Helping build a 4wd Park in Victoria

[discover]

Hi all,

We are in the process of building a 4wd park in Victoria. The park will be catered from soft roader to hardcore 4wds. We plan to hold 4wd competition events as well. It also provides camping area for extended stay. Things like tag along tours and general 4wd training are also on the cards. We would need your help to make it happen. We need to know what do you want to see and what we can provide in this park.

One of the possible location is here: Click Here (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=-37.538908,147.316689&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=14&sll=-37.548048,147.32563&sspn=0.048043,0.077162&ie=UTF8&z=14)


Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you
__________________
Cheers,
Dave

[Scouse]

Good luck Dave, it sounds like a grand plan.


I can't offer any suggestions other than maybe practicing building one first, say, near Sydney. That way you get to experience building a 4x4 park to make the Victorian one even better :).

[wardy1]

Looks like a great spot!

I guess some log ladders/articulation tests, washouts and some nice ruts will be a big part of it.

A nice flat camping area.

Maybe another "Boys W/e" will help:twisted:

[Vern]

ban all toyota and nissan drivers would be a good start:p

[Chops]

Looks like a great spot!

I guess some log ladders/articulation tests, washouts and some nice ruts will be a big part of it.

A nice flat camping area.

Maybe another "Boys W/e" will help:twisted:


Ahhh,,Wardy, Wardy, Wardy,,,

Geez mate,, you know, ya missed an awesome weekend, damn we did some laughin,,,:angel::whistling:

Not a bad idea though,, your in the ideal country for it Dave,, Im sure as Wardy1 suggested, maybe some of us could come give a hand, and have a play at the same time,,:D
Have you got running water there, because you could make up some good safe deep crossings etc,, (and some not so safe ones,,:eek:) How big is the property you've got to play with?
Big tyres, offset to drive through, and some mogels (? like at the ski fields)

Oh,,and Dave,, dont be worrying about doing one in Sydney,,, just do one here, and do it right,,:D :wasntme:

P.S. Land Rovers Only ;)

[cartm58]

Location Location Location, l would try to get a property within 1 hour of Melbourne

You would need to consider traffic density on the property at any one time as well as having alternative area to enable track repair work to be undertaken at various times.

EPA planning permission going to be another issue if your in a water catchment area

Noise complaints from neighbouring proprties

Tree clearing when you are making trails and tracks

Also a nice steep man made hill climb

Obstacle trail with car and truck tyres filled in with dirt and gravel with telegraph poles

Man made water obstacle like a dam with gravel concrete tailing bottom

These l would build as learning demonstration obstructions in area with spectator viewing stands

[Michael2]

If you have some local accomodation, or can organise cabins on site, then you can look at facilitating off road driving courses for government departments (Ambulance, DSE, CFA, SES....). To ease them in, they can run their current course with their trainers, you just provide a facility they can use. I suppose a training room and some catering (which can be outsourced) would also be required.

Obviously you can now go right ahead and buy that fully kitted recovery Unimog you've always wanted.

Organise special events w/ends, such as an over 30's w'end, where all 4WDs must be over 30 years old.

Find out what film studios might be looking for in a location, and offer that.

Count the trees on your property and then make sure you sell the annual Green House Credits ;) tally to the local power station.

Try using innovative designs that will get the attention of the non-4WD sector and help promote the property. This may include environmentally friendly buiding design, fire protection (shelters, fire control systems etc). The public toilets in Walhalla are an example of an innovative environmental design.

Maybe get a phone tower on the property and some WiFi Internet access.

A Helipad for 24/7 helicopter access. Mainly for air ambulance access than rich tourist access.

Can you be an RACV agent? Then if anyone breaksdown and has RAC cover, you can do the recovery and their insurance will pay you. This should pay for the aforementioned Unimog.

[Cap]

I also believe that if you talk to the SES mob, you can see if they would be interested in using the track for training purposes, get some income that way too.

[frantic]

Rent out sections as a wind farm so you have power for free and a steady but small income, with easy 2wd access firetrails so you can get a flatbed in to tow the wrecked nissyota's out off the difficult sections.:D
Grade each trail from easy to hard and tyre size+ if lockers required. Build a few well spaced cabins so you could have softies/artists/ families who have an aversion to tents stay there.:D

[F4Phantom]

a wide concrete tapered water crossing ranging from a few cm deep to around 2m. Anyone can drive their car through and find out how deep they can go, or want to try and report the depth.

[discover]

Thanks all,

Some great ideas we will certainly take on board.
We still have a long way to go, councils town planning, dep of enviros all this has to get through yet, but we will keep at it and I will keep you posted.

Regards
Dave

[discover]

Chops,

Yes there is 2 creeks and a river nearby.
As long as enviro mobs dont get in our way we will use them for crossings etc.
We plan to have multi skill level tracks but really one main track.
The land we are looking at is 500 acres and backs onto the mitchell river park to the south and we have miles of tracks to the north for tag along type tours as well.

Dave

[discover]

Michael2,

Some great ideas there.

This block is really only accessible by 4wd, the roads in are tracks and I would only advise 4wd attempt, this is part of our reason for the position though, we don't want 2bys and hoons coming in.

We will have wifi of some sort probably satellite internet then a tower out from that.

2 of us are mechanics and we will provide a recover service, we have good 4wds and a bull dozer.

[Casper]

Build one close to the city.

Make it free entry if your 4b can do a burn out or has big bling wheels or can drift on every gravel corner it comes to and then we can have the rest of the bush back from the hoons and we wont need 4wd parks as the enviro's wont ahve anything to complain about.

I dont know how you would make money out of it this way but it would make the rest of the bush a better place to be.

Call it a comunity service and get grants from the Gov or something.

Sounds good though what you have in mind but it may be a bit far out for the average joe to go and learn how to drive his CRV off road.

You would want to get affiliated with some clubs to do their 4wd training there as well as get accredited as trainers etc to be able to plant the money tree in the back yard.

You will be sinking a lot into it before you get a whole lot in return so I would be prepared for some very lean years first but as more of the bush closes up, you will be in the best possition to get back your $$$ invested.

Another thing you may want to think about is that most insurers wont cover vehicles on private property so maybe look at how to get your tracks gazzeted as public access fire trails or something along those lines so that your patrons are not risking not having insurance while using your property.

[Michael2]

Another crowd gathering exercise would be an annual short film festival featuring 4WD Only films, not lasting longer than say 10min ea. The festival goes over a w'end with categories such as comedy, travel, science (geology / biology) etc. Top five of each category get burnt to DVD and distributed free to all the participants. A giant outdoor screen would be cheap and easy.