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mikehzz

Member Since: 04 Sep 2009
Location: Springwood
Posts: 749

My SAC Hits the High Country

Posted originally by me on aulro.com....
What’s a SAC? It’s my Short Ass Car, a 2008 Freelander 2 TD4 all modded up which means it has A/T tyres and that’s it. The car has already done the Birdsville, Oodnadatta, Strzelecki tracks, Corner Country, Mt Dare, Simpson, Flinders Ranges, Warraweena, Arkaroola, Robe, Lake Eyre, Border Track through Scorpion Springs, Brindabellas and just about every track within 3 hours of Sydney. Time for the Victorian High Country. I’m taking a camera crew….a first for me . Their names are Mitch and Stacey in a 2006 lifted Jeep Cherokee CRD. They are 4wd novices so it should be good fun…ha ha. Some unkind people have said it would be a competition between Jeep and Land Rover to see who could break down first.

First stop Lake Jindabyne for tea.

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Then off to our free camp at Leather Barrel Creek just past Thredbo.

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The tents are hammock style French tents and very light at 17kgs so they don’t live permanently on the car. I can lift it on and off on my own. A five minute setup and very comfy too.

It was cold as the camp ground was above 1500m altitude. Stacey froze even in her -10 sleeping bag.
Next morning we drove the 15 minutes to Tom Groggin camp area to cook some breakfast in the sun.

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Watched by some furries…

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Then it was time to air down and cross the State Border (Murray River) into Victoria. We had decided that Stacey would walk each crossing with the camera, and if she didn’t drown then we would follow….

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All good then off on the Davies Plain Track. It’s rated very hard dry weather only by Parks Victoria so should be interesting for my SAC. We came across another creek crossing.

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We spent some time winding up and down some tracks with a few ruts and rocks

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Then I came to a complete stop on the steepest, rockiest part yet….

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There was a trail bike rider splattered all over the track right in front of me. His bike was upside down and he was getting up but it was hard as the track was very steep and hard to walk on. I got out and asked if he was OK and in typical Aussie understatement said he thought so, but then said his right arm didn’t work anymore. I was tempted to ask if he wanted an aspirin and band aid to keep the understated theme running but resisted the urge.

I called for Mitch to haul himself up the track so we could shift the bike, too hard for one to do, it was very steep. We got it off the track and cleared a spot in my car to give him a lift. His mate had ridden off oblivious to the accident. Davies Plain Hut was about 10 kms up the track so decided to take him there and figure what to do. The trip was very hard on him, something was broken (it turned out to be his collar bone). He said he wouldn’t be able to stand the 5 hour trip out by 4wd so wanted to call the helicopter ambulance. There was no normal mobile signal so I fired up my sat phone and he fired up his SPOT beacon and we talked to the emergency services and they said they were sending the chopper. There may have been internal injuries, better safe than sorry. A few hours later it arrived and landed in the clearing.

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Then loaded him up took off again…..

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A family of Gang Gang cockatoos that lived in the hut were very interested

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So excitement over, we continued on our way. A few high plains photo opportunities…

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Then onto McCarthy’s Track for a real rollercoaster ride down to Limestone Creek Track and near disaster. Mitch and Stacey were leading at this stage and came to a creek crossing. It wasn’t wide but Mitch hesitated and said it looked a bit deep. Without remembering my instruction about walking the creeks first, Stacey said “let’s gun it”. I couldn’t see any of it as the entrance was at right angles and obscured from me. Well the bonnet of the Jeep went under water and they popped out the other side. Mitch said to me, keep to the left so I did and had little trouble although it was easily the deepest crossing yet. We thought all was good but Mitch started the steep climb up from the creek and the Jeep puffed smoke and stalled. Alarm bells went off for me. I said to let it roll back and not to try starting it. We popped the air filter open and it was soaking wet! We set about drying it out in the sun and with some cloth inside, then after a time turned the motor over with our fingers crossed. The car started first time with no sign of any problem. How lucky were they?
Then it was a lot of very steep ups and downs that would have been near impossible if wet due to the clay base and onto Omeo for a camp with a shower. We were all totally knackered after that day.

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Next morning it was the Alpine Way up to Mt Hotham and a few lookouts.

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Then left towards Dargo, we were going to do the Blue Rag Range track. It’s very steep and rocky, most people would say you needed low range for it, but then most people haven’t owned an FL2. The car had little trouble over the whole track. Being a SAC, it scraped its belly a few times but nothing serious. The ascents and descents were long and steep so the HDC got a hiding and the brakes overheated once. The mud/ruts setting is awesome but the transmission temperature warning also came on once on a particularly long climb. No problem either way I just stopped and let them cool a bit.
The view from the top is spectacular. Stacey didn’t get out as she did the driving all the way up so no pictures of that. She was that fatigued by it she couldn’t drive back down so we did get some of the descent.

At the top….

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On the way down….

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A bit of air...

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Then it was off to Dargo and its famous hotel.

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Then another problem, I had lost the plastic trim at the bottom of the driver door. Following our strict leave no one behind policy, I had to find it. We back tracked the 50 kms along the Dargo High Plains road and nothing, so I redid the Blue Rag Range track (Mitch and Stacey decided to nap at the entrance). I found the offending panel about half way along the track….thank goodness!
We then headed back down the mountains to Harrietville and a free camp night.

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By this stage, Mitch and Stacey were suffering severe muscle fatigue from all the butt clenching caused by extremely steep tracks. We decided to make our way home via Mt Beauty on the tar roads, onto Albury/Wodonga and the Olympic Way home. We stopped at a free camp on the river at Jugiong, very nice and it was huge!

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I must say, the Freelander 2 is an impressive car. Its ability is only limited by a lack of clearance. It amazes me every time I go out in it. I wish Land Rover would make one with 33” tyres and a snorkel as standard. Maybe with a crawler gear that only comes into play when mud/ruts is chosen and only then to ease the strain on the brakes caused by the HDC. They could call it the LRX Sport? Nothing else about the car needs to change, it’s a gem. I’ve owned 2 Subarus and a Suzuki Grand Vitara, I’ve been out on many trips with X-Trails and RAV 4s. They are all nothing in comparison. After 149,000 tough kms it still drives like new on its original shocks. Go Land Rover!

31st Dec 2012 6:25 am

bish789

Member Since: 30 Apr 2012
Location: St. Andrews
Posts: 512

2011 Freelander 2 TD4_e GS Manual Santorini Black

Absolutely brilliant. If LR ever needed an advert for the Freelander then this is it. I'd love to come and do this in mine, but the wading depth isn't good enough to cross the waters to get there.
Thanks for the cracking pictures and narrative.

31st Dec 2012 7:18 am

iain cooper

Member Since: 27 Aug 2007
Location: north of Glasgow
Posts: 1989

2009 Freelander 2 TD4_e HSE Manual Lago Grey

brilliant pictures and narrative mikehzz, thanks for taking the time to put it together and post on the forum.

Iain

31st Dec 2012 8:21 am

npinks

Member Since: 28 Jun 2007
Location: Ls25
Posts: 20090

nice write up, glad the FL2 lived up to the expectations and the JEEP didn't let the others down and spoil your trip

The trail bike rider, did his "mate" ever turn round and come back to find him? Nowt like sticking together when your out in the bush

31st Dec 2012 9:34 am

chicken george

Member Since: 05 Dec 2007
Location: N. Yorks
Posts: 13289

2008 Freelander 2 TD4 XS Manual Santorini Black

twas only a coller bone I thought Aussies were made of iron?

looks like a good trip At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

31st Dec 2012 9:45 am

EYorkshire

Member Since: 18 Nov 2010
Location: (!)
Posts: 4392

..... and the best we can get is a day out on a pre-determined track

Excellent write up and pics Mike, stuff of dreams for most of us

31st Dec 2012 11:00 am

Aero_383

Member Since: 05 Sep 2012
Location: Sussex
Posts: 586

2013 Freelander 2 TD4 XS Manual Ipanema Sand

Fantastic write up and pitures...puts my trip to Tesco in perspective !

I particularly like the fact that Stacey gets to check the depth of the water (and for the presence of crocs) It saves them chewing on those nice tyres _________________
Gone - 2010 Rimini XS

31st Dec 2012 1:41 pm

taztastic

Member Since: 03 Feb 2011
Location: North West
Posts: 8652

Fantastic, amazing, brilliant, that's enough superlatives but you get the idea.
Hoping to get down under in either 12 or 18 months time, will spend most of the time in Tasmania and hope to get some adventures down in the South West.

Keep up the fun and Happy New Year to you

31st Dec 2012 4:06 pm

Tradewind 35

Member Since: 04 Dec 2012
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 441

2007 Freelander 2 TD4 GS Manual Baltic Blue

Thanks for posting SAC saga

Fantastic, amazing , brilliant x4.
Cheers,
Robin

31st Dec 2012 4:43 pm

DrRpb

Member Since: 14 Oct 2012
Location: Petersfield
Posts: 572

2013 Freelander 2 TD4 GS Manual Orkney Grey

Amazing pictures! * GONE. GS TD4 Manual MY2013. Orkney Grey with privacy, cold and clearview packs, armrests (a must!) and a spoiler.
* 2011 4.4 TDV8 Full Fat. Amazing piece of kit.
* GONE.2012 RR Sport HSE SDV6 Orkney Grey. Rocket ship. 33mpg.
* Range Rover Classic '93 200Tdi Factory fit
* 1949 80" in family since 1975

31st Dec 2012 5:25 pm

DrRpb

Member Since: 14 Oct 2012
Location: Petersfield
Posts: 572

EYorkshire wrote:
..... and the best we can get is a day out on a pre-determined track

Go green laning my friend - lots of legal byways in the UK. Salisbury Plain is relatively scratch free

* GONE. GS TD4 Manual MY2013. Orkney Grey with privacy, cold and clearview packs, armrests (a must!) and a spoiler.
* 2011 4.4 TDV8 Full Fat. Amazing piece of kit.
* GONE.2012 RR Sport HSE SDV6 Orkney Grey. Rocket ship. 33mpg.
* Range Rover Classic '93 200Tdi Factory fit
* 1949 80" in family since 1975

31st Dec 2012 5:27 pm

mikehzz

Member Since: 04 Sep 2009
Location: Springwood
Posts: 749

npinks wrote:
nice write up, glad the FL2 lived up to the expectations and the JEEP didn't let the others down and spoil your trip

The trail bike rider, did his "mate" ever turn round and come back to find him? Nowt like sticking together when your out in the bush

We met up with the other rider making his way back along the track after he reached the hut and discovered his mate was overdue. You can't be too close on those tracks for safety reasons. First, there is a lot of dust and visibilty can be poor. Second, you normally allow the car in front to completely finish an ascent or descent before you start it. Also in many cases, the track weaves and turns through bush to the point you where can't see that far in front anyway. Cars usually do all communication through uhf radio. As an example, I suppose I could not actually see the Jeep on the track for around 50% of the trip. In some cases the terrain even made radio communication difficult as well. You certainly get some good surprises when you are lead car and you meet someone coming the other way on a blind corner

31st Dec 2012 8:52 pm

npinks

Member Since: 28 Jun 2007
Location: Ls25
Posts: 20090

at least you met up with his mate

31st Dec 2012 8:59 pm

mikehzz

Member Since: 04 Sep 2009
Location: Springwood
Posts: 749

chicken george wrote:
twas only a coller bone I thought Aussies were made of iron?

looks like a good trip

It's only our heads that are made of iron CG.

I probably wouldn't have called a chopper if it was me, I think it would have cost him an arm and leg for the ride....the bill would be astronomical. To be fair, we didn't know what was wrong at the time and the emergency services were worried about things we couldn't see like internal bleeding.Their head would have been on the block if they had just said "walk out you pussy" to him.

31st Dec 2012 9:02 pm

jaksbak@freel2

Member Since: 26 Dec 2010
Location: Fraser Coast
Posts: 225

2011 Freelander 2 SD4 SE Auto Stornoway Grey

Nice trip Mike. The photos really bring the story to life. Makes me envious.

I must hit you up for some trip notes when I finally get to do that area.

1st Jan 2013 2:36 am

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