TOUR INFORMATION
First of all, thank you for showing an interest in participating in this 4WD tour which has the objective of again raising funds to help Northcott (previously known as the NSW Society for Crippled Children). We have raised over $894,000 to date.
These funds will be used to fund Northcott’s Equipment Loan Pool.
For over 90 years, Northcott has provided services to people with disabilities, their families and carers.
Northcott currently offers 43 different services to over 13,000 individuals and their families across NSW.
Northcott’s Equipment Loan Pool increases independence and enhances the opportunities of individuals with a disability by supplying wheelchairs and other mobility equipment.
Every participating vehicle is asked to make a donation of $1000 to Northcott – this includes the organisers’ vehicles and group leaders’/other support vehicles. Every cent that you donate is going directly to Northcott and is TAX DEDUCTABLE. All organising and running costs of the Tour are being borne by sponsors and the tour organisers.
If you decide that you would like to participate, please complete the Booking Form and Terms and Conditions on the homepage of the website and submit electronically.
Once your booking is confirmed, we will send you more details about the trip itself. You will also receive a request to submit your deposit donation of $200 which is due upon confirmation of your place on the Tour. This balance of your donation ($800) is payable 2 months before the Tour start date..
THE ORGANISERS OF THE 4WD FOR WHEELCHAIRS TOUR RESERVE THE RIGHT TO ACCEPT OR REFUSE A BOOKING APPLICATION AT THEIR SOLE DISCRETION.
2021 TOUR
The Tour starts in Broken Hill with Rego and Equipment checks on the afternoon of Saturday 4th of September 2021 and finishes in Silverton on Sunday 11th of September 2021.
The Tour will visit The Flinders, Marree, Mungerannie, Birdsville, Innaminka, Cameron Corner, Tibooburra, Milparinka and Silverton. Depending on numbers we may have some groups doing it in the above order and some doing it in reverse. Successful Tour applicants will be advised in which direction they will be travelling before the Tour.
It will be your choice as to whether you camp or stay in hotels in the towns we visit. Hotel and camping details will be sent out with the Acceptance letter. Given that some people will opt to stay in hotels entry for those people will close on July 1st 2021. Any entries received after that will have to take “pot luck”.
Whatever you do……….
DON’T FORGET YOUR CAMERAS AND BINOCULARS
WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE?
We will be able to stop and look at points of interest along the way.
Whilst the majority of the driving will be on formed roads there will be some driving on rocky and sandy tracks. It is for this reason that all-terrain tyres are mandatory and any vehicle presenting with less than A/T tyres will not be permitted to join the tour and their donation will be refunded.
The various tracks are very dusty (hopefully) – it’s better than being muddy, trust me! To this end, another mandatory requirement is a fitted, 5 watt UHF radio with external aerial as there will be quite long separation between vehicles on occasions. Handheld radios just cannot handle the distances.
IS MY VEHICLE SUITABLE AND DO I NEED ANY EXPERIENCE?
The Tour is open to four wheel drive and all wheel drive vehicles. The tour will be conducted on both bitumen and gravel roads. Some of the gravel roads will be corrugated, so if you don’t like corrugations then this may not be for you.
Provided that your vehicle has a minimum of “all-terrain” tyres it will be quite capable of handling the tracks you will encounter.
ALL-TERRAIN TYRES ARE A NON-NEGOTIABLE PREREQUISITE FOR THIS TOUR.
As far as experience is concerned, it is not really necessary. However you will need to be confident enough to keep up with the vehicle in front. The Group Leaders will maintain a speed which will allow timely arrival at the next destination whilst taking into consideration road/track conditions.
CAN I BRING MY TRAILER?
Yes, provided it is a GENUINE, quality, off road trailer.
THE ORGANISERS OF THE 4WD FOR WHEELCHAIRS TOUR RESERVE THE RIGHT TO ACCEPT OR REFUSE A BOOKING APPLICATION AT THEIR SOLE DISCRETION.
WHAT SPECIAL THINGS DO I NEED?
Let’s deal with the “MUST HAVES” first:
• UHF 2 way radio for communication between vehicles so that you can be advised (and advise) of everything from potential hazards to items of interest that may not be immediately obvious. The radio must be fitted and have 5 watts of power and have an external aerial. We have found on previous dusty trips that small 1 or 2 watt radios and even some handheld 5 watters without an external aerial do not have enough “grunt” to handle the distance between vehicles.
• First Aid Kit: Again, you don’t need something expensive. Most 4WD shops (see below) stock good, reasonably priced kits.
• “ALL-TERRAIN” type tyres as a minimum.
• 20 litres of water for each person in a vehicle. You can either carry one 20 L can, two 10 L cans or four 5 L cans per person. The smaller containers are easier to pack – use plastic containers not metal.
• Snatch Strap – used to pull a vehicle out of or over a section of track where traction is difficult. The people at the 4WD store (see below) will explain the operating principle of a snatch strap.
• “D” or Bow shackles are used to attach the snatch strap to the vehicle. You need TWO and they must be rated at least 3.25 tonnes. You can tell if they are rated by the pins being painted and by the rated tonnage cast on the side of the shackle itself.
• Recovery points front and rear are the points where you attach the snatch strap or winch cable. Do not rely on the shipping “tie-down” loops fitted to most new 4WD’s. Your 4WD shop will advise on suitability of existing points. After-market recovery points are not expensive and should be fitted by a reputable 4WD shop.
• A full vehicle check (and service) – having told the servicing company that you are going on long road trip to the Kimberley.
Now for the “RECOMMENDED ITEMS”:
• Cargo Barrier – Recommended to be fitted to “station wagon” type vehicles as this prevents loose items in the back from flying forward under emergency braking situations.
• Fire Extinguisher – a small 1 Kg unit– available from good 4WD shops.
• Spare drive belts for fan/alternator/power steer/air-con etc.
• Spare radiator hoses (top and bottom).
• Tyre Pressure Gauge – you will be lowering your tyre pressures when you go off-road.
• 12 Volt Electric Tyre Pump (Compressor) – if you already have one, bring it along. But don’t go out and buy one – especially not a cheap one.
• If you must use a roof rack, keep the weight below 75 kilos. It is a good idea to put light items like clothes and bedding (inside truly waterproof and dustproof containers) on the rack and heavy items like water containers as low as possible inside the vehicle. One exception – if you are carrying a gas bottle, it should be securely strapped inside the roof rack.
ALL ITEMS, BOTH INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND ON THE ROOF RACK MUST BE SECURELY TIED DOWN.
FOUR WHEEL DRIVE AND RADIO EQUIPMENT SUPPLIERS
ARB Corporation have again agreed to be the PRINCIPAL SPONSOR and we would therefore ask that you utilise ARB outlets and licensed ARB stockists as you will find them most reputable and able to supply all the equipment and services listed above.
Listed below are the ARB Company stores – some of them do have vehicle servicing facilities. Ring and check.
VICTORIA
Melbourne
Head Office
42-44 Garden Street
Kilsyth VIC 3137
Tel: (03) 9761 6622
Melbourne
793 Nepean Highway
Brighton VIC 3186
Tel: (03) 9557 1888
Melbourne
4A-6 Lonsdale Street
Dandenong VIC 3175
Tel: (03) 9793 0002
Melbourne
609 Victoria Street
Richmond VIC 3121
Tel: (03) 9427 8666
Melbourne
188 Mahoneys Road
Thomastown VIC 3074
Tel: (03) 9460 9988
Bendigo
251 High Street
Kangaroo Flat VIC 3555
Tel: (03) 5445 7100
ACT
Canberra
188-190 Gladstone Street
Fyshwick ACT 2609
Tel: (02) 6280 7475
NEW SOUTH WALES
Sydney
103 Newbridge Road
Moorebank NSW 2170
Tel: (02) 9821 3633
Sydney
56 Whiting Street
Artarmon NSW 2064
Tel: (02) 9438 4484
Penrith
1/57 Regentville Road
Penrith NSW 2750
Tel: (02) 4731 1266
Sydney
1/500 Princes Highway
St Peters NSW 2044
Tel: (02) 9565 2455
Albury
476 Hume St
Albury NSW 2640
Tel: (02) 6021 2477
Newcastle
89 Griffith’s Road
Lambton NSW 2299
Tel: (02) 4953 9555
Tamworth
30 Bridge Street
Tamworth NSW 2340
Tel: (02) 6762 0541
Wollongong
135-143 Princes Highway
Fairy Meadow NSW 2519
Tel: (02) 4227 1900
Wentworthville
355 Great Western Highway
Wentworthville NSW 2145
Tel: (02) 9631 7889
QUEENSLAND
Brisbane
State Office
615 Nudgee Rd
Nundah QLD 4012
Tel: (07) 3266 3255
Brisbane
1/168 Redland Bay Rd
Capalaba QLD 4157
Tel: (07) 3823 5900
Brisbane
988 Beaudesert Road
Coopers Plains QLD 4108
Tel: (07) 3277 2020
Mackay
26 Gregory Street
Mackay QLD 4740
Tel: (07) 4944 0011
Rockhampton
1/111 Gladstone Road
Rockhampton QLD 4700
Tel: (07) 4922 7788
Toowoomba
14 Laurel Street
Toowoomba QLD 4350
Tel: (07) 4632 1122
Townsville
311 Ingham Road
Garbutt QLD 4814
Tel: (07) 4728 0900
Cairns
403 Mulgrave Road
Westcourt QLD 4870
Tel: (07) 4054 7799
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Adelaide
State Office
606-608 South Road
Regency Park SA 5010
Tel: (08) 8244 5001
Adelaide
181-183 Main South Road
Morphett Vale SA 5162
Tel: (08) 8186 6101
Gawler
76 Adelaide Road
Gawler SA 5118
Tel: (08) 8523 2411
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Perth
66 Collingwood Street
Osborne Park WA 6017
Tel: (08) 9244 3553
NORTHERN TERRITORY
Darwin
64 Raphael Road
Winnellie NT 0820
Tel: (08) 8947 2262
TASMANIA
Launceston
48 Holbrook Street
Invermay TAS 7248
Tel: (03) 6331 4190
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST
GENERAL
• Cargo Barrier.
• Fire Extinguisher, mounted in cab.
• Spares – Fan/Aircon belts, radiator hoses etc.
• Tools you can actually use.
• Tyre Pressure Gauge.
• If Roof Rack used, keep weight below 75kg.
• All items inside & outside to be tied down.
• Vehicles must have one recovery point at Front and Rear
CAMPING GEAR
• Tent/swags/sleeping bags/pillows
• Chairs/Table etc.
• Minimum 20 litres of water per two people
• Bucket (to fill water containers)
• Wash-up dish
• Car Fridge
• Gas/Fuel Stove, fuel & Utensils
• Small Shovel.
• Toilet Paper.
• 5 Plastic Rubbish Bags
• Camp Light
• Torch
• Suitable clothing for temperatures in the 6 to 30 degree Celsius range.
• All Food & Beverages for duration.
• Sunscreen
• Insect Repellent