Conquering Newnes Plateau: Technical 4WD Driving on Soon-to-Be Closed Tracks

[@AlloffroadAu]

Hi everyone, I want to address the concerns some of you have raised about track damage. When I drive these tracks, my aim is always to minimise any impact. It’s important to note that erosion from bushwalking, which I also love and regularly do, can cause significant damage too. I'd like to address these concerns and provide some context *Our Approach:* When driving technical 4WD tracks, which have typically been used for many years, our primary goal is to minimize environmental impact. We practice responsible driving techniques and discourage any deliberate track damage. *Broader Context:* It's important to recognize that all outdoor activities, including bushwalking, horse riding, mountain biking, and others, have some impact on the environment. For instance, even popular bushwalking areas like Hanging Rock and the Gap show signs of erosion from foot traffic. *Track Usage and Maintenance:* The technical tracks we use represent a small fraction of the overall bush area and have a long history of recreational use. While these specific tracks aren't typically used by fire vehicles, we often help maintain the main fire trails that provide access to these areas, benefiting all users, including emergency services. *Environmental Perspective:* The impact of our activities is minimal compared to large-scale operations like mining or even routine maintenance conducted by National Parks. Our modified vehicles, when driven responsibly, often cause less damage than less-modified cars due to improved traction and control. *Balancing Different Interests:* The bush provides recreational opportunities for diverse user groups. We believe in promoting a balanced approach that allows various activities to coexist responsibly. It's crucial to respect different interests and not restrict activities solely based on personal preferences. *Fire Management Considerations:* The 2020 Wollemi wilderness fires highlighted the importance of maintaining access to remote areas for firefighting efforts. The fire trails we use and help maintain play a crucial role in this regard. *Our Commitment:* We are dedicated to responsible driving practices and environmental stewardship. We continually educate our community about minimizing impact and respecting the natural environment. We welcome constructive dialogue on this topic and appreciate your understanding as we work together to enjoy and preserve our beautiful natural areas. *But why?* Besides that, I like the challenge; Technical 4WD driving has given me a great appreciation for risk management. It has taught me how my vehicles behave in extreme situations, improved my situational awareness, and enhanced my ability to assess and read tracks. This is, in my opinion, a major factor in why I have hardly ever had an incident during our 4WD touring. It has enabled me to consistently make good decisions, even in adverse conditions. Best regards, Stephan

[@Cicada4WD]

Well said 👏

[@rudedogg6331]

Glad to see you have restored your channel, I heard from Louis Rossmann that you had privated your content due to legal issues. So you can thank him for me finding you, and I look forward to enjoying the off-roading. I'm a big fan of Matt's off-road Recovery , Casey LaDelle and others, so I'm sure to enjoy seeing your adventures. Best wishes, and success in court.

[@AlloffroadAu]

DCS has publicly claimed that my reviews are not genuine, so I’ve decided to make the videos public again to allow viewers to assess the content and form their own opinions.

[@repuSgnikcuf]

Great video, and beautiful scenery. So interesting to see the comments complaining about how someone uses public land. Here in the States, we have a similar issue with new restrictions every fire season that was never the cause of the last fire. Everyone that I have met that leaves the pavement (tarmac for you?) and really goes out into the wilderness always seems to have more respect for it than the ones that just look from afar. They wont understand until it is too late and it will all be closed.

[@noanyobiseniss7462]

Subbed from the Rossman bump. ;) Congrats on the win!

[@Naktsmeita]

I don't care for cars , but somehow I'm here now. Hope you'll get more support

[@ilGigante_4x4]

Great lines!!

[@AlloffroadAu]

thank you

[@RichWithTech]

Here from Louis Rossmann, most of my subs are from when he picked up an issue on my own channel, so now the cycle is complete. Do people ride motorcycles here?

[@Cicada4WD]

Finally a wheelin video

[@anthonycrem7836]

There will be a time, in the not too distant future, when National Parks will be for walking only. Thank God for State Forrests!

[@AlloffroadAu]

There will be a time when you are not allowed to leave the city anymore...

[@waynelemmon3007]

Always thought that these tracks would be closed, but hearing you confirm that it will happen is sad. Even sadder that these use to be my favourite tracks when living in Western Sydney, and now that we are in the planning stages of moving back to NSW it's even more sad.

[@AlloffroadAu]

oh you coming back???? why

[@waynelemmon3007]

@AlloffroadAu finished doing everything we wanted and can do to our home and garden, so need a new challenge. Seen everything we can down this end of the world, and it's to far south to see what we want to see north. But the biggest thing is being so far from the kids and grand kids. Daughter wants to move somewhere on the far north coast of NSW son and grand kids are in Penrith. We are thinking somewhere around the New England or Northern Tablelands would put us less than a days travel between the kids, and we would also be fairly central for further travel.

[@AlloffroadAu]

beautiful part of the world we have to catch up than again mate

[@waynelemmon3007]

@AlloffroadAu it is. Yes we do have to, it's been a while.

[@HardstylePete]

The endless closing of legally marked tracks.

[@AlloffroadAu]

yep pretty sad

[@christurner68]

@@AlloffroadAunot sad if the tracks are being flogged like this, like to see a fire truck and other emergency vehicle get through a lot of the flogged out tracks.

[@AlloffroadAu]

Many different recreational uses of the bush. These tracks have been used for the purpose for decades; no, the sort tracks are not used by fire trucks but by all the access tracks leading to it.

[@oldblack15]

What the average joe does not realize is a ongoing systematic closure of public access to the outdoors under the guise of protecting nature. The continual oppression of suffering now for the supposedly future generations who also will not be "allowed" to connect with nature. If nature is so fragile, why does nature also destroy itself only to regrow again? Eg volcanoes, tsunamis, lightning, storms, tornadoes etc. Everything is fluid. Nothing lasts forever.

[@atoieno]

I note that you describe the Hilux as "road legal". I note also that that wheels extend beyond the body which normally is not legal. You have conditonal registration plates. Does this allow you to drive on the road under specific circumstances? It would be interesting to understand this. Thanks for your interesting video.

[@AlloffroadAu]

All flares have a quick release and are only removed for the obstacles. The car, when driven on the road, is always driven with fully compliant flares; yes, there are limitations for conditionally registered cars. You can also find all info here: www.nsw.gov.au/driving-boating-and-transport/vehicle-registration/how-to-register/classic-vehicles-registration/registering-and-using-a-classic-vehicle#:~:text=You%20can%20apply%20for%20registration,be%20registered%20under%20the%20CVS.

[@andrewmorgan4306]

The greenies strike again.

[@AlloffroadAu]

The funny thing is, I regard myself as a sort of greeny! I love nature, and I enjoy spending time in it, whether bushwalking, 4WD touring, or technical driving. I also look after it as best I can and, for instance, can't count how many bags of other people's rubbish I have carted out of the bush over the years.

[@andrewmorgan4306]

@@AlloffroadAu But these people are from the city and have no idea and they are the reason why we have hot bush fires ,when the farmers where able to burn in the cooler months all was good but the do gooders stopped it thing got out of control ,therefore bush fires acurred

[@AlloffroadAu]

yep mate agree while also from the city I do spend a lot of time on the land. It’s like with everything the “extremes” of any believe poses the danger. Looking after the land does not mean you can’t uses it or enjoy it. And a few tracks used for technical driving has little impact if we consider the broader effects on nature. Indigenous used fire bush management for decades now all gone hence the big fires.

[@ka4172]

The lowest flexing Jeep if ever seen ! Maybe this is nice for road cornering as hell ha ha. I like the Hilux rear leaf "gliders" ,doesent it squeek if it run out of grease?

[@AlloffroadAu]

nop not greased and so far no noise

[@monette44]

🎉😢

[@alistairharris7891]

Not sure why you turned off comments on the dcs update. I’m not sure how DCS can sue you in Australia given they say they have more than 10 employees . Given corporations and companies of more than 10 employees in Australia can not sue individuals for defamation. One of the significant changes made by the uniform defamation laws introduced in 2006 concerned the right of companies to sue for defamation. Previously (with the exception of New South Wales), a company (no matter how big or small) could sue for defamation and recover compensation for damage to its trading reputation or goodwill. The Defamation Act 2005 (Act) introduced a general rule that corporations cannot sue in defamation, unless they can bring themselves within the definition of an “excluded corporation”. The issue is important in practice. Although companies will sometimes have other causes of action available to them arising out of the publication of defamatory material (eg an action for injurious falsehood, which is available where a defendant maliciously publishes false material which causes special damage to the company or its property), these actions are much harder to prove than a claim for defamation. A recent decision of the New South Wales Court of Appeal has clarified the circumstances in which a company will be an “excluded corporation”. However, the position of companies that use the services of labour hire firms for a significant part of their operations remains clouded in uncertainty. Anyway good luck with your fight. Ironically there is a KZbinr in the uk fighting another company called DCS who produces Audio electronics. Same situation.

[@AlloffroadAu]

Comments are turned off for legal reasons, according to DCS, they have less than 10 employees

[@alistairharris7891]

@@AlloffroadAu not according to their linkedin page

[@coupons420]

He doesn’t have the money to fight, if it wasn’t for other KZbinrs I wouldn’t even know he existed. I’ve now subscribed and so have many others to help. It’s be talked about by some of the biggest channels of KZbin that don’t even have anything to do with each other, let alone know each other. He is trying to protect himself until he can figure it out how this going down. At least the videos are back up! If it wasn’t for Lewis, then den of tools wouldn’t even know, and neither would I or many others.

[@soutarbrothersadventures5060]

Dont sell it keep it

[@AlloffroadAu]

lol I know, but have to pay for my defamation lawsuit

[@sodoffxx]

You rant about track closure and associate with fire access. What fire truck will travel these tracks in the middle of a firestorm? Secondly you now own essentially a comp truck. It means the only thrill you get is from extreme terrain as everything else is super easy. It limits you to flogged tracks that the authorities have the environment concerns to close them - sorry but perhaps travel in the 105. Lastly, I love hard tracks but seriously dismayed by the damage to tracks needed by emergency services flogged by "one more no more" red necks. I would love these tracks and others to stay open but understand the requirement to close them due to the abuse by many.

[@AlloffroadAu]

yes, I made these tracks also with the 105, but that's my touring vehicle. Have a look at where you see us "flogging tracks"? slow, considerate technical driving. That's the whole thrill for me. The short technical tracks have been used for recreational, technical 4WD driving for many years. These tracks are not typically accessed by fire vehicles. Only the main access trails leading to these technical tracks are used by fire services. Often, it’s 4WD enthusiasts who help clear and maintain these fire trails, ensuring they are accessible for everyone, including emergency services. While fire trucks rely on these main trails to reach their destinations.

[@mrtwrx]

Old mate was in there in a stock Jeep - hardly a comp truck.

[@christurner68]

This video is just evidence for the authorities to close the tracks. I remember going down to that spot was for everyone and not it is stuffed! I think you should take the video down…….

[@AlloffroadAu]

no evidence is needed, mate. That track has been on film by many people for years and is already marked for closure like most other tracks up that way. Unless you can get a Corolla there it will be closed

[@christurner68]

@@AlloffroadAu just my point.