We’re OutwardBound

December 2013Issue 327

Monthly newsletter of the M itsubishi 4WD O wner ’s Club of Western Austra l ia I nc. 1985

Proudly sponsored by

In This Edition

Meet the SponsorsLancelin Day Trip

Christmas PartyTrip Leader Gathering

Mitsubishi 4WD Owners Club

of WesternAustralia Inc.

PO Box 655South Perth WA 6951

Meetings:1st Wed of each month except January

Manning Senior Citizens Centre3 Downey Drive

Manningwww.mitsubishi4wd.org.au

email: secretary@mitsubishi4wd.org.au

Publication issues:-editor@mitsubishi4wd.org.au

President:Peter Cole

Vice President:Peter Belcher

Secretary:John KingTreasurer:

Bridget McPherson

Editor:Martin ArcherEnvironment:

Stephen KalynuikWebMaster:

Michael GilbertTrip Coordinator:

Guy LehmannTraining Officer:

Richard KingMembership Officer:

David JonesInsurance/Propoerty:

Glen BignellWA 4WD Assoc.Delegate:

Keith ParkerSocial Chairperson:

Denise Belcher

CONTENTS

President’s Report

News behind the meeting

Christmas Party

Lancelin Day Trip

Our Sponsors

Trip Leader Gathering

Wilbinga Shacks Cleanup

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President’s ReportDecember 2013

Well, Martin has caught me out again ! All my Christmas wishes went out in the last issue and then he tells me there will be another magazine before the end of the year. I can’t wait until April 1st to see what he gets me with then. At least I know if he ever goes on a chainsaw rampage the worst I can get are friction burns.

Earlier this month we experienced problems with the club website and I received a few calls from members concerned that they could not access the site. This in itself was good as it showed that the website was being used on a regular basis. The I.T. team made a collective effort to fix the problem and announced we had been hacked ! My immediate reaction was that the club must be more im-portant than I ever thought – only important organizations get hacked don’t they ? Not so according to Webmaster Michael, not that he thought the club was unimportant, just that hackers hack every-thing they can. The website is back up and running smoothly again thanks to a determined effort from Michael Gilbert and Paul Ryan.

The website is a very valuable resource for the club, and with all the work being put in by Michael and Judith it is packed with the club’s history. They have transferred an enormous amount of informa-tion from previous years onto the website, and it is now available for us to peruse at our leisure. It is a great source of information for trip leaders with copies of trip notes, pictures and track notes. For just a quick laugh at everyone else’s expense there is also a Hall of (SH)Fame and a Utube channel.

There is also a club forum for members. While this has not been the success that it should be, maybe that is about to change! I would like to take you back to the club’s very beginning with a reference to the first advert for members in 1986:-

“The primary objective is to facilitate the exchange of information and skills among members”

Various members, such as Malcolm Harrison, have fostered this objective by posting information about vehicle modifications and other projects on our forum. Malcolm’s articles, or posts, have been extremely well done , they are very detailed and would be of great use for members. In the New Year there will be additional emphasis placed on getting this excellent facility more active. Rob Nankiville and Peter Fry will be asking a lot of questions about members vehicles, vehicle modifications and ac-cessories. By collating all this information and making it available within the forum they will provide an additional research tool for all members to check up on things they may consider doing with their vehicle and providing valuable feedback on not only what to do but also on what not to do. We do have an enormous amount of 4WD experience and product knowledge within the membership and this is simply another way of using those skills and the knowledge gained by personal experience to head towards the same objectives that started this wonderful club. I hope everyone embraces this opportunity to contribute and gives Rob and Peter their utmost co-operation.

Peter Cole

President

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Editor’s note:

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News behind the MeetingDecember Memebr’s Meeting 2013

By Judith Brinkley

A club is not a measure of its cars .. it’s a measure of its people...basic interpretation of some of guest speaker Rick Underwood’s words on Wednesday night.

December meeting.. the one directly after our presence at the yearly 4WD Show and the subsequent Visitors Day 4WD adventure through Lancelin and Wilbinga.

Crowded room ...visitors and members alike.

No tables, only chairs and yet still some standing.

On walking in to the room, visitors were greeted by the membership team of David and Deearne. They then entered past an impressive table of Raffle prizes many donated by ARB (I do think John Hughes perhaps could have donated a new car for the raffle??) next was the Natures Botanicals (being dispensed only to pre-orders but added to the buzz) then past the club shop with gear displayed and then in to

find a seat amongst the members.

Our two new sponsors John Hughes Mitsubishi and ARB 4x4 Accessories were represented and seated off to the left.

Peter Cole, our club President, greeted all in the room and then called on Michael (Webmaster) who had established the new sponsorships, to introduce each in turn, Mr. Guy Gambin, New Vehicle Sales Manager - Hyundai / Mitsubishi | John Hughes Group. John Hughes Motors has already demonstrated a willingness and ability to react quickly to helping us... as seen with the immediate supply of flyers and banner for the 4WD Show Stand and offer of staff to assist on Visitors Day trip.

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And Messrs John Ludlam – State Sales Manager, Liam Brockway - Retail Sales Team Leader and Jason McVea - Retail Sales from ARB.

Both Guy and John addressed the crowd.

When John came to the mike to speak he told us how as a child, he had loved accompanying his Dad in his work, which back then involved testing cars through the bush and teaching Land Rover owners how to get more out of their cars. This has continued for him now as an adult. He also gets to spend time in the bush and also develops, with a 4x4 car owner, the options available to them, the options that correctly suit them, and the fun of owning a 4WD.

John then gave 4 recovery kits for use by our trip leaders (SEE FRONT PAGE). A welcome addition to our equipment.

Our Thanks go to both of these new sponsors and also to De Rosa Auto Repairs... our long term sponsor who provides a top class Maintenance service situated just behind McDonalds on Leach Highway in Myaree.

All a very good fit for our activities.

Membership Officer: David welcomed new members

Geoff and Ramona.. who own a Jeep ..and incidentally bought it through John Hughes.

John and Jill ...who own a Patrol

David and Sue ... and Sue is the driver.. David is the one who... pushes her out of the mud?!!

Stuart and Marjorie driving a very shiny new

Pajero and who are still at the stage of “ not wanting to get it dirty” ... Stuart..It’s only the first scratch that’s the painful one!

Guest Speaker: Guy Lehmann then introduced Nick Underwood.... Guy has known Nick since their early years of being on the board with DEC in establishing 4WD mapping systems.

Nick Underwood is a well known author in the 4WD travel scene in WA. He has been active for 25yrs as traveller, writer, publisher, bush cook, tour guide and enjoyer of all things Outback... Or simply ‘Outcity’ .

He talked of early times when reports came in from travellers on the Canning Stock Route that the wells were in terrible state of deterioration and the consequent inception of Trackcare .. The body even more active today, who took on the restoration of these wells for the water supply of the thousands of people today who are out

there rediscovering the inland.

In writing books and publishing them Nick said he would plan routes, write trip notes, advise points of interest and way points and include all the expected information... but.... he still believes it is our own deviations from that pre-determined Route that makes our own trips truly fulfilling.

The desire to enjoy the bush is not usually the only incentive that finds people joining clubs like the Mitsubishi Club, he said. ‘Seeking driving skills and wanderlust are actually only a conduit for meeting people on the road and to becoming acquainted with like minded people in a club....especially a club like ours that although called Mitsubishi, welcomes drivers of all cars.’

And finally he admitted much of his enjoyment often comes from the camaraderie that grows when taking out a group of 20 strangers and watching the bonding that occurs around the campfire or in recoveries or in simply watching the sun go down somewhere together.

A few questions were asked of him..one being “what is your favourite piece of equipment?” And surprisingly it was not his high lift jack.. or his max trax... It was his camp kitchen” .

The lucky door prizes were donated by him and were welcome subscriptions to his publication. First prize was won by Bob McPherson (who incidentally is already a subscriber..so next years’ is sorted)

Second subscription went to Kerry Shortland.

Third prize was a spare wheel cover. Didn’t see who won that one.

Nick was thanked for his talk and input to this special meeting month.

Guy then listed a few upcoming trips. Everyone should check web calendar for additions.

February 2nd South Mandurah beach run... And end of February ..long weekend.. 28th - 3rd March a campover at Dongara.

The trip lists were displayed as usual on the white board for entering of names.

The Where are They Now segment is still following the route of the Harrison Hobos. Video included and filmed by Trish lounging off under a tree in the dry..(I hope he carried her over the mud) .. Showed Malcolm being towed out of mud so deep and squishy he couldn’t dig down far enough to get max trax under the tyres. John Deere tractor to the rescue...but only after they’d been stuck for 2 hours. Piston Broke nominee?

Roger Freegard was nominated for the Piston Broke award.. for his influence only on a trip where he wasn’t

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even present!!

His humour last year of re-interpreting the initials for UTM from Universal Transverse Mercator to Urinary Tract Monitoring has ongoing ramifications....

A GPS user at the Visitors Day Invitation trip, on hearing club members referring to the ‘UTM’ having infections and naturally unaware of the in house joke, was heard to inquire of Peter Cole later ..I wasn’t aware my android is prone to infections??

Trip Reports: From Martin Archer on Big Valley...he’d prepared a movie which decided to play up so hopefully we’ll see it next meeting. Big Valley is a working sheep farm and registered camping ground in Margaret river area. First trip there was 2005 when there were no powered sites nor running water..but has been worth the return visit every year since!

Martin is wondering if his grandson Locky will become a psychotic killer of the future as he was fascinated watching the skinning of a lamb. But at least there is now one child we know of who doesn’t believe all meat comes from the supermarket!

Since one of my scribbled notes from the night says... Picture of Roger walking a large long water crocodile... and I have no idea what it was about...one can only guess...may I suggest you all read a bit more detail on the Trip note link and that, plus photos, may be more helpful than my memory!!!

Next...while images scrolled through behind him on the screen, Bruce Brinkley reported on our participation in the Wilbinga Cleanup this year.

With more vehicles, trailers, and people than in previous years, there was actually less rubbish to find...demonstrating the clean ups are working. Perhaps now that the area is sparsely littered, less people feel inclined to be the guilty ones and are taking their rubbish with them..?

The retrieval of a two seater lounge chair out in the middle of nowhere (what the!!? why?.. have they not heard of camp chairs or verge collections?) caused a few dramas as a large bee colony established underneath took exception to being dragged out and exposed, and decided to attack the attackers! Happily none of the Hudson family... 4 of the 5 were stung...was allergic!!

Alison said she’d willingly have dived fully clothed under water to escape them all..

If only there had been deep water nearby!!

And apparently the “anti fly” Rosemary and Cedarwood Creme, being the only ointment handy for them, worked a treat and greatly reduced the stings. Handy to know. Healing power of Rosemary?

Member’s Forum: Tanya Nicol asked about having a Ladies Day next year.. Anyone interested? (Can report it’s now in planning)

David Igglesdon offered for free.. An Engels 4 pce complete picnic backpack (snapped up)

And a zipper style wine cooler (complete with wine) also quickly accepted..will it recycle next meeting minus the wine??

Then David also distributed to many takers quite a number of fly nets. Thank you David.

The raffle had multiple prizes...and some small red stuffed cars handy for cushioning passenger elbows from arm rest jarring while bouncing along some rough bush track somewhere.. Thank you ARB also.

An extensive supper was prepared and both rooms of the Citizens Centre were utilized.

More of the fly Creme is being ordered and will be available through the club shop. This by the way was another example of our club’s ability to embrace bulk buying for the advantage of the members.

The pre meeting phone photo was referred to so we could replace the furniture exactly as requested by venue management. Technology is a wonderful thing!

All cleaned up, fans off, lights off, cat out.

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Done for another year.

Merry Christmas to all.

New Club Sponsors

A Special Thanks

At the December members meeting it was a great pleasure to welcome Guy Gambin from John Hughes, and John Ludlam, Liam Brockway and Jason McVea from ARB and to have Michael Gilbert introduce and thank both John Hughes and ARB for coming on board as new club sponsors

John Hughes have already made a significant contribution to the club and it was very interesting to pick up some background information from Guy Gambin, New Vehicle Sales Manager, regarding the business ethos that has carried the John Hughes organization to such a high level of success. Guy made a very credible reference to the early days of John Hughes selling Mitsubishi vehicles that it was possible that the first vehicles in the club were from the company. From our experience with Libby and Michelle, with the John Hughes Pajero on the Visitors Day in November we are fortunate to have made a connection with such a professional and fun loving group of people down at Shepparton Rd Victoria Park !

In addition to the very generous contribution of ARB accessories to the club raffle and an ARB promotion pack for everyone attending the meeting, John Ludlum, ARB’s WA Sales Manager, made a presentation of four ARB Recovery Packs to the club. These packs will be issued to Trip Leaders on every trip the club makes and they will be a significant benefit to all members in that we will always be well prepared for safe and successful recoveries.

The ARB vehicle and the sponsors table, with Liam and Jason available for more detailed discussion about modifications and accessories, were also very well appreciated by everyone at the meeting.

This is a marvellous opportunity for our club to experience a serious relationship with such remarkable and successful 4WD organisations and we have already had discussions about activities we may undertake with John Hughes and ARB in the future.

Peter Cole

President

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TRIP LEADER GATHERINGWEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 12 2014

AT THE MANNING CENTRE COMMENCING 7.30PM

This is an event for all members who are prepared to rise to the challenge of being a Trip Leader or Co-Trip Leader for 2014.

Guy Lehmann has planned a full calendar for the year, with very interesting proposed destinations. To successfully conduct these trips we need to attract enough Trip Leaders to make each event possible.

This is an opportunity for experienced and novice Trip Leaders to get together and share information about how we do it all.

We have a new version of the Trip Leader Guidelines to test, there will be a brief presentation of the Database Trip System and a whole lot of time to ask questions and become part of the solution to Guy’s worst nightmare !

Posting a flyer for a trip with the Trip Leader TBA.

At the Planning Meeting at the start of 2013 one of the most common responses to the question

“would you be prepared to lead a trip”

was that people were not sure of what they would have to do. This is the place to find out all you need to know!

Let’s banish the dreaded TBA and put your name in it’s place.

To assist with organising this evening it would be appreciated if you would forward your intention to attend to Guy before the end

of January 2014.

Lancelin Day TripAfter making the trip up to Lancelin we met at 9.30 at the Bakery just in time for an explanation of Murray’s newly introduced “money wheel” and then a timely reminder from Richard on the virtues of correct tyre pressures for the conditions. We were to expect very soft sand apparently. After a well- co-ordinated radio check we all headed off to the air down point en route to the beach. 1/3rd of the height of the tyre was duly removed – along with one of our valve cores leaving us with some airing back up to do! I remain to be convinced by core removal tools...

Heading out and driving along the beach we were treated to spectacular views with calm blue ocean and the pristine sand. We had a brief pause for photos, but had to move on before everyone dived into the water. It took a lot of persuasion to wrestle the youngest Standen off the beach, I think he thought that we were due to settle in for a mornings paddling!

We climbed off the beach as conditions were too soft further North, and a couple of troublesome soft sandy dunes followed where disaster was narrowly avoided. A tricky uphill climb with a turn at the top defeated Tony, thankfully recovery tracks and some shoveling were enough to get him moving again. A short while later a steep soft dune proved the match for many, us included. After two failed attempts we were sent back to air down some more and think about “Momentum”. Third time lucky and with passengers spectating, we

cleared the dune. On cresting we could see that Peter Dabovich’s Pajero was well stuck and in a somewhat precarious situation. Thankfully the recovery skills of Richard and Troy came to the fore along with strength in numbers for sand moving. Due the steep angle a snatch strap recovery wasn’t possible but by levelling the wheels with a lot of shoveling an anchor strap was attached to a second vehicle and used to straighten the Pajero so it could eventually reverse out of the situation, huge sigh of relief all round!

We then stopped for lunch before finding a steep dune descent and splitting into two groups, lead by Perter Nicol & Murray for some dune exploring fun. Peter proved a capable leader as he trail blazed

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around the dunes. The groups joined back up and carried on to the high point of the dunes and an impromptu display of Troy’s new FJ cruiser and it’s crawl function, capable of pulling itself out from being bogged as well as reversing downhill at 1km/h.

We then found that Michael Tingey’s recently purchased Pajero had suffered a split in its radiator hose. As ever, the club came good and the situation was saved by a spare hose carried by the Nicol’s, and Richards spanner wielding.

An eventful but fun day was had by all. The confidence gained was huge, as well as the knowledge imparted by all the members. Certainly a case of the team working well on more than one occasion! Many thanks to the trip leader Michael and 2IC Peter Nicol, as well as everyone for the experience, knowledge and humor that made for a fantastic and successful day!

Kath, Jon and Jacob Standen

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Christmas PartyHosted by Denise and the Social Committee

It was a perfect summers day for a picnic in the park. This year the party was at Point Walter in Bicton where Denise had reserved a section of the park exclusively for our gathering. It was soon discovered that paying for a reserved area doesn’t stop the crowds, who were otherwise looking for shade to move into, from trying to enter ‘our zone’. However, vigilance from Roger and Denise kept them all at bay until we had finished using the BBQs.

It was great to see Dot Hill (Life member) attend the party. Although with the growth of the club over the past years, she may have not recognised too many faces.

It was a magnificent spread of food prepared by everyone. Salads and deserts of every description filled the tressle tables. Santa arrived to hand out gifts to the joy of all the children. Although this year Santa was prevented from arriving by Triton Sled because of restrictions on driving on the grass. The long walk was good for his waist line anyway.

Plenty of enjoyable activities and prizes were

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organised thanks to Murray, Alison, Judith and Bruce. These included the largest pass the parcel circle ever witnessed, a game of Battle M i t s u b i s h i s ( c u s t o m i s e d version of Battleships) and some more physical events where Murray did a good impersonation of a Toyota driver.

A big thank you to Denise who put a lot of time and worry into organising this event. This is one of the integral events of the club each year where all members can get together in a relaxed and happy atmosphere. Unfortunately someone has to go through the anxiety of organising, hoping that everyone will be pleased and trying to cater for all. Everyone will agree it was a big success.

Editor

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Wilbinga Shacks CleanupTrip Leader: Bruce Brinkley

Co-Trip Leader: Murray Hudson

When: 24th November, 2013

Location: Wilbinga, WA 6041

Participants: Flora Munro, Tony Farrugia, Kim and Gail Graieg, Murray and Alison and children, Bruce and Judith Brinkley

Well prepared vehicle.

All systems ready....fuelled, mornos, water, sunscreen, rubbish picker-upperers, volunteer car magnets, orange bags, trailer arranged to be collected from one of the Visitors Day crew at their meet site.

On highway heading north....tow ball? Aaaaaah

Came up behind Murray heading north so quick delegation for him to meet up with our group at Wilbinga Turnoff and we stopped off at the Visitors Day kick off point to collect the trailer.

Wilbinga Rd corner is not what you’d call ‘obvious’. I stood on the corner for one Mitsi couple who had already missed it on the way north (they were looking down at maps and missed seeing the cars off to the left in the pine forest) and even then saw me only as they shot past again on their way south. So for anyone ever looking to go to Wilbinga to enjoy the area....slow down the moment you see the sign to the Gravity Centre to the right and look for the track off to the left only about 200m further north. Signage is a green painted word ‘Wilbinga’ on a tyre imbedded in the sand. It helps to know what you are looking for.

With cars coming and going at the air down site, Murray’s car ended up in pole position, and since he’d also been briefed by Trackcare’s organizer Geoff Couper, he led, with Bruce doing his typical ‘leading from behind’ with the trailer. The trailer borrowed from a friend, who borrowed it from a friend, had tyre pressures needing adjusting...from 66psi and 54psi. ! Airborn?

Our group of 7 club cars had reduced to 4 on the day but then increased again as individual cars joined our little convoy.

First big corner was manned by Shacks Crew to aim us to the track. But when we, and the many others following up behind us, arrived at the small meet site, we found our seven were then directed to go back south, against the traffic, down that same narrow track (with minimal passing spots) we’d just come up. All good fun.

So with our cars, those following, the added congestion of some day trippers, and another couple of vehicles who picked that particular junction to appear from up over the sand dunes behind us ... it looked like 8am city traffic... but without the stress.

All was sorted as only a group of 4WD men can do.. with trailers reversing, and multiple traffic controllers, and hand waving, and juggling cars.

We headed south to collect rubbish.

I think , listening to others having been there before, the quantity of large rubbish items is diminishing. Usual bottles and cans and waste, but there was still the odd tyre or two, some

super 6 corrugated sheeting pieces, a barbecue, a double seater lounge chair..which to her dismay , Alison found to be the home of a swarm of bees..!! But that’s her story of the day. I hope she’ll submit it.

A late morning tea tucked away in a little hollow was with the others from Trackcare and a lone Rockingham 4WD Club member who’d joined us. We’d had enough to keep us occupied collecting along that particular track to the south.

All in all, with so many vehicles and trailers at hand, the task was not as onerous as we anticipated.

Then when we heard that there were 14 vehicles heading back up our track, from the area where we were still aiming, we figured that area would be cleared and perhaps sensible to beat a retreat to the Shacks for lunch.... before they neared our corner.

Where do DPaW buy their meat for their barbecues? Or was it the skill of the chef!

An all you can eat BBQ and salads and soft drinks set up in the shade of the Shacks area and a cooling breeze to keep flies away.

Pleasant discussion with shacks members and DPaW people.

A raffle for SIDS was held and drawn... and Murray won a prize.

We headed back in convoy to the air up spot near Indian Ocean Drive to empty the trailer...and home. A satisfying day and now a cleaned area and perhaps to find a future overnight campsite for us?

Update from our Trackcare delegate Bruce.

Geoff Couper who has organised the last 3 years of cleanups, reported that although covering a larger area, with more cars and more trailers, there was less rubbish to collect!

In other words... it’s working.

Judith