The ‘Deserters’ get a bit of this and a bit of that: Murray-Sunset National Park and Big Desert Wilderness Park with a bonus bit of Wyperfeld
Date and time: 9:00am, Tuesday 08 July to 12:00pm Friday 11 July 2025
Description: Please contact your trip leader if you are unsure of any of the following requirements for this trip.
The Deserters will once again visit some of Victoria’s less visited corners of desert as well as some old favourites. And it is high time that they explore the border track that ‘they’ don’t want you to know about. Yes, they need to remind South Australia that they aren’t the only ones with a track running down our mutual borders.
The plan for the Deserters this time around is to start at Ouyen, then explore the more north-western sections of Murray-Sunset National Park, hit the deeper sand in Big Desert, then sneak down into the top of Wyperfeld National Park for some tobogganing at Snowdrift (time permitting). On Friday the aim is to exit near Patchewollock.
This is a midweek extended trip so it will suit those on school holidays.
Please carry all food and water for 4 days plus cooking and camping equipment.
Morning tea and lunches will be in the bush each day – byo simple, “on the move” lunches and morning teas.
Clothing and footwear for sandy, cold and possible wet conditions (depending on forecast).
No camper trailers, pets or firearms.
Reference:Meridian Maps – Victoria’s Deserts Touring Guide 5th Edn.
Accommodation: We will bush camp in designated National Parks campsites with drop toilets available.
Weather: Desert environment with cold nights.
Review the Underbool weather forecast leading up to the trip and bring appropriate clothing, footwear and camping gear.
Equipment: Below are the recommended vehicle requirements. If you are not sure if your vehicle is suitable for a trip, please have a chat with the trip leader.
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 driver proficiency training or equivalent.
Additional Equipment required: Air compressor and tyre gauge, MaxTrax or similar sand recovery equipment. Each vehicle ought to bring a bag of firewood for our nightly group campfire. A toboggan or similar is handy at Snowdrift campsite if you have kids with you. :-)
Trip Standard:
Medium - The sand tracks are straightforward, but there are a few sandhills and deeper sections of sand that require extra skill to navigate. Sometimes there can be a great deal of rain and boggy areas to traverse.
Fuel: Enough fuel from Ouyen for 450km. There are no planned fuel stops so please carry extra fuel as needed. For sand driving multiply your highway fuel usage by 1.3 to estimate fuel usage.
Distance: Melbourne to Ouyen 450kms. Ouyen to Patchewollock 450km. Patchewollock to Melbourne 440km.
Duration: 4 days
Convoy limit: 10 vehicles
Meeting arrangements: We plan to meet at Blackburn Park, Ouyen (look for the big Mallee root) at 9.00am for our trip briefing. (What3Words reference https://w3w.co/premise.debunk.frail). We aim to finish by about 12:00pm in Patchewollock on the Friday.
Trip Leader: James Lawson, Phone - 0429265550, Email – lawsonj71au@gmail.com
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.
