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May 2022

16 posts
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Species Spotlight: Tasmanian Devil

Devil by Name, Not by Nature. Shelly Lord takes a look at one of Australia’s most misunderstood and endangered marsupials. The Tasmanian Devil is possibly one of our more misunderstood native animals. Early European settlers named them “The Devil” after hearing screeches and growl’s coming from the bush at night. Then later being portrayed as a ferocious, spinning cartoon character called “Taz” that would eat anything in his path. There seem to be many people out there who are fearful of the Tassie Devil, believing it is an aggressive and evil animal. Tassie Devils have the most powerful bite for the weight of any animal, strong enough to crush bones. However, these nocturnal carnivorous marsupials are shy and prefer to run away.  Tasmanian Devils have coarse black fur, and most have a white stripe on their chest. Some devils have white markings on their rump, with no two markings on a devil being the same. They are pretty small, stocky animals, with the males being larger than the females. A healthy male devil can weigh between 8-and 14kg while the female will weigh between 5-and 9kg. Although not a very big animal, standing up to 30cm at the shoulders, a Tassie Devil can eat up to 40% of its body weight in one day. Tassie Devils are not fussy eaters,…
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Track Trailer T4 Review: Uncommonly Uncompromising

In this product review, Pat gives you his thoughts on the Track Trailer T4 Hybrid Caravan. It looks like a ‘regular’ single axle off-road caravan by all intents and purposes. Off-road suspension and tyres, loads of ground clearance, and a bed up against one end. But in reality, that’s like comparing a Datsun Fairlady to a Lamborghini Huracan. Yes, they’re both sports cars, but one is a supercar, and the other is not.  If you hadn’t already worked it out, the Australian-engineered and built Track Trailer T4 is the Lambo in this analogy. With their glut of winding roads and doorway to Europe, it makes sense that the Italians would design sexy fast cars that know how to corner. Yet it makes even more sense that Australia would be the home of the finest off-road creations on the planet.  The caravan industry in Australia has, however, had a chequered past. Manufacturers come and go with the seasons, and things like R&D and warranty are what some builders consider ‘optional’. Track Trailer sits at the opposite end of the spectrum. While its trailers remain essentially hand-built, the roots of the company lie in military contract fulfilment. Before building fancy $100K-plus off-road caravans, they built off-road trailers for the Australian Army.  Before Tesla had a Trunk, the T4 had one…  HYBRID-OGRAPHY  The…
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K’Gari: Your 4X4 Paradise Awaits

K’gari or Fraser Island is a paradise indeed, but you may benefit from some ‘Mr 4X4’ tips to ensure your journey goes to plan. You might think I’d be getting sick of it after venturing to K’Gari Fraser Island for the past 20 years. But being the largest sand island in the world has its advantages. There’s always a different route to take and something new to experience. This latest journey was blessed with great weather, incredible sunsets, and great rejuvenation. After the wildfires of a few years back, the island has bounced back with vigour. It’s genuinely looking better than ever.  Inskip Point (just north of Rainbow Beach) was my start point this time around. This stretch of sand is undoubtedly one of the most changeable. One day, the sand spit stretches far and wide. The next? It’s a slender two-lane sliver of sand out to the barge. And let’s not forget about the sinkholes that randomly appear up here, swallowing whole caravans in the process. My advice with Inskip Point is to never take it lightly. Always air down before hitting the sand, and engage low range if you have it. Not only will you give your 4X4 the best chance of success, but you’ll also be saving yourself an embarrassing recovery in a high traffic area. Our…
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Bundjalung NP – Beware of RAAF planes bearing gifts…!

Protecting an area of coastal plains, heathlands and pristine beaches, Bundjalung national park also includes an exclusion zone used by the RAAF as an active bombing range….! But don’ty let that stop you visiting this amazing location. The North Coast of NSW has many diverse and unique areas all linking back to when the east coast volcanoes erupted 30-60 million years ago. If it wasn’t for the major upheaval, we wouldn’t have the Great Diving Range holding rainforest pockets, rich soil farmlands and wilderness areas. Luckily, along the north coast region, we can access most of these areas in some way.   One of these areas is Bundjalung NP, just 90 minutes south of the NSW/QLD border. On paper, the park has a wide variety of things to do and I remember from 20 years ago I thought I’d head back in for a few days. Parks state that it covers 21,000 hectares with a variety of different environments including wetlands, coastal, rainforest and much more. One significant feature is the Esk River system which apparently is the longest natural coastal river ecosystem on the north coast, say that 10 times!   My plan was to start at the southern end of the park at the coastal community of Iluka and 4WD through the park to the main camping area of Black…
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Why I’m Not Buying a 300 Series

The 300 Series Toyota LandCruiser would have to be the most anticipated new vehicle release in decades but is it a worthy replacement for the venerable 200 Series? Our resident not-so-grey nomad, Marty Ledwich, reckons it’s not for him just yet and here’s why.  Toyota’s all-new 300 Series LandCruiser has been with us for a little over 3 months and much has been written about it since it first hit the streets. As the owner of a 200 Series LandCruiser, I’ve been following the commentary with great interest, particularly the feedback from those who have made the transition and those who have decided not to. I have to say, opinions sway both ways. If you’re considering making the switch, the decision is going to be a difficult one, to say the least.  The arguments for upgrading to a 300 Series are quite compelling. The new Cruiser is a more modern vehicle sporting the latest technology. It is lighter, more powerful and supposedly more fuel-efficient. It arguably addresses many of the shortcomings of the vehicle it replaces which was looking pretty outdated five years ago. And while the prices for a new 300 Series are a little eye-watering (not to mention the wait times), the prices people are paying for second hand 200’s are positively atmospheric. You’re not likely to find…
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Industry News May 2022

Check out what’s happening throughout the industry with insurance options for our two-wheel-drive owner readers, some great news about the Birdsville Races and a major tourism award in South Australia. CLUB 4X4 GOES 2X4  Club 4X4 Insurance has recently broadened its offering to two-wheel-drive vehicles and SUVs. Company chief Kalen Ziflian said: “We recognise that many of our policyholders have a daily driver that is not a 4X4. We wanted to help these people and offer a multi-policy discount. So, when you sign up for an additional vehicle, you’ll receive a discount not just on your daily driver, but on your 4X4 too.”  Currently, Club 4X4s Comprehensive Daily Drive Insurance is only available to policyholders. So, if you have your 4X4, caravan or camper-trailer insured with Club 4X4, you can access the Daily Drive Insurance and the associated discounts. The multi-vehicle discounts vary depending on the vehicle or trailer but are up to 10%.  Club 4X4 also offers the new multi-vehicle policy to be covered by a single policy schedule. You can have one simple payment per month and a single renewal date across all your vehicles to make managing your insurance easier.  To find out more, call 1800 CLUB 4X4 (258 249)  BIRDSVILLE IS BACK!  The iconic Birdsville Races is back in 2022, ready to celebrate its 140th anniversary!…
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Gear News – The latest 4×4 accessories for May 2022

Looking for some gifts ideas for mother’s day? We have plenty in this month’s gear news. I think mum would really love the Plasma Lighter…! PLASMA LIGHTER’S, ALL THE BUZZ  An essential item for every camper has always been a box of matches or a butane lighter. Now there is a new player in the market, the plasma lighter.  Plasma lighters first became available in 2015 but are only becoming more popular now. Plasma lighters are rechargeable, and they don’t require refilling with any gas or liquid. Once charged via USB, you can expect to get 300 uses per charge.  A plasma lighter does not produce a flame. It forms what’s called a plasma arc. Plasma is an ionized gas in which electrons flow. At the press of the button on your lighter, the stored charge passes between two nodes to create an arc of highly charged plasma. The benefit of the plasma arc over a flame is it will not blow out, and you can safely use it at any angle. Most plasma lighters come with a safety switch which restricts the ignition time to around 10 seconds. There are a few different types of plasma lighter. I’ve chosen to review a 4tech brand lighter with the top facing dual arc configuration. This lighter has four nodes on the…
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Engel Outback Gourmet: Cheese and Spinach Cob

Pat has done it again and it couldn’t be simpler. Just tear off chunks of bread and douse them in the cheese. Delicious!  This cheese delight is very easy to prepare and should be enjoyed around a roaring campfire. According to Recipe Pocket, Cob bread is a crusty round bread that can be made into one large loaf or smaller individual rolls. It’s a simple free-form bread that does not require a bread tin, making it great for cooks who only have basic baking equipment. It can be hollowed out to make a bread bowl for hot dips which is exactly what Pat has done in this yummy recipe. INGREDIENTS  1 large cob loaf (round)  1 big handful of spinach leaves, finely sliced  1 small onion, finely chopped  1 cup mayonnaise  1½ cups cheddar or tasty cheese, grated  250g cream cheese (Philly is good)  1 teaspoon mixed dried herbs  Salt and pepper  THE PROCESS  1. Preheat your camp oven to low/medium and drop in a trivet.  2. Slice a lid off the top of the cob and scoop out the inside – try to keep it in large pieces – leaving at least 2cm thickness of walls and base.  3. Mix all the other ingredients in a bowl, then fill into the cob.  4. Place the loaf on your trivet…
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Insurance premiums for your 4X4 are getting more expensive, but why? And how can you save a few dollars?

Have you received your 4X4 vehicle insurance renewal yet? If you haven’t, you’re likely to be in for a shock as our resident not-so-grey nomad Marty Ledwich found out recently when his arrived. Unfortunately, the news isn’t good. Premiums are on the rise. A couple of weeks ago, I was sitting in our new caravan, working on my laptop, looking for things to do during our visit to Canberra and thinking “how good is my life”. That was until my email pinged that I had received a notice for my car insurance renewal. Normally I would just flick this over to my wife who takes care of our finances and not give it a second thought but something inside me made me open it up and check it out. I had heard that premiums were on the rise. Crikey, that was an understatement. The next words that came out of my mouth cannot be repeated here. Suffice to say I had a bit of a shock. The insurance premium on our 200 Series LandCruiser had risen by 30%. No, that isn’t a typo. A 30% increase or an additional $300 per annum! Given we had not had any claims or changes in circumstances in the last 12 months, I was keen to find out what had happened.  I called my insurer (who…
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Budgeting for The Big Lap

How much does it really cost to travel around the country in an RV? Now on his third lap of Oz, Marty Ledwich shares his tips for budgeting for the big lap and sticking to it.  Budgeting for the big lap is one of the most asked questions on caravanning and camping Facebook groups, and for good reason. You need to know how much it is likely to cost before you head off. But how much should you budget for the big trip and how do you stick to the budget? Well, after being on the road now for the last three years and not having gone broke yet, we reckon we have the answer and it is a lot simpler than you could imagine.  HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?  It is almost completely impossible for me to say to anyone how much the big lap is going to cost them for one fundamental reason. My particular situation would be completely different to the next person. I travel with my wife and our three dogs. I have an income but my wife does not. We sold our home and all our possessions so we have no pre-existing bills to pay with the exception of the costs of insuring and maintaining our car and caravan, both of which we own outright.…
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