With road trips to anywhere a big ‘no go’ right now (sigh!) for many of our lockdown-weary Maxxis clan – the nearest thing (pretty much!) to a 4×4 adventure is taking the tent out of mothballs for a bit of backyard camping along with a few snags on the BBQ to remind us of those more carefree times.
If this sounds all too familiar, the good news is that there’s no better time to dream, plan and get those Maxxis tyres pumped up and ready for action! So, as you sit on the lawn on your camp chair counting down the days ‘til the lockdowns are over, borders are open and those wheels are back rolling on the open road, here’s a little bucket list of places to help get your own list started (with more coming up next month!)
Across the Bass Strait… There’s always something awesome about a Tassie road trip – whether it’s a real rugged off-roader or more laid-back vineyard visit. The iconic Jeffreys Track takes in some of the Apple Isle’s most spectacular scenery while giving Maxxis 4×4’ers some serious 4WD’ing you’ve been missing. Starting from Lachlan (about 45 minutes from Hobart) and crossing Wellington Park in the Derwent Valley to Crabtree in the Huon – it’s the perfect terrain to get those RAZR MT772s back in business – with plenty of boggy mud, rocks and sand to get the adrenalin pumping.
For those who’d prefer to keep their wheels on something a little more all-terrain friendly (RAZR AT811s are a great tyre for this trip) – the Mount Field National Park is about an hour from Hobart and part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Along with being the perfect destination for walking and camping (with powered and unpowered sites available) – you can enjoy some of Tassie’s great outdoors at its best, including the simply spectacular Russell Falls.
And there’s Adelaide… Just an hour and a half (even less) from Adelaide central – puts you right in the midst of South Australia’s stunning vineyard-abundant Clare Valley!
Home to a plentiful supply of well-known cellar doors, walking and cycling trails, the opportunity for 4×4 off-roading is also never far away. Dare’s Hill and World’s End Driving Trails will take you off the beaten track through some of the Burra and Goyder regions’ great Outback countryside, complete with creek crossings, ridges, valleys and lots more to give those with an adventurous side a much- needed fix! If you’re there for the wine there’s heaps to see and taste – and don’t pass up the chance to cycle the iconic 35km Riesling Trail (from Clare to Auburn).
Beautiful Batemans.. For those of you who are just holding out for some sea breeze, an easy two hours’ drive from Canberra (150km) will get you to Batemans Bay and the Eurobodalla region of NSW — at the entrance to the Clyde River. The laid-back atmosphere here is perfect for snorkelling, surfing, cycling, walking, taking in the local history, visiting Birdland or Mogo wildlife parks, or just having a peaceful picnic and playing a bit of lazy beach cricket or volleyball!
Along with the popular ‘Surf Beach” and a number of others in the area offering everything you could want in a beach, the nearby Clyde River National Park is also a haven for water sports, fishing, kayaking and bird spotting, while if you’re up for some serious snorkelling, the Batemans Bay Snorkelling Trail is just 12km north of the bay. Plus, as this is prime oyster coast country, finding a freshly shucked oyster is all too easy!
Until next month … We know that for many of our Maxxis friends and community, these are not easy times! Hope this has helped to get you into a little bit of a road trip mood and ready to get those formidable Maxxis tyres back on track – just as soon as we’re given the green light to go!
‘Til our next adventure, keep masked-up, well and COVID-safe.
