SUNSHINE COAST HINTERLAND TRIP

9th March 2003

After showers during the latter part of the week, Sunday dawned fine and clear. The roll-up included Cameron Neilsen in his lifted 92 Liberty sedan, with son Bryan on a trip driving his very own car for the first time. Bryan’s car is well known to members - the MY82 Beige Hornet, which Camo originally set up and owned, then eventually sold to Club member Rick Dean who later sold it back to Bryan. Other members included Matthew and Vanessa Abbott in their lifted MY82 wagon, Barry and Lyn Beard and their 2 girls in the lifted L89 EFI Touring Wagon, Shane Taylor in his lifted MY89 Turbo Brumby, Shane’s dad Dale in his big Pajero wagon, Sunshine Coast member Jan Watt and her mum in the MY03 auto Forester, Dwayne Boyton, who was tail end Charlie for the day in the MY91 Brumby, and Big John McKenna and I were in my GT Forester.

The back track climb up to the top of Dayboro was a bit slippery in places, and Dwayne being the last car copped the slipperiest conditions. On one of the climbs out of the last creek crossing he became stuck in the ruts, but Dale was on hand to do a quick tow out. This track was a bit of an eye opener to Jan, as she was surprised by how well the Forester went through. Our next stop was back on the bitumen at the Mt Mee lookout, from which there are great views of the Sunshine Coast. Here we also gave an interested Outback owner from Madelyn some Club info.

We stopped in Woodford for morning tea and had to find another park in a back street as the one in the main street was being renovated. Back on the road again, we travelled up the narrow and steep climb to Bellthorpe and then on to Maleny’s Mary Cairnscross Park for lunch. This road is a favourite motor bike run, and we were passed by many packs of bikes, travelling at fast pace. The park is a popular spot with great views, and has a kiosk with an information centre.

After lunch we headed west down the range to Connondale, and then to our surprise the back track up the range towards Peachester had recently been bituminised. That was not what we wanted but that’s progress I guess. Just before Beerwah we said goodbye to Jan as she was taking her mum home. The rest of us continued on towards Caboolture past all the pineapple farms and then on through the last dirt section at Beerburrum with its creek crossing to our finishing point at the park on the lake in Caboolture. It was a great scenic run, which I think everybody enjoyed.

Dave Martin SC180