Had a great day out with blkd4d (aka Anders) and his son, Dylan, at Toolangi State Forest. It was my first time up there for more than a decade so I was keen to get back into some mud and rocky tracks. We expected it to be much wetter than it was given the amount of rain a week ago but we nevertheless found a few spots where discretion meant turning back and/or taking "chicken tracks" so it was a good mix of challenges with some scenic drives along easier tracks.

Route taken:
Start Yarra Glen
Drive North on Melba Hwy
TR Rocky Track
Continue onto Victoria Range Road
TL Spraggs Road
TR Nolans Road
TL Blowhard Road
TL KK Link Track
TR Kalatha Link Road
TL Aeroplane Track
U-turn and backtrack on Aeroplane Track
TR Kalatha Link Rd
TR Mt Klondyke Road
TR Chevys Track
TL Aeroplane Track
TL Klondyke Rd
TR Marginal Rd
TL Kalatha Ck Track
TR Campsite Track
TR Martins Track
TR Breakoday Tk
TR North Tk
TL Marginal Rd
TR Murrundindi Rd
TR Camp Ck Rd
TR Murrundindi Rd
Continue on to Sylvia Ck Rd
TR Myers Ck Rd
End Toolangi

We pulled off the Melba Highway at Rocky Track and aired down


Convoy ready for action

Starting with Rocky Track proved to be a little ambitious...Anders went first and did a great job getting half way up the difficult first part


Rocky Track

but got caught at a difficult spot with a couple of large rocks in awkward positions to get over without doing underbody damage


Rocky Track

We decided that it was going to be a bit too challenging, especially for me without a rear locker and no additional bash plate protection.

Anders did a very nice piece of driving, reversing all the way back down!


Rocky Track

We then took the alternative track


Rocky Track


Rocky Track

The next challenge was Aeroplane Track. We started at the southern end where it was quite deeply rutted


Aeroplane Track

but we managed to get through most of it until...


Aeroplane Track

This looked reasonably innocuous but the ruts and holes were quite deep causing the vehicle to bottom out and the little right turn in the middle meant that the sidesteps got caught on the rut walls. A few attempts proved fruitless with wheels spinning


Aeroplane Track

Probably could have got through with some track 'modifications' (= digging), lowering the tyre pressures a little more and giving it a bit more right foot or winching through but I wasn't keen (with no aftermarket undercarriage) so we U-turned (more like a 5 point turn really) and backtracked down the hill.

Anders' first tried this obstacle staying in the ruts but got hung up on the hump and couldn't reverse or drive through it so I got to use my new winch for the first time

Second attempt avoiding the ruts worked but required some careful wheel placement.


Aeroplane Track

...continued (reached the photo limit )