A few weekends ago I had to go 4 wheel driving on the beach at Bribie Island to photograph a few camping spots for a tourism campaign. Having recently sold my little old Toyota Rav 4, the only vehicle that was suitable to drive on the beach was my husband’s work car which is a Holden Captiva. You could say I was slightly worried because it’s not really designed for 4 wheel driving on the beach but we had already taken it on the beach at Double Island point and through rocky rivers in the Sunshine Coast hinterland with no problems so we thought maybe it would be ok! We were so wrong!!
The first camp site I had to photograph was Poverty Creek which was pretty easy to get to. Mostly bitumen road with a short drive on hard sand. Piece of cake! After getting to Poverty Creek my nerves were a bit more settled thinking that this won’t be so bad if the roads are like this all over Bribie Island.
After photographing the facilities and camp ground it was time to head to Ocean Beach Camping Area which involved driving a long way on dry, soft sand before reaching the beach. We thought that it was going to be fine because it was so easy to get to Poverty Creek camp ground but the further we drove along the track the drier and softer the sand got until 10 minutes into it we got bogged!
We got the shovel out and Andrew started digging the sand out from under the car. Holden Captivas have a bit that hangs down right under the middle of the car and thats what what getting us stuck. I walked ahead on the track to see if it was going to get any easier and it actually looked worse up ahead. Turning around and going back looked like it was going to be a nightmare too. Just as I was starting to freak out and pictured us stranded here for a week wasting away to nothing like Tom Hanks on Castaway (I have a very overactive imagination), a lovely man called Bruce came along with his trusty old four wheel drive and a tow strap that could pull us out!
Bruce towed us for a good 10 minutes or so and then unhooked us because we were through the worst of it (or so we thought) but he stayed behind us just in case! Another 10 minutes up the track we got bogged again! So again he hooked us up to his car and off we went. Then we came across another car that was bogged up ahead coming the other way so poor old Bruce had to unhook us and go and pull out the other guy then come back and get us and tow us through another really bad bit!
Then Bruce got bogged. Thats when I really started to freak out! I thought, oh shit if Bruce is bogged then we are going to be stuck here forever! Luckily Bruce’s old landcruiser is tough as nails and he backed it up a bit, floored it and got himself unbogged while towing us at the same time.
Finally we got to some decent road again and he unhooked us and we were on our way! After about an hour we had made it to the beach! Hoorah!
I was so thankful for Bruce to be the next car to come along while we were bogged. He was such a nice guy and wasn’t concerned at all about getting us to the beach! Everytime I get stuck with something now my saying will be “Where’s Bruce when you need him!”
It was such a sight for sore eyes when we got to the beach and it is such an amazingly beautiful beach at the top end of Bribie Island. Finally the fun could begin!
After having a ball driving along this amazingly beautiful beach and stopping in at a few camp sites to take photos it was time to get back off the beach as the tide was starting to come in pretty fast. Driving towards the exit the road was looking pretty good and I thought Oh yeah, this will be fine but once we got passed the first corner the nightmares from earlier in the day started flooding back as I saw the soft, dry sand again. We got about halfway along the track before we got bogged again!
Luckily the car in front saw that we had stopped and reversed back to pull us out! Thanks to good old Andrew for the tow! How lucky to get two awesome people so willing to help in one day!
Lessons learnt from this experience:
1. Holden Captivas are not designed to four wheel drive on Bribie Island!
2. The kindness of strangers has restored my faith in humanity
3. We need to buy a car with higher clearance so that we can go four wheel driving on the beach all summer long! Its the best fun Ive had in a long time!
NB. Apparently is was a bad day to be driving along the back road to the beach. Lack of rain and a beautiful sunny day meant that everyone had the same idea which created deep tyre tracks in the sand. Maybe if it was any other day we might not have gotten bogged but I have definitely learnt my lesson!
Have you ever been 4 wheel driving on the beach? Have you ever gotten bogged? I would love to know what your experience was like so leave a comment below! 🙂
Wow! You do really go on some crazy adventures Larissa! I love seeing what you have been up to each week! Thanks for sharing!
Yes I do Kiki! So glad you enjoy reading about my crazy adventures!
Wow luck for Bruce and Andrew!
haha, it was our lucky day! Thats for sure Mani!
I have been four wheel driving at Double Island once before but never Bribie! That inland track looks tough but fun! I might have to check out Bribie soon! Thanks for sharing Larissa
Yes, that inland track is a toughy. I plan to go back and tackle it in a proper 4WD one day! Good luck with it if you try it Jake! 🙂
Haha love this!!! That is so funny – I definitely feel for you getting stuck.
These photos are beautiful and the weather looks so warm and clear – I wish it was like that now!
Love the “lessons learnt” – really lovely
Thank you so much Caitlin! Yes, I was blown away by how willing everyone was to help us! We were so lucky that day and we also had so much fun!
Love the pictures of you being bogged! Lucky for the help,of strangers! Bribie Island looks amazing!
hahaha, it wouldn’t be an adventure without something like this happening to me Ella! 🙂
Bribe looks very cool ! Queensland is an amazing place!
There is so much natural beauty in Queensland Andrew. Im really lucky to live in such a beautiful spot with places like this so close to me! 🙂
Hi Larrisa, beautiful work! Just opened up a beautiul layback clothing boutique at Woorim. Wondered what all the hype was with fourwheel drives here, now I know, the beach pictures gorgeous, can’t wait to explore. We love colour, makes us smile. Thanku. Mel
Thankyou so much Mel! Its such a beautiful spot up there and four wheel driving on the beach is super fun! Have fun exploring! 🙂
Hi Larissa,
Just stumbled upon your post on Bribie and 4WDing. Had to laugh about your experience with getting bogged, I can relate to that! 🙂 We went to Bribie in November and the first that happened was us getting bogged on the beach, right at the entrance to the beach…
Love your photos, they’re gorgeous!!
Haha, sorry to laugh Kati but it seems to be such a common thing at Bribie. I hope someone was able to pull you out quickly and easily. Its a bit of a frightening feeling getting bogged. Luckily there are always experienced 4wd people on that beach that are happy to help! Glad to hear I was the only one! ?
Yes, we actually had just forgotten to lock the hubs so once that was sorted, off we went in no time! But it is a bit embarrassing (and stressful) when ten other cars are stuck behind you because of you… oops. 🙂
But fortunately, most 4WD people seem very eager to help and get you out!
Have you been on any other 4WD adventures since?
Oh no! Simple mistake! I haven’t actually been on any other 4wd drive adventures since then. We sold our Captiva as my husband starting working back in the city and we didn’t need two cars anymore. We thinking about getting another 4wd at the moment though because we miss being able to drive on the beautiful beaches in Queensland. Just trying to decide what to get. Definitely a proper 4wd this time though! Haha!
Sounds like it’s time for another one… 🙂 We recently did Fraser but it’s wasn’t quite as amazing as I’d hoped. Lots of people love it though. 😀
I’ve been 4WDing on Bribie and the sand on the Eastern side can be very soft. The entrance/exit at Woorum witnessed a number of 4WD vehicles getting bogged getting onto the beach although I was able to make it on without taking any air out of the tyres. I even got bogged on the beach all the way up to the axles such that the underside of the vehicle was on the sand in parts but was able to drive out with no aids by rocking the vehicle back and forwards until the sand surrounding the wheel was flattened and compacted.
The difference between my time at the beach and yours? I was taking part in a 4WD beach driving and recovery course and was in a high clearance 4WD vehicle. The teachers were two ex-Australian military personnel who knew their stuff. Plenty of people like to just give it a crack but doing a one day course is well worth it. They also let you know what equipment you should have (at a minimum) – recovery boards and air compressor, but rated tow points, rated shackles, snatch strap, tow strap, equaliser strap are thoroughly advised.
Can you tell me which campsite (no.) it is please?! Want to book that 🙂