136th EDITION Summer 2025/2026
BLACK POINT PEACE GORGE oodnadatta track PLUS
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WESTERN 4W DRIVER 136th EDITION Summer 2025/2026
carawine gorge
Arm yourself against fatigue. Regularly get 7.5 hours sleep a night. On long drives take a break every two hours and swap drivers if you can. Make every journey safe. wa.gov.au/rsc/fatigue
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CONTENTS Edition 136 | Summer 2025/2026
ADVENTURES
54 6
6
Peace Gorge
Colin and Prue visit an outback hideaway with a devilish history
24 A Great Outback Adventure
Grant and Linda take us along the Oodnadatta Track – the backbone of Australia’s pioneering spirit
48 Black Point
Travel with Bronte to where basalt rock meets a powerful point break
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54 Carawine Gorge Escape Three nights by the water
REVIEWS 14
24
Kia Tasman
A fresh face with plenty to prove
102 The Nokta Triple Score
A standout choice in affordable,
high-performance metal detectors
108 Dometic Go Tap
A simple, reliable way to access water in your 4WD setup
110 Zempire Hexolite 160 Table A camping table that’s sturdy,
height-adjustable and built to last
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90 FEATURES
REGULARS
32
4
The Front Matter
118
4WD Club Focus
122
The Things You See
124
Bush Mechanics
Martin & Sheree Hayes Western 4W Driver Spotlight
42 Sculptures in the Bush
Just outside Albany lies one of the most extraordinary hidden treasures
128
Fishy Business
Luke Clatworthy unearths the story of Yundamindra, a once-bustling gold rush town now lost to time
132
Country Stargazing
136
Outback Survival
Dingoes
138
Gear to Go Camping
142
Clewed Up
144
Smart Photography
148
Goings On
152
Capture the Moment
153
Now We're TAWKing!
157
Quarterly Crossword
158
Subscriptions
159
Advertiser Directory
160
Silly Snaps
60 Gold at the Granites
70 77
Australia’s first feral animals
Exmouth Wild Prawn Festival
Exmouth is preparing something special for next year with the first-ever Exmouth Wild Prawn Festival
84 WA’s Great Northern Highway A trucker’s paradise! … or is it?
90 In a New Light
Photo Feature by Michael Haluwana
114 Thank you for an incredible Perth 4WD & Adventure Show
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Vanguard Publishing
ABN 70 616 133 870 26 John Street, Northbridge WA 6003 PO Box 50, Northbridge WA 6865 Phone: (08) 9422 4330 admin@western4wdriver.com.au www.western4wdriver.com.au
Those long hot days of summer and those awesome summer nights!
EDITION 136:
S
Editor Brayden Edwards Graphic Design Karen Morton Content Brayden Edwards Michael Collins Advertising Brayden Edwards brayden@western4wdriver.com.au Matt Clarke matt@western4wdriver.com.au Natalie Du Preez natalie@vanguardpublishing.com.au Administration Steve Larcombe Sally van Heemst Printing Vanguard Print Cover image: Carawine Gorge by Sean Scott
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Vanguard Publishing or the editors but those of the authors who accept sole responsibility and liability for them. While every care is taken with images and photographs, and all other material submitted, Vanguard Publishing accepts no liability for loss or damage. Vanguard Publishing reserves the right to amend publication schedules and frequencies. Edition 136 Summer 2025/2026
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ummer has rolled in again, and here we all are trying to stay cool. Some days we win, some days we give up and head for the coast. As the southern part of WA fills to the brim this time of year. Families, travellers, and anyone with a working air conditioner in their vehicle all seem to move in the same direction. Everyone wants the same simple treat. A warm day, a chair under a bit of shade, and a sea breeze that turns up at the right moment. Perth and the regions are alive and buzzing, and you feel the shift as soon as the school holidays hit. This edition fits that summer spirit. It is full of places that remind us why we head outdoors in the first place. Colin and Prue set the tone with their visit to Peace Gorge out of Meekatharra, a place shaped by fire, time, and a story or two that still echo through the rocks. Their piece brings out the charm of the gorge, and you feel the pull of those long shadows across the granite. Grant and Linda return with a tour along the Oodnadatta Track, one of the great routes across the interior. They bring history forward in a way that keeps you turning the page. Old rail lines, mound springs, characters from the past, and the open country that ties it all together. It reads like a summer road trip told by
T H E F R O N T M AT T E R WITH MICHAEL (SPIKE) COLLINS
people who know how to give a place the respect it deserves. Grant and Linda also bring this edition’s ‘Western 4W Driver Spotlight’ to life or light, shining on Martin and Sheree Hayes. Their experience across the deserts, their work restoring pieces of our past, and their commitment to the people who explored these places long before us give this story heart. Their connection to the Woodlines, the old tracks and the desert wells reads like living history. Bronte takes us to Black Point, where basalt, surf and wind shape a coastline as strong as any across the state. Carawine Gorge gives us the opposite mood. Slow days, quiet nights, reflections on the water, and a reminder that not every adventure has to be fast or loud to be memorable. Not far from Albany, Colin and Prue uncover Sculptures in the Bush, a surprise that blends nature with art and rewards the curious traveller. Luke Clatworthy brings us the story of Yundamindra in Gold at the Granites. His look at a once busy goldfields town shows how quickly places can rise, fall and settle into the landscape again.
Festival is shaping up. It promises colour, flavour and plenty of summer energy, “put another prawn on the barbie will ya!" And then we have the work of Michael Haluwana. WOW, his photography feature certainly captures parts of WA in moments we might miss when we rush. Light, shape and movement, all from places we think we know. The review section has plenty to talk about as well. The Kia Tasman steps into the ute market with confidence and brings a strong set of opinions with it and an awesome and very clever ad campaign with the who’s who of Australian sport! The Nokta Triple Score offers solid performance for detector users. The Dometic Go Tap keeps things simple and reliable. The Zempire Hexolite 160 table proves again that smart design always finds a place in your camping setup. We also take a moment to look back on the Perth 4WD and Adventure Show. Thank you to everyone who called in and visited the team over the weekend. The show roundup in this edition captures the energy across those three packed days.
We step into the world of dingoes as Colin takes a closer look at one of our country’s most misunderstood animals. From there we follow the trucks and travellers of the Great Northern Highway and ask a simple question. Is it a dream run or a test of patience? That is for you to decide.
Lastly, to our loyal readers, thank you for supporting the magazine throughout 2025. We enjoy creating each edition, and we look forward to doing it all again in 2026. On behalf of the Western 4W Driver team, we wish you a safe and enjoyable festive season. Stay cool when you can, and enjoy those long hot summer nights.
Planning for next year is well underway in Exmouth, where the first Wild Prawn
Spike
Cheers
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PEACE GORGE AN OUTBACK HIDEAWAY WITH A DEVILISH HISTORY BY COLIN & PRUE KERR
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With a history involving devils and vivid memories of a World War, a gorge in the WA outback is these days a quiet, welcoming spot for locals and visitors alike to rest and relax.
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L
ocated just 3 km west of Meekatharra in the Murchison goldfields region of WA, approximately 760 km north of Perth, this attractive area with its scattered piles of large, golden granite boulders was once called “Devil’s Playground,” somewhat akin to the wellknown Devil’s Marbles area north of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. Looking back into the area’s history, there is, in fact, nothing ‘peaceful’ about the forces that once created Peace Gorge. The stunning rock formations and large boulders that are now a feature of the area were formed from the melting of older rocks at extremely high temperatures under high pressure beneath the earth’s crust, uplifted and subsequently eroded into the shapes seen today. This is all part of what is known as ‘chunderloo monzogranite,’ which dates back around 2.6 billion
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years. Some of the boulders present today are in the same orientation they were when they emerged through the earth’s crust, whilst others have, over the years, fallen victim to gravity. With this dramatic background well behind it, the area simply became a quiet, picturesque outcrop on the WA landscape. Moving onward to 1915, when Australia became involved in World War I and the enlistment of thousands of servicemen and women from around the country was seen heading off overseas to war in Europe. At that time Meekatharra, like many towns and cities around the country, saw a significant number of able-bodied locals sign up to join the fight. History recalls the death and suffering which occurred during the next four
years, and when it was all over and those who survived the hostilities returned home, there was indeed a real and enthusiastic reason to celebrate … and the people of Meekatharra joined in. It was locally declared that “Saturday 19 July, 1919, will be the most momentous day of our lives, when we celebrate our thankfulness for the victory of right over might, the return of our gallant soldiers and the end of pain and sorrow and strife—Meekatharra is to take fitting part in that celebration, and a real holiday is being prepared by the Peace Celebrations Committee.” The local site chosen for this gala picnic and sports day was just out of town among the granites, and it was declared that this “ideal and picturesque spot, known as the Devil’s Playground, would now be designated as Peace Gorge.”
Information sign at Peace Gorge.
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A wonderful celebration subsequently took place on that day, and ever since then Peace Gorge has become a favoured spot for both visitors and locals to visit for a picnic, to watch the colourful sunset on the granite boulders, and for travellers with caravans, motorhomes, camper trailers and the like to pause during their trip for a night or even a few days in the very special hideaway in the Aussie outback.
Camped at Peace Gorge.
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The shelter provided by the granites, the acacias, and the Eremophila found here in Peace Gorge also offers protection for a range of local birds and animals,
including kangaroos, lizards, geckos, emus, honeyeaters, swallows, thornbills, and even the majestic wedge-tailed eagles, which have been spotted here. Peace Gorge is a recognised Aboriginal cultural site, and visitors/campers should treat the area with respect, including being fully self-contained/ sufficient with your own chemical toilet. Bins are provided but no other facilities. Camping within the large, mostly level and well-protected compound within the granite boulders, or even on the outside of the outcrop, is certainly a quiet, ‘peaceful’ experience.
Prospector J.F. Connolly first discovered gold in 1890 near what is now the town of Meekatharra. There are today, in the area, a number of large gold and other precious metal mining operations (including a large open-cut operation on the edge of town) which employ a number of local workers.
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INFORMATION BAY How to get there
Peace Gorge can be accessed via a 1 km sealed road heading west off Great Northern Highway (main street) from Meekatharra and then turning at a signposted gravel road in good condition for 2 km (suitable for all vehicles) in a northerly direction to the granite boulder-surrounded gorge. Facilities in town
An excerpt from Hema's WA State Map
Meekatharra (once called “the end of the earth”) has a motel and caravan park facilities, as well as a supermarket, hospital and medical facilities, a roadhouse, mechanical services, a chemist, an outdoor movie theatre, drinking water, gas bottle refills and a dump point. Other activities
There is an excellent heritage walk just over 1 km around the outskirts of town. For more information
Contact the Shire of Meekatharra (located in the main street) Phone (08) 9980 0600 or visit meekashire.wa.gov.au There is plenty of space for camping at Peace Gorge.
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KIA TASMAN A FRESH FACE WITH PLENTY TO PROVE
Following an 18-month, high-profile media campaign, the Kia Tasman has finally landed in Australia—but can it match it with the big boys in our competitive dual cab market? BY MATT PAYNE
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I
t was only last year that Kia announced to the world that they were going to attempt to forge their place in the highly competitive Australian dual cab ute market with a new model, the Kia Tasman. Online the announcement was met with mixed reactions, with many lamenting the exterior design of the vehicle, which was clearly a bold move from Kia to produce a ute distinctly different from other offerings in the dual cab segment, many of which have similar body styling cues. Fast forward almost one year, and the Tasman has officially hit our shores. So how does this new offering stack up compared to the competition? I was recently given the chance to review the vehicle over the space of a week and was surprised, to say the least, with what I found. Pulling into MSR Kewdale, I thought it was a little unusual that Kia had
provided the base ‘S’ model for my review, as most vehicle manufacturers tend to supply the higher-spec, more off-road-oriented levels of trim. Perhaps Kia’s marketing department wanted to showcase what the lower-priced variant of the range was capable of? Anyhow, whatever the reason, upon collection of the vehicle, my initial reaction to the design pictures released at the product launch was confirmed— the exterior styling really is polarising; you are either going to love it or hate it. Unfortunately for me, it’s the latter, but beauty really is in the eye of the beholder, I guess, so this is just my personal opinion. What I can’t get over is the huge sausage-shaped wheel arch flares. They just constantly draw your eye and don’t look right from any angle, especially when they are in a contrasting colour like on the review vehicle I was given. Amazingly, it would
The exterior design of the Tasman is unlike any other dual cab currently on the market, featuring vertical far side-positioned headlights and sausage-shaped wheel arch flares. western4wdriver.com.au |
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