Bunyip Forest/Gembrook area - Track report

[Nickj]

After visiting Bunyip Forest on the weekend, I feel I should offer a track report. Our 4wd club was up there helping out another couple of clubs and the local Ranger cleaning up trash and putting new signs in the area.

Gentle Annie Tk - Need 35"+ good Simex or Centipede and at least 4" lift to get up from the north side. Didn't try sliding down from the south.

Tea Tree Tk - Southbound. Only 1 section that bellied out my car. Needed to snatch back and approach more agressively (no damage). I drove up from the south the weekend before on my road AT with 40PSI in the tyres with no probs.

Andersons tk - Need 35"+ good Simex or Centipede and at least 4" lift to get up from the south side. We didn't bother going down it from the top.

Little Bunyip Tk - Need 35"+ good Simex or Centipede and at least 4" lift to get up from the south side. We didn't bother going down it from the top.

Blue Range/Bunyip Ridge Tks - Quite rutty and muddy, I got through with no probs, need a little lift though or ear muffs..

Please stay on the tracks marked on the map, especially in the powerline area. There are signs saying "No off road driving or riding" and people are getting fines. This means stay on the marked tracks. Same for all areas.
Have fun, don't forget your snatch strap, shackles and UHF radio!

Nick

 

[4X4]

Thanks for the heads up Nick.

 

[Patriot]

Hey Nick,

Sounds like the tracks have got a lot more fun over winter. Certainly wont be in a hurry to get the Patriot out for a play there

James

 

[Nickj]

Not sure it was all fun James. No damage to the car - that I can see. The undercarrage did take a bit of a beating though. I really need that 2" lift in the front now. Yeah, the tracks up there have taken a pounding from overtyred cars in poor conditions.
I HATE MUD!

Nick

 

[GippsSurfer]

Not sure it was all fun James. No damage to the car - that I can see. The undercarrage did take a bit of a beating though. I really need that 2" lift in the front now. Yeah, the tracks up there have taken a pounding from overtyred cars in poor conditions.
I HATE MUD!

Nick

Thats the problem these days... everyone going bigger and bigger - just makes the ruts deeper and deeper... so the minimum tyres become 33's then 35's etc... its not a bad thing that the tracks are occasionally dozed... brings it back to a level playing field....

Im not a fan of mud either...

 

[hianufgq]

There are many different types of 4wdrives and many different types of drivers, there is also many different types of tracks some wich are deeply rutted and challenging some are not so challenging. So the 4b's that are set up to do challenging tracks can go and do the hard stuff, the 4b's that are not quite set up stay off them. I have a Maverick with 35's lockers and big lift and l would probly do less damage on a track than a less modified truck due to my BIG lift which travels so l dont lift tyres off the ground and my lockers so l dont loose traction. Im not having a go at anyone I just want to point out that its not just big tyres destroying tracks. I respect the land as much as you guys, but I also enjoy a challenging track.

 

[hotcty]

hey guys

went up to Bunyip last weekend. I have a stock wrangler (even those road loveing gs-a's)

we did the andersons track loop, and the western, gentle annie and tea tree loop.

it was all dry and we did them all..... my car only got stuck once and that was from my house mate rolling it back into a deep rut.

its a good drive and some parts are challenging... like the boulders midway through gentle annie track..

if you go in the dry and your smart about where you place your wheels you can do them all no matter what lift or tires or even if you do or dont have lockers..

but in the wet you will need those muddies. should be right with 33's or 35's depending on your diff clearance..

the jeep on the 29" gs-a's has 1cm less diff clearance then my house mates patrol on 35's

 

[cptmud]

More damage to these tracks are done by either motorbikes, or i hate to say it, illeqiuped hoons in 4wd"s with tyres at highway pressures

 

[cptmud]

Rocky track has been rutted out, but i hear on the rumor mill that its taged for closure

 

[b!tch with grunt]

huge lifts and megga a5s tyres... means you get through 95% of the tracks and bog holes where is the challenge in that ?? getting stuck and pulled out is the fun in real 4 wheel driving

 

[BEK]

thanks nick

will have to catch up for a bite soon haven't caught up since otooles

 

[kingo]

we are all to blame.... bikes, 4x4 with the best stuff on it and with nothing on it. LIke someone said when the grader comes though all is forgoten

 

[Davidman]

Spent most of the weekend just gone in and around Bunyip, Kirth Kiln and surrounding state forests. It had been dry for some time and there was very little mud / water on most of the tracks. Did Gentle Annie from the Western Track side ( up the rocky bit ) and then back down the other side as well as many of the other tracks in the area. Only performance mods I have are tyres, no lift etc. Managed these without too much trouble ( the daughter didn't scream, so can't have been that bad ). I have tried these in the wet and it is a totally different story.
Just some info for those contemplating heading to Bunyip.

 

[Nickj]

Thanks for the update davidman. I was actually going to head up on Sunday but didn't get time.

Nick

 

[hotcty]

Gentle Annie Track

hey all just posted up a video to youtube of the rocky section at the top of gentle Annie track. it was heading from western track side across to tea tree track. (so up the hill)

YouTube - My Jeep At Bunyip State Park

Have a look. sorry about the bad quality.

Still very dry up there. going up again this sunday while it is still dry so that i can get away with holding out on some muddies.

anyone in the area on sunday send out a uhf call to "blue balls" and "tonka truck"

"Blue balls" has a cb on scan or we are normaly on UHF CH 10.

 

[Bullstat]

We've been up there a few times in the last few weeks & it's as dry as now, yesterday I noticed the bog has compleatly dried up on the Western track wheras last Thursday it was still wet as. Wound up on the Sisters track yesterday & got through most of it, almost got bogged on the Nash creek loop in real powdery dirt, last week done the Western/ Gentle Annie tracks, Blue Range/ Bunyip Ridge tracks. I took a few Vids that can be seen here; YouTube - kingbrude's Channel. Sorry I never read this thread untill today hotcty otherwise I'dve called out for ya, maybe next time. Oh and If any body does look at the vids I took, that squeeking noise is coming from the rear somewhere, Im not sure what It Is, in fact Ive got no Idea.

 

[hotcty]

hey all...

I Did end up getting away to bunyip state park on sunday. we ended up doing these tracks

Bullock link track (mistake doing that first as we were bored of every thing that came after that) YouTube - Stock TJ on Bullock Link Track In Bunyip State Park
robertsons creek fire trail
south hells gate road
stoll road up to tarago road
spion kopje track (which has a permenant bog hole 3/4 of the way up it due to a broken culvate that has a creek running through it and keep the ground wet as)
at the end had no choice but to turn left due to a locked track and headed down phasmid ridge track which about 1/2 way down was shut due to logging works. sign said to call out to managment on UHF CH 11 to get clearance but there was no reply. so proceeded past this point still calling out on UHF CH 11. in the end we figured it was Australia day and it would be un australian to be working. we did come across a security car that just told us which way to go to get outta the area so we headed that way.
in the end the track snaked back to spion kopje track near the start.
went back onto tarago road and then headed to tea tree track. did that as our last one and headed home

all in all it was a great day apart from every track after bullock link track felt as if a 2wd car could do them.

 

[Nickj]

I had some spare time yesterday so I went for a drive up there too. I thought I saw you exiting via forest rd and called you on ch10 but no reply.

I did Robertson Creek Tk to the rocky section past Rocky Tk. I got up the 1st rock ledge bit and past the tree but didn't want to push it any further as I was by myself. So I turned back. Went up to Sisters (closed gate so turned around) did lwr Sisters to the cross road but turned back as I ran out of map and GPS also got lost! I then heard some people over on Gentle Annie so I headed over to Western Tk into Gentle Annie. met them just before the rock garden. There were 5 cars and 3 waiting in front of me. They all seemed to bounce their way up the right hand side. Was my turn now. Picked the hard bit to the left of the middle and just idled my way up and over on my road AT tyres. This front Lokka is awesome! You get 2 wheels off the ground, it keeps going forward!!!
Have to meet up there one day, its only 25mins drive 4 me! I would love to go right up that rocky bit of Robertson Creek Tk.

Nick

 

[Bullstat]

We went up there again yesterday in a 3 car convoy geez its dry up there (but what would ya expect after the heat here), we did Nash creek loop, Andersons, Bluerange, Bunyip ridge, Tea Tree track then had a feed at the flat spot near Popocsh & Tarago rd then contiued up Gentle Annie, western, lower Sisters then down the Sisters track were we went around the locked gate, we had a great time (well I did anyway) then all went our own way. Im looking forward to next weekend for more Bunyip fun when Ill try that Bullock link track. We took heaps of footage yesterday which Ive put most up on my channel on youtube; YouTube - kingbrude's Channel , cheers all stay safe. PS I'm usualy on UHF ch25 when up there so call out on any Saturday.

 

[Nickj]

** Fires currently going at Buyip State Park**

Anderson's Tk
Little Anderson's Tk
Sunset Tk (access gate locked)
Bunyip Ridge Tk

Please check DSE fireweb website prior to visiting.

Nick