Uknowwho08
New Member
Hi All - Just wondering if you are still allowed to wheel around here?
Ormeau Hills Track
- Thread starter ShadowPeo
- Start date
bush 4wders
New Member
only allowed on the main trail all side tracks are ilegal
angryassdrummer
Member
id like to head out, living nearby this would be handy
is the main track that is legal worth it? i dont need anything hectic, just a fun couple hours close to home would be great
hard to go off the track page as most havent been updated by drivers for several years now
is the main track that is legal worth it? i dont need anything hectic, just a fun couple hours close to home would be great
hard to go off the track page as most havent been updated by drivers for several years now
Main loop is pretty chopped out at the moment in a couple of sections which makes for quite difficult driving. Rest of it is pretty tame. Good for a quick squirt but as has been said here previously, all the side trails are off limits. I live in Ormeau Hills and run a not for profit 4X4 club, East Coast Offroad. We do monthly trips for members and two large charity events a year. Contact us via Facebook if you would like more information.
angryassdrummer
Member
Thanks for the info!
I'll look up your club now
I'll look up your club now
Dansd40tdi
New Member
I'd like to know what the outcome of this will be as I only live a shirt drive away from this track.
angryassdrummer
Member
We went sunday afternoon
Very short track....tougher than i was expecting
We turned around at a steep very rutted part
A guy in a stock 4by broke a cv and popped a rim on a side track (i thought they were off limits so we didnt go off the main track)
Passed about 20 other cars in the time i was there so its very popular
Very short track....tougher than i was expecting
We turned around at a steep very rutted part
A guy in a stock 4by broke a cv and popped a rim on a side track (i thought they were off limits so we didnt go off the main track)
Passed about 20 other cars in the time i was there so its very popular
Almostunseen
Member
Rolled through today, the area is looking absolutely beautiful, no rubbish in sight at all
Having a look on FB, it seems "Suzuki Sweep Ups" Club did a rubbish cleanup day on the 10th of November this year, used a unimog and pulled out a few car wrecks, over 3 tonnes of rubbish as well.
We entered off Upper Ormeau road, just south of the Cliff Barons Road enterance, North of the Boral Quarry. The track is clearly identified as a Public/Gazetted road by a Holcim sign just on the right of entrance, which also details the private ownership and public road delineation (I wish I took a photo of the sign, I will next time!). (https://goo.gl/maps/7V3YXQAKZ5ESfomf8)
The two bordering properties are Boral and Holcim, which sandwich the track on occasions, but the private land is obviously sign posted, fenced, and gated. Reasonable effort has been implemented to provide information to the public about boundaries for private property.
There were no visible signs up from the Gold Coast City Council, National Parks, or any other body governing the public passage on the road, and there were no visible attempts to bar access to the road (No gates, No tank traps, no bollards), so it can be reasonably assumed that the main track is public gazetted road, and therefore there it can assumed there is no reason why you should not be accessing it. The roads are all displayed on google maps and Whereis.
The notion of sticking to the main labelled and mapped track is the most sensible thing to do, and is my recommendation.
After entering the track, turning right on Norbury Road (https://goo.gl/maps/Stkv1APR3SKR9EHn6), and there seems to be the option to head west onto Shaws Pocket road. Continue north, Past Harts road, and turned right onto Cliff Barrons road (https://goo.gl/maps/zhfQcHmm3Qwaz57k6) which takes you back to Upper Ormeau Road.
The most challenging parts of the track would have been Norbury Road up until the Cliff Barrons Rd turnoff. There were a few steep climbs that were very shaley, and rutted out. We had a stock wrangler and hilux (with all terrains), and managed with some skilled driving, only having to winch the hilux once , on a hill climb just south of Harts Rd, as the long wheel base was causing the vehicle to bottom out on the side steps, and lose traction in the rear due to lack of flex.
We bumped into a few other vehicles, assisted a stock BT-50 which survived through purely on its rear diff locker and some good line choice, and observed the usual P plate holiday action which eventuated to lots of panel damage and CV's deciding they would rather be in multiple pieces.
It had only rained slightly the night before, so the ground was a bit moist. In the wet, this track would be more challenging different story. If you decide to take a stock vehicle, very likely to damage bashplates and sidesteps, especially in the LWB dual cab utes. Some of the approaches to the climbs are sharp, so a few front lips on vehicles got a bashing.
Decent All terrains, 2" lift and some good bash plates - Make it a good but challenging day. Front or Rear lockers make things a lot nicer, but good modern traction control in the Jeep minimised any wheel slip.
I'd compare this terrain to the Watagans/Ourimbah, but with less variety, but a very good loop. We started at 0930, and were at Yatala Pies by 1230, so it's an awesome quick loop.
Having a look on FB, it seems "Suzuki Sweep Ups" Club did a rubbish cleanup day on the 10th of November this year, used a unimog and pulled out a few car wrecks, over 3 tonnes of rubbish as well.
We entered off Upper Ormeau road, just south of the Cliff Barons Road enterance, North of the Boral Quarry. The track is clearly identified as a Public/Gazetted road by a Holcim sign just on the right of entrance, which also details the private ownership and public road delineation (I wish I took a photo of the sign, I will next time!). (https://goo.gl/maps/7V3YXQAKZ5ESfomf8)
The two bordering properties are Boral and Holcim, which sandwich the track on occasions, but the private land is obviously sign posted, fenced, and gated. Reasonable effort has been implemented to provide information to the public about boundaries for private property.
There were no visible signs up from the Gold Coast City Council, National Parks, or any other body governing the public passage on the road, and there were no visible attempts to bar access to the road (No gates, No tank traps, no bollards), so it can be reasonably assumed that the main track is public gazetted road, and therefore there it can assumed there is no reason why you should not be accessing it. The roads are all displayed on google maps and Whereis.
The notion of sticking to the main labelled and mapped track is the most sensible thing to do, and is my recommendation.
After entering the track, turning right on Norbury Road (https://goo.gl/maps/Stkv1APR3SKR9EHn6), and there seems to be the option to head west onto Shaws Pocket road. Continue north, Past Harts road, and turned right onto Cliff Barrons road (https://goo.gl/maps/zhfQcHmm3Qwaz57k6) which takes you back to Upper Ormeau Road.
The most challenging parts of the track would have been Norbury Road up until the Cliff Barrons Rd turnoff. There were a few steep climbs that were very shaley, and rutted out. We had a stock wrangler and hilux (with all terrains), and managed with some skilled driving, only having to winch the hilux once , on a hill climb just south of Harts Rd, as the long wheel base was causing the vehicle to bottom out on the side steps, and lose traction in the rear due to lack of flex.
We bumped into a few other vehicles, assisted a stock BT-50 which survived through purely on its rear diff locker and some good line choice, and observed the usual P plate holiday action which eventuated to lots of panel damage and CV's deciding they would rather be in multiple pieces.
It had only rained slightly the night before, so the ground was a bit moist. In the wet, this track would be more challenging different story. If you decide to take a stock vehicle, very likely to damage bashplates and sidesteps, especially in the LWB dual cab utes. Some of the approaches to the climbs are sharp, so a few front lips on vehicles got a bashing.
Decent All terrains, 2" lift and some good bash plates - Make it a good but challenging day. Front or Rear lockers make things a lot nicer, but good modern traction control in the Jeep minimised any wheel slip.
I'd compare this terrain to the Watagans/Ourimbah, but with less variety, but a very good loop. We started at 0930, and were at Yatala Pies by 1230, so it's an awesome quick loop.
hefty_merv
New Member
This is from the northern end of Ormeau Hills Track, was taken just after the first break in COVID, haven't been there since. Notice the amount of rubbish, we filled a bag completely and didn't even make a dent. So glad the Zook boys and girls got in there, was out of control and surely going to be closed on us if someone didn't.
