basshead
X-TRAIL HOLIC
Date Registered: 02-2004
Location: Panania, Sydney
TOTAL POSTS: 2852
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Australia Day 2010 NSW: Morton National Park (Nowra) Trip
Firstly the formalities...
Please read this thread and if you haven't already read and replied to the Forum Trip Agreement thread, you can do so here
After posting a trip report recently in the events section, a few members showed interest in doing this track. I understand it is quite late-notice to be posting an event, but I had to wait until I could find out whether I was able to get Monday off work, as it would've been abit of a long day in the car (especially for Josh) driving a couple of hours down there, then a few hours 4WD'ing, then another couple of hours home again. I will totally understand if no-one ends up confirming. Please PM or email me with your phone number (in case of last-minute cancellations, as I wont have web access after Thursday afternoon) to confirm your attendance (as well as a general (without phone number!) reply in this thread for others to know).
The planned trip will be similar to the one in the above trip report, however I also plan on venturing into the permit-only Tianjara Fire Trail. I will contact NPWS with the required information on Thursday (when I have attendance numbers).
Proposed meeting point and time:
10am at intersection of Twelve Mile Rd cnr Princes Hwy between Conjola and Jerrawangala, which is about 10-15 minutes further south than the Princes Hwy and Turpentine Rd intersection. There are no noticeable land-marks apart from the Twelve Mile Rd street sign at the intersection (the first time we missed it, and ended up having to do a u-turn a couple of kilometres down the road!). There are a couple of service stations not too far before the intersection for petrol/supplies/relief. If this proposed meeting location seems unsuitable, I can change it to one of the service stations (I'll have to double-check which one to choose, to make sure we're all at the same one  ). The 10am meeting time allows a little bit of a sleep in for those coming from Sydney (approx 2hrs drive) or no sleep-in for anyone coming from Central Coast
What to bring:
CB Radio if you have one, and recovery gear if you don't want me to get mine dirty .
BYO everything for a BBQ lunch (utensils, meat, bread, drinks etc). I'll bring sauces and a gas camping BBQ along in case it's a total fire ban or all the sticks are wet (can you use ground-cover as firewood in a NP? ). I am sure there is already a table and chairs there.
Route:
I propose a nice easy start, and to have an early and relaxed BBQ lunch at the picnic spot near Boyd Lookout. After that we will continue along Twelve Mile Rd up to the steep rutted section. If for any reason we decide not to proceed past this point, the alternative route will be to re-trace our steps and drive along Wandean Rd (after abit of bitumen driving). If we continue on Twelve Mile Rd to Tianjara Fire Trail (permit-only) we will decide as a group whether we will continue along Tianjara Fire Trail, or take the shorter way (which we went on our previous trip) onto Tianjara Falls lookout via Twelve Mile Rd, and then (time permitting) go back to the hihway via Wandean Rd, then head home. I expect the overall trip including lunch to take no more than 4-5 hours (ie: finishing around 2-3pm), not including the drive to/from Sydney of course. Make sure I don't forget to pop into the Berry donut van (on the left, just before the service station) for afternoon tea!
Info:
I decided to travel the same direction as the trip report, as I believe it's safer having to climb up the rutted hill than slide down it in the event it's just as slippery as it was when we went. There has been more rainfall in the area again last weekend, so chances are it's still the same, but wont know I guess until we reach it, whether it's in any better condition. If it's beyond anyone's capabilities (and I don't want any newbies to feel they're going to be challenged or belittled) then the safe alternative is to turn around, and explore from the other side (obviously not attempting to drive all the way around to try and go down it!). I completely respect everyone's ability or lack of, and want newbies to understand they are under no pressure to attempt anything they don't feel 100% comfortable with. /end disclaimer
As a rough indication of level of difficulty, using a previously-devised track rating scheme which I can't seem to be able to find on our forum, I would say the track is rated as "easy-medium" 4-5/10 in the dry, and a "medium" 6/10 for the majority of the trip, except for a few large deep puddles and the rutted section, which would make it a 8-9/10 "difficult" in the wet. While I completed the track in probably what could've been the worst conditions it was in (the puddles couldn't possibly have been any deeper as they were already right across the road in most places!), I don't believe the spacer lift made much of a difference that a standard X-Trail would be left bogged. And I've seen what some other members have accomplished with standard tyres, and my BFG's clogged up so much with clay that their grip was equivalent to slicks, so there's no need to worry about having stock tyres on...
Not trying to scare anyone, but I will say that I will be the one who will be getting out the recovery gear and all covered in mud if anyone needs to be pulled out of a hole!
I'll also have OziExplorer and printed maps (I will give the printed maps to a passenger in another vehicle for the duration of the trip)
Confirmations:
With that said, I think it's time for questions (did I forget anything?) and confirmations...
Any vehicles are welcome, however Jalal might still need them to confirm (maybe on member's behalf) in the trip agreement thread, or may allow X-Trail forum member to take responsibility for the friend.
Just a reminder to PM or email me your phone number as I wont have web access after Thursday afternoon. It's probably a good idea that you PM me ASAP even if you're just a "maybe", so I will have your contact details while I'm away.
Last edited by basshead, 19/Jan/2010, 9:55 pm
--- Rich. X-013(c)
'04 S2 ST Auto. Nudge_roofracks_tow_tints_Lightforce_GME_YokoGeoA/T-S_TBS_bashplate_50mm-spacer-lift
Click here to see >300MB of photos and videos All For His Glory. |
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19/Jan/2010, 9:46 pm
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rescue1
X-TRAIL HOLIC
Date Registered: 01-2009
TOTAL POSTS: 1384
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Re: Australia Day 2010 NSW: Morton National Park (Nowra) Trip
We're in...PM sent
--- Alan & Phillipa
2008 X-Trail TL White Diamond
Plumpton NSW
Our Mods
X-1112 (C)
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20/Jan/2010, 8:04 am
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Revhead Kev
Date Registered: 10-2006
Location: Mona Vale, Sydney, AUSTRALIA
TOTAL POSTS: 6360
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Re: Australia Day 2010 NSW: Morton National Park (Nowra) Trip
Hi everyone,
Rich has asked me to be a minder for this trip thread while he is away from Thursday (yesterday) until the Tuesday morning to take note of any other trip attendees and to PM his mobile number.
So please PM or email me your mobile numbers if you are joining this trip so that I may make note of them to forward onto Rich.
--- Kev X450(c) T30 Guru
03 Titanium Ti T30 Series 1 **MODIFIED**
My Blog
My CarPC Worklog |
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22/Jan/2010, 7:30 am
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Revhead Kev
Date Registered: 10-2006
Location: Mona Vale, Sydney, AUSTRALIA
TOTAL POSTS: 6360
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Re: Australia Day 2010 NSW: Morton National Park (Nowra) Trip
quote:
basshead wrote:
The 10am meeting time allows a little bit of a sleep in for those coming from Sydney (approx 2hrs drive) or no sleep-in for anyone coming from Central Coast
Hi all,
Rich has asked me to update this for him.
The 2hrs is from his southern Sydney location.
Anyone leaving from any other area of Sydney should allow extra time appropriate for the travel from their location to the southern suburbs of Sydney. As an example, my travel time from the northern beaches will be approx. 3hrs
--- Kev X450(c) T30 Guru
03 Titanium Ti T30 Series 1 **MODIFIED**
My Blog
My CarPC Worklog |
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23/Jan/2010, 8:14 pm
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rescue1
X-TRAIL HOLIC
Date Registered: 01-2009
TOTAL POSTS: 1384
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Re: Australia Day 2010 NSW: Morton National Park (Nowra) Trip
Contact details emailed Kev
--- Alan & Phillipa
2008 X-Trail TL White Diamond
Plumpton NSW
Our Mods
X-1112 (C)
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23/Jan/2010, 9:25 pm
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rescue1
X-TRAIL HOLIC
Date Registered: 01-2009
TOTAL POSTS: 1384
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Re: Australia Day 2010 NSW: Morton National Park (Nowra) Trip
See you there....
--- Alan & Phillipa
2008 X-Trail TL White Diamond
Plumpton NSW
Our Mods
X-1112 (C)
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26/Jan/2010, 5:58 am
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