North Straddie main beach advice please!

[monkeystyle Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close monkeystyle]

Hi guys, I am booked in to camp on main beach at north Straddie this Easter, never been before and given I am taking my 3 and 7 year old kids camping a little nervous!
How is main beach for driving from point lookout... Is there lots of sand these days at low/mid tide?
What is the best access point - point lookout or from tazi rd (I think that is called the causeway but am not sure)?
are there dunes to camp behind and do you camp north or south or tazi rd... I can't tell from the info I have?
What's the right tyre pressure for the standard tyres on a 2010 d4d vx? About 20psi?
I'll take a snatch strap but are the factory recovery points on a prado ok to use?
So turn off vsc and tc before you hit the sand and only use diff lock if bogged or nearly bogged?
Can you drive all the way to the south end on the surf side beach?
I haven't taken the prado on sand yet but i did take a 100 series around Australia some time ago and got a lot of remote beach and dune driving done, including 10 days on Fraser in talc dry sand in the middle of the drought, and never got bogged - 26,000 km round aust trip and no punctures either... It was a naturally aspirated underpowered 4.2 diesel, so I'm hoping the new truck will be a lot better with more power... Doesn't feel like my 100 series, that literally felt like a tank and it seems to grind it's way through everything on torque alone.
Any other sand or trip advice?

I'll put up a full report when I get back!!!

Sorry for all of the questions but forewarned is forearmed!

[Matty80 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Matty80]

Re: North Straddie main beach advice please!

are the factory recovery points on a prado ok to use?

The factory points under the front bumper are not "rated" recovery points, they are tow points, used mainly for securing the vehicle during transport. I wouldn't be using them for any type of recovery! If you do a search there are some quite extensive discussions regarding these. I would recommend picking up some of the aftermarket outback ideas rated recovery points (or other brand) and either fitting them yourself or getting them fitted - i think ARB or TJM can do this for you.

recovery points
Rated recovery points

So turn off vsc and tc before you hit the sand and only use diff lock if bogged or nearly bogged?

I couldn't give you any specific beach advise for that location - but as a general rule, drop your tyre pressures and engage HL and this would probably do for most situations. Again, there are a few beach driving tip threads floating around with detail the various fancy traction aids that some of the prados have built in as well.

fraser island, sand driving, need a few tips on gear..
Sand Driving
Beach Driving - Tips and Tricks for all Levels

I couldn't give you much on the vsc and tc options as mine doesn't have those features... But play close attention to your tyre pressures, you should have better luck than i did on my last beach trip - call it a slight oversight...

Be good to the the photos of your trip when you get back! Have fun!

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

Re: North Straddie main beach advice please!

Hi

Here's the local info. We are locals on Straddie and we have 150, I'll try and give you some answers relative to the questions.

1. There is a "no drive" policy 1 hour either side of high tide, this means if you are driving on the beach the fine is $500.00. Also be aware that you can't drive within 1 mt of dune vegetation apart from camping areas or you will get a $500.00 fine as well. The council are very strict enforcing the regulations. Main Beach conditions change weekly but recently there isn't much beach until the low tide.
2.Access to the camping areas is south of Tazi Rd via the Causeway, all well signposted, be preperad for some fine white sand driving to get on the beach. You can access from Point Lookout but that will just add another 5 KM's of beach driving and about another 20 minutes. All camping is behind the dunes and at last visit the entrances are steep and soft.
3. Tyre pressure I would recommend around 18lbs, take a bridle strap and put it on the factory points and you will be fine as long as take it slow. My suggestion is to go to low range before you go to the soft parts and then turn off the traction control.
4. Yes you can drive to the southern end of the island depending on the conditions, allow 1 hour each way. If you want fish be aware that Swan Bay at the southern end is a fish habitat and fishing is prohibited.

Last bit of info is the tourist side is Point Lookout with a pub (best views in Australia) bowls club, a couple of restaurants (La Foccacia the best tell Joanne the Conways sent you) there is a nice drive through the centre of the Island starting at the Amity Point turnoff and endingon Tazi Road.

We are camping on Flinders Beach over Easter and are happy to meet and show you sights if you like, send me a PM for contact details.

Regards, Richo.

[Ron.H. Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ron.H.]

Re: North Straddie main beach advice please!

Seems like it might be busy over there at Easter we will also be camping over on main beach with the Nissan Patrol Club we are in.
We went over a fortnight ago to check it out before we were fully loaded up with all the camping gear.
It was low tide about an hour before we got there so it was great driving down but when the tide was coming back in it did get narrower and you hit a bit more of the softer sand when the on coming traffic was passing you.
Richoson covered what to do very good, you just need to give yourself a bit of momentum when entering the soft sand dunes to the camping grounds my first attempt was slowly in 2nd low and it only just crawled in, then after that 3rd low had me floating in over top rather than churning slow through the soft stuff.
The camp sites start about 10 K's south of Tazi road and they are numbered the signs look the size of a no standing sign and the camp sites link up with each other with a track at the back of the dunes.
The first lot are smallish areas ok I guess if you want to be by yourself, we found from number 8 to 12 looked better suited to us getting a larger group together.
Don't worry you will be fine should be plenty of people around to help if by some chance you got stuck anyway.
Might see you there.
Here is a picture of the beach on the 13th of March.



Ron.H

[Geoffy Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Geoffy]

Re: North Straddie main beach advice please!

We travel to Straddie a lot and always camp on Flinders. Main beach is much more isolated both because of the distance to the camp sites and also the fact that you are much more dependant on tides. Some of the camp site entrances on Main are quite challenging, but as someone else mentioned a lot of them are interlinked behind the dunes so as a rule of thumb check out a few entrances close to each other and choose the easiest. Last time we went down main (late last year) we went into quite a few of the camp sites and we did't have any issues (20PSI, low range wasn't necessary).

[monkeystyle Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close monkeystyle]

Re: North Straddie main beach advice please!

Thanks very much for the advice - just what I was looking for.

Not sure about timing at this stage, I'm hopefully going to catch up with my dad at Dunwich if he can get his stink boat across from his place at Russell Island - thanks for the offer Richo, I might drop you a line closer to the time once I have a clue what we are doing.

Geoffy, I would have gone for Flinders over Main Beach but when I booked a month ago everything was gone! We're excited about being off on Main Beach, nice to have a bit of space and (hopefully) not too many partying kids around.

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

Re: North Straddie main beach advice please!

Thanks very much for the advice - just what I was looking for.

Not sure about timing at this stage, I'm hopefully going to catch up with my dad at Dunwich if he can get his stink boat across from his place at Russell Island - thanks for the offer Richo, I might drop you a line closer to the time once I have a clue what we are doing.

Geoffy, I would have gone for Flinders over Main Beach but when I booked a month ago everything was gone! We're excited about being off on Main Beach, nice to have a bit of space and (hopefully) not too many partying kids around.

No probs, also I will have the Outback Ideas recovery points on my car by then, they are designed specifically for the 150 and will fit with the ARB, you can have a look if you like.

Regards, Richo.

[mickmac_42 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mickmac_42]

Re: North Straddie main beach advice please!

I was over there on the 20th and 21st of March. The weather was dreadful but still ventured out onto the beach. Gained access to Main beach from George Nothing Dve at Point Lookout. Didn't lower tyre pressures from 38psi, didn't use low range, didn't turn off traction control or stability control. Absolutely no problems getting out onto the flat stuff. Granted it may have been easier due to the rain making the sand a little "sticky." Turned traction and stability control off when i was on the beach. At low tide there would have been 30-40m of beach from the dunes to the water. I should have lowered my tyre pressure because handling was rubbish. The wheels kept digging in and i felt like i was swerving all over the show. Never happened on the old Navara, but i also used to lower the tyre pressures.

The other access point i used was the Trans Island track which runs past Brown and Blue lakes. There was a 20m water crossing about 100m before the dunes. Access to the beach is a short cutting through the dunes and was the same story as above. If you decide to take this track, i'd recommend a quick detour around the back of Brown lake. The track is easy, but enjoyable.

One peculiarity i did notice with the wheels on the VX. On the drive from Point Lookout to Dunwich i noticed some massive vibration through the steering wheel when i drove above 80kph. It was like the wheels were out of balance. I pulled over and had a look and saw that there was a heap of sand stuck to the inside of the wheels. Cleaned it out and no further problems, but once again, never had this problem on the Navara. Live and learn i guess.

BTW, i drive a stock 2010 VX. Have fun and i look forward to seeing your pictures.

Mike

[Mark from Brisbane Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark from Brisbane]

Re: North Straddie main beach advice please!

Great spot, being from Brissie go there a fair bit.....I have never had any problems getting stuck, had the Maxtrax in case but never an issue.....I ran the BFG's at 24PSI...dropped them back a fraction in the softer stuff on main beach to 22 but have never had to go to 18.Plenty of camping spots although haven't been there at Easter. And I agree with Richo the view from the Pub at Point Lookout are magical...don't forget your beach pass and at $35 (or thereabouts) for 12 months it's a bargain!!

[Ron.H. Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ron.H.]

Here are a few photos we took of our adventurous trip.

Leaving Cleveland on Thursday morning.
Half way to Straddie we passed the barge going the other direction with the water surface hardly even moving such a lovely day.


My daughter took this nice shot on her phone of the gorge on the walk we did at Point Lookout.


Down at the southern end looking over at south Stradbroke Island


While we were there having lunch and a fish, this boat came ashore and kept driving up on to the beach to our amazement it had wheels.
It is called a sealeg so we looked it up on the internet to find they are only about $105,000



Then on our way home on Tuesday the barges were having problems with one having broken down earlier in the day delaying all the scheduled times. We got on one a bit later than planned but didn't make the distance, with only a few hundred meters to go before we reached Cleveland we got stuck on a sandbank with motors revving and water churning out sideways we went nowhere. We were starting to wonder how many hours we would be there with the tide going down it was only going to get worse. After half an hour the kind Water Taxi only just managed to tow us sideways off what we were stuck on much to everyone's relief.
Ron.H.

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