Thread: Stockton Beach Access Protest 2nd Feb

Well, like a few others we braved the elements and listened to Roothy's call to arms and even followed the convoy to the Cardiff turn off on the freeway, couldn't last the distance all the way out to Cessnock. It was a shame that the convoy was so fragmented but I think the message got across that there were plenty of people that were just not happy not just about the Stockton restrictions but about the "indiscriminant" gate closures elsewhere. Blockages to the airport, I highly doubt (sorry Garry) as the traffic was as described reasonably flowing in both directions across the Stockton bridge.

Mick, I saw your 130 parked on the northern side of the bridge, I gave you a hoot on the horn as we were driving past (at least I think it was yours??).

Dazza, we were parked on the grass nearby to where the 4wd Action fellas were parked on the road, the diversity of trucks in both makes and mods was amazing and the numbers were well into the thousands. Most impressive were the old time army jeep fellas with their miniscule soft tops and no doors in what can only be described as a mini hurricane, weather was not good at all, which made the turn out even more impressive.

As far as UHF etiquette in the convoy, I'm ashamed to say there was a bit of ^&$^%#$%#@$%#@%$^$&* going on on channel 16 which was supposed to remain open for any convoy instructions. What is it with some people??? Turned it off and listened to boys prattle on in the back seat.

Hopefully the media coverage and the good stuff Bob and others are doing with the Association can lead to a rewind on some of the closures that are happening around the state (starting with Stocko maybe, we love going camping with the boys there).

Cheers

Goldey

I dont think the 4wd association does enough to get its self out there to be honest..when I was in the Land Rover club as the members sec I physically signed up over 300 people myself (it was bloody ball aching) as it was part of their membership but I highly doubt many visited the site. I rarely did myself partly because it wasnt interesting or a pleasure to visit.

of course im not a member of the 4wd association any more because you can only be apart of it if your in a club..which is silly really.

personally i think they are missing out on some massive support by not for example talking to Inc and having a dedicated section within this forum. there could be a rep that could stay up to date with the goings on and update the forum here regularly.

they could do this not just on this forum but others too..they would get to reach out to many more potential supporters if you ask me.

the clubs do pay a fee to the 4wd association but I dont see why a nominal fee couldn't be incorporated with a subscription fee here so the forum was only open to subscribers etc...

the 4wd assoc can only do so much because they are supported partially by the fees they receive there for they need to get more people to support them

Was only reporting what I read elsewhere - put up by someone who was there and sighted the blockage.

Garry

Interesting topic and quite a turn out.
The other thing most forget about the association is the committee doing all the work are volunteers. I know personally I do not have the time to spare so credit to these guys trying to do what's best for us.

Originally Posted by dullbird

I dont think the 4wd association does enough to get its self out there to be honest..when I was in the Land Rover club as the members sec I physically signed up over 300 people myself (it was bloody ball aching) as it was part of their membership but I highly doubt many visited the site. I rarely did myself partly because it wasnt interesting or a pleasure to visit.

of course im not a member of the 4wd association any more because you can only be apart of it if your in a club..which is silly really.

personally i think they are missing out on some massive support by not for example talking to Inc and having a dedicated section within this forum. there could be a rep that could stay up to date with the goings on and update the forum here regularly.

they could do this not just on this forum but others too..they would get to reach out to many more potential supporters if you ask me.

the clubs do pay a fee to the 4wd association but I dont see why a nominal fee couldn't be incorporated with a subscription fee here so the forum was only open to subscribers etc...

the 4wd assoc can only do so much because they are supported partially by the fees they receive there for they need to get more people to support them

interesting point dullbird. I'm no suggesting you put your hand up but maybe if your bored you could fire off some suggestions to them.

I agree, I know who they are and what they represent, and the web site is pretty sterol.
If they aren't spearheading these things actively and its well known then their existence becomes of no concern to most people.

There is no getting away that over the past 30 years access to areas has grown in restrictions, and certainly has accelerated over the last 10. The labour-green party has tightened the noose perhaps for themselves as well.

The cause for the size of this protest was social media. Just like anouncing an intended party on the internet will attract gate crashers the organisers were caught out by the sheer number of people wanting to attend.

The best way forward is a unified approach by the association & the silent majority within the 4wd community. Perhaps the association could invite 4wda to provide a represntative to the association thus building on the associations established relationships with the abilty to move their messages of success to the majority of people within the 4wd community.

Rather than the assocation offering general membership to the wider community this approach would also allow the association to retain the control required to prevent the bogan element from misrepresnting it's intent.

Originally Posted by newhue

interesting point dullbird. I'm no suggesting you put your hand up but maybe if your bored you could fire off some suggestions to them.

I agree, I know who they are and what they represent, and the web site is pretty sterol.
If they aren't spearheading these things actively and its well known then their existence becomes of no concern to most people.

There is no getting away that over the past 30 years access to areas has grown in restrictions, and certainly has accelerated over the last 10. The labour-green party has tightened the noose perhaps for themselves as well.

I wasnt going to go down this path but, on Friday I spent close to an hour on the phone over 2 phone calls to the Association about this subject.

The Secretary was great to talk to and even phoned back to answer questions. The main part I enquired about was there website and as said very sterile and why you can only be a member as long as you are from a club. This answer was OK but probably the reason why most of us havent heard of them or care about them!

I, like a lot of people dont want to be apart of a club, purely for the Bogan factor and the "Old and Crusty" factor, the one club meeting I have attended all the members wanted to do was hang **** on my "clean slate" vehicle. It was my choice to purchase a unmolested vehicle!

Dont get me wrong there is a large selection of clubs available to me but I am yet to find one for my family and me.

Maybe if the association wants members they could do something about this with a "individual affiliate" membership maybe without voting rights but you still are informed maybe by a email or the ability to attend meetings.

Having said this the less we hear from any Association this provides ammunition that people such as I have when they do occasionally raise there head, this needs to change IF they want our support and more importantly our $$$

Dazza

Well put Dazza,

I believe the issue is that the association only wants to represent it's member clubs which is fine as long as they don't pretend to represent all 4wders.

Maybe someone can help me out here.

Many years ago I was involved with the regional 4wd council during the time the Barrington Tops had track closures & was declared a wilderness area. I recall that a number of tracks were closed & some were gated with key controlled access allowed to association member clubs on application.

Have these tracks been reopened?
Is access still through the key system or have they closed the tracks?

Although this key access was considered a win by the association at the time I remember commenting that it was still a long way from free public access.

I guess what I am trying to say here is perhaps the association is not the right body to represent all of the 4wding community maybe it's time for an alternative body that represents all of us that choose not to be members of a 4wd club.

Jim