On October 16, the Bairnsdale 4WD Club left Bairnsdale to do a trip to Pine Plains, Murray Sunset National Park and the Border Track.
Trip leader was David Raeburn, with John Dyson as his co-driver in a Ford Maverick, Dennis Dowling in a Land Cruiser, Andrew and Lindy Johnson in a Patrol, Nick and Anne-Maree in a Patrol, Chris Morrish in a Land Cruiser, Mal and Sherryn in a bi turbo Ranger, David Burke and Jill in a Land Cruiser, Mick and Pam in a D. Max, Ian Bilney in a Land Cruiser and Pete and Pam Fieldan who had to leave the trip at Horsham due to car troubles.
The first night was spent in a holiday house on private property north of Beaufort, it affords great views and spectacular scenery from the house.
Most camped in the house or the roofed in barbecue area as it was very cold and snowing when they arrived.
The next day, the group travelled to Stawell to fuel up then to Horsham and Patchewollock before turning towards the Snow Drift camping area.
It was originally the beach before the inland sea dried up millions of years ago. It was a beautiful night, very clear and cold.
The next day the group travelled through Pine Plains to Underbool to camp at the show grounds, after arriving early the group decided to go out to Cow plains homestead for a look.
It is a restored farmhouse with many outbuildings it was restored by the Mildura shire.
There is also an abandoned limestone quarry with many home built pieces of machinery to look at.
While there David got out the divining rods and checked out an underground water source all tried their hand at divining and four out of the group could find the water course, they also visited the old bakery in Cowangie.
The next day was a clear, beautiful day, the group travelled to the Pink Lakes visiting the salt museum and from there to Mopoke Hut which was the hut used to muster cattle when the area was leased.
The hut has been restored and maintained by the Mildura 4WD Club.
From there the group went to the loading hopper for gypsum mined by the Brunswick plaster company.
It sits on a deserted railway line that used to transport the gypsum to the main line to Melbourne, it looks like something from War of the Worlds abandoned in the desert.
The group continued on the Meridian Track to the Meringa museum to camp for the night.
It is a great place to visit, it has been put together by locals to show how life was in the Millewa region in the early days.
The next morning they travelled to Renmark to refuel and get supplies, making sure they didn’t have any fruit and vegetables on board as there is a fruit fly inspection point on the border.
From there they traveled down the Border Track, stopping to visit an abandoned house and eucalyptus distillery, there are lots of old relics remaining there.
The northern section of the Border Track is easy going and scenic.
The group had intended to stay at the Woolshed Camp but it was very windy so they visited the Sunset metorite crater then continued on to the Pheenys Track camp which was sheltered from the wind.
The next day was spent travelling down the track to Murrayville camp park, the group planned a night out at the pub but found out the bistro had closed, most of the crew spent happy hour at the pub.
Next morning was an early start to do the hard section from Scorpion Park south to their next camp at Red Bluff.
The dunes proved to be fairly easy because there had been some rain earlier, but they still provided lots of fun and a good 4W driving experience.
The group made Red Bluff camp before dark.
Some of the crew left for home due to work commitments, the next morning they decided to head home because of their failed alternator.
The rest of the crew went on to the Serviceton Railway Station on the South Australian/Victorian border.
It is a wonderful relic from the past and was the customs house and railway gauge change between the states.
At one stage it boasted the longest railway platform in the southern hemisphere.
The final night for the rest of the group was spent at Lake Charligra camp ground before heading home.
The other members now have the knowledge to run future trips.
