Thread: Otways sure is muddy

Originally Posted by Dave110

and I bet the Geelong 4wd club will be the first ones to complain when the scenic reserve is closed due to track damage! causing this sort of damage to public access tracks does nothing for 4wd access to public land!

Bit harsh Dave, .....looks to me like the track was a nominated 4wd only track, from the map.

Originally Posted by RobHay

Bit harsh Dave, .....looks to me like the track was a nominated 4wd only track, from the map.

not harsh at all a fair comment I think 4wd track or not!

Got to love that Otways mud!! You could bury a greenie under that stuff and no one would know!!!

Originally Posted by mickrangie

Got to love that Otways mud!! You could bury a greenie under that stuff and no one would know!!!

I thought the basis to tread lightly campain was for eveyone to stick to the track, and by what I can see thats what they were doing.

If the track is open then it is open to be driven on and if you have a vehical that is capable of driving it then if you want then you should.

There was nothing illegal or just plain wrong with what they were doing as far as the photo's show.

What the track was like leading up to that quagmire and the opertunities to turn around and not tackle it were not shown or discussed and regardless of which, they werent doing anything wrong by attempting it.

The parks vic bright sparks close tracks constantly for this damage and errosion reduction crap when they should be talking to the affiliated clubs about getting them to help repair damage to ensure they stay open.

If your not into that sort of thing then dont do it, thats what I do, If I dont think I could make it then I dont go wrecking tracks and my vehical trying but we go 4wding to have fun and not to swim through endless whinging about what other peoples opinions on what we do.

If it were irresponsible behavior like making new tracks and driving up and down and in and out of creeks trying to creat a quagmire then I would be one of the first to say something but this isnt irresponsible it's just plain fun sticking to an existing track.

By the way looks like you guys had fun, I dont thing the BFG AT's on my truck would get far in that.

Originally Posted by Dave110

while not against having to negotiate muddy sections in any track surely as a responsible 4wd club you would set an example in a National Park and 'tread lightly' as NM has also pointed out, the fact that a vehicle had to be recovered from the mire suggests that damage to the track is going to be quite severe and we've only got a couple of weeks before the seasonal track closures are implemented and you can bet your bottom dollar that that track will not be rehabilitated by Parks Vic at anytime in the near future and that their preference will be to deny access due to damage and if they could prove that this was from a 4wd club that might be a member of the 4wd association who knows what could happen!

So are you saying a responsible 4wd owner would not drive down a track because it is muddy and therefore liable to be damaged? The problem with the damage being that National Parks will not wish to repair it but instead close the track thus preventing 4wd owners from driving down it? Sounds like Catch-22 to me.
Given that track damage is a cumulative process you could argue that there is a failure on the part of Nat Parks to manage the track properly - they should already have closed it (temporarily).

'So are you saying a responsible 4wd owner would not drive down a track because it is muddy and therefore liable to be damaged? The problem with the damage being that National Parks will not wish to repair it but instead close the track thus preventing 4wd owners from driving down it? Sounds like Catch-22 to me.
Given that track damage is a cumulative process you could argue that there is a failure on the part of Nat Parks to manage the track properly - they should already have closed it (temporarily).'

you've hit it right on the head DiscDave I'm not saying don't drive down tracks just because they are muddy and your right mcrover

'If the track is open then it is open to be driven on and if you have a vehical that is capable of driving it'

the toyota being recovered is despite everyones slagging is a capable 4wd it couldn't make it, my standard Defender also probably would not make it neither would of most standard 4wds make it without recovery of some sort after a number of vehicles had attempted to drive though the mire

'If your not into that sort of thing then dont do it, thats what I do, If I dont think I could make it then I dont go wrecking tracks and my vehical trying but we go 4wding to have fun and not to swim through endless whinging about what other peoples opinions on what we do.'

and this is not endless whinging It's a comment and thats all! and I thought that is what this forum was for? brag photos were shown for people to view and comment on thats simply what I've done

mickrangie & rangieman

'Got to love that Otways mud!! You could bury a greenie under that stuff and no one would know!!! '

yes I probably do fall in your catagory for being a greenie but the last thing I want to see is denied access to tracks in National Parks

Originally Posted by Dave110

not harsh at all a fair comment I think 4wd track or not!

I agree with Dave to a certain extent. I know the otways and i know that there would have been alternatives.

just because a 4wd track is open doesn't mean discretion can't be used... ie track looks completely f**ked, maybe we should go another way rather than f**k it further.

And with the otways you can do that unlike some other parks of Aust.

If you live by the "its open, i have a right to use it" you shouldn't complain when tracks are closed because they are destroyed.