E Book 109.

Performance in our Highlander was touch – no need for door socks. quite acceptable, the diesel and auto There are plenty of cup holders and combining well to provide a no fuss storage throughout the vehicle as well drive around town and on the open as USB ports both up front and in the road. When required, a dose of right rear for charging plus a USB port in the boot had the trans quickly down- front console for connectivity to the 8” shifting and bringing the little engine to multimedia screen. Speaking of which life making for strong acceleration the Multimedia comes with Apple for overtaking. According to Hyundai the suspension has been dialled in to Australian conditions thanks to an extensive program of testing and tuning on our roads and tracks and I would say they have got it pretty right. The interior is luxurious and sophisticated. Beautiful leather seats combine with fabric hood and pillar linings, multilevel dash and a panoramic sunroof that extends back over the Apart from cup holders, drink bottles second row seating set the tone. Both fit into a specially moulded space in passenger and driver’s seats provide the door pocket. the option to be heated or cooled and even the steering wheel can be warmed Head-up display shows speed and up for those chilly winter mornings. limits where they apply. There is plenty of leg room in the second row and even the third row CarPlay and Android Auto, Sat seating is not too squeezy. The third Nav, reversing camera and in the row is accessed from the passenger Highlander, surround view camera. side with the touch of a button on the In addition, there is climate control, second row seat base which slides paddle shifters on the steering wheel, the seat forward. Both second row power tailgate and electric folding seats can be adjusted forward and mirrors – fair dinkum this vehicle is just back which will provide a bit more leg loaded with features. room for passengers in the 3rd row if One thing that I really found worthwhile needed. Built in shade blinds on the was the head-up display which is rear passenger door windows is a nice reflected onto the windscreen just below the driver’s line of vision. With the vehicle’s speed and speed limit displayed it made for avoiding the long arm of the law much easier. The head- up display also shows cruise control settings and can be customised to provide other information if desired. And if all this isn’t enough, Hyundai offer a smart phone app, which when Western 4W Driver #109 49

activated allows, among a host 12 PSI was needed to get a good of other benefits, the ability to footprint length. remotely start the engine, adjust the climate control, turn on the off the traction control we made a steering wheel and seat heaters. tentative start. To my surprise, apart Plus it will log private and from dragging the undercarriage more business trips for tax purposes, than I would have liked, this family it will track driving and refuelling wagon was doing a half decent job of history and will send emergency getting along the beach. At one point alerts messages if involved in a however, after trying to turn around, crash. Cargo area is substantial, the Santa Fe started to struggle, so even with the third row seats in before I buried it completely and ended place. According to the Product up sitting on the chassis we decided Guide there is 547 litres with that the shovel and Maxtrax might be 3rd row seats up and 1625 litres the best option. But not wanting to with the seats folded down flat. get too hot and sweaty wielding the OK so let’s get down the nitty-gritty. Is shovel and the Maxtrax I gave it one the Santa Fe a vehicle that is suited to more try and with a very light throttle 4wd touring? Short answer – no, but and the auto doing its thing, the Santa that’s not to say it isn’t good for gravel Fe somehow got a bit of traction and roads, the tamer 4wd track and a bit of within seconds we were on our way beach work. We took the Santa Fe down again. Back home after a long day I to White Hills Beach south of Mandurah where the beach was pretty churned up from a fair bit of use by 4w drivers over the week end. I was more than a little apprehensive as to how far we would get along the beach before we might need the shovel and the Maxtrax. We let the decidedly road-oriented tyres down to 15psi without much noticeable difference in the length of the footprint, 12psi seemed to do the trick. Ground clearance isn’t too flash on the Santa Fe and letting the tyres down wasn’t going to help but after locking the centre diff and turning 50 Western 4W Driver #109

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SSuuppaaffiitt SSeaetatcocovevresrs SuSpuapSaerSevricveiceSuSpuapqauqauliatlyitySuSpuapfaitfit • C•aCnavnavsas WWateartperoporof,oDf,uDraubraleble • D•eDneimnim CoCmofmorfto,rItm, IpmropvroevdeFditFit • S•eSaetaAtirAbiarbgaCgoCmopmaptiabtlieble • A•uAsutrsatlrialniaMn aMdaede SSuuppaaffiitt11880000SSUUPPAAFFITIT sasleasle@[email protected] www.wsu.spuapfiatfsietsaetcaotcvoevrse.rcso.cmo.mau.au SUSUPAPFAIFTITSESAETATCOCVOEVRESRS SSeeaattccoovveerrssAuAsutsrtarlaiali'as'sSASFAEFSETSTSeSaetaCt oCvoevrer SuSpuapSaeSrevrivciece SuSpuapqauqaulailtiyty SuSpuapfaiftit

put the vehicle up on the ramps to see Santa Fe’s skirts smoothed out what was hiding underneath. Not a lot the track. was the answer. A large plastic splash guard covers the transverse engine and tunnel in the middle of the floor auto. Behind that a substantial cross pan. All in all, there is not a lot member supports the suspension and solid protection on offer under steering rack. Further back soft, fibrous the vehicle and the need for guards cover the wiring and plumbing careful driving on anything but and behind that, on the passenger good gravel roads would side a plastic fuel tank without a bash be imperative. plate. Behind that again is the rear Hyundai backs up the vehicle multi-link suspension and differential with a 5 year unlimited followed by a full size spare wheel kilometre warranty. Servicing which hangs down a tad below the rest is scheduled at 15,000km or 12 of the undercarriage. The exhaust and months intervals under normal tail-shaft are tucked up into a shallow driving conditions. We Reckon: As their flag ship the Santa Fe demonstrates just how far Hyundai have come since their early days. It is a sophisticated, luxurious and high tech SUV with limited off road prowess. Without a transfer case and some extra ground clearance it is never going to cut the mustard as a 4wd but I doubt that it was ever designed with that in mind. As a family wagon with the ability to get off the bitumen, it would have few peers. Nuts ‘n’ bolts 4th Generation Santa Fe Highlander Price: $60500 plus on road cost; Steering: Motor driven power steering Built: Korea; - rack & pinion; Wheels: 19” alloy; Body: Monocoque; Track: Front - 1635mm / Rear - Safety: To be determined but will be 5 star; 1644mm; Approach Angle: 18.5 degrees; Engine: 2.2ltr, 4-cylinder turbo diesel; Departure Angle: 21.2 degrees; Power: 147kW @ 3800rpm; Torque: 440Nm @ 1,750 to 2,750rpm; Clearance: 185mm; Turning Circle: 11.6m; Fuel Economy: 7.5L/100km (stated); GVM: 2630kg; Fuel Tank: 71 litres; Transmission: 8-speed auto; Weight: 1995kg; Payload: 635kg; Drive: All wheel drive; Towing: Capacity: 2000kg; Suspension: Front – MacPherson Strut / Rear – Multi-link; Warranty: 5 years/Unlimited kms; Brakes: Front & Rear - Discs; Service Interval: 12 months/15,000km. Western 4W Driver #109 53

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

A LOAD OF HOT AIR Emission Control Systems - Part 3 - What are the risks? With Ben Broeder So far, in our in-depth three part series looking into Emissions Control Systems, we have explored some of the emissions control devices that are used on our trusty four wheel drives and looked more closely at how they go about doing their job. In this, our last instalment, we are discussing what risks there are both to your wallet and to your vehicle by removing or tampering with emissions control devices on your vehicle. Current laws The finer particulates out of a modern diesel are high on the & regulations carcinogenic scale. In Australia, the laws and regulations relating Environmental Protection Act 1986. to emissions control We spoke with the Department of systems for light vehicles Water and Envrionmental Regulation are contained within (DWER)’s Senior Environmental Office, Australian Design Rule Scott Bainbridge, to find out a little 79/04 Otherwise known more regarding emissions control as ‘ADR79/04’ and the systems and what penalties those who Road Traffic (Vehicles) interfere with them could face; Regulations 2014. ADR79/04 is the Western 4W Driver #109 55 vehicle standard, which prescribes the exhaust and evaporative emissions requirements for vehicles to be licensed for use on Australian roads. The Australian Design Rules lay out the requirements, specifications and testing procedures for emissions control systems used in Light Vehicles, to which the manufacturers must adhere. If any of the various emissions control systems that are fitted to your vehicle are removed, or tampered with, this constitutes as an offence under the

“Sections 77 and 78 of the “The EP Act provides for a fine of up Environmental Protection Act 1986 to $5,000 for these offences, which (EP Act) provide that it is an offence to would include removing or impairing remove, disconnect or interfere with anti-pollution devices (such as diesel anti-pollution devices on vehicles and particulate filters) on vehicles,” vessels…” Mr. Bainbridge continues, Bainbridge said. “… or for a vehicle or vessel owner or Seeking further information regarding driver to fail to maintain antipollution these regulations, we also spoke with device(s) fitted to their vehicle or the Department of Transport’s Driver vessel” We were also interested and Vehicle Services Manger, Steve in what the negative effects on the Mitchinson. “DoT advises it is an environment could be from removal offence to perform illegal modifications of these systems. “One of the main to any vehicle’s emission control issues with the removal of emission system and that removal of the diesel control systems is the potential impact particulate filter would make the vehicle on human health, particularly in urban non-compliant with the Australian environments. The Department of Design Rules (ADR) – either ADR 79/04 Water and Environmental Regulation’s or ADR 80. The DoT fine for non- Perth Air Emissions Study found on- compliance is currently $100 under road vehicle emissions to be the third- regulation 235. If detected, the vehicle most significant source of air emissions may also be subject to a defect notice.” in Perth,” Bainbridge said. Mr Mitchinson directed us to the Road So, for those who feel compelled to Traffic (Vehicles) Regulations 2014, remove their DPF or emissions control Part 10 provides the standards and equipment, what fines can they face? requirements for vehicle emissions. ONE ONE WEBSITE QUOTE FOR A GREAT NOTE WWW.PERFORMANCE-EXHAUSTS.COM.AU 56 Western 4W Driver #109

Subdivision 3 states; “Each Environmental regulations stipulate emission control system of a big fines for removal of anti-pollution vehicle must remain fitted to equipment from your vehicle. the vehicle.” And that “Each emission control system applications. Where vehicles are speed fitted to a vehicle must be in a restricted and in the case of DPF’s, condition that ensures that the unable to perform filter regenerations. system continues operating essentially in accordance with What can go wrong? the system’s original design. As these systems are an integral part of the vehicle, modifying or So, why remove removing them will have an effect on multiple systems across the vehicle. these systems? Predominately the engine ECU, in As with many subjects that aren’t relation to fuel mapping and engine completely understood by the timing. But they can also impact upon masses, the lack of comprehensive other electronic systems and software knowledge leaves the door wide open within your vehicle. to speculation and hearsay. Especially Manufacturers spend hundreds of when some of these systems aren’t thousands of dollars engineering, popular in the first place, this only adds developing and testing these systems on their vehicles. They have little “The reality is that interest in selling a vehicle that will be prone to trouble or failure. for the majority of the In general, these systems are well engineered and perform their job well. public’s concerns and When you, or ‘Bob’s Backyard Autos’ start messing around under the bonnet, fears, there is little to trying to bypass and alter things this is the scenario where there is much support the case against greater potential of failure or reduction in performance and reliability. emissions control Why are there so many systems.” horror stories out there? fuel to the emissions control fire. Many times, I have made comment Many are under the belief that the regarding engine faults that are blamed various emissions control systems that on the emission control systems. In we’ve discussed, lead to poor engine the vast majority of cases that we have performance, higher fuel consumption and lower engine reliability. Whilst Western 4W Driver #109 57 there can be only very minor points made supporting some of these claims. The reality is that for the majority of the public’s concerns and fears, there is little to support the case against emissions control systems. In part two of the series, we highlighted what many of the root causes of the issues were. The reality is, it’s not worth removing or tampering with emission control systems. The only exception being in some rare, non-conventional off road only uses – such as in some mining



seen, the root cause can be attributed service as recommended by the to one or more of the following: manufacturer, use of incorrect • Infrequent servicing – even though oil grades for the operating environment and even cases the sticker on the window or where inadequate checks and the text in the log book may monitoring are carried out on state a ’10,000km’ or ’15,000km’ the vehicle. service interval, this is only Even when a ‘log book service’ is for ideal operating conditions. performed, some less reputable Many manufacturers halve this outlets will only do and check items interval and class the operation as that are in the manufacturer’s service ‘Adverse Conditions’ based on schedule. Generally speaking a four criteria such as ‘operating the wheel drive specialist knows what your vehicle above 40 degrees C’ or vehicle goes through and will check ‘operating the vehicle on un-sealed and inspect much more than the bare roads. Naturally this varies vehicle minimum to vehicle. • Improper servicing – Not Summing Up: carrying out a full log book There are many compelling, financial and environmental, reasons to not 4WD specialist service agents mess with any emissions control know what your vehicle goes equipment on your vehicle. However, through and what’s needed to keep many motorists are paying hard earned it operating smoothly. money to remove them. Whilst they are being told this will cure their problems, it’s putting them at financial and legal risk by doing so. Not to mention helping to expedite the demise of the internal combustion engine for the rest of us. We may not like these systems, but if we are to have any hope of continuing to be able to own, operate and enjoy four wheel drive vehicles, particularly diesel ones, we all need to be better educated on the emissions control systems and learn to embrace them. Links: https://www.der.wa.gov.au/our-work/ programs/460-perth-air-emissions- study-2011-2012 https://www.legislation.wa.gov. au/legislation/prod/filestore.nsf/ FileURL/mrdoc_41147.pdf/$FILE/ Road%20Traffic%20(Vehicles)%20 Regulations%202014%20-%20%5B01- c0-00%5D.pdf?OpenElement Western 4W Driver #109 59

EXTENDED FOR ANOTHER EDITION APPY DAYZ Send us a happy snap Simply email us a happy snap* with no more than 50 words telling us where you were and what you were up to and you’re in the running to win one of ten Hema HX-1 Navigators. YWOIUN’RNEERA! Ted Lord One of highlights of our recent Pilbara trip was fishing at a creek mouth just South of the Ashburton River. Jennie caught this little shovel nose, which we put back, and the sand flies were biting as well, but we had a fun afternoon! 60 Western 4W Driver #109

EXTENDED FOR ANOTHER EDITION WITH and you could WIN!One more HEMA Navigator to win or a 2 year subscription: Laurie Shine Explore a new frontier My wife and I had a 2 Year Sub! holiday in Namibia where we hired a Landcruiser and spent three weeks having a look around some of the more remote spots. Unfortunately, we didn’t get many photos of the 4WD, but we thought maybe we could enter this one in the competition. You have to have your glasses on to see it in this pic. *email your entries to: [email protected] Western 4W Driver #109 61

2 Year Sub! Bart Schwagermann 2 Year Sub! Hi, my name is Bart. Your excellent magazine always encourages responsible 4wd use especially on our beaches. Recent storms have unleashed the wrath of mother nature on Myalup Beach near the Harvey Diversion Drain. 2 Year Sub! Kendra nunweek-Hanlon Stephen Hope Relaxing after a big day climbing Burringurrah (Mount This is my partner, Melissa enjoying an extra Augustus), reported to be the world’s largest single rock. large marshmallow at Running Waters. The 360 views from the summit are definitely worth the climb and viewing it from a distance in the late afternoon from Emu lookout is equally as impressive. 1 MORE KEEP ‘EM COMING HEMA FOLKS TO WIN! 62 Western 4W Driver #109

New Santa Fe. The backseat battle is over. Peace at last. 7 Seat luxury: Safety first: Cleverly connected: • Smart one-touch walk-in • Rear cross-traffic • Two USB ports in 2nd row • Rear seat split folding avoidance assist • 3rd row air conditioning • One-touch flat folding • Apple Carplay™1 and Android™ • Smart cruise control seats – 2nd row • Bind-spot collision Auto2 compatibility avoidance assist hyundai.com.au/santafe 1. Apple CarPlay™ functionality requires software update. Apple CarPlay™ requires iPhone® 5 or subsequent model (lightning cable) in order to operate. Apple® and iPhone® are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. 2. Android™ Auto requires a device with Android 5.0 operating system or subsequent version, and USB cable in order to operate. Android is a trademark of Google Inc.

4TH GEN SUZUKI Australia is fighting back and the steering system adds a damper enthusiasts who want to buy the to minimise vibration and kickback. next-generation Jimny. There are live axles - with coils and links - both front and rear because The new model, here in the Suzuki believes this is the best set up first half of next year, is the fourth for maximum wheel travel. generation of the baby 4WD but only The 1.5-litre engine delivers a modest the second time it has been redesigned 75kW/130Nm mated to either a five- in about 20 years. speed manual or four-speed automatic, It goes a bit retro with styling based then through a transfer case with low on its first LJ50 export model (there range to rear or all wheels. was a domestic LJ360) and keeping the This engine is smaller and lighter than overall package city-friendly. the 1.3-litre engine it replaces. But it’s no wimp with a three-link It has a 37-degree approach angle and live-axle rear suspension, full ladder a 49-degree departure angle, with a chassis, small-bore four-cylinder petrol 28-degree breakover angle. engine and a low-range transfer case. But it also picks up on creature Suzuki said the Jimny is “designed comforts by inheriting in-cabin for professionals” with its technology from its siblings such as the off-road capability. Swift, Baleno and Grand Vitara. The chassis is more rigid than before The boot has been greatly increased thanks to additional cross members 64 Western 4W Driver #109

JIMNY From NEIL DOWLING over the previous Jimny, with an additional 53 litres of volume to make it 377 litres. The cargo area is flat and the rear of the seats is finished in a special plastic for easy dirt and stain removal. There are also five utility screw holes and four luggage hook screws to tie down the load. Suzuki Australia said global demand for the new Jimny may slow Australian supply. It said that it could get as little the outgoing model which stopped as 500 for the first four months. production in November last year. The company has already pushed the There are still some current models launch date to next year and waiting on sale at about $21,990 but demand lists for the new car are expected to for this model is also high - so much be about six months until production that there are reports that some buyers meets demand. The price is unknown are paying extra for delivery of this though it will be more expensive than outgoing car. The reports are that the new Jimny will be under $30,000 and could start at about $26,000. But we’ll have to wait until next year. Western 4W Driver #109 65



e-CRUISERALL ELECTRIC WHAT’S NEW? MOST people have switched on to the fact that the world is growing more electric by the day. Elon Musk is in the process of giving South Australia an advanced form of it and every car maker on the planet has an all-electric project or product. Now an enlightened Australian company is poised to bring an advanced vehicle to the nation’s underground mines via its all-electric Land Cruiser. Called the Voltra eCruiser, it’s a 4×4 purpose-built to produce zero emissions and save on maintenance costs, while still providing the toughness of a 70 Series Land Cruiser. The World Health Organisation found that diesel particulate matter is carcinogenic to the same degree as cigarette smoke and asbestos, and diesel- powered machinery in underground mines present some of the most severe exposures to this hazard. And don’t think diesel particulate filters (DPF) are the answer. While they can trap ‘heavy’ solid particulates such as carbon, they can be ineffective in controlling the extremely small or gaseous portions of emissions, known as ‘fine’ particulates - which include toxics such as sulphur and are a more likely cause of death than the solid matter collected in the DPF. Western 4W Driver #109 67

It’s a problem that cannot be Smartphone, tablet and PC compatible solved with existing diesel- - no pollution issues. fuelled vehicles, but one that Single speed transmission. was tackled by Autoline, a WA- based supplier of automotive replacement parts. Company representatives Travis Seeley and Andrew Draffin went to Automechanika Frankfurt, the world’s top trade show for the auto service industry where they researched exhibits related to the development of electric vehicles and ended up in discussions with experts from New Zealand, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands. Travis put forward the idea of converting the Land Cruiser 79 Series ute to a fully electric, emission- free vehicle, and the concept of Voltra was born. That concept has, after a great deal of hard work, study and travel, translated to the production of Voltra eCruisers and the first has been delivered to BHP’s Olympic Dam site, where it has become the first fully electric light vehicles in Australia, purpose built for Is this the future for 4WDs? underground mining. The conversion kit was fitted to a new benefits include less maintenance 79 Series, transforming a fuel-guzzling due to less moving/wearing parts, V8 into an efficient EV, complete with saving on diesel use and storage, fully-sealed lithium-ion batteries, a less heat and noise, greater custom gearbox and electric motor operator comfort, an improved work – all while retaining four-wheel-drive environment for miners and a reduction capabilities. Some of the expected in BHP Olympic Dam’s carbon footprint and environmental impact. News of 68 Western 4W Driver #109 the Volta has spread fast. “We are getting international interest and we’re currently working with large global companies,” project manager Andrew Draffin said.

BLACK DUCK, COLOURFUL COVERS IF you value the interior of your 4WD, especially the seats, you probably Never heard of him? have seat covers on them. That’s probably because he’s a camouflage expert, therefore hard to The standard gear is OK for city and see. But the army’s tanks and other suburban warriors, but the seats can angry bits wear a lot of his work and take an awful battering if subjected to Black Duck got him involved in its new a lot of offroad use, when backsides Black Duck Bush Print range. There are bearing sand, grit, deceased insects two colours to choose from, eucalyptus and suchlike end up merging with and red desert. Eucalyptus is in soft, the velour. You can, of course, get natural hues of greys and blues, while strong aftermarket covers, but they’re Red Desert has bright and bold reds usually in brown or grey or some other and golds to reflect the iconic outback monotonous shade. Now Black Duck desert landscapes. Look closely and thinks it’s time for something different, you’ll see the occasional black duck in so it came up with the idea of a cover there too. That alone should keep the to celebrate the beauty of Australia. kids occupied for a minute or two. All So did they go to Ben Quilty, Erin Black Duck seat covers are water, tear, Nicholls or one of the other hot painters and scratch resistant and red dirt, dog du jour? No. They went to Ric Skilton. hairs, spills and mud wipe off easily. UNDERBODY ARMOURWARE IF you go down to the woods today, you could be in for a big - and nasty didn’t wear all that metal clobber to - surprise. For hidden in that stream get into a fashion magazine. They were you’re about to cross, or jutting out for protection from the axe, arrow or from hell in a dip after the rain, could sword of someone keen to take their be a sharp rock or any number of other heads off. unidentified objects (UO) that could Latest in armourware from Ironman put a hole in your fourbie’s radiator, or 4x4 is its expanded range of UBP Series sump. So think ahead and give your Underbody Protection, which is now machine some armour. available to suit the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series. Those knights of the Round Table The UBP will protect the radiator Western 4W Driver #109 69

against damage that could otherwise hot side and end up reducing it to a make your Cruiser run a bit on the spectacular steam fountain. Both of those components, radiator and sump, are vital to your journey, and sans coolant and/or lubricant, they will stop working and leave you stranded in a place no man has ever been before. Or woman, for that matter. The UBP is made of 4mm steel, it has a extured powder coat finish and a coat of anti corrosion stuff, and apart from neat looks and armour plating, it might also give you slightly better fuel economy. How so? Well, Alastair, it gives the brick-styled vehicle a hint of aerodynamics, dunnit? BIG BEEFY BATTERIES born in 1928. Some time ago it married Yuasa DANIEL Ricciardo could well have (born 1915) and a global benchmark finished on the podium at the for quality and technology, so its full US Grand Prix, alongside teammate Max name these days Verstappen. is Century Yuasa But our racing star had Batteries. to park his Red Bull after Anyway, the just 10 laps, when he Overlander 4x4s was in fourth place and come in two sizes, well ahead of Mad Max. DIN65 and 75, with Why? Well, his car’s respective CCAs of battery simply went 650 and 730. belly-up. So stone dead But be careful. he couldn’t even get a High CCA can squeak out of the team be generated in radio. Which shows how important a a battery with el strong, reliable battery is. And while cheapo thin lead plates and cheap and our Dan was in a place with 260,000 strong electrolyte, but it will have a people nearby, you might not be so very short life since the mix of thin lucky if your fourbie’s battery decides plates and strong acid will make it to die while you’re 510km away from conk out rather quickly. So you should Woop-Woop and the only living thing really be concerned about the brand in sight is a bull ant. Just out from and build quality. CCA got you puzzled? Century Batteries is its Overlander 4x4 Well, Edgar, it stands for Cold Cranking model, built especially for today’s 4WDs Amperes, and is very important, and for chaps who work out yonder or especially if you live in Scandiwegia, or like to traverse the remote parts of our any cold country. The numbers relate (very) big island. Century, Australia’s to the power the battery can produce oldest and biggest battery maker, was for 30 seconds at zero C before it falls below 7.2 volts. Do the maths and you’ll 70 Western 4W Driver #109

TOYOTA ACCESS A SMARTER WAY TO BUY

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see the Century is a real powerhouse. To in bits and they’re dual purpose in that handle our less than gentle offroad and they have starting and semi-cycling temperature conditions, the Overlander capabilities. They’re engineered and 4x4s have thicker battery plates to deal built tough with robust components with vibration, impact and demand and cutting edge technology to deliver of accessories like CB radios, driving superior cranking performance, lights, fridges, heaters and other plug- corrosion resistance and heat tolerance. AT 3 PROFILES hear’ involves a sound barrier of the non-jet fighter type. It’s a feature that ASK any offroad driver in the US keeps most of the road noise inside the about driving across any of that tyre and cuts the racket by 20 per cent. country’s rough terrain (there’s a The LT and XLT variants also have heck of a lot of it), and you might find his choice of tyre to be Cooper. ‘Rugged Shoulders’ which ‘not only provide an assertive look but deliver The brand’s Discoverer series functional traction in ruts and other soft has been around for some 40 terrain while providing extra traction in years and has been constantly the upper sidewall and shoulders.’ upgraded with ongoing gains in The compound used in the sealed road technology, so it’s no Johnny- AT34S uses lots of silica for the best come-lately outfit. possible traction in wet weather and is Cooper Tires (that’s how guaranteed to last up 70,000km. they spell tyres in the US) is In Australian Outback trials the AT3LT and described as ‘America’s most XLT™ were put through a 3500km torture trusted 4x4 tire’ and the latest test against other leading brands and, one has just been launched. according to the distributors the Coopers They also make tyres for set a new, all-terrain standard for on tarmac, and all the brand’s and off road durability. So, come tyre offroad products are replacement time, who y’ gonna call? guaranteed to last at least 80,000km. Australian agent Western 4W Driver #109 73 Exclusive Tyre Distributors says the Cooper Discoverer A/T3 all- terrain tyre is now better than ever and available in three new profiles, each with its own benefits. There’s the on-road AT34S and two with off-road profiles, the AT3L and the bigger AT3XLT. New features include ledges designed to eject stones from the tread voids, scalloped tyre shoulders for extra traction in soft surfaces, ‘aqua vac’ channels for improved clearance of water and resistance to aquaplaning and trademarked Whisper Groove Shields. The latter, described as ‘the most exciting advancement you’ll never

HIGHLY ILLUMINATING NIGHT driving is a bit more complex than doing so by daylight, mainly and faster switching. They’re used in because most of us can see aviation lighting, automotive lights, better in sun, rather than moonlight. advertising, general lighting, traffic Especially so when there’s no moon. signals, camera flashes, lighted wallpaper and medical devices. They Narva is of the same persuasion, so are also significantly more energy the renowned maker of driving lights efficient. Narva says its new release is has just released its big and powerful ideal for fitment to commercial vehicles or fourbies with big bull bars and provides the driver with a powerful and controlled beam that shines a bright white light way down the road. The Ultima 225s use a combination of new ‘Optic Drive’ free form reflectors and the latest ‘Cree’ XHP LEDs, ‘to capture and harness the light output and precisely focus it for maximum volume and penetration.’ As well as outright performance, they have a high colour rendering index, which might be of interest to lightologists. They’re available in combination, broad and pencil beam patterns and they’e fully sealed against Ultima 225 LED lights, which will turn water and dust. Tough as hell too, with night into day for at least 730m ahead. a virtually unbreakable hard coated LEDs? polycarbonate lens and lens protector The letters stand for light emitting designed to resist stone impacts, UV diode and in case your brain is of exposure and chemicals. Mounting and the analytical kind, be assured it has adjusting the lights is made simple via absolutely nothing to do with funeral the easily-accessible vertical adjustment services. In reality, it’s a vacuum bolts concealed by snap-fit bracket caps for a professional and secure finish. tube with two electrodes. Anyhow, Finally, despite their impressive lighting LEDS have many advantages over qualities, the Ultima 225s only draw a incandescent lights, including lower modest 4.6A at 12V, so there’s no strain energy consumption, longer lifetime, on the vehicle’s electrical system - and improved robustness, smaller size, they come with a five-year warranty. STEP UP TO PAJERO the sidesteps are, surprisingly, not made of iron. No. They use SPHC oil IF you have a Mitsubishi Pajero built and pickled steel for maximum strength in or after 2016, you can now get a and highest resistance to rust with 360° set of sidesteps for it, which apart robotic welds. from looking pretty spiffy, help protect Does the ‘pickled steel’ bit have you the vehicle’s sexy sills - and help take scratching your noggin? the mud or whatever from under your Hush Puppies. Made by Ironman 4x4, 74 Western 4W Driver #109

Here’s a definition: Pickling is a metal engineered to ensure surface treatment used to remove airbag compatibility and impurities, such as stains, inorganic ADR compliance and contaminants, rust or scale from their finish is in black ferrous metals, copper, precious metals powdercoat. But not and aluminium alloys. A solution called ordinary powdercoat. pickle liquor, which usually contains The Ironman product uses acid, is used to remove the surface AkzoNobel’s powder. impurities. So now you know. The Dutch-based global The steps were also designed and company, established in 1792 - yes, you read that right, 1792, just four years after Australia was founded, operates in 81 countries, employs 35,000 people and is the world’s largest manufacturer of powder coatings. Its coatings protect and decorate all sorts of things from world landmarks like the Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium in Beijing to the gas pipelines running under the ground in Siberia - and now also the sidesteps of your Mitsubishi. You’ll find the finish thicker, smoother and more durable than any other. IT STARTED WITH A WHEEL ar tt 912 ar vn501 fuel coupler atx blade xd rockstar2 COMPETITION PERFORMANCE TYRE MUSCLE CARS / CLASSIC CARS / HOTRODS OFFROAD / 4WD 58 King Edward Rd Osborne Park WA Mon-Fri: 7.30-5.00 Sat: 7.30-midday e: [email protected] www.associatedtyreandwheel.com.au ALL BRANDS TYRES & WHEELS NEW & SECONDHAND 4WD & TRUCK TYRES EFTPOS-LAYBY-TRADE IN Western 4W Driver #109 75

EARS IN current Clearview Towing Mirrors, but with the electric folding capability. DON’T you envy those smartass All the dimensions and ADR folks with their VW Arteons and certification stay the same for other fancy upmarket sedans with every model. mirrors that fold inwards when they In vehicles that have existing auto- lock their cars? folding mirrors, the Powerfold Mirrors Actually, those mirrors are on a lot of will work as a plug and play product. smaller cars too these days. Those without need electrics and And on SUVs. wiring which allow the mirrors to They make a lot of sense, saving the fold via a switch. mirrors or the vehicles themselves Clearview will be releasing the Toyota from damage in Landcruiser 200 Series (plug and play shopping centre car parks, where models the VX and Sahara) in October some people seem and other Toyota Landcruiser 200 to think it’s OK to Series (GX and GXL) in November shove shopping since they need an additional wiring kit trolleys between to fit the mirrors. parked vehicles. They will be followed in the next few Also, folding months for Holden Colorado 2012/Isuzu mirrors effectively D-Max and MU-X, Ford Ranger and make a vehicle Everest, Landcruiser 70 Series, Amarok, narrower, so it can Pajero, HiLux, Prado and Jeep GC. park in a confined You can also get functions like space, such as a indicator, heated, blind spot monitoring double garage or cameras fitted. Jump onto the designed for little Clearview website for a clearer view of cars of yesteryear. their folding mirror attributes. Like people, cars www.clearviewaccessories.com.au are also getting tubbier nowadays and while you might well be able to park two modern ones in a small garage, you can’t open the doors to get out - because they have these huge mirrors, which are a necessity because of all the morons on the road you need to look out for. Here’s the thing: Most of the vehicles that need folding mirrors the most, just don’t have them. LandCruisers, Colorados, D-Maxes, Rangers and suchlike. But help is on the way (there’s a song about that) in the form of Clearview’s new Powerfold Mirrors, which are just about to launch onto the market. They retain the same function as the 76 Western 4W Driver #109

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Pic: National Library of Australia. FRANCIS BIRTLES He is arguably Australia’s greatest motoring adventurer, an acclaimed hero of his time and the first person to drive from the UK to Australia. Ron and Viv Moon relate his story. 78 Western 4W Driver #109

AUSTRALIA’S GREATEST OVERLANDER Birtle’s Oldsmobile in Cooper Creek near Burke and Wills Depot. Pic: National Library of Australia. Western 4W Driver #109 79

n July the 26th, 1928, the streets the Nullarbor, when tracks of any sort, of Melbourne were crowded for the most part, were non-existent. with thousands of people Almost immediately with the little fame he had gained from that first trip, he O(mostly men actually, going by the photographs of the day) – as they set out on a new bike to ride around waited patiently for their hero to arrive. the eastern half of the continent and When Francis Birtles drove his battered to write a book on his exploits; Lonely and tired 1925 Bean 14 car, that he Lands was published in 1909. affectionately called the ‘Sundowner’ With a book behind him and numerous because of his knack of arriving at newspaper articles written on him sundown at some remote station and magazine stories by him, Birtles homestead for dinner, the crowd was the most known cyclist of his went wild. Feted at a civil reception day. In that same year he set a new soon afterwards, he and his travelling record for a west-east crossing, and companion succumbed, next day, in 1910-1911 he set off on a complete to the rigors of their trip, not to mention malaria, and “Just after Christmas Day in spent the next two weeks in hospital. For Birtles though 1906 he peddled out of Perth on a the nine month trip from the UK across Europe, the Middle pushbike to become the first person East and Asia to Australia, to bicycle the country from west to and then through the outback east across the Nullarbor” that he knew so well, was the crowning achievement of his illustrious career. circumnavigation of the continent. Born in 1881, Francis Birtles went In 1912, with Syd Ferguson, a mechanic reluctantly to sea at for the Australian 15, but enlisted in the importers of the Cape Colonial Forces Brush motorcar, he at the outbreak of set out to become the Anglo-Boer War the first to drive a in South Africa in car from Perth to 1899. Contracting Sydney. By now black water fever he Dunlop Tyres was returned to Australia a near permanent in 1904 and a couple sponsor of his of years later set expeditions, but out on what was to Birtles’ wasn’t become his life putting all his long career. faith in these new Just after Christmas fangled mechanical Day in 1906 he contraptions; his peddled out of Perth trusty bike, shod, on a pushbike to of course, with become the first Dunlop tyres, was person to bicycle the country from Birtles and bicycle - note the rifle. west to east across Pic: National Library of Australia. 80 Western 4W Driver #109

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Birtles camped beside his Oldsmobile somewhere in the NT. Pic: National Library of Australia. strapped to the back of the heavily he headed south to Melbourne loaded vehicle. Arriving in Sydney, 28 across outback Queensland. The film, days after their departure from the WA Across Australia in theTracks of Burke capital (and just 3 days faster than his and Wills, opened to audiences on bicycle ride), the pair were hailed as Christmas day 1915. heroes. In 1913 he set off again from For the next few years Birtles wandered Sydney, this time in a Ford Model T and the outback, more at home in the drove the vehicle from Burketown on desert country than in the cities. With the Gulf of Carpentaria through outback his brother Clive and an MH Ellis, a Queensland and south to Melbourne. well-known journalist of the day, they His next adventure set a new record for the in 1914 was with “...the vehicle hit Brisbane to Sydney the acclaimed a stump, spilling fuel, run, and in 1919 he Australian film which immediately burst made another film, maker, Frank Hurley. Through Australian They set off in a into flames and the car Wilds. Sadly this and Model T and drove exploded.” his other movie epics from Melbourne to no longer exist, or at Sydney, onto Darwin, down the west least, haven’t been found. coast of Australia to Perth, across In 1921 the Australian government the Nullarbor, which by then Birtles’ sent him out on a trip through the knew pretty well, to Adelaide and onto heart of Australia to find a route for Melbourne. The result of this trip was the railway line which was planned to the film, Into Australia’s Unknown. The be built to Alice Springs and places following year he set off on a seven further north. The trip ended in disaster month filming trip from Sydney to north of Tennant Creek as the vehicle Broken Hill, onto Quorn in the Flinders hit a stump, spilling fuel, which Ranges, before turning north to Cooper immediately burst into flames and the Creek. Reaching the Gulf at Normanton, car exploded. He finished his survey Western 4W Driver #109 83

by an extensive air foray across the strapped on, and two spare tyres were country – probably the first ‘official’ mounted at the rear. aerial survey in Australia. In 1924, with The route Birtles would take south from two companions, Birtles set off to drive Darwin was to Katherine and onto Daly non-stop from Sydney to Darwin and Waters, Newcastle Waters, east to Lake back as a promotional trip for a British Nash and Djajarra then south to Boulia, vehicle, the Bean 14 car. It was Birtles’ Winton and Bourke to Sydney. From first experience with a Bean and the there they’d race to Melbourne on a half heavily loaded machine, while it broke reasonable road. down a number of times, survived the With Alec Barlow as the mechanic, harrowing trip which saw them at one Birtles drove the 5540km from Darwin stage while crossing the Gulf country, to Melbourne via a menagerie of tracks travel just 300km in five days. and cattle pads in just 205 hours. They had just four punctures, and Barlow, it was said, didn’t even have to lift a spanner for any repairs. The Bean car company was so impressed they took the car and Birtles to England to put Birtles repairs an axle in Central Queensland. Pic: National Library of Australia. He followed that up a few months later by setting a new record from Darwin to Adelaide in an Oldsmobile 30 car. Two years later in a sporty 2-seater version of the Bean 14 Tourer – the car that was to become the Sundowner – Birtles set out to break the record for the Darwin to Melbourne run. Sponsored by the local distributor, Barlows of Melbourne, the Bean 14 had been rebuilt to Birtles’ own plans. That included drilling holes in the longitudinal chassis rails to reduce weight, and a second fuel tank and heavier springs were fitted. The two headlights were kept as standard, while the mudguards were replaced with lighter simpler units. Brackets were welded onto the outside for gear to be 84 Western 4W Driver #109

Birtles liked the ‘genuine’ Aussie photo. Pic: National Library of Australia. the car on show. Birtles leaked like a sieve requiring daily was then asked to drive repairs. Arrested as spies in eastern the latest Bean car from Turkey, they were held for a few days England to Australia with before being allowed to continue onto MH Ellis and another Beirut, where they replaced the third companion. The new car diff in the Imperial before pushing on was the heavier Bean to Damascus. In Persia (today’s Iran) Imperial Six, soon to be one of the party was forced to leave dubbed by Birtles, ‘Scrap Iron’. Birtles and Stollery in the Sundowner Leaving London later at Blackall, Queensland, July 1928. than originally planned, the party got away in early February Pic: National Library of Australia. 1927 and raced across Europe, climbed the snow filled passes of Yugoslavia and Bulgaria then got bogged down in the muddy fields of western Turkey, and all the time amongst a host of other mechanic problems, the radiator Western 4W Driver #109 85

Birtles and the imperial six in Baluchistan (now in Pakistan). Pic: National Library of Australia. Winching the Bean somewhere in the Naga Hills between India and Burma. Pic: National Museum of Australia. because of dysentery, and to Palestine and then into Syria. From by the time Birtles and Ellis Damascus, he headed east to Baghdad, got to India they were well where he was delayed by British behind time, the car was imposed quarantine regulations before broken and the monsoon travelling across the border. Once in had begun. The trip was Iran he turned off the main road to abandoned and Birtles Tehran, then blocked by snowdrifts, and returned to London. cut across on a more direct, but near But already Birtles was trackless route, to Isfahan in central Iran planning another attempt where he turned north to Tehran. From on his own in a vehicle he there he tracked east towards Meshed knew well – the Sundowner. before paralleling the Afghanistan He hurriedly rebuilt the car from the border south into what is now Pakistan. ground up, procured some limited He was bogged on numerous occasions help from Bean and sponsorship from in sand, near frozen in snowdrifts at Dunlop, Shell and Castrol. On the least twice, washed downstream in a 19th October 1927 he left Australia snow melt flooded river and pursued House in London, while a small group by bandits. But worst of all he was of well wishers, including the famed now suffering from malaria. At Sibi, in aviator Bert Hinkler, and the 1927 Miss Australia, Phyliss von Alwyn, waved him off. He raced through France then slowed as the roads got worse through Yugoslavia and into northern Greece, but he was still ahead of his planned schedule when he arrived at the Shell offices in Athens. With his experiences of Turkey behind him he shipped the Sundowner and himself to Alexandria in Egypt, crossed the soft sands of the Sinai Peninsula 86 Western 4W Driver #109

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modern day Pakistan, he was forced They dug, sweated, and dug some to rest for a couple of weeks before more, as they built a road for most crossing the desert to the Indus River of the way up and over the high and pushing on to Delhi, where the mountains, while local native tribesmen local Shell agent had given him up for carried the extra fuel and oil but lost. In Calcutta he met a Canadian, downright refused to dig or do anything Percy Stollery, who was peddling a bike else. Birtles reversed the gearing on around the world. Teaming up, and after the Bean so the former reverse gear rebuilding the Sundowner once more, became their only forward, albeit low the two intrepid adventurers set off for gear and built windlasses to winch the their crossing of the Bean up impossible many channels “Here there were no slopes. On one of the mighty roads and no vehicle had steep section, Ganges River, after removing the which back then ever dared to try and cross tyres and rims, he had no bridges grooved the brake across it at all. The (the Naga Hills).” drums of the driving man-powered punt wheels so he could fit they chose at one point almost sank, chains to them for more traction on the leaving both Stollery and Birtles soaked slippery slopes. Harassed by the mud, and the Bean half submerged. But that the thick jungle and steep countryside, was nothing compared to what lay as well as marauding elephants, tigers ahead – the Naga Hills – that straddle and rogue water buffalo, the crossing the border between modern day India of the mountains – a distance of some and Burma. Here there were no roads 60km, took them 30 days! and no vehicle had ever dared to try They crossed the Irrawaddy River on and cross them. a raft and then pressed onto Rangoon, Making a road through the Naga Hills for the Bean. Stollery doing the hard work. Pic: National Museum of Australia. Western 4W Driver #109 89

where they arrived well Birtles and Stollery with the Sundowner behind time and already in Sydney before the final leg of their given up for lost or dead, 25000 km Journey to Melbourne. as well as penniless and exhausted. Dunlop and the Pic: Australian National Maritime Museum. Bean Company cabled them money and their exploits continued their drive south south continued. to Singapore. Timing was everything In Singapore, courtesy of their now and they rushed sponsors, they loaded themselves and south towards Singapore, a relatively easy drive after what they had been through, but now their luck ran out. The flooding rains of the monsoon arrived inundating rivers, wiping away long sections of tracks and washing away bridges. Then, in an exhausted state, both men began to suffer again from malaria. Needing rest they found a ferry and shipped their vehicle and themselves from Mergui in southern Burma to Penang in Malaya, a distance of less than 300 miles, where they 90 Western 4W Driver #109

The Sundowner is now often on display at the National Museum in Canberra. Pic: National Museum of Australia. the vehicle onto an oil tanker and sailed Australia, crossed it from for Darwin where they arrived still both north to south and east to west suffering from malaria. At this point somewhere between 50 and 88 a Customs official impounded the car times. His crossing from the UK until duty was paid, but again Birtles to Singapore and onto Australia and his travelling companion were was the forerunner to every other broke. A telegram to the Australian attempt. It was a remarkable Prime Minister released the car and two series of achievements by days later Birtles and his companion anyone’s standard. headed to Brisbane, Sydney and then The Sundowner, which he Melbourne. It was an anticlimax to the donated to the Australian National adventures they had already had but Museum in 1929, and about 50 years they were feted at every town and city before a national museum even came along the way. The 25,000km journey into existence in Canberra, often takes from London had taken them nine pride of place in the rambling display months and five days. halls there. And, in the last few years, After that historic trip, Birtles never a couple of books have been written again attempted such a hard journey, about him, while his early publications but he still kept travelling. His fame are reprinted (poorly) and are available though, hadn’t brought him fortune, via the internet; so his name and so it was a stroke of luck that in the his achievements will not be so early 1930s he found, in Arnhem Land, easily forgotten! what was to become a fairly lucrative gold mine. Financially secure with Books more money than he really needed, in 1935, the same year as he published Lonely Lands: Through the Heart of ‘Battlefronts of the Outback’, he married Australia, by F Birtles, 1909. his second wife, Nea. For the next Battlefronts of the Outback couple of years the couple travelled by F Birtles, 1935. extensively though the outback in Grit - an Epic Journey across the World, Birtles’ self designed Ford Caravan. by Peter Wherrett, 2005. Birtles passed away in July 1941, Francis Birtles - Australian Adventurer, his place in Australia and motoring by Warren Brown, 2012 history assured, but sadly today, little known. Depending on which record More Info you believe, he had travelled around Numerous articles and references to Francis Birtles can be found on the web – just Google his name. The National Library and National Museum in Canberra have extensive collections on Birtles, while the State Library of NSW and the National Maritime Museum in Sydney have smaller collections. Western 4W Driver #109 91

THROTTLE RESPONSE WHEN YOU NEED IT The iDRIVE throttle controller reduces throttle lag and improves the response from the vehicle’s fly by wire accelerator to wake it up and make the acceleration feel less lazy. $299 • Easy plug and play fitment. • 18 levels of adjustment. • Auto control for easy set and forget use. 30 • Ideal for towing. • Improved throttle control DAY Money back off road. Guarantee Demonstrating the effect the different settings have compared to the factory setting. www.idriveaustralia.com

Travelling vast distances in the outback and TESTING the need to sometimes drive at night has been lifted to a whole new level of safety with the advent of LED driving lights. And while many four- wheel drivers choose to be tucked up in their camp well before dusk and the influx of nocturnal animals, if you do need to do a bit of night driving, having some decent lights can help ease driver fatigue and identify changing road conditions well before it’s too late. THE 9100 DT LIGHTSHOW by Lyn and Ron Mitchell Western 4W Driver #109 93

One of the newest driving lights from a safety point of view, a driver available on the Western Australian should be looking at the road up to 12 market is the AFN 9100 DT Driving seconds ahead, which at 90km/hour Light, produced by AFN 4x4 equates to about 300 metres ahead. Accessories are available in WA Our 2004 Nissan Patrol cab chassis through Ultimate 4WD Equipment Pty vehicle’s low and high beam lights left Ltd, based in Bibra Lake. The 9 inch, quite a bit to be desired but the AFN 100 Watt, LED lights cost $485 for one lights were in a league of their own. or $960 a pair. They provide a soft, They lit up the road, verge and bush white but intense light that according extremely well for 300m and the beam to their brochure can illuminate a of white light stretched even further distance of 1 LUX at 1,100 metres. down the road lighting it up to the AFN undertook extensive research 700m reflector with the light beam’s and design to develop the new lights. intensity starting to diminish the Their aim was to ensure that the light further out it went. There is no doubt pattern provided a good combination that overall, the output of the AFN of spot and wide beams, and incorporated DRLs Blind man’s bluff, low beam on the old (daylight running lights) to Patrol ups the odds of animal strike. make the vehicle easier to see in daylight. The result is an impressive-looking pair of lights that feature 28 spot beam and 8 wide beam Osram LED chip sets, as well as four Samsung LED DRLs, all spread lights was outstanding and would be evenly across each light. To test the a major benefit to a driver. The only effectiveness of the lights, we set our downside we found was that when vehicle up on an isolated, long stretch driving, the lights were so bright at of gravel road just east of the Perth close range that they caused reflective hills. We measured out 300 metres road signs to flare, momentarily to a set of red and white reflectors on blinding us. The lights are well made either side of the road and then placed and feature a breather vent at the back another two reflectors at 500m and and serious, heavy duty vertical fins 700m respectively further up the road to dissipate the heat efficiently. Gavin from our vehicle. We were aware that Duffield from AFN 4x4 Australia said AFN designed inbuilt technology that 94 Western 4W Driver #109 allows the output to be managed to maintain the optimum performance levels of the light. If a light exceeds the working parameters, it will reduce the light output until the light falls back to within the working range. The AFN lights have the highest IP (ingress protection) rating possible,

IP69K, meaning they meet all of the current industry standards regarding dust, accidental contact and water ingress, and are also protected against close-range, high pressure, high temperature wash downs. The Heat sink dominates lights have a die cast aluminium the back of the light. housing, come with a clear, hardened polycarbonate cover and have On a pitch black back 100% polyester UV and abrasion- road, working distance resistant powder coating to provide is 300m, person high resistance against scratching standing at 150m with and shattering. A full mounting kit road markers at 300m, is included with the lights, making reflector behind at 500m fitment simple to do yourself, and fluoro jacket at providing you have a good quality bull 700m.The 9100s present bar and a wiring harness already on a strong white light in the working area. your off-roader. Four Torx bolts allow adjustment of each light. And to cope with the endless sand, bull dust holes and corrugations you might encounter out in the bush, the lights have a 30G vibration rating and carry a five year warranty. The lights are well designed, easy on the eye and up there in the rare air of top end brands dollar-wise, but they will help you to continuously monitor the track or road conditions at night to identify hazards long before they become a problem. Nuts ‘n’ bolts AFN 9100 DT Driving Lights technical specifications: 100 Watts Actual lumens 9000lm Osram LED (LUW CEUPCE/36ea) chip sets Operating temperature -40 degrees Samsung LED (LM581B_Plus/4ea) chip sets Celsius -+80 degrees Celsius Input voltage DC 9-36V IP rating IP69K Current draw 9.17A (@12V) Vibration rating 30G Beam angle 5 degrees Lifespan 50,000 hours Raw lumens 10080lm Dimensions 225.2mm x 99mm deep Western 4W Driver #109 95

COME WITH US IN 2019 4WD Canoe Safari Take to the water on this brand new adventure for Campfire Escapes. Imagine floating serenely down the middle of one of our great southern waterways maybe casting for bream or simply watching the tall timber forest slide silently by. Unlike the rough riverside tracks we traverse to get there, on the water you can drift along with your eyes closed and feel no movement at all, such is the sublime experience of river travel. In a radical departure from the norm, we combine 4W driving, camping and canoeing for a summer weekend of adventure in the Southwest. Canoe, life jacket and tow boat supplied BYO fishing gear. Let Campfire Escapes ‘float your boat’. Back up the Creek. (Remote Upper Gascoyne.) It’s a matter of fact - we can’t keep away from this place. If remote, disused station tracks that twist and turn through creek crossings and wandering along wide gravel riverbeds under the shade of river red gums to camp next to cool, deep waterholes, stirs your adventurous spirit, then ‘Back up the Creek’ is the trip for you. For 11 days over Easter (with only 5 work days lost) you can lose yourself in the timeless landscape of the Upper Gascoyne. Indigenous rock art, towering gorge walls and amazing birdlife await but be warned, this is not on any tourist route and you will need to be completely self-sufficient. Take the challenge and book today. Not suitable for camper trailers. Very suitable for tents and swags. A Flinders Fossick Can you conceive a mountain range in Australia as high as Mount Everest? Well that was a few million years ago and now you can scale its heights in your own 4WD and look in wonder over a very ancient landscape. That range is the Flinders and it beckons like a jewel on the Eastern horizon. Here is a place rich in geological history where the earth has heaved and squeezed to form gorges, bluffs and abutments loaded with myriad mineral deposits, where fossils can be found imprinted in the clays of time, where rugged tracks wind to great heights and peaceful campsites nestle in valleys and lowlands. The Flinders is very much on the bucket list and in July next year we’re pulling it out of the bucket along with Coober Pedy, the Gawler Ranges and the Old Eyre Highway. Departing Perth on the 28th June 2019 this is 17 days of pure adventure complete with the insights and knowledge of an enthusiastic geologist who will be joining the tour Perth to Perth. Camper trailers welcome so jump in early as spaces will be limited. For more detail call Nick on 08 9291 8303 or Andrew on 08 93172344. www.campfireescapes.com.au

FROM THE SHADE OF A COOLABAH TREE A big old river red gum at George Gorge in the Pilbara. Early explorers and some botanists working in the late 18th and early 19th century predicted that there was what became known as the Mulga- Eucalypt Line indicating a boundary between woodlands dominated by gum trees or eucalypts and the shrublands and grasslands in which the principal tree species are acacia – many of them being the group known as ‘Mulgas.’ Western 4W Driver #109 97

Although it doesn’t appear as such As we know, these trees range from on many maps, the mulga-eucalypt the majestic forest giants of the south- boundary more-or-less follows the west to the small delicate specimens, isohyet marking out the 250 mm or 10 usually with stunning flowers and inch annual rainfall zone. The eucalypts strange but delightful ‘gum nuts’ that are on the coastal side where this populate the drier parts of the state rainfall is mostly reliable, while inland and our off-shore islands. I find it a in the more arid regions you travel delight when travelling to see West through acacias that are scattered Australian eucalypts planted as street or in thickets growing in suitable trees and as feature specimens in soil pockets. private and public gardens – and not Sandgropers are fortunate in that they only in Australia mind you. They are have growing naturally within their state popular garden subjects in many parts a huge proportion of the more than 700 of the world. It’s a real buzz when recognised species of eucalypts. overseas to be reminded of enjoyable trips though WA looking at landscapes filled with eucalypts and other fascinating plants and thinking about how each one fits into its ecological niche so well. When you stand at the base of one of the South- West’s forest giants and look upwards, the crown seems so far up that it can’t be seen clearly. People have measured them to prove that the tallest flowering plant we know is a eucalypt almost 100 m tall and is the tree that foresters call the ‘Mountain Ash.’ Only the Coastal Redwoods of North America are taller and as they are conifers and not flowering plants in the sense that we are talking about, they don’t count this time. Our South West’s forest giants - the ubiquitous karri.