This was a highly anticipated shakedown test of my newly minted custom layout Dove Camper Conversion Mercedes Sprinter MWB 419 4x4. The specification was defined in August 2020 with a contract signed soon after. The base vehicle was delivered into Australia in January 2021 with conversion commencing early in February and handover on 19th April.
I was keen to take her on some remote dirt roads and 4WD tracks to test both the vehicle and the driver as well as the setup. A trip along the Granite and Woodlands Discovery Trail between Hyden and Norseman seemed like an appropriate base plan to which I added a diversion northwards to Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie and back down to Cave Hill reserve. The 4WD track from Cave Hill to the Coolgardie Esperance Highway provided a decent litmus test of performance in tricky conditions.
It took me a few weeks to sort out what to take and where to put it. Much of it could now remain as ‘part of the van’, unlike Vittoria. My mountain bike was a welcome addition.
Day 1 - 13/5/2021
Off I set in the direction of Hyden, everything shiny and new when bam, a road train throws a rock into the windscreen and a crack instantly starts propagating laterally towards my eyeline. 130km out of Perth! Stopped at a garage in Corrigin for advice only to find out that the windscreens are rare, expensive, only available on order, and require specialist equipment to fit and calibrate the safety electronics. It’ll be right, the mechanic declared, wait until you get back to Perth.
I ended up calling a windscreen specialist in Kalgoorlie as I was going to be nearby in Coolgardie later on in the trip. They confirmed what the mechanic had said. Ok, so I continued on to a caravan park in Kalgarin via the ‘Tin horse highway’ near Kulin. I opted for a powered site to test all the 240v appliances. All good.
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| All new and clean |
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| First pass at boot loadout |
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| Kalgarin site |
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| Amenities block |
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| The crack was growing |
Drove 340km
Day 2 - 14/5/2021
The windscreens crack was growing so I rang the windscreen place (Novus) in Kalgoorlie again and asked if they would consider drilling the end of the crack and sealing it to try and arrest propagation. They seemed amenable but no guarantees, which was fair enough.
Onward I forged in the meantime as I was a few days away. Reached Hyden, which is the western end of the Granites & Woodlands trail, refuelled and set off on the core sector of the trip. Stopped at a few points of interest along the way to stay the night at Breakaways free campground (c/w long drop toilet).
Drove 245km
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| Holland Track intersection |
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| Forrestania |
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| Lake Cronin |
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| The Breakaways camp |
Day 3 - 15/5/2021
Spent the day wandering about the campground environs and collected more firewood for the night. It was pretty cold out there.
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| Ribbon eucalypts rattle in the breeze |
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| Rising sun on the breakaway face |
Day 4 - 16/5/2021
Upped stumps and drove a short distance to the next campground alongside the significant granite outcrop of McDermid Rock (c/w long drop toilet). Good exploration opportunities as the local shire had installed an information placarded trail to follow around the imposing granite protrusion.
Drove 60km
Hiked 1.5km including 58m ascent
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| New camp at McDermid Rock |
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| Info board |
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| Water catchment structure |
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| Lonely rock |
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| Colour change late in the day |
Hiking deets
Day 5 17/5/2021
I saw another granite outcrop a little way in the distance so I found my way up a narrow track but ended up stymied by rock outcrops in the track itself. I didn’t want to risk damaging the vehicle so I parked up and walked the remaining 2km to Banks Rock. I didn’t have my Garmin hiking watch on so there is no formal record. It was worth the effort.
Back out onto the Victoria Rock Rd (track) and headed to my next stay at, wait for it, Victoria Rock. The track was a bit challenging in places with wash aways, standing water depressions and soft sand sectors (not too deep thankfully). Set up camp and took a short walk over the rock.
Drove 96km
Hiked 6.6km including ~100m total ascent
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| Sunrise on top of McDermid Rock |
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| Dry Lake Johnston |
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| Track to Banks Rock |
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| Banks Rock |
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| Banks Rock summit |
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| Victoria Rock Road |
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| Victoria Rock |
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| Summit |
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| Very green from the water run off |
Hiking deets
Day 6 - 18/5/2021
Walked around the perimeter of the outcrop and collected some firewood for the night.
Hiked 5.5km including 35m ascent
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| Great camp site |
Hiking deets
Day 7 - 19/5/2021
The windscreen crack was really growing by now and I wanted to see if drilling and sealing the end would slow it down so I hightailed it to Novus in Kalgoorlie, stopping for lunch at Coolgardie.
I convinced them to drill and glue the end with no guarantee. It was better trying than doing nothing to my engineering mind. A small resupply and refuel saw me heading back to Coolgardie and onward to Burra Rock, yet another granite outcrop. Many or most of these granite outcrops were/are used to collect precious water by both Aboriginal and later arrivals. Burra Rock is an excellent example of the extent ‘pioneers’ went to in order to maintain life. I took a wander to the top and around the water catchment structure.
Drove 175km
Hiked 3.1km including 58m ascent
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| Lunch at Coolgardie |
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| Coolgardie in the distance |
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| Burra Rock settlement |
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| Burra Rock dam |
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| Summit |
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| Grebes on the dam |
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| Water deflection wall of granite slabs |
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| Thicket on the wall |
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| Campground environs |
Hiking deets
Day 8 - 20/5/2021
Woke to a thick mist this morning which lifted at 0900. Walked around the perimeter of the outcrop then decamped and headed toward Cave Hill Reserve, yet another granite outcrop (c/w long drop toilet). Had a wander around the rock and the cave, collected some firewood and settled in for the evening.
Drove 20km
Hiked total 6.1km including total ascent 100m
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| Morning mist |
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| There’s a beasty in there |
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| Cleared up |
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| Ornate dragon in the sun |
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| Cave Hill intersection |
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| Amazing change in sand colour |
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| Camp site with Cave Hill in the background |
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| The namesake cave |
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| Callistemon flower |
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| The summit |
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| There are three dams here |
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| Settling in for the night |
Hiking deets
Day 9 - 21/5/2021
I had seen another camping area on the other side of the rock during my wander yesterday so it was time to pull out the pushy and ride around for a gecko.
Upon return I had to consider ‘what next?’. Cave Hill is at the virtual ‘end of the line’. You either go back via whence you came or tackle the 4WD track out to the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway at Higginsville. Given that I had the bike out I decided to ride down the track some distance to determine how difficult it appeared. Ended up riding 25km and returning. There were some narrow sections (overgrown) and sandy wash outs but didn’t appear too bad. If I could ride my bike through it…
Rode total 60km including total ascent 210m
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| The campground on the other side |
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| On the bike |
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| At the other campground |
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| The third dam (on the other side) |
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| Pretty bloom |
Riding deets
Day 10 22/5/2021
Headed off toward Higginsville, my very first bona fide 4WD track. It was a bit tricky in some locations and now La Bestia is smattered with tree branch scars down both sides but all good in the end.
Got to the highway and turned south to refuel at Norseman. From Norseman I headed back along the Granite & Woodlands trail (east end) to camp at Disappointment Rock. This one is set up similar to McDermid Rock with an information placard based walking route. I failed to wear my Garmin again so no official record of the 1.9km walk.
Collected some firewood from the other side of the road as the weather was closing in. I hadn’t tried the hot water so I attempted to fire up the lpg water heater. Nada! It worked on 240v back at Kalgarin. I abandoned any notion of rectification and put it on the list to investigate once I got back home.
Drove 192km
Hiked 1.9km including total ~20m ascent
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| Sunday Soak |
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| Higginsville |
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| Exit point on the highway |
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| Campsite |
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| Summit |
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| Not a lot of features out there |
Hike deets
Day 11 23/5/2021
The weather really closed in last night. Pouring rain so I needed to scamper off to avoid being stuck here both figuratively and literally. The dirt road is sticky Pindan and becomes impassable. The shire closes it for safety reasons and to avoid recoveries. The van ended up caked in red mud by the time I reached the bitumen just east of Hyden. Home again after a long drive. La Bestia looking used now.
Drove 541km
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La Bestia performed exceptionally well especially in 4WD on challenging track and road surfaces. A few items to attend to but that’s the reason you do shakedown trials. Very pleased overall. Vittoria would not have been able to complete this route as travelled. Carrying the bike to conduct reconnaissance rides was welcome.
Experiencing the Granite & Woodlands Trail was also a bonus. The campsites along it are noteworthy for future reference.
Drove 1580km
Hiked 18.6km
Rode 60km
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