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Lots of Photos + Two MPEG's on this Page - Please be patient as it loads
During September, 2001, Ford Australia Light Truck Motor Vehicle
Dealers tackled the rigorous trip from Cairns to the top of Australia.
Co-ordinated by Jim Dalton from Dalton Logistics, SMART-NT's expertise
was employed to provide various defensive and 4 wheel drive training
exercises throughout the drive north.
The venue for the 'meet and greet' of
the Dalton Logistics crew and Ford Aust.
Dealers was the Mirage Hotel situated
at Port Douglas, Qld (just north of
Cairns). Until the Ford Group returned
to Port Douglas, the accommodations
were the best they would get for the
next four days with swags and tents
the order of the day. The two groups
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got together for dinner at the Mirage
Golf Links. Introductions were made
by all in attendance with SMART-NT
instructor, Gary Pendlebury advising
his 'victims' what was in store for
them throughout the trip. Early the
next morning, five near new F250's
and four Ford Couriers were assigned
to the various driving crews. The
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group then made it's way north,
bypassing the Daintree Ferry and Cape
Tribulation area by following the
power line access road to Cooktown.
The power line track turned out to be a
good one, with many good sized creeks
and hills to negotiate.
The track was an ideal opportunity for
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the Dealers to test out their product.
After a fuel up at Cooktown, it was
easy driving (mainly corrugations and
lots of dust) before reaching the camp
for the night (Kalpowar in Lakefield
National Park). Along the way, the
convoy was stopped by a guy who
needed help in getting his 4x4 back
on it's wheels.
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Dalton Logistics also called in Gary
Ticehurst to provide a heli-fishing
service (very popular with the guys)
Camp for the second night was at the
Moreton Telegraph Station. The group
pitched tents on the Wenlock River.
The final day's travel to the base
camp saw the convoy roll into the
banks of the Jardine River.
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Whilst the Ford Dealers flew back to
Cairns, the Dalton Logistics Crew and
the two Ford Technicians (March & Sam)
cleaned swags and vehicles for the
return trip. With all the vehicles
waiting at the Injinoo Airport, Bamaga
the second Ford Crew arrived for the
quick trip to the Jardine River camp.
The next day and we all headed south,
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following the original telegraph line.
This track also proved to be a good
one, offering good hill inclines,
mud and water crossings. On for a
swim at Eliot Falls before heading
south, following the same track and
and staying at the same camps as the
trip north.
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The rest of the trip was a pretty
good one until we arrived back in
the Daintree area. Unbeknown to us,
the area had received some rain whilst
we were up north. About 2 hours into
the trip, our first vehicles starting
getting bogged. Whilst getting the
first vehicle out, some locals driving
north arrived. The fact that their
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vehicles had chains fitted to their
front wheels gave us some warning as
to what was up ahead. The next area
we came to took us about 90 minutes
to get all the vehicles through. By
this time it was getting pretty dark
and although we ended up being about
2 hours late for dinner, the Ford
Dealers did get to have a 'real play'
with their vehicles.
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All in all, a great two weeks travelling through some of the best country
in Australia. Vehicles used for this trip were the new Ford F-250 4 Wheel Drive powered by
either the 7.3 litre V8 Turbo Diesel (it's awesome) or the 4.2 litre 6 Cylinder Turbo
Diesel and the Ford Courier 4 Wheel Drive 2.5 Litre 4 Cylinder Turbo Diesel. All the vehicles
performed exceptionally well with only one flat tyre thoughout the whole trip.
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MPEG Files
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<---Jardine River Crossing
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Daintree Forest--->
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| SMART-NT is proudly sponsored by the TERRITORY INSURANCE OFFICE
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