IT'S AWESOME OUTBACK - Roothy goes home to the Flinders Ranges

roothy.com.au
The Flinders Ranges, the place that taught me about the bush and everything mechanical. This trip home was the first I ever did for a 4WD dvd and I'm thinking it must have been fifteen or more years ago. I don't know, there were so many trips that the dates are blurred but I only have to look to remember things that were never told.
This time around the 'hidden story' unfolds about 12 minutes in with a blown tyre. Now the crew from Sydney were two lovely girls. I won't name them but they were both new to the 4wding game and it was their first trip outback. I'd driven Milo down from Queensland to meet 'the new crew' for the first time at Arkaroola. All I knew was that 'a crew' was flying over, picking up a rental 4wd in Adelaide and we'd all meet up there.
They were running late but so was I, because I'd dropped into the old homestead to have a look around and wound up spending most of a day there. I left with the sun going down and a few miles up the track there was a white 100 Series that had slid off the road and two girls looking lost. Now this is one of the most desolated spots on the planet with the only people in the vicinity camped out in a grog town just around the corner. I'm not going to say where but outback travellers know there are some places you have to avoid, especially at night when the grog rules and anything can happen.
Naturally the girls figured the hire company would have provided them with an outback safe vehicle. The 100 came with one flat spare, the wrong pressures in the tyres and nothing else. They'd blown a tyre on a corner and narrowly avoided a roll over thanks to some quick driving. But there was real danger just up the road too.
Like so many other times we all got lucky and Milo saved the day. The Flinders trip went on as planned, once we sorted the 100 out anyway.
The Flinders Ranges is one of the must-see places for any four wheel driver looking to experience Australia’s outback. A semi arid region, the Flinders Ranges is the easiest outback destination to explore owing to close proximity to Adelaide, an easy three hour drive to the south.
But that’s not why these ancient hills are such a popular place to visit. The Flinders represents the outback at its majestic best with convoluted ridges dropping down to rocky gorges lined with massive old red river gums and dried out creek beds. Wildlife is abundant and after the spring rains the wildflowers bloom, serving notice of the incredibly complex and beautiful nature of this part of Australia.
There are plenty of bushwalking trails and superb camping sites and yet the vast and rugged landscape seems to swallow visitors so that it’s easy to feel very much alone. But it’s the driving experiences that make the Flinders a special place for the four wheel drive fraternity. See, while the popularity of the place has ensured that there is reasonably easy two wheel drive access to many places, the best locations still require use of that little stick!
A lot of the southern section of the Ranges can be easily driven but the northern section, especially some of the steep and rocky terrain around the Gammon Ranges, offers all sorts of difficulties. Narrow tracks, tight corners, dry creeks that can become raging torrents after a big rain and some very steep climbs littered with jagged rocks make the north a four wheel drive haven.
Righto, enjoy the trip and maybe start planning your own. Any questions feel free to ask in the you tube comments and I'll try and get back to you eventually! It's just there's all these things to do in the shed...
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[@rossrhodes1963]

Loving these Roothy. Big shout out to certain people for allowing Roothy to show these. Absolutely enjoying them.👍

[@p-jparker3604]

Good to watch this clip Mr Roothy. I circled your fab country as an unsupported motorcyclist in 1990-1991. I kept a careful eye on my tyres! We're about the same age. Keep up the good work. thanks.

[@kymcopyriot9776]

Love your enthusiasm Roothy!

[@BushAdventuresAustralia]

Every time i go camping on the way up my dad and i watch one of thoes 4wd action dvds from back then some good times

[@mattmillwood4764]

Its great to see you getting access to all the old 4wd monthly/action dvds. I have every dvd since 4wd monthly, took a long while to collect them all too. Well I pinched most of them from my old man, then started collecting them myself. Not sure who has taught me more, you, or my old man! Good on ya Roothy!

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

Yep, it's great to go back and have a look - I'm really enjoying this - and huge thanks to my old boss Charles Vella for permission!

[@beaumerritt2015]

Love watching you roothy me and my mate whenever doing anything 4x4 related we always say your name do it like roothy thanks for my childhood memories mate and you still the best watch

[@alastairc.5219]

Great to see this classic episode Roothy. Have just returned from a Blinman, PAR, Wilpeena, Arkaroola trip. We are so lucky to have this part of the world in our backyards. Thanks for sharing, I think a lot of people really miss the pre youtube format you as host and a real focus on amazing destinations.

[@paulgoodall_]

Great seeing these old trips again John. Cheers from Toowoomba.

[@EightBucksTwenty]

Gotta love the old videos hey, pure and raw 4wding. Love it Roothy!

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

There's some real adventure in the Flinders - wonderful Thanks

[@CustomcrowdMitroc]

Twin su carbs 🥴. That’s less than reliable, Great looking place planning to go to the flinders soon, bloody excited

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

In reference to the blown tyre and the near disaster that heralded this trip, please have a look at the you tube episide notes - thanks, and stay prepared! The outback is where things can go badly wrong real quick!

[@waynetolver-banks4362]

Finally you showed some great 4x4 vehicles on your show. Another great video Keep them coming

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

I'm guessing you lvoe your Jeeps too mate?

[@waynetolver-banks4362]

@@JOHNROOTHROOTHY Yes I do like them. Picked up the new LJ Rubicon diesel. As a stock vehicle out of the factory, just amazing.

[@paulformaioni37]

love the flinders i spent alot of time in Arkaroola, waraweena, the pound, bendleby ranges

[@sethro_downunder4849]

I listen to your show on the radio every Sunday morning. Great content full of knowledge and always a good laugh too! I look forward to experiencing more of Australia and more 4wd up North one day if the borders ever open back up.

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

Thanks Seth - apreciated mate. Big country to learn this one!

[@paulgoodall_]

Which radio station?

[@sethro_downunder4849]

@@paulgoodall_down here in Geelong it’s 89.30 Kixx Country station but I’m sure it’s all up the east coast

[@nathanhickeyhickey8693]

Thanks for the education John .. You've always presented our country and its original inhabitants with such warmth and respect .. and knowledge.Look forward to bumping into you ( not literally) in ol Maggie in the future.

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

Thanks for that Nathan - see you up a track! ol Maggie won't need a push I hope???

[@WestVicOffroad]

awesome Roothy, thanks for sharing

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

Thanks for watching!

[@davideasson4763]

Just Empty Every Pocket. I will stick with my Cruiser. Awesome Vid Though.

[@carlmenzel8744]

Good on ya roothy a good old Aussie character a real bushy

[@Podge.]

Awesome vid cobba

[@str8shooter2]

Some nice tracks there,will have to venture out there again and have another look.Beautiful country and good advice about lowering tyre pressure.Just returned from central Australia, some great places there too.

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

It's all so bloody huge once you get off the main tracks eh??

[@4x4CampingandAdventures]

Haha, couple of inches makes all the difference love it!

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

Ooh yeah!

[@horseshoe182]

my girlfriend tells me that all the time.

[@m.r.3128]

Interesting Roothy, I hear many haters dictate the Jeep’s are useless for anything beyond the garage door - I’ve no opinion as I’ve no experience with the brand whatsoever; all the owners can’t be wrong and as long as they’re enjoying themselves 👍🏼 I’m itching to get home after medical issues pushed me in a direction which turned out to be unsuccessful, nothing ventured nothing gained - be very keen to chew the fat with you on a trail somewhere, sometime. Enjoy fella ✌🏽🇦🇺

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

OK, in my opinion the American built/designed Jeeps are awesome beats off road. The only problem they have is that they're overpowered compared to the rest, which means driven hard or modified radically things start popping. Keep it reasonable and they're awesome. Plus in Ausrtralia we've had some very shoddy distributor back up at times. I love my Jeep - but it's a 1942 model....

[@tontobb8956]

Truth of the matter. Jeeps are unreliable. Plain and simple In the outback. Toyota’s are everywhere. Serve ce centres and parts everywhere Go and ask mechanics what they think about jeeps. Especially the modern stuff. They are pos. Junk. Goo for taking me n kerbs in the suburbs Poor resale value on the new stuff. Look up John gadodgan reviews on Jeep Good luck

[@cropduster9571]

60 Jeep club members, only 5 made it. Must have run out of tow trucks!

[@benni727]

Looks like ya need to get a jeep😆

[@BigMkombe]

Love your work Rooth! when we gonna see you on a show with your old apprentice on 4WD247? lol the old Landies - Give em grief but they still got the job done, the poor bastards.

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

Saw Shawn a while ago on Fraser but haven't heard from him - they're running their own gig, don't need an old bloke like me hanging around! Yep, old, like Landies, but still working...

[@ekdave1962]

had to do a double take , roothy loooks younger and th 4wd action shirt . before i realised it was old stuff

[@littlejoelgriffo2]

I am thinking of going in early-mid december. Do you think thats a bad idea as it would be too hot? Also do you think a Prado 120 with 31" ATs with no lift would be okay or i need more clearance for the north trickier stuff?

[@carlmenzel8744]

The old toyota feeling my old man told me what it was like before Landcruisers a rover was all you had then the cruiser came out it was bigger tougher came with a diesel and a good bullet proof one with a bit of guts and the trucks never broke all the time like the rovers did after that and to this day it's an Australian icon. When you go bush out in the toughest places you will see the cruiser dominate in numbers and there's a good reason for that to it's survival out there and you can depend on them to get you there and back that's for sure.

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

Good on ya Carl - totally agree - read the you tube notes on how this trip nearly went horribly wrong through lack of preparation. If that camera car had rolled it could have been a disaster.

[@carlmenzel8744]

@@JOHNROOTHROOTHY had a read and just lucky you come along and proves what I allways say preparation and go easy when driving out bush because that's when your gonna break things. Those girls wouldn't have though anything of it driving at hyway speed along a gravel road never Mind preparation for the trip what puzzles me is most people think of our country as what you see in the city's when in fact it's mostly untamed and harsh country but beautiful with that of course.We are seeing the death of the proper 4x4 with live axels and a decent diesel under the hood which just doesn't make sence why to me.

[@silkyrider6916]

Jeep club 😂😂