Friday night we celebrated David's birthday with drinks and chocolate cake.  On Saturday we headed towards Murphy's Creek and found some great tracks where a more technical style of driving was appreciated.  Another night of eating, drinking, being merry  and telling tales was had before headed off to bed.  A few drivers were keen to head out for a Sunday drive that was enjoyed very nuch before grabbing a quick lunch at camp then hitting the road for home.

We kicked the weekend off on Friday relaxing with a few quiet drinks, dinner and a fire.  During the early hours of Saturday morning a storm hit and had everyone out and about checking their equipment before resettling to try and steal another couple of hours sleep.  Everything was ok to go ahead with the Saturday run and it turned out we were charing the area with another 4WD club.  One hill proved to be rather challenging for vehicles without lockers with 1 driver needing 8 attempts before finally finding success!  Back to camp for lunch after which 3 vehicles went for a 2nd run (arriving back just before storm number 2 hit).  The meals entered in the Camp Oven Cook Off included Irish Stew; Peachy Chicken; Rolly Polly; Roast Pork; Salmon; Lamb casserole; and Thai Curry.  And the winner is.........Rolly Polly!  Well done David.  Sunday morning saw 3 enthusiasts hit the tracks once again.

Six vehicles set out for the Saturday run along some very interesting tracks.  A downhill reverse was necessary when we ended up at a locked gate.  It was an easy to medium, picturesque run with the occasional steep section.  In the evening we were treated to camp oven cooking in the form of scones and apple crumble!  Thanks for sharing Jeannie and Denise :)

Here we were joined by a couple from Cairns.  On Friday afternoon we had a firewood treasure hunt followed by some with a swim at Cowah Falls and a quick night run to round out day one.  On Saturday 12 cars took to the tracks for a moderate to hard drive.  Five vehicles doubled up for an evening run with 1 particularly challenging track.  A new catch phrase was born - "Give it full noise"!  Sunday after pack up all 12 vehicles headed out for a last drive through Claw Gorge before setting off for home.

Eleven vehicles assembled at the Peachester General Store and headed off to Bellthorpe State Forest.  We had an easy start with nothing more than the odd boggy patch, overhanging vegetation and the annoyance of sticks wedged under vehicles but the rainforest was stunning with massive trees and patches of Piccabeen Palms.  We passed grazing deer and came to a steep section with large rocks and big washouts that required filling for the vehicles with limited ground clearance.  We finished the day on a narrow rutted track.  There was only 1 flat tyre and 1 recovery all day!

A great weekend was had by 20 members, family and visitors.  On Saturday, A total of 9 vehicles took to the trails north and south of Kilcoy-Murgon Rd through Pine plantations and the odd stream.  Weekends away provide an opportunity for socialising in addition to driving and many tall tales were told around the campfire.  The more port that was consumed, the bigger the stories became!

Some successful fishing took place on Friday by those who managed an early start to the weekend.  On Saturday, 11 vehicles set off for a morning run up on the ridge line towards Mt Kandanga.  The first hill proved challenging but was negotiated successfully by all but 1 - it helps if the hubs are locked in!  Back at camp the wind had picked up and was wreaking havoc with our tarps and awnings so we cut the drive short to get back ASAP.  A few cars went out on a second drive after lunch while some of the group decided to play scrabble, take a walk to the dam or generally chill out at the campsite.

After everyone had set up and had a feed on Friday night, we sat around the fire to be entertained by the talented singer/songwriter Matt.  The drive on Saturday was always going to be more scenic than hardcore but we still manged to find dirt.  We headed through Canungra and up to O'Reilly's.  The views were terrific on the way up and spectacular from the lookout where we could see the skyline all the way to Brisbane.  After that we headed offroad to Duck Creek for morning tea and back up to O'Reilly's for lunch then to the treetop walk and botanic gardens.  We arrived back at camp just in time for beer o'clock :)

One of the club members has a working cattle property at Cooroy and was generous enough to open it up for the ladies to learn a thing or two about off-road driving.  Seven ladies turned up to give it a go.  We started with a lesson on the basic mechanics of how the vehicle operates differently in four wheel drive then attempted a downhill key start in reverse!  Seeing as we were all successful and feeling confident, we drove convoy style to the nearby national park to negotiate ruts, mud holes, tree branches, tight corners and rocky creeks.  This was followed by a late morning tea at Lake McDonald.  Back at the farm we were faced with more steep tracks and grassy hills with a scary drop-off and spectacular views.  Afterwards we calmed the nerves with a couple of cold drinks and a bbq feast at the homestead.

Three groups with 4 adults and 4 children in total, met at Rainbow Beach and headed to Inskip Point to board the Barge to Fraser Island.  On arrival, we drove up the beach to Wongai Camping Area in the drizzly rain.  While we were setting up we had a visit from the ranger who explained about dingo awareness and safety.  On Saturday morning we set out to Central Station, Lake MacKenzie and KingFisher Resort to see the sights and enjoy driving the sand tracks.  Sunday was clean up day - we filled 3 dozen garbage bags in our designated area!  In the afternoon we walked up to Lake Wabby.  On Sunday night there was a communal bbq and concert for all of the clubs in attendance.

Eleven vehicles set out from Kenilworth through Charlie Moreland's and the back blocks of Sunday Creek where all types of terrain was covered.  A tree across the road required good guidance and people power to weigh down the larger vehicles.  We stopped for smoko beside the creek.  Communication, a positive attitude and team work were all called upon to successfully meet a number of unexpected challenges on the way home but suffice to say all had a great day and we made it back in time for dinner just as the rain started!