Date and time: 9:00am, Saturday 7 June - Monday lunchtime 9 June (Kings Birthday LWE)
Trip Standard: Medium
Medium - There will certainly be easy sections but also potentially soft sand and a few dunes. A good opportunity to practice sand driving.
Description: This trip will be visiting the Wyperfeld/Big Desert area over the Kings Birthday w/e. Based on feedback from registrants we will be running the trip as a base-camp out of Wonga Campground which is suitable for trailers and caravans. We will travel a southward loop including Chinamans and Milmed tracks one one day and a northward exploration including the North-South track, Snow drift and some MVO tracks (with permission!) another day and the final day may even include a short nature walk as well as a final taste of sand driving.
Please contact your trip leader if you are unsure of any of the following requirements for this trip.
Weather: It is winter and even in our deserts can be cold and wet so pack for all possibilities with footwear and camping gear suitable for the conditions and keep an eye on the weather forecast.
Equipment: Good off-road tyres (All Terrain, 60 profile recommended as a minimum), UHF radio (or one borrowed from the club), a well-maintained vehicle with low range (or equivalent), good ground clearance (200mm recommended as a minimum), recovery points, standard recovery gear including dampener, rated snatch strap and shackles, shovel. Drivers must have completed the RRCV club training or equivalent.
Additional Equipment required: Camping gear food and drinking water for 3 days / 2-3 night in the bush. Clothing for wet and cold conditions. Morning tea and lunches will be in the bush each day – byo simple, “on the move” lunches and morning teas (byo thermos).
No pets or firearms
Maps and Reference Material: Meridian Maps Victoria's Deserts
Fuel: 24hr Self service fuel is available from BP in Hopetoun. Depending on the final itinerary we may also pick up fuel at Pineroo and Nhill.
Distance: Wyperfeld is approximately 450 km from Melbourne, depending on where exactly we start with a similar return journey.
Duration: 3 days
Convoy limit: 10 vehicles
Meeting arrangements: We will meet at Wonga Campground, Wyperfeld/Big Desert and depart at 9.00am. We will aim to finish around lunchtime on Monday at Nhill.
Club Guest Registration policy: It is club policy in regard to insurance cover that if a member brings any non-members on the trip they must be registered and have paid the required fee as Temporary Members BEFORE the event.
i.e. non- members can no longer register on the day with the trip leader.
Temporary Membership information and ways to register can be found at:
Temporary (Guest) Membership
Also if a non-member wishes to bring their own vehicle, the member inviting the non-member must contact the trip leader for approval to bring the vehicle. Such approval will take into account skills of the driver, suitability of the vehicle and whether or not a place within the convoy limit is available for a non-member's vehicle.
Trip Leaders: Mark Bown and Sherry Mayo
(Mark.Bown@csiro.au, 0437 251 645 )
