Upper King River, April 2015 |

Eight vehicles on the trip; Mark & Ashley, Matt, Shane, Wazza & Jocey, Simmo & Jen, Scott, Simon and our guest Mark in an early GQ Patrol. Met in Broadford, filled up in Mansfield. Bit of rain on the drive up, Scott & Simmo reporting that there was plenty of rain that night/morning, Had morning tea at Tomahawk Hut and dropped the tyres down. Followed No. 3 Road (bit too bumpy for a road) to meet Circuit Road, then followed that all the way around to Bindaree Falls. Long drive on 2WD dirt road but the falls were pretty spectacular with the short (400m) walking track leading in behind the falls. Had lunch at the falls carpark. Back up to Circuit Road, then up Monument Track. First and only bit of low range 4wd for the day. Headed on to Craigs Hut; heaps of other tourists – bikes, horses, 4WDs. Still pretty spectacular looking views with the hut and the backdrop. Made our way down Speculation Rd and stopped at King Hut for a look. Decided this was a pretty good campsite and pulled up stumps despite it only being mid arvo. Mark R managed to snap the joint where the pitman arm connects to the tie rod. He was trying to manouver his car in position at the camp! Quick decision was made to leave the vehicle there and for someone to take him in to Mansfield to call RACV. Rest of the afternoon was spent trying to get the fire warm, which it eventually did by the time people started going to bed.

Next morning Scott volunteered to take Mark in to Mansfield. Our guest Mark took off with them also while the rest of the crew headed off for some 4wding. The main group went in to Pineapple Flat, up Burnt Top Tk, Wild Horse Gap Tk, then had morning tea where Wild Horse Gap Tk meets up with Lake Cobbler Road (Wild Horse Gap). Headed down Lake Cobbler Road then cut across to the top end of Lake William Hovell via Basin Tk, Long Spur Tk, Sandy Tk and Top Crossing Tk, Didn’t go in to see the lake, instead turned up Buckland Spur Tk and stopped at Tomahawk Hut to air up and head home. On the way home, back in phone reception, we touched base with Mark, Ashley & Scott to find that they were all safe with Mark’s hilux out of the forest waiting for repairs the following day in Mansfield.