Robe...

[Triplayhard]

Heading to Robe on the cup weekendfor us Melbournians (this weekend!!! cant come soon enough) - going to "Little Dip" 5 days. We are in convoy, and looking for some local knowedge about camp spots, good/bad/ugly. and Fishing spots too. Never been before, any info on the condition of the tracks down there would be muchly appreciated. I'll be sure to post some pics of the boggings and catches upon our return.

Cheers Lads'

TPH.

 

[Chard]

http://www.robe.com.au/downloads/Little Dip Map.pdf
http://www.westprint.com.au/freemaps/Beachport Map.pdf

Hi TPH,
Mate I reckon this is the best fun you can have in South Oz. I would love to go there and show you around but I can only dream about doing that! The above links are maps and guides to campsites and track details, the first is from Robe to Nora Creina including the Little Dip CP and the second is from Beachport to Nora Creina.
You can pick up a tide chart from the visitor centre or Jammo's store in Beachport if you are coming up from Millicent or if coming in from Robe call into the Caltex (Ampol?) and he should be able to help you out. Of course low tide is best and the wind down there can keep the tide up for a while too. Gee you have picked a great weekend to be there, we are expecting temps in the 30's in Adelaide.
Only tricks are use a sand flag and get the tyres down, I set mine at 12 and 15 straight of the bat. I have been down to 8psi and going nowhere at Little Dip on the beach. I've done a double length snatch with a full strap run-up, 12 pulls and finally pulled my mate out. If you have muddies they will dig you down instantly. I am not trying to scare you - it is all fun!!!

Let me tell you if you want to have safe fun away from the beach, the buggy club is the place to go. It is called the nine mile sand hills or the Millicent Buggy Club. Free range to try out some massive dunes but look out for the drifts on the other side, I recommend looking first before you crest it and then realize there is a ten foot drop on the other side. Stay off the grasses and shrubs as these hold the dunes together.
One more thing, SLOW DOWN TO WALKING PACE AT NORA CREINA, the owner is sick and tired of hoons driving and riding through his private property at speed. There are kids playing in this area all the time. Leave the gates as they were.
As for fishing, good luck, heaps of gutters along the beach but never had any luck. Not uncommon to hook up a school shark at dusk.
Looking forward to seeing a few pics, Rick.

 

[Triplayhard]

Thanks for the heads up, been preparing for this for a while. Heard the sand down there is "the softest in Australia" so looking forward to getting stuck a bit. Got A/T tyres so should be ok with deflation of course! i think the Staun's, my compressor, and the snatchy will earn their weight in gold this weekend. The weather forescast for Robe is not as optemistic as the one for Adelaide unfortunately, but i'm sure it will be sufficient for the relaxing we have planned.

 

[Thorney]

Just came back from doing Nora-creina/robe/ Canunda about 1 month ago. Locals advise me not to drive on the beaches this time of year. Ofcourse i ignored them and almost lost me truck. The swell and king tides make most beaches impassible during winter cos the sand is always shifting and doesn't settle! Its corse sand(like portsea) thus making it quicksand when wet. If u have to drive on beaches stick as high up the beach in the dry sand as u can. It looks softer but compared to the sand near the water its way more compact! Letting ya tyres down to at least 15psi or lower is essential. Its completely different to driving say Fraser/noosa where u gun down to the harder sand near the waters edge. Unlike SA -Qld's sand is very fine and packs down well! If u want mulloway and go past robe towards the corrong the beaches are way easier to drive on cos the swell is usually smaller and the beaches are settled more. Stick to the marked tracks and doubt u would get bogged. Millicent buggy area worth a play - good/protected camping and awesome fishing around this way too!

As for fishing -caught all our salmon on lures - bait was useless. Try end of beachport pier at night for shark! Only fish the real shallow gutters(waist deep) as the deep/ ideal looking ones proved to be a waist of time. Caught salmon. mulloway and shark at the whale rock turnoff in canunda. U could basically camp on the beach where the track starts!


thorney

 

[00djazz00]

Howdy folks!

Mate we are going to Robe for the long weekend too!

There will be about 9 cars involved with our troop! Like you just a little excited!

We are staying the robe caravan park!

Be happy to catchup at some stage - more cars more chances of getting out alive!

Drew

 

[Chard]

Hi Drew,
Welcome to the forum - this thread was for the melbourne cup long weekend last year but there will be plenty of vehicles going south for our cup weekend in march.
My mate is doing a tour down there on that weekend and is staying in the big 4 caravan park. I think he will have a few with him, look out for him, Ricky / Follow Me 4WD. Tell him Moose says g'day. We were down there Aussie day weekend and had a corker of a time, not as challenging as other times we have been there - or are we just getting better drivers, Cougz.
Check out this thread
http://www.4x4earth.com.au/forum/south-australia/4867-robe-january-lwe.html

 

[00djazz00]

Ah that would make sense mate! Clearly a newbie still working out where everything is! I've just looked into that follow me tours look like he has himself set up quite nicely! 4x4 as a living - oh the life hey! Looks like you had a blast! Any tips? Aside from not leaving people stuck in the sand after they have stop to help people that don't deserve it!

Great photo's you got a few more - the boys will love to see the trouble they are going to get in?

 

[Chard]

Best tip down south is to get the tyres down mate and keep the steering straight. Too many times I see people try and fight the slope of the beach by trying to steer up as high as they can and all they end up doing is bulldozing and loosing momentum. If you let go of the steering wheel it will actually steer itself down the beach.
If you are at the Caravan and Camping show Sunday come say Hi in the Follow Me 4WD tent.

 

[Jarh73]

Best tip i got from a local regarding tyre pressures was this:

"Ignore all other advice and let your tyres down to 15psi straight away.

All the serious fishing people do that because they are not into 4WDriving and want to get to their favorite fishing spot as quickly as possible with the least fuss. The 4WD is just a tool to get to the fishing spot!"

I did the run from Salt Creek to Kingston, one very long beach run!

Cheers

Justin

 

[Awesome Andy]

Triplayhard, am heading over there myself with the cook. Am looking forward to driving on a beach as you would know, us victorians arent aloud on beaches. Im in a GU Patrol, white in colour. Have a camper trailer, if by chance we cross paths, say gday! Cheers, Andy......

 

[Awesome Andy]

Lol... Only 4 years late lol