4WD Training Courses

[Byrnsie Member Find all posts View Profile Close Byrnsie]

I am planning on doing a 4WD training course. Wanted to know which ones others had done and if they were worthwhile. I am based in Sydney so I guess this question is aimed more at my fellow New South Welshmen.

The Toyota Land Cruiser Club (TLCC) looks appealing. Their membership includes a training course and has the added advantages of ongoing use of their properties and club trips. Does anyone out there in Pradopoint land have experience with TLCC?

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

I suggest you go along to a general meeting and have a yack to a few of the members. Thats what we suggest to interested people inquiring about our club, (Brisbane 4wd Club)
These days its a great idea to be in a 4wd club, especially if its associated with the state body. That way you get some offroad insurance as well.
The TLCC has a great reputation and is run by serious 4 wheel drivers, not the so-called cowboys.
Hope it works for you mate
cheers
Les

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

Interesting question Byrnsie,

At $370 for membership - it might not be the most cost effective alternative unless you are keen to also join TLCC.

I've heard a few different opinions of 4WD driver training around the place - so you've done the right thing - other's opinions are valuable.

I only did basic 4WD training with my old club, everything since then has been self taught from books and other drivers and also my own experience in the bush. I'm vaguely interested in doing an advanced course myself, but I don't want to waste my time on something too simple.

PeteS and Kris did a course recently, I'm sure he'll offer some advice.

Cheers,

Drew.

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

First, my opinion is biased as I am a member of TLCC

TLCC is a big club, over 1000 members, we own two properties, Koolandilly is about halfway between Mittagong and Wombeyan, about 200 acres of riverfront to the Wollondilly, it includes flush toilets, hot showers, a huge shed and beautiful camping. Willowglen is near Tarago/Goulburn, same facilties as above and about 350 acres of 4wd tracks, from basic through to competition grade. Both properties are open to members 24/7...no restriction on access and no cost

Membership is about $400 first year and about $100 a year thereafter, basically for $100 you get to "own" 2 sensational bush properties. The club has a very full book of day/weekend/longer trips to suit a wide variety of tastes and difficulty

The good news after all that is the training, the 3 module driver training course is fully accredited by VETAB as are our trainers, it is significantly more comrehensive that most commercial courses that cost more then 1st year membership, training is conducted on our own property at Willowglen, and includes a TAFE equivalent certificate Cert II in Outdoor recreation
Then, there is advanced driver training, advanced recovery, trip prep, chainsaw, 1st aid, towing, GPS. Communications, Navigation courses etc etc etc, all included in membership with no charge.

I am a very strong advocate of 4wd clubs, TLCC is great for me, for others it is too big, but thats the price of owning some terrific facilites

Quite frankly, a lot of people join for one year and utilise a lot of training and then move on, its still good value at that, and the club has structured its fee's with this in mind

Im happy to introduce anyone loooking at the club to the properties and the club, no big deal, just happy to show off a club that I enjoy very much

At the end of the day, whether it be TLCC or any other number of excellent clubds, please consider joining one and learn from the experience of good trainers, it is worth the investment
If you want any further info, give me hoy on here or a PM
Cheers
Glen

[Byrnsie Member Find all posts View Profile Close Byrnsie]

Thanks for the responses. Just the sort of opinions I was looking for. xvprado (Glen) - you have sold me on TLCC.

Cheers
Byrnsie

[PeteS Member Find all posts View Profile Close PeteS]

Hi ya Byrnsie

As Drew mentioned, my wife and I did a 4WD course with Out Of Town 4WD (OOT4WD) at Barnsley which is just of the freeway before Newcastle.

There we a few couples from Sydney as well two from up near Taree. They made a weekend out of it and stayed Saturday night locally at Warners Bay.

We had not been 4WDing much before and found the 2 day course invaluable and gained a lot of confidence from it. If you do both days you receive a nationally recognised VTAB certificate. If you have done a bit of 4WDriving then you may think the basic course is a bit lame. They also have advanced courses which may suit you.

First day we sat down & did some basic theory & safety. After morning tea we went to a site near Freemans Waterhole and did various excercises including a 700mm water crossing.

Sunday was a much easier day. We went to Stockton Bight and did sand work including a recovery using a snatch strap and dune climbs. I thought I would not like the sand but I loved it in the end.

Krys and I left at the end feeling very confident compared to when we started.

The OOT4WD website for training is : http://www.oot4wd.com.au/drivertraining.html
Cheers
PeteS

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

Nice work Glen.

TLCC sounds like a great mob to join - especially with it's own properties..

I just reckon the travel would get to me eventually. :lol:

Cheers
Chippy

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

Nice work Glen.

TLCC sounds like a great mob to join - especially with it's own properties..

I just reckon the travel would get to me eventually. :lol:

Cheers
Chippy

Nah, long weekends would give you enough travelling time

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

Thanks for the info Glen,

I didn't realise the Training Courses at TLCC were included in the membership fee. Sounds like a good deal - I might look further in to it.

Are you going to the upcoming General Meeting on 2nd July?

Drew.

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

Thanks for the info Glen,

I didn't realise the Training Courses at TLCC were included in the membership fee. Sounds like a good deal - I might look further in to it.

Are you going to the upcoming General Meeting on 2nd July?

Drew.

Nah, probably not Drew, but if a few are thinking of going, Im happy to go and introduce you to some of the trainers or committee or whatever

Im not big on clubs/meetings etc, the club has its own forum and magazine, so I get by on that

As an alternative, Im happy to take a smallish group down to Koollandilly for a look around, it is about 40 minutes out of Mittagong and you could make a day of it by driving the caves run back through limeburners and kowmung, or just go down have a look about and lunch...whatever
If anyone is nterested, happy to organise it

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

As an alternative, Im happy to take a smallish group down to Koollandilly for a look around, it is about 40 minutes out of Mittagong and you could make a day of it by driving the caves run back through limeburners and kowmung, or just go down have a look about and lunch...whatever
If anyone is nterested, happy to organise it

Sounds like a plan, Glen. I will give some more thought to joining through the week - I've been toying with it and the training issue for a while, it's just the lack of spare time that's been the killer. :lol:

Drew.

[120GXV6 Member Find all posts View Profile Close 120GXV6]

As an alternative, Im happy to take a smallish group down to Koollandilly for a look around, it is about 40 minutes out of Mittagong and you could make a day of it by driving the caves run back through limeburners and kowmung, or just go down have a look about and lunch...whatever
If anyone is nterested, happy to organise it

Sounds like a plan, Glen.

I am looking at joining also. Problem is that they want you to do their training within 3 months of joining, so I'd have to plan it around having some spare time in the proceeding 3 months.

Glen, how strict is the 3 month thing?

[Byrnsie Member Find all posts View Profile Close Byrnsie]

[it's just the lack of spare time that's been the killer. :lol:
Drew.

Same problem here. I have however made enquiry with TLCC. They run the training every 2nd month. I can't make July due to kids soccer commitments. Will hopefully join up & make the September training.

As an alternative, Im happy to take a smallish group down to Koollandilly for a look around, it is about 40 minutes out of Mittagong and you could make a day of it by driving the caves run back through limeburners and kowmung, or just go down have a look about and lunch...whatever
If anyone is nterested, happy to organise it

Glen, I am definitely keen to go down to Koollandilly to check it out. Once again, due to soccer, my preference would be for a Sunday rather than Saturday. Looks like there are a couple of others interested in joining that may be interested in a day trip aswell - 120GXV6 & Drew.

[Byrnsie Member Find all posts View Profile Close Byrnsie]

Just spent the weekend at the TLCC Willowglen property doing their driver training course. Had an absolutely awesome weekend. The TLCC trainers do a fantastic job encouraging everyone with what they and their vehicles are capable of. Most of my fellow trainees were husband & wife teams. All the wifes headed out for the driving module on Saturday while the guys did the recovery module. On Sunday the roles were reversed.

My wife was thinking before hand that she wouldn't have to do much driving (or I wouldn't let her!). With the format of the training, she had no choice. I must admit, doing some of the tracks on Sunday, I could not believe that my wife had driven the same tracks the day before. It definitely gave her a good understanding of the car.

Now to the best bit. Here are a few of my wifes quotes:

"Our tyres are crap. Are we going to get some decent tyres"

"Do you think we would be better off with steel side steps"

"Would those locker things make our car do those tracks a lot easier"

Anwser to all of the above.

Yeah Baby!!!

:wink: :wink:

Cheers - Byrnsie

[bunsen Member Find all posts View Profile Close bunsen]

Byrnsie, that last post is an awesome ad for the TLCC :!: Does anyone know if they run any training out of S.E QLD :?: It's been a few years since I've been offroad