Club Activities

Social Meetings (Click for Map)

Social Meetings of the Club are held at 7.30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month, with the exception of December.  We meet in the West Adelaide Football Club and most evenings take the form of a presentation from a guest speaker of a topic of interest to 4WD drivers, followed by coffee and informal discussions amongst members.

Long Trips Meetings

All members are welcome to come to monthly ‘Long Trip’ Meetings where the main interest is planning and reporting Long Trips.  A ‘long trip’ is one taking longer than five days and requires that your vehicle be set up appropriately. Often these trips are a long way from civilisation and trip members need to know how to live independently for periods of up to three weeks.  The Club has a wealth of experience for travel in remote parts of the country including the Simpson Desert, Cape York, the Kimberly region, the Canning Stock Route, Len Beadell’s Bomb Roads and the Victorian Alps.  The aim of these meetings is to share this experience within the membership to help those thinking of organising a long trip.

Social Functions

The social coordinator develops a calendar of reasonably-priced events suitable and varied enough for all members to attend regardless of age.  Generally there is no limit to numbers.  In particular, new members can find social events a good way to ‘break the ice’ in meeting members and to find out what they enjoy about the club.  By getting to know each other better, new friendships can encourage more members to take a bigger interest in other club events. 

Club Magazine

Each month the Club publishes a magazine called “Cat Chat”. The nature of forthcoming meetings and activities, a calendar of events, trip reports as well as items of general interest to members are printed in the Club Magazine.

Four Wheel Driver Training

Many people join the Club to obtain training in the better use of their vehicle and better understanding of its capabilities. The Club provides both informal and formally structured training programs.

Formal training is by way of programs provided by Four Wheel Drive SA (FWDSA) through its Driver Training Unit.  After completion of training by qualified Advisers and Trainers from our own Club, a formal assessment is made, and successful participants are awarded an official certificate.

Several levels of training are available, from the Basic course for beginners, through to advanced techniques. Members need only choose the level that suits them and progress at their own pace.  In addition, programs are also available for those who elect to become accredited Advisors or Trainers and so pass on their experience to other members of the Club.

Training is provided free by the Club. However, members are required to pay for training manuals and log books provided by the FWDSA. Members are also expected to pay the cost of entry to privately-owned training tracks and make a contribution to reimburse the Trainers fuel costs.

Club Trips

Club Trips are of two types, viz Short (trips of 1-4 days) or Long (5 or more days).  The distinction is made because long trips usually require more planning and preparation.

Trips arise when a member volunteers to lead a trip to an area of special interest to them.  This area may have been visited before by the member, or information may have been obtained by word of mouth or from published data in, for example, our Club Magazine, 4 X 4 magazines or travel brochures.  There is a wealth of experience within the Club which is readily available to anyone wanting it.  There are few parts of Australia which have not been visited by someone in the Club before. All members are welcome, indeed encouraged, to participate in Club trips where possible.  If you wish to participate in a proposed trip, you must contact the Trip Leader to be included.

Vehicles going on Club Trips must be in sound mechanical condition, properly insured, and equipped with essential spare parts. A snatch strap, shackles, shovel, fire extinguisher and a good first aid kit must be carried.  The extent of which spares are required will depend on the nature of the trip.