The next run will be to Currawong Campground.
It's a bit of a round trip and there are a few things to see, so don't forget your cameras.
Which day? Saturday, 9th October 2010
What time to meet? If we LEAVE our meeting point at 10:00am we'll have plenty of time for everything.
Where do we meet? DUNGOG, NSW. Go up the main street to the white obelisk and turn west. It's a wide street, we can stop on the side of the road just past the bus depot before the peak in the road (probably just past the first street, you'll see it when we get there).
What to Bring
Folding chairs & table
Umbrella/raincoats in case of bad weather (although if rain sets in, we might just do the drive and skip lunch)
Cooking facilities if needed. Don't forget we'll have 2 gas stoves with us.
Food
Drinks
UHF Radio - Channel 15 (not 18)
Toilet paper
What are we doing on this run?
1) Visit Chichester Dam for a look-see and some photos. We can't take the cars to the dam wall, but it's something to do on the way to the real fun.
2) Enter the state forest. There's a fair amount of dirt road in there, we can't go too fast as the place is reasonably well used.
3) Action photo time - there's a man-made ford crossing the Telegherry River. My wife and I will cross first, then we'll take photos of each car as it comes through. Time to make a splash! The water is only shallow, so it'll look good.
4) More action - entering Currawong. There's a muddy track that leads to a steep bank, we need to be in LOW RANGE 4WD for the climb down and through the water. Again, photos will be taken!
5) Lunch!
6) Cross the river again, but this time exit via Frying Pan Creek and Monkerai Road. Cows be here! As we meet the main road, we can say farewell to the guys from the North Coast as they'd be better served heading to Stroud, while the rest of us head back through Dungog/Clarencetown and into Raymond Terrace.
A word about them cows ... there are dairy farms around the Monkerai Rd intersection, and in the afternoon they move the cows around. It gets very busy with all that beef! We've been through there with our caravan and they've been just fine, but if anyone's concerned about it, we can exit the forest back the way we came.
So this time it'll be similar to the last - take our own lunch & drinks & cooking gear. There will probably be fewer potholes but there are two water crossings to do. The first one is very shallow, maybe 3-4cm at worst. Normal cars can do it with ease.
You do not need a snorkel for the crossing into Currawong - the water should only come up to the bottom of your doors at worst. The bottom of the river is sandy, pebbly rock. It's loose so a constant, steady slow pace through in first gear LOW RANGE 4WD mode will see you through without too much trouble. Recovery gear will be available but due to the depth of the water, there is no danger to anyone or their vehicles.
Although a snorkel isn't necessary, those without snorkels should negotiate any of the water crossings slowly, especially the D22s, so that water isn't splashed up past the inner guard and into the air intake (this has happened to one of our forum members). I'd say a maximum of 20km/h on the shallow ford and maintaining 1500-2000rpm in 4WD-LOW 1st gear should be good for the deeper crossing.
So, who's coming?
It's a bit of a round trip and there are a few things to see, so don't forget your cameras.
Which day? Saturday, 9th October 2010
What time to meet? If we LEAVE our meeting point at 10:00am we'll have plenty of time for everything.
Where do we meet? DUNGOG, NSW. Go up the main street to the white obelisk and turn west. It's a wide street, we can stop on the side of the road just past the bus depot before the peak in the road (probably just past the first street, you'll see it when we get there).
What to Bring
Folding chairs & table
Umbrella/raincoats in case of bad weather (although if rain sets in, we might just do the drive and skip lunch)
Cooking facilities if needed. Don't forget we'll have 2 gas stoves with us.
Food
Drinks
UHF Radio - Channel 15 (not 18)
Toilet paper
What are we doing on this run?
1) Visit Chichester Dam for a look-see and some photos. We can't take the cars to the dam wall, but it's something to do on the way to the real fun.
2) Enter the state forest. There's a fair amount of dirt road in there, we can't go too fast as the place is reasonably well used.
3) Action photo time - there's a man-made ford crossing the Telegherry River. My wife and I will cross first, then we'll take photos of each car as it comes through. Time to make a splash! The water is only shallow, so it'll look good.
4) More action - entering Currawong. There's a muddy track that leads to a steep bank, we need to be in LOW RANGE 4WD for the climb down and through the water. Again, photos will be taken!
5) Lunch!
6) Cross the river again, but this time exit via Frying Pan Creek and Monkerai Road. Cows be here! As we meet the main road, we can say farewell to the guys from the North Coast as they'd be better served heading to Stroud, while the rest of us head back through Dungog/Clarencetown and into Raymond Terrace.
A word about them cows ... there are dairy farms around the Monkerai Rd intersection, and in the afternoon they move the cows around. It gets very busy with all that beef! We've been through there with our caravan and they've been just fine, but if anyone's concerned about it, we can exit the forest back the way we came.
So this time it'll be similar to the last - take our own lunch & drinks & cooking gear. There will probably be fewer potholes but there are two water crossings to do. The first one is very shallow, maybe 3-4cm at worst. Normal cars can do it with ease.
You do not need a snorkel for the crossing into Currawong - the water should only come up to the bottom of your doors at worst. The bottom of the river is sandy, pebbly rock. It's loose so a constant, steady slow pace through in first gear LOW RANGE 4WD mode will see you through without too much trouble. Recovery gear will be available but due to the depth of the water, there is no danger to anyone or their vehicles.
Although a snorkel isn't necessary, those without snorkels should negotiate any of the water crossings slowly, especially the D22s, so that water isn't splashed up past the inner guard and into the air intake (this has happened to one of our forum members). I'd say a maximum of 20km/h on the shallow ford and maintaining 1500-2000rpm in 4WD-LOW 1st gear should be good for the deeper crossing.
So, who's coming?
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I think we can sit on 15 and leave the caravanners alone anyway!
