E Book 109

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SUMMER 2018 HXW-1inNaavHiegmataorCONTENTS DESTINATIONS Out Beyond the Holland - in the Goldfields Woodland________________________________ 10 Karara Colour - and re-bushing the bush__________________________________ 112 FEATURES Globatrol Unearthed - cross continental GU__________________________________________22 Quiet, Quiet - meeting Mark Moora_______________________________________ 37 A load of hot air (Part 3) - emission control risks________________________________________ 55 Francis Birtles - Australia’s greatest overlander______________________________ 78 Dirty Diesel - and how it affects your engine’s health_____________________ 125 Power to Burn (Part 2) - installing your battery system_______________________________ 155 Our Big Baby Eva - glamping across OZ_______________________________________ 1684 Western 4W Driver #109

TESTINGHightech Highlander - Hyundai Santa Feted_______________________________________ 42The 9100-DT Lightshow______________________________________ 93REGULARS COLUMNS 6Happy Dayz 60 97 EdSed 135What’s New 66 Bindon’s Lore 144 Clewed Up 151 Wildtrax 189 What’s in a Name The Things you See Over the Bonnet 105Gear to go Camping 137 BITS ‘n’ BOBSPopular Botanics 166Fishy Business 179Capture the Moment 191 4th Gen Jimny 64 Beach Bashed 111Goings On 194 Cooper Pros 184Subscriptions 196Advertiser’s Index 198Silly Snaps 200 Western 4W Driver #109 5

Westate WTF Publishers Pty Ltd There’s a little nag in the back of my mind that’s ACN 009 360 169 acknowledging a growing list of computerised PO Box 510, driving aids in modern vehicles and asking, “ Kalamunda, Where are these advances taking us?” WA 6926 Phone: (08) 9291 8303 Not physically of course, but don’t discount the Email: possibility that not too far into the future your vehicle [email protected] may take you on a pre-determined route to your Editor destination whether you like it or not. I’m talking Nick Underwood about our brain skills in controlling all aspects of our Contributing Writers actions and consequences and how much of those Phil Bianchi skills we’re prepared to hand over to computers. Peter Bindon Ironically the first computers were human calculators Linda Bloffwitch and mainly women, employed to do the hard number John Bormolini crunching for scientists who preferred to stay at the Ben Broeder laudable end of creative thought. Calculators these Amanda Burton days sit on every school kid’s desk and do the number Graham Cahill crunching for them - no need for mental mechanics, Jo Clews just push buttons. GPS is another case in point. In my Neil Dowling trip planning I always use paper maps, Google Earth Ian Elliot and computerised maps to seek out remote tracks and Alex Garner they are an absolute boon. Colin Kerr On the road GPS mapping orients us most Kristina Lemson conveniently but if it fails (or the Yanks turn off Lyn Mitchell selective availability) I’m of the age where I could Ron Moon still get around using my retained navigation skills. Rob Robson Students of orienteering could as well but where Susie Underwood would that leave the masses who have turned their navigational thought processes over to a voice in Advertising the dash? - Somewhere in the suddenly suburban Nick Underwood wilderness without a street directory I’d suggest. Administration The common theme here is the dumbing-down of Marilyn Dawson our cognitive skills in the name of convenience and Typesetting the conveniences just keep multiplying. Once it was discovered computers could control and maintain BENSON our engines in a finely tuned state (a wonderful thing) a whole world of possibilities evolved for ADVERTISING manufacturers to maintain their marketing edge by developing computer-based systems for many more Printing aspects of driving we previously had to think about and enact. So here’s the nag laid bare. Vanguard Press Cover (bottom image) courtesy National Library of Australia.Disclaimer: The views expressedin this publication are notnecessarily those of WestatePublishers Pty Ltd or the editorsbut those of the authors whoaccept sole responsibility andliability for them. While everycare is taken with images &photographs, and all othermaterial submitted, WestatePublishers Pty Ltd accepts noliability for loss or damage.Edition 109Summer 2018

SEd ed with Nick UnderwoodAt the moment we have driving aids that mean we don’t have to think about: theterrain ahead and where we might get best traction, (TCS Traction Control System)how well we steer, (ESC, LDW Electronic Stability Control, Lane Departure Warning)how fast we’re going and how close we are to the car in front, (ACC AdaptiveCruise Control - though I must confess cruise control is great for avoiding speedingfines and freeing up the right foot to exercise in the footwell ) putting the keys inthe ignition (PBS Push Button Start), imminent collision, (FCW Forward CollisionWarning)how close we are to another object, (PDW Parking Distance Warning)whether it’s safe to get out of the car, (SEA Safe Exit Assist), who or what’s still inthe back seat,(RSOA Rear Seat Occupant Alert) even now, how to reverse park, (ASPAdvanced Smart Parking where the vehicle steers itself into a parking space).Where will it all end? - Driverless cars of course. (AUTO Automated UnpalatableTechnical Override)Now don’t get me wrong. Like airbags, most if not all of these systems will savelives, but also like airbags they can fail. And that can mean you’re unknowinglydriving without that safety feature(and have possibly forgotten how to deal with itmanually as well).And that is the downside. If the responsibility for basic driving techniques is takenout of our hands, like the calculator and the GPS, that knowledge and skill (if onepossessed it in the first place) will disappear.Which brings me to another point. The system most important amongst all theseand which highlights a more serious issue, is Driver Alert Monitoring (DAM) whichwatches you for signs of tiredness and vibrates the wheel or sounds an alarm tograb your attention. No wonder you’re nodding off, you’ve got nothing left to do buthold onto the steering wheel!Or play with your phone or watch a movie (as we saw a driver doing onenight recently).Without all these considerations and actions that contribute to you being fullyinvolved in the process of driving and therefore more alert to your environment,sure, you’re going to be more relaxed, easily distracted and more likely to nod off.I do get it that there are many people who are not confident driving (or navigatingor calculating) and probably not that turned on by being behind the wheel, butdoes that absolve them of the responsibility to learn? In my opinion it doesn’t. Wesuccumb to the dumbing-down by others at our peril. Can we afford to be a parroterof acronyms? - themselves a dumbing-down where the original meaning of someare already lost to most drivers. (Who remembers what ABS or USB stands for?)Stay in control and if fatigue starts to creep in, recognise it, turn on the radio, sing,play ‘I spy’ or ‘Spotto’ (or ‘What’s that acronym’); change drivers or pull over for anap or a walk around. And if you happen to be at the wheel of a vehicle with moreassists than a game of basketball, there’s only one acronym worthy of consideration- RVTD - Return Vehicle To Driver. Western 4W Driver #109 7

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OUT BEYOND THEOur Queens Birthday Goldfields tripstarted much more auspiciouslythan the 2017 trip, which began inthe rain, had rain in the middle anda little more rain at the end. Thistime the skies over Brookton wereblue, the sun was shining and thebirds were busy doing what birdsdo in the spring time. That’s me on the nod at Honman Ridge. The boccé was too much excitement.10 Western 4W Driver #109

HOLLAND By Susie Underwood Western 4W Driver #109 11

e had a mixed crew with us two wives - the Bigamist) looming over this time, some frequent fliers the rock. The photographers amongst and some newbies just to mix us were up early trying to get that elusive arty “sunrise through the mist”Wit up. As always we took the shot. Funnily enough as the morning wore on the fog got thicker beforehighway out to Hyden with lunch at the suddenly dispersing to another gloriousdelightful Hyden bakery, before hitting sunny day. We tootled off to Cave Hill,the Hyden-Norseman Road, which with a quick stop on the way to makealthough a lovely gravel road in great friends with a Thorny Devil who wascondition does get a little boooooring sunning himself on the track. I’m sureafter a while. We broke up the tedium he had an interesting story to tell hiswith a quick detour to McDermid Rock, friends when we finally set him backone of the many granite outcrops in in the bush. Did you know that Thornythis neck of the woods, some garlanded Devils drink through their skin? If youwith rock walls to collect rain for the put one in a shallow dish of water youthirsty steam trains that were used can see the water wicking up itsto cart wood back in the gold rush body. Fascinating to watch but Idays. From there it was a left turn onto think our friend was a bit over usVictoria Rock Road and then onto tracks by the time we put him down.for our first night’s camp short of CaveHill. We found a lovely little camp site We lunched at Cave Hill, a rathernestled against a small rock and settled large monolith with (wait for it)in for the world famous Campfire a correspondingly large cave atEscapes garlic prawns, little boys and its base. In its heyday Cave Hillhome-made bread, followed by an was an important refuelling andevening nattering around the fire. The watering point for wood trainnext morning was a tad gloomy with traffic. There are several damsa very photogenic fog (the Italian withViews to the horizon from McDermid Rock.

on the hill and a camp ground if you Ring tailedchoose to stay and explore. There dragon.are expansive views from the top ofCave Hill and it is quite an easy climbto the summit, however the climb isa ridge too far for moi at the minutebecause I have Knees. From CaveHill our next stop was Sunday Soak,most notable for being neither wet norSunday. There were also a few assesthere fooling about, so we beetled offto our final destination, a campsiteon the shores of Lake Dundas (viaNorseman). As it was the weekendbefore Grand Final Day (go Dockers)we were all listening to the Eagles v We were mistified on the first morning. Vermin on the hoof. headed towards their glorious Grand Final Victory. FortuitouslyMelbourne as we were driving along. the game wrapped up as weWhat a great game! As the experts say, arrived in Norseman, just in time“A tight game’s a good game”, and even for a celebratory ice cream andthough I’m not an Eagles supporter you bucket of chips before setting offcouldn’t help but cheer them on as they to our camp. The salt lakes in thetowelled up the hapless Demons and Western Woodlands are so photogenic and the drive down the small hill, over the little causeway and along the lake shore particularly so, especially in the golden afternoon light. We were even treated to a family of kangaroos Western 4W Driver #109 13

A well formed track threadsacross the salt bush plain.hopping across the track in red hair under a tartan cap. The fliesfront of us. Lake Dundas were particularly friendly that eveningstretches a length of 50 km so we were all quite glad to see theand is 15 km at its widest. sun sink into the lake and light the fire.The Telegraph Track, which Next morning it was back over thewas the route east up until little causeway and up the small hill onthe late 1920s, crosses the our way to the Norseman-Lake Kinglake’s northern edge. There Road and Peak Charles. I have to sayis a mine of information here that one of our friendly escapeesabout this region written by who shall remain nameless (Deb) hadthe inestimable Ian Elliot in4WD Days in the Goldfieldsif you happen to have a copy handy.If not, check it out on the subscriptionpage near the back of the mag.At camp it was a quick set up andout with the golf clubs for the annualCampfire Escapes Sitting Duck GolfDay. Plugga is usually the honorarySitting Duck who we try to belt ourgolf balls at, but this year we had tomake do with JB and his shock of fake Climbing up from the top end of Lake Dundas.14 Western 4W Driver #109

METAL DETECTORS

”... We were all quite glad tosee the sun sink into the lakeand light the fire.”not had much experience in the 4WD landmark. The views along thedepartment, but drove across the little Norseman-Lake King Road towardscauseway and up the small hill with Peaks Charles and Eleanora are trulymuch aplomb (and just a bit stunning. We don’t have very muchof swearing). in the way of majestic eminences inLunch time saw us at Peak Charles, WA and I think we should celebrateanother unsung Western Australian them a little more than we do. From Twin Peaks we were destined for our next camp at Honman Ridge. The last time I ventured out this way there was a little salt lake to navigate which was under water and slippery as a black satin-sheeted water bed to navigate. This time, much to everyone’s relief, the lake was dry and the track to Honman Ridge which on previous occasions had been pot holed and undercut was a surprisingly easy drive. A short distance up gives panoramic views to the south east. Peak Charles revealed its true majesty as we drew closer.

Even though it didn’t get the blood steering yourself into a rabbit hole.pumping, it was rather nice to be able Honman Ridge has extensive viewsto appreciate the stunning salmon out over Lake Johnston and is a truly,gums with the understorey of blue truly beautiful spot. Also much lessbush as we ambled our way through burdensome in the fly departmentwithout having to worry about than Lake Dundas. Again it was a Western 4W Driver #109 17

A delightful campsite at Honman Ridge......quick set up of camp before some of Bocce Championships. This time weus donned outrageous shorts for the had quite the multicultural crowd,universe-famous Campfire Escapes with Nadja (she’s German), Charles ... and the views are to die for.

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TahhnuemaSffahrnoonrttatsstto-e.and Robert (out of Africa) and Deb and A great vantage point looking acrossAllan (Forrestfield). Well, much hilarity Lake Hope.ensued before The Shorts (an affrontto human taste and decency) won the was the lookout perched between LakesCampfire Cup to much loud cheering. It Johnston and Hope, shaded by onewas an early night for some after all that of the most stunning gum trees I havefrivolity and up early the next morning ever seen. Sadly, it was back to realityto catch yet another perfect sunrise over after this far too short tour through thethe lake. Our final stop on the track Western Woodlands, truly a remarkable area in WA and one well worth a visit.Excerpt from Hema’s WA State map. Western 4W Driver #109 21

GLOBATROL UNEARTHEDMeet Justin and Jen,two intrepid WestAustralian adventurerswho have recentlyreturned from an epicthree year journey thathas taken them to forty-five countries and seentheir Nissan Patrolclock up more than106,000km.22 Western 4W Driver #109

Off-Road RRwitoohbbson Western 4W Driver #109 23

reckon Justin has 4w driving in his A tight squeeze and off to Vladivostok. DNA probably inherited from his Dad, Barry who in Justin’s younger people in their own rights and with their combined input have built anIdays would load the family into their extraordinary vehicle that is innovative and functional on a platform that isFJ40 and take them off to explore out simple, strong and reliable.of the way places such Wedge Island, Having been around 4wd vehicles all hisYeagerup Dunes and the Warren River life Justin knew that a basically standardwhich in those days, were indeed out vehicle is going to provide the reliabilityof the way. The years of travelling with needed for an adventure of this scale,his family forged a love of 4wd touringwhich has taken him to some of the hence the Patrol’smost remote corners of Australia and drive line and enginein particular Western Australia. Since remained pretty wellteaming up with Jen, they have been stock apart from aable to share their passion for travel turbo and exhaust(and each other) and together have upgrade. King Springsbroadened each other’s horizons for provided a small liftthe path less travelled. with OME shocks andTheir thoughts of an overland odyssey steering dampenerbegan back in 2003 when the idea replacing the originalof putting a purpose built vehicle in units. Although thea container and taking it to far off temptation to go tocountries for an extended period a bigger tyre wassurfaced but it wasn’t until 2011 that on the cards, Justintheir plans really started to take shape.They bought a 2006 TD42 GU coil cab Good lighting was aPatrol and set about getting it ready for consideration whentheir epic adventure. heading to un-Both Justin and Jen are very clever developed countries. Extra light bar sits24 Western 4W Driver #109 behind cover at front of camper.

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decided to stay with 265/75/ Crafty use of in-dash space to secreteR16 as it was imperative the laptop.that the vehicle would fit ina standard sized container with a Samsung tablet loaded withwith the camper on the back. Oziexplorer software. In addition JustinAs it was they had to let the has removed the dash fascia in front oftyres down to get the Patrol the passenger seat to access the voidunder the lip of the doors of behind it (airbags take up this space inthe container then reinflate later Patrols). He has managed to fit athem for the journey to mini laptop computer (also loaded withVladivostok. An ARB bull barsits up front incorporating a9000lb Warn electric winch.Lights from Narva includinga pair of Extreme HIDdriving lights and daytimerunning lights are mounted on the bar,plus a 40” LED light bar is recessed intoto the front of the camper’s nose conewhile a + 50% headlight upgrade kitimproves standard high and low beam.Safari Snorkel, diff breathers and dualbatteries under the bonnet complementthe vehicle fit out.In the cab navigation is taken care of Somewhere on the icy roads of Norway.26 Western 4W Driver #109

Reflecting travel to colder climates, under the awning is less of a living hub and more for relaxing under shade. Storage locker under tray holds recovery equipment. Plenty of space in the forward locker for bulky gear. Device on left is one of four actuators to raise the roof.Ozi) on a roll-out bracket so the wholething can be hidden away when notrequired. How clever is that?But the piece de resistance of this buildis the camper. It is a credit to them both;particularly Justin who has managed toincorporate an array of innovative andfunctional features to make the whole concept quite exceptional. But when you consider that Justin has done all the work himself it makes the result so much more impressive. The camper itself has been built to fit onto the standard aluminium tray and has been tapered in to follow the lines of the tray’s headboard, making the vehicle more manoeuvrable on tight tracks and also improves the centre of gravity. It is worth noting that although the camper is built from aluminium and composite panelling, its steel chassis provides the strength so as not to be reliant on the tray for its mounting and support. The camper extends over the cab to incorporate the full size double bed (we will get to that later). External access to a large sealed storage compartment at tray level is via hatches on both passenger and drivers sides. In addition the full length, wind out, Fiamma Western 4W Driver #109 27

awning on the passenger sideprovides shade and protectionand a small drop down tablegives a flat surface to make asandwich, pour a vodka or evena place to keep wheel nuts outof the dust. Justin has chosenoff-the-shelf hatches and table forthis job so if they happen to getdamaged they can be replacedrelatively easily. Under the traythere are a couple of storagecompartments, one for recovery Solid fold-down stairway also acts as a dust seal for the door. Two spares underneath. Note on RH side above shovel, exhaust and muffler for diesel heater.gear on the passenger side and the the other. Out the back, the stepsother for batteries on the driver’s side. swing down to make for easyThey have also sewn up a couple of access to the camper and alsostrong vinyl storage bags (one on each act to seal the door from dustside) that hang off the tray behind the and weather while travellingrear wheels that they use for rubbish and can be securely locked inand levelling ramps. The idea being that place when the couple are awayif the bags happen to get clobbered from the vehicle. In additionwhen the back wheels drop off a big step the tank for the camper’s dieselthey won’t be permanently damaged – heater and stove is mounted onwhat a beaut idea. one side of the steps and the outdoorTwo spare wheels and tyres would shower rose resides behind a smallhave to be considered as an essential hatch on the other. To get the roof upfor a trip of this nature and Justin has once the steps are down is as simple asmanaged to make both fit under the tray opening the door (again an off-the-shelfon a specially made frame one behind caravan unit), reach inside and hold the roof switch which actuates the four rams28 Western 4W Driver #109 that lift the camper’s roof evenly to its full height in less than fifteen seconds. Apart from the convenience of the electric lift, Justin has opted to use the heavy duty rams to give the roof and walls more rigidity and strength than if he had used, say a scissor style lift or similar. He was concerned that strong

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winds and rough weather that standard Patrol tray especially once thethey would surely encounter large double bed is pushed up and outcould quite easily wreak havoc of the way – it is amazing.with anything less. A walkway (yes a walkway, albeit onlyThe walls are made of PVC and a couple of steps) divides the area -fitted with windows, flyscreen kitchen on the right complete with sinkand curtains. Apart from the and diesel powered stove top and oncurtains giving a touch of the left, in the corner a Porta-Potti isprivacy they were essential discreetly hidden with a fabric coverwhen the couple were trying to and sits (pardon the pun) on top of theget some sleep during the long pull out shower base. Yep that’s right, ahours of daylight in parts of thenorthern hemisphere.With the roof up, it’s just amatter of ducking your headto get through the door and “What greets you is an area that appears far, far bigger than you could expect ... of a standard Patrol tray..”step inside. What greets you is an areathat appears far, far bigger than youcould expect standing on the back of a Western 4W Driver #109 31

Plenty of ventilation above the kitchen area to let cooking smells out.shower and toilet – this camper has it all. Under the bed thereNext, a little further forward, a 60 litre is a large partitionedEngel fridge is topped with a cushion for storage area which isseating. But wait – there’s more, a small easily accessed whenswing out table with seating on either the bed is in theside provides a perfect meals area or as up position.a desk to keep the blog up to date. Under the sink and the stove a variety of large and small aluminium drawers store the necessary pots and pans, cutlery and crockery. More storage is available under the seats next to the table. All in all there is no shortage of places to keep whatever is needed for a three year overland adventure; although they both admit that their wealth of travel experience has taught them what they need and what they can do without.32 Western 4W Driver #109

The inside finish of the camper is superb Slide-out drawer with shelving is aand an absolute credit to them both. great idea.Water is stored in two poly tanks, 40 Shower with its own collection tanklitres between the cab and the head and lift-up curtain is self-contained forboard of the tray and 80 litres under the use inside.tray. A Seagull IV water filter cleans outthe nasties. Western 4W Driver #109 33Two 105 amp hour batteries supplypower for the camper body and havetheir own DC to DC charger. Also,three 80 watt solar panels are fittedpermanently to the roof to keep thebatteries topped up if they are stoppedin one place for more than a couple ofdays. In addition to the diesel cooktopthey also have a Webasto Air Top cabinheater which came in very handy whenthe temperature dropped below freezingin many of the places they travelled to.Justin took care of all wiring andelectrics in the camper and also theadditional wiring in the vehicle itself(he’s a clever bugger). After countlesshours of planning and preparation thePatrol was loaded into a container at theFremantle Dock in March 2014 for its 22day transit to Vladivostok in Russia – Itarrived unscathed and their journeywas underway.From Vladivostok they travelled throughRussia, Siberia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan,along the Pamir Highway and ontoTurkey then into Europe and the UKbefore putting the Patrol on a ship inBelgium and transporting it to Baltimoreon the east coast of the United States forthe second stage of their adventure.A fascinating account with a heap ofinteresting photos of their days onthe road through 45 countries canbe accessed on the couple’s blog atwww.globatrol.com.au but be warnedthis ain’t no five minute read. You’reprobably going to need several days butworth every minute.After 1078 days the Patrol was againloaded into a container this time inSan Francisco for its return journey toFremantle. The Patrol arrived back inexcellent condition, in fact not too much

Around the world and just Africa and South America to go.the worse for wear after the 106,000km for Globatrol), broadlyodyssey which has to be a testament to speaking it is cheaper toJustin’s skills along with the time and be on the road than it iseffort that was spent getting the vehicle to be living at home. Sheprepared. Not to mention the inherent has maintained meticulousreliability of the TD42 powered Nissan spread sheets for the wholePatrol - the Patrol might be a bit of a journey with a daily costsdinosaur these days but when it figure coming in on averagecomes to reliability, they are in a class at around $60 - $70 per day.of their own. However they both qualifyGetting a vehicle together is just one of that by pointing out that fuelthe challenges for anyone contemplating and living costs can varyan overland journey. Being able to afford widely depending on whichit is another. country they were travellingAccording to Jen (chief financial officer in. For example it was much cheaper to Bulgaria.Mongolia. travel in poorer counties where fuel is generally less expensive and there are plenty of places to free camp as opposed to say the UK where fuel is up around $2.45 a litre and free camping is non-existent. So it might cost $30 per day in somewhere like Mongolia but $120 per day in some of the European countries They free camped as much34 Western 4W Driver #109

Pamir. going to be very hard for them to settle down to the hum-drum of cityas they could spending only life for very long especially when210 days out of the 1078 in paid South America and Africa are still onaccommodation – I reckon that’s the to-do list.a feat in itself Notwithstanding, Will the Patrol be good to go again?1078 days at $70p/day makes Judging by what we have seen doingfor a hefty $75,460 and that this story there is no question of thatdoesn’t include flights, shipping – it is just a matter of when.and maintenance costs - not the Foot Note: Justin gives asort of money most of us would comprehensive walk around of thehave tucked away. Fortunately vehicle on the Video attached to thefor Justin and Jen they were Western 4WDriver Emag – grabable to rent both their houses yourself a subscription.which financed their travels.Back in the ‘burbs I reckon it is Sahara Desert. Utah. Western 4W Driver #109 35

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My initial visit to Balgo, located on the north-eastern edge of Western Australia’s vastwilderness, the Great Sandy Desert, has remainedwith me and each time I revisit this incredibledesert landscape, I liken it to visiting an old friend.Familiar sights and sounds, the vastness of thenight sky and the sense of isolation are but a fewof the reasons I was eager to return.QUIET, QUIET- MEETING MARK MOORA by Smithy Western 4W Driver #109 37

visit to a friend was the primary 70 kms to the West and Billiluna reason behind my latest desert Community, 85kms to the North and the adventure. Mark Moora is a waters at Ngaimangaima, a boundary marker between their northernAbushman, an Aboriginal elder neighbours the Djaru, and the Ngardi to their East (Tindale, 1974).and a story teller, the likes of which Balgo Community became famousI may never meet again. Born in the during the 1980s for its artists anddesert and raised bare-foot, before arts centre, Warlayirti Artists, still inwhite fellas had ventured onto his operation today. Mark Moora hascountry, Mark is a senior elder in his recently joined forces with the centrenow home of Balgo community. and is working toward his vision of an Aboriginal Cultural Tour business.Old Balgo, as it was formerly known, With support from the Parna Ngururrpawas established in 1942, by a party Aboriginal Corporation and theof German Missionaries, who set out local arts centre, it is Mark’s hopefrom Halls Creek in search of a suitable that establishing a truly unique andsite to continue their work. Years of family run business, will benefit hishardship and difficulty surviving in the community and the generationsharsh desert landscape prompted a to come.move to Balgo Hills in 1965, with theassistance of the federal government.This new settlement, ‘Balwina nativereserve’, was 20 miles East of the prior A now closed community, Yagga Yaggaand contained several Aboriginal tribal which translates as ‘Quiet Quiet’, wasgroups, including Marks’ Gugadja. established in 1985 as a homelandThe Gugadja (pronounced ‘Goo-gah- or an outstation for local people whoja’), are a desert tribal group whose wanted to leave the often violent andtraditional lands cover roughly 31,000 chaotic communities they had beensquare kms. Stretching from Balgo living in.Community to Lake Gregory, some Yagga Yagga thrived as a place of38 Western 4W Driver #109



peace and tranquillity and in The author with Mark Moora.the late 1980s, was officiallyrecognised as ‘a refuge for down from his elders about thethose who wanted to escape creation of his country and knowledgethe drunkenness and unrest at of the local flora and fauna are beingBalgo’, (Cane et al, 1990). told to his grand-children and greatLocal artists lived and painted grand-children. It is Mark’s hope, thaton their country and trips this knowledge will be shared withmade to Balgo would result inart sales and a direct sourceof income for themselves andtheir community.It is here, that Mark plansto run tours during the dryseason months, from May toSeptember on his homelandssurrounding Yagga Yagga,as the former community’sinfrastructure remains and the accesstracks are now well maintained due tomining activity in the region.From Yagga Yagga, tourists will embarkon a journey of discovery, adventureand aboriginal culture, first hand, withMark as their guide. Stories passed- Tailor made to suit your vehicle @solarscreenaustralia- 3 year warranty- Highest quality 9-layer thermal fabric- 100% Australian made & owned- Over 20,000 Satisfied customers‘Cool in Summer, and Warm in Winter’ learn more at: www.solarscreen.com.au40 Western 4W Driver #109

There’s a lot more to the bush than meets the eye as Mark is happy to explain. bush, as does Mark and I’m sure the visitors who make the journey into the desert will also. Traditional Aboriginal Culture is alive and well in these parts, however only a few senior elders remain in Balgo and Mark Moora is determined to see his culture thrive by passing on his vast knowledge to the next generation. Cultural Tourism, Mark believes can play a largetourists from all walks of life. role in ensuring the survivalI recall the first time I met Mark, I was and appreciation of the world’s oldestintroduced by a friend, who was at the surviving culture. Mark understandstime managing the Balgo Women’s Law the importance of collaboration and hasand Cultural Centre. Mark and I had been working with the local rangerssimilar interests in tourism and so a and Parks and Wildlife WA, to train themeeting was inevitable. young men and womenMy first impression “In his own words, in the region aboutwas a genuine cultural practices suchfeeling of respect “we come here to be as burning countryand admiration, as still, get away from all and habitat protection,Mark is a senior among others.elder and has the the noise in town”. Various meetingslong grey beard to with interested partiesprove it. This was a man and on country tripsof great knowledge I thought and our facilitate the learning and knowledgeinteractions and countless yarns since sharing between generations.have only strengthened my belief. Telling stories around the campfire,Listening to Mark’s stories over a hunting and gathering are the mostcuppa, under the shade of a mulga common methods used to pass ontree, I am in awe of this man’s love such knowledge. Very little is writtenof his culture and his country. In his or recorded, however Mark has beenown words, ‘We come here to be still, interviewed a number of times over theget away from all the noise in town’. years and video recordings are provingI certainly appreciate the quiet of the to be effective educational tools. Western 4W Driver #109 41

It wasn’t too long ago that it was easyto dismiss vehicles coming out ofKorea as lacking quality and refinement – boy-oh-boy how things have changed. Santa Fe was quite comfortable on beach tracks but higher profile tyres would certainly raise its game.42 Western 4W Driver #109

Off-Road RwRitoohbbson HIGHTECHHIGHLANDER Western 4W Driver #109 43

can remember in the early days at There is no denying however, that the Robson Brothers having a couple quality of vehicles manufactured and of Hyundai Excels as courtesy cars distributed out of Japan today are up there with the best of them. I believeIand they weren’t too flash to say the Korean manufacturers are following suit.least. Although at the time they proved In recent years Hyundai have showntheir worth making it so much more that they can produce vehicles that areconvenient, albeit a tad basic for our on a par with many of the world’s bestcustomers to get around in while their - this 4th Generation Hyundai Santapride and joy was being serviced. Fe is a case in point and after a fewHyundai vehicles have come a long days of punting the top-of-the-rangeway since those early days. Highlander around town and downIt is not such a long bow to draw to south I was reluctant to give it back. Formake a comparison between the Western 4W Driver the Santa Fe is a bitJapanese car manufacturing experience of a departure from what we usuallyand what has happened in Korea overthe past fifteen years or so. Those of review in these pages. It’s not going to take you to the most remote parts of the country or, for that matter even up a rutted 4wd track. In fact gravel roads, sandy tracks or a bit of beach work is all that I would suggest it should be asked to Santa Fe’s stylish interior hides a cornucopia of safety features and driving aids to keep you on track on road.us who are old enoughcan probably rememberthe term Jap Crap ( notparticularly politicallycorrect today but hey,that’s the way it was wayback then) In those dayscars coming out of Japanwere, by and large treatedwith the same contemptas those that came outof Korea not so long ago.44 Western 4W Driver #109

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Santa Fe Product Guide. A few years ago I would have said that a lot of this stuff is just gimmickry but now I’ve got to admit that for the most part they make for a better driving experience and of course a far safer vehicle to transport you, your passengers and the family. A couple of the features that I really liked were the adaptive cruise control SCCw/S&G (Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go) – talk about an acronym! It is becoming quite common place on many modern vehicles and in my view, really enhances the benefits of using cruise control. I also liked the blind spot warnings on the mirrors and the audible alert if you indicate to change lanes when there is a vehicle in the Full length roof-with-a-view. A more realistic speed range would make the speedo easier to read. Notdo – it is definitely a soft roader. shown here but what we liked But what it lacks in off road prowess was the on-screen overhead view of theit sure makes up for in high tech vehicle, made possible by its armycomfort and functionality. The Santa of cameras.Fe Highlander is one high tech SUVand if acronyms float your boat then blind spot. The LDW (Lane Departurethis vehicle is going to put you in Warning) keeps you on your toes if youseventh heaven. I’m sure most would happen to let the vehicle wander acrossbe familiar with ABS, EGR and VSC the lane for whatever reason. Notbut what about FCA (Forward Collision only does it give an audible warningAssistance), LKA (Lane Keeping Assist), but it will also steer the vehicle backDAW (Driver Attention Warning), BCA into the lane autonomously unless(Blind Spot Collision Assist) and EBD overridden by the driver. In the same(Electronic Brake force Distribution) – vein, if the vehicle continues to drivebut wait there’s more. straight on a curve it will autonomouslyHow about SEA (Safe Exit Assist) itwarns if there is a vehicle approachingfrom the rear as a door is opened andthen there is ROA (Rear-seat OccupantAlert) lets you know if you have left thebaby or a dog in the back seat. But thatis only a few of them; I counted morethan thirty acronyms as listed in the46 Western 4W Driver #109

steer the vehicle Rear seat slides forward at the push ofback onto the line of a button to allow access to third rowthe curve. I did find seats or cargo area.that the autonomous Fe Highlander but suffice to say thatsteering can be a bit Hyundai have most of it covered.disconcerting at first The Santa Fe comes in three models,but it is something I got Active, Elite and Highlander each withused to and I suppose different levels of trim and features.that, in the long term Elite and Highlander use the turbowe will have to all get charged 2.2litre diesel power plantused to it as more and hooked up to an 8 speed automaticmore of this type of transmission while the base model,innovation takes hold. Active has the option of a 2.4 litre petrolBeing a medium sized combined with a 6 speed automatic asSUV, it can be a bit well as the diesel with the 8 speed auto.of a handful in tight The 2.2 diesel was quite perkyshopping centre car when required.parks, innovations like RCCA (RearCross Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist), Western 4W Driver #109 47SVM ( Surround View Monitor) andPDW (Parking Distance Warning) help“If you’re not the greatestat parking in tight spaces the ASPAS ... will do the steering for you.”to take some of the drama away fromgetting in and out of a car parking spotunscathed. If you’re not the greatestat parking in tight spaces the ASPAS(Advanced Smart ParkingAssist System) will do thesteering for you - all youhave to do is move the gearselector from Reverse toDrive as required.If you have little ones whotend to jump the gun andopen doors to get out ofthe car before they should,the SEA (Safe Exit Assist)prevents the doors beingopened if there is a bikeor vehicle approachingfrom the rear. I could go onand on about the myriadsafety features in the Santa

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