith
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Oldman - Monday, Mar 24, 2008 at 18:38
Monday, Mar 24, 2008 at 18:38
Hi I went from
Coober Pedy - Williams Creek - Marre - Flinders last year in 2003 Forester towing a Cub offroad Camper (around 700 unloaded)
I had Cooper tyres - onroad ones.
I did not drop tyre pressure at all (I had no problems but would drop them next time ) I did get a
puncture driving on the bitumen earlier though.
Main problem I broke a back window - bounced off the camper.
The road was interesting and mostly drivable. This was not long after the heavy rains last year so the road had lots of ruts and some soft spots. Saw a Land Cruiser dragging his camper out of the mud - he was driving to fast and -
well thats another story.
But overall it was doable in the Subie- but ask the locals and the various agencies before you go - it would be or could be a nightmare if wet.
Richard
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Follow Up By: On Patrol (East Coast) - Monday, Mar 24, 2008 at 19:55
Monday, Mar 24, 2008 at 19:55
I agree with Oldman, I did that area in my then Subie Outback fitted with Cooper Lifelines. Great trip. I never would go out there with just one spare however, I blew one tyre near Innaminka in such a way as to render it useless (my own fault, I cut a corner and gashed the sidewall) and had I not carried an extra spare would have been worried for the rest of the trip, carrying no more backup tyres.
The vehicle is great for such a trip. Heed the advice given here and you will be comming back for more.
Colin
I love it so much that I bit the bullit and went for a larger 4wd so as to get further out into the back blocks.
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Reply By: John R (SA) - Monday, Mar 24, 2008 at 18:47
Monday, Mar 24, 2008 at 18:47
A few years ago I took a commodore ute from
Broken Hill through to
Longreach, via
the Dig Tree.
Took an extra tyre for luck, and was part of a small group.
The tracks were mostly good wide graded dirt with no real dramas. With the exception of one small navigational error which took us down a road made mostly from hockey ball sized rocks.
They formed a large ridge in the center of the road. Scrubbed out most of the inside of the tyres negoitating that one! Fortunately I'd fitted a bit of checker plate as a sump guard which also helped!
Anywho, can't see you having too many dramas per se.
Take it easy (and a few spares!)
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Reply By: Kiwi & "Mahindra" - Monday, Mar 24, 2008 at 19:35
Monday, Mar 24, 2008 at 19:35
You'll have a blast! We had a subie forrester loaded come with us nearly 2 yrs ago...tob -
innamincka via
cameron corner,
birdsville, even went up Big Red with an L plater driving, up and over to Alice, down Oddnadatta....
Its did endup needing new shocks as they had hte water on the same side everyday behind the passenger
seat...sat a little lop sided!!
Have All terrain typre tyre, carry lots of water and lower your tyres, can be very sandy at the best of
places....give your self some confidence and safety and put on a sand flag too.
Hope to see you at the Gathering....(im the Kiwi that Kev was talking about....he's right, if I can go....anyone can...!!LOL!!!)
Laura
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Reply By: Andrew - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 09:34
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 09:34
Hi Guys
Have had my '98 Forester through
Oodnadatta track, across the short cut to Ayers
rock and around Kings canyon and Larapinta drive, Cooper Pedy,
Litchfield,
Marree,
Leigh creek, Fraser Island. Mostly overloaded (3 blokes) and travelling quickly, I'll learn one day.
Eventually replaced self levelling rear shocks with pedders as they couldn't handle the continuous corrugations and wore out.
Use bridgestone 693's for all my outback driving. Kept puncturing the HT tyre with stones punched through the tread. The 693 AT's track better in the soft stuff and last longer and haven't punctured one yet. Don't carry a second spare due to lack of room but do carry repair gear to get out of trouble. varying tyre pressures depending on surface makes a big difference to comfort. Carry a compressor. You can get away with lower pressures in the subie because the vehicle is light relative to the tyre size, very useful on the dirt. Typically run 36-40 psi on bitumen and 25psi on corrugations or down to 20 psi if corrugations are real bad and the speed is kept below 70.
Great vehicle, Go enjoy.
regards
A
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Reply By: The Landy - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 12:18
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 12:18
Most have covered this off very
well. However, the question often comes up about which vehicles should be taken where. I'm a great believer that most will go anywhere, but preparation is key.
To put some context on this route you are talking about, people used this route, in what we would call vintage vehicles these days to get to shearing jobs at properties that dot this track. Some even travelled as far north as
Cordillo Downs on bicycles.
The key to any outback travel is preparation. Enjoy your trip!
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Reply By: Member - Sheepie (NSW) - Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 12:29
Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008 at 12:29
Thanks all so much for the great
feedback - very impressive :)
I've put our name down for the meet at Innimincka - if this trip gets off the ground (and at this stage I can't see why it wouldn't) then we'll be there that weekend anyway, so I'd better say hello now you've all made me feel so welcome!
I've also changed the name that appears in the forums so it's a bit clearer who you're talking to - real name's Leon, and I'm another Kiwi ;) I know at least Aussiechef from elsewhere, maybe a few others.
And I've created my first bog entry if anyone's interested - it gives some details of the Flinders Trip I mentioned above.
Again, thanks for the advice - keep it coming :)
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