Mods required: Suspension lift, AT tyres (even better with higher profile tyres) and bash plates. Clearance is the biggest issue on this track so anything to help improve clearance is a bonus.
Weather: Crap with forecasts of drizzles and rain with very little sunshine. A bit of drizzle but no rains. Thanks to the rain gods! Very cloudy.
Friends: Bring a few when wet and send the high clearance vehicle first
My 4wd club decided to do the Holland Track in the June long weekend and it was also a track I wanted to do for a very long time (in the dry!). We had some good rains days before we went off and it was a very last minute decision as the track does get closed after a massive down pour to avoid more track damage. It really doesn't take much for the track to get in a bad condition.
Friday after work, quickly did some last minute packing, then the family, in the stock Landcruiser 200 with brand new HT tyres towing a Cub camper trailer, and I headed off to Victoria Rock to camp overnight from Kalgoorlie. It was bitterly cold with the winds blowing from the south.
Although, there have been reports of X-trails towing campers on this track before, I doubt they did it when it was muddy and boggy like this weekend. When perfectly dry, the track is fine but clearance will still be an issue.
My camp set up
Start of the Holland Track from Coolgardie end
A couple of vehicles (a Hilux and a family in a Pajero) joined us in the morning. We aired down and I was down to 24psi for the whole way. The Lux led the way since it was going to be our guinea pig through the bog holes, Cruiser with camper 2nd, me 3rd and the Pajero as tail end charlie.
Between the Coolgardie end and Sandwood Rock camp, the Holland was easy with a few muddy challenges to practice on. One of the challenges was not so easy that my bash plate caught on something in the bog hole and I drove over it.
goodbye bash plate
One of the places we stopped at was Thursday Rock.
Thursday Rock and its views
My car looked like it had been through lots of mud whereas the others don't look it. Lol. Thursday Rock campsite
We crossed a slippery but not deep clay pan and it was slidingly fun. Don't have a video of that hough and another big challenge. We made good time and camped at Sandalwood Rock.
Video of Day 1. Started with the easy stuff. It was very cloudy so the video doesn't show how tricky some of the challenges were. Most of the time there was a chicken track around the big challenge and I did use the chicken tracks a lot. Other times when there are no chicken tracks and there is only one way to go, just gotta push on. Lots of slipping and sliding, sideways driving and hitting a few trees. Watch in HD.
Hope of sun on Day 2!
Day 2 started with no front bash plate and apparently the rest of the track was worse than Day 1. Right, some damage is bound to happen.
The Pajero went back to Kal and rest of us kept going with me as tail end charlie now. Don't know if it was a smart idea or not. Lol.
One of the very few action shots of me playing. Waiting for another camera load of photos which will take awhile.
Day 2 action with more slip and slide and tree hitting!
End of the Holland Track and on the way to Hyden!
For the last night of the trip, we camped at Wave Rock caravan park, went to the local pub and just chilled for the night.
The next morning was off to Wave Rock and Hippo Yawn. On the way back to Kal, we also went to see some Aboriginal painting on rocks at Mulka Cave.
Wave Rock
Hippo Yawn
Mulka Cave
Home at last! Note: mud on the ground was from another trip
Definitely have to say that this is the most challenging track I have ever driven on I still cannot believe I made it through without getting bogged once and came out with minor damage! This has to be said: an X-trail has done the Holland Track when the track was at its boggiest best!
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