Sundown National Park - January 18/19

[Fozzy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fozzy]

The same number can be used to describe Sundown National Park in two ways at the moment:

40 (degrees Celcius) and

40 (million flies).

A group of us braved both nature and the elements this weekend, traveling to Sundown National Park for a tour of the tracks there (http://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/su...p-map-2010.pdf).

At the moment, it's hot, dusty and home to more flies than I care to encounter at any time. The Severn River at Burrows Waterhole is barely moving and elsewhere it has been reduced to a series of stagnant pools. Having said that it was a great weekend with lots of steep and loose rocky climbs and descents both on the access road and other sections of the park.

I'll let any of the others who care to add to this to show real photos, in the meantime here's a couple straight off the iPhone just to set the scene.

Burrows Waterhole


The grave of Frederick Burrows. He's been interred here overlooking "his" waterhole since 1924. It must have been a lonely and tough life there in almost all seasons.

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

The same number can be used to describe Sundown National Park at the moment:

40 (degrees Celcius) and

40 (million flies).

Flies, what flies?

[JoshF Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close JoshF]

no flies October last year and not so hot either

[Fozzy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fozzy]

People tell me there are no flies on you Josh!

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

Guys.....


Had an absolute fantastic weekend away with a great bunch of guys as well.... and my youngest - Ethan loved it too, even his 1st sleep in a Swag.... The heat was a bit draining and I came back a little redder than when I left, but there was a bit of a breeze every now and then.


Once we got to the Park Boundary it was my turn to lead the bunch through some unexplored tracks that I had wanted to check out on my previous trips down there, but circumstances prevented me.... I was suppose to be clearing the track as I went along to help limit the pin striping on the more expensive cars behind me but as I'm used to driving "Zook Tracks" all the time I quite often forgot as I didn't hear much brush against the "little Vitara" and therefore I had gotten quite a distance in front of the guys behind and had missed out on the "Richo incident", but I'm sure there will be a video of this "secret" incident posted soon I did remember to trim some of the brush back, but I'm not sure whether the fellas had noticed Anyhow, we eventually came out at Redrock Gorge Campgrounds where we had Lunch and did the usual walk down to the Lookout viewing platform of the Gorge itself.

From here, it was back along the main track again with another side detour through another more interesting section with a few washout sections but nothing really hard, just more interesting than driving on a normal dirt "rough/rocky" road. We stopped for a quick look at the old mining site and continued to push onto Burrow's Waterhole campsite for the night. Everyone went about setting up their camps and with in 1 minute or 2 we heard the words "Done" ringing in our ears.... You can guess who that was...... Anyhow, after everyone was setup it was the formal part of the trip in as putting your feet up to relax, Chat & have a drink or 2. The Kids had fun doing what they love to do when there's a campfire involved.... After dinner, The "Magic Fire" was bought to entertain the kids.... After a while we all decided to call it for the night and went to sleep, listening to the various fellas do their best chainsaw impersonations around the campsite....


Morning came with another great day where we had breakfast & slowly packed up. Fozzy wanted to go have a look for the grave site which I had no idea was there. After the grave site was located it was off exploring again with the little Zook leading the way (great spot to be in when u don't have any working A/C). It wasn't long b4 we got to our 1st Hill descent which we all successfully navigated down. From here it was along the Severn River and across to where the Rats Castle Loop starts. I had always previously gone left and came down the hill, but this time I wanted to give the hill-climb a go. Upon the fellas walking & looking at it, they at 1st decided not to give it a go, but I wanted to try it with the mighty little Zook, so in I hopped and off I went. The Zook made it to the top w/o any incident or trouble & I was ready to claim the Hill-climb as "Suzuki Hill".....until Fozzy had a change of heart and decided to give it a go as well..... Well, he too with his lockers on made it look easy as well..... Well, this put the pressure on the other lads and slowly one by one all the 120's were up at the top. The 120s fellas then ribbed the 150 fellas which resulted in Richo being the 1st 150 to give it a go. Well, it was great to watch the Traction Control work its magic & it wasn't long b4 all 150's were also up the top.


From here it was down the other side and off onto another side track that I had wanted to explore. This time there was no water flowing through the x-ing preventing us getting across. We stopped for lunch once on the other side & while the others setup for Lunch, Richo & I went for a little walk down the track to see how far it went... Well after a 1k or there about's the track continued rock hopping along the Severn River. We knew we wouldn't have the time to explore it so it was decided to leave this track for the next long weekend adventure....After lunch we continued back along the Rats Castle Loop and then make our way across the rocky Severn River x-ing & out & back up the 1st hill-climb and started the slow drive out..... not b4 stopping for the usual group photos......


Thanks for all those that came, it made for a great weekend away, and it looked as though the kids enjoyed themselves as well...... until next time




I'll post up some pics and video clips when time permits.....


Rob

[gumboot Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close gumboot]

What a brilliant weekend away. Thanks to everybody that turned up that made it so enjoyable but it was certainly was a hot one.

Some of the highlights would have to be the The Incident, the Toilet Snake, Zook Hill, Richos Big catch, Craigs portable Sun, Beer and Port by the fire to name a few.

Once the prado is clean and I have downloaded the photos , I will post some up.

Cheers
Robert

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

Here's a pic of the Sundown NP section of where we went:



Here's Richo's Trophy Fish that people will be talking about for years to come:


The crowds were fighting over who was going to get a fillet

[Richoson Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Richoson]

Here's a pic of the Sundown NP section of where we went:



Here's Richo's Trophy Fish that people will be talking about for years to come:


The crowds were fighting over who was going to get a fillet

Hi Folks

I did tell all fisherpersons that lure is a guaranteed fish catcher, if there are fish there it will get em! It just takes a bit more skill to catch the smaller ones

See ya on the tracks, (or waterhole), Richo.

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

Some of the photos of the weekend can be seen here: Sundown NP PP Weekend away

Will post up some here when time permits....

[DSS150 Find all posts View Profile Close DSS150]

Great weekend away with great company and a few beverages.

Thanks all for a fun weekend.

Looking forward to the next one.

Will upload some pics once sorted, hopefully the link to this vid works.

No way we could name it Suzuki Hill!! LOL

[JoshF Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close JoshF]

No way we could name it Suzuki Hill!! LOL

I was always told those who lead define the name

[Hazza Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hazza]

Apart from the heat and flies it sounds like a great trip guys. Some top photos and how easy does the Prado make it up Suz... scratch that Prado hill

Have to get down there on the next one

Hazza

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

Well it was good to see the comparison between the 2 models. I believe that all the 120's had at least a rear locker whereas the 150's only relied on the Traction Control..... When the wheel lifted off the ground the TC vehicles behaved the same as the Locker vehicles..... and in the end, unfortunately all made it up Zook Hill

Apart from the heat and flies it sounds like a great trip guys. Some top photos and how easy does the Prado make it up Suz... scratch that Prado hill

Have to get down there on the next one

Hazza

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

Entry point




The little zook that lead the way over the weekend:

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

The unmaintained track that we were to travel: