CORROBOREE 2004 - KENILWORTH HOMESTEAD

12TH – 14TH JUNE, 2004
Hosted by Mitsubishi 4WD Owners Club of Queensland

Attended by:
Gary & Betty – Jackaroo
Noel & Gwenda - Patrol
Glenn & Kaye - Prado
John & Elaine – Patrol

We arrived at Redbank Shell around 1.30pm and it was not long before the Kanofskis pulled in, so we set off through Brisbane and up the Bruce Highway, where we made radio contact with the Taylors who caught up with us at Burpengary. Traffic was not too bad to Landsborough and just a couple of slow spots at road works near Maleny. We arrived at the venue around 4.30pm and found a reasonably flat site for our group to set up camp and not too far from where the events would be happening.

After setting up, the fellas walked up to the trip tent and put our names down for various trips starting with a hard one , Slippery Dip, on Saturday morning, a medium, Kadanga Ridges, in the afternoon, and a medium, Charlies Hills, on Monday morning. Sat around the camp fire for only a little while as we had an early start in the morning and it was getting a bit cold.

Saturday morning dawned fine and we were soon lined up ready for our Slippery Dip trip to leave at 8.20am. Started with some long steepish hills, then came to first major hill which was very long, steep, and loose. We all made it up eventually. Glenn had a couple of goes, and finally made it – a great effort. A few behind us had to be snatched.

The final hill was a beauty. Just about everyone slipped down one section, and when we were all safely down, a few tried to go back up, (Noel for one), but were not successful. Quite a good trip although Betty was not too keen on a couple of the hills. Returned to camp for lunch finding John Lucas had just arrived and was setting up camp, but would have to drive back to Brisbane airport at 10pm to pick up Elaine. After lunch, lined up for the afternoon trip to Kadanga Ridges, which started after about a 40 minute drive along bitumen and dirt roads to the entry into State forest. About 1 km in, a late model Patrol had the steering tie rod drop off one end, and was extremely lucky to be going fairly slowly and that there was soft mud at the side of the road. Another member of the group we were with, stayed, helped to fix it, and take him back to camp.

The group continued on up and down medium type hills, until nearing the end when a very long and very steep hill was encountered with a very, very, steep rocky ledge at the top. I nearly made it over this, but was probably going a bit too fast and bounced sideways and ran aground on the rock. Once we had stropped rocking, Betty bailed out. I was tempted to do the same, but I had to keep my foot on the brake and wait for a snatch up over the ledge. It seemed a long time sitting at around 45 degrees angle. Eventually I was up and then waited for Glenn, who came to a halt at the ledge. It was my turn to snatch Glenn up.

After moving off, I found my steering doing funny things and after stopping for inspection, found a bent track rod and also a broken CV Joint. So from there, took to the main track to wait at the exit from the forest, while the rest of the convoy did the last hilly loop.

While waiting, we heard that another vehicle had broken something and would be some time before our group would reach us. Fortunately, another group was exiting from this point and Betty and I tagged along with them back to camp.

The rest of our group arrived back at camp after dark, with the tale of an involved recovery of a Defender that had bent the rear axle allowing the tail shaft to drop to the ground at the front end, and not being able to disconnect it in the position it was, had to hitch a vehicle at the front to stop it running down hill and a vehicle at the back to pull it down hill in reverse so that the tail shaft would not dig into the ground, eventually reaching flat ground, disconnecting the tail shaft and driving to camp on the front diff. After the excitement of the day, we decided to stay around our camp fire. We were close enough to hear the live band and watch some of the other campers dancing through the fog that was drifting in, which was cold and damp. Betty cooked a damper in the camp fire which we all enjoyed. John then left for the airport. I think we were all in bed by 11pm due to the cold.

Sunday morning dawned a bit foggy but soon cleared to a fine day. There was a bush Olympics organised for the morning with many clubs participating. Unfortunately, we did not have enough willing to participate to form a team. John and Elaine were still recovering after not arriving back in camp until around 3.30/4am as Elaine’s plane was a bit late and then John got lost trying to find Kenilworth.

After a lazy breakfast, the Taylor’s went to visit a relative, while the rest of us went to the Kenilworth cheese factory and sampled their cheeses and a very nice rum and raisin custard yoghurt. I think we all came away with a couple of cheeses and some yoghurt. When we got back to camp the bush Olympics were just finishing and was won by the Bundaberg club.

The Association meeting was attended by myself, Noel, and John from our Club. Unfortunately, John was still half asleep when signing the attendance book and didn’t notice that after writing your name, it was supposed to be your club and not your vehicle make, so part way through the proceedings, they were looking for John from the Nissan Club which would have been OK if the Nissan Club had actually been there! Never mind John, at least it gave me an excuse for a fine!

After the meeting, it was tea time and practice for our “Lack of Talent” skit, which went over quite well. We did not win but got a mention. Mitsubishi club won with a musical number based on The Sound of Music and several nuns of strange bearded appearance. Toyota club came second with a well choreographed musical number “Raining Men”. Bundaberg club was runner up with a “Urinal” skit. Raffle numbers were drawn during the evening and Glenn was lucky with a puncture kit, and Noel with a camp chair. After the show, we retired to our camp fire and another of Betty’s dampers.

Monday morning 8am – we stayed and started to slowly pack, while the others went on a trip to Charlies Hills which was quite enjoyable, I was informed. We helped the others pack camp and returned home via Maleny and Kilcoy.

The only hiccup for the host club was that the portaloos were insufficient for numbers attending and most had stopped working by Sunday. Fortunately, the amenities block could cope, although it was a drive-to job.

All in all, a quite enjoyable weekend was had by all who attended.

Gary Chapman.