Dear All,
As the chief event organiser of Mount Lofty Rangers Inc (4wd Club) inaugural 4WD Octoberfest I had this vision to run a biannual event to complement the successful Whyalla Weekend.
I considered all the alternatives that could be utilized and I kept coming back to the thought of where would I get the most support to host something of this calibre. My thoughts came back to our initial Anzac weekend where we met Antoniette, Neil, Phil and Belinda Sleep. Four more lovely, friendly and accommodating people you will never meet. I tested their willingness to be involved in this by bringing up ideas and plans, in every case they met and exceeded my expectations and thank them from the bottom of my heart.
Over the last 12 months of planning for the 4WD Octoberfest I have spent one weekend a month based at Willangi Bush Escapes explorer Willangi’s multiply properties and the other parts of the mid north’s fantastic country side, through this the Sleep’s have become a second family to us and better country hospitality you won’t find.
The camping at Willangi is set up with discrete campsites away from each other for the sole purpose to make you feel you are the only ones there. The new showers the sleeps have built are fantastic, gas fired showers utilizing rain water, not Adelaide hard tap water, how nice does your hair feel after? Who has heard of flushing bush toilets, they really have out done themselves. The other camp sites with bush toilets are the best you will find bar none I am sure. Their is plenty of history to find on the properties from old Scout camp, old blitz truck to old farm houses to keep the kids entertained. Neil supplies your firewood for your camp fire, most camp sites can be accessed by two wheel drive, what are you waiting for give them a try, you will be back as we will.
With our love
Paul, Jenny and James McGregor
Mount Lofty Rangers Inc.
We just spent the weekend with another 7 members of the Nissan Patrol Club of S.A. at Willangi. Paul and all other members of the Mt Lofty 4 X club should feel Extremely proud of the event just hosted. It is a shame that other property owners don’t go to the effort that Neil & Antionette have gone to to make visitors sooo welcome and comfortable with toilets with running water and hot showers. A huge plus, especially with the ladies. Paul ,PLEASE advise our club of the next trip. Thanks again to all involved.
Just had a great Octoberfest long weekend at Willangi Bush Escapes with the Mt Lofty 4 Wheel Drive Club and will say it was a well orginised event for their first event and a special thanks go to the owners who go out of their way to make your stay enjoyable .
Fantastic camping areas for the group with fire wood, toilets (flushing) and hot showers available. Views from the range tops was excellent and a good variety of tracks to drive for different levels for driver abilities.
Well worth a visit.
Whyalla & District 4WD club
craig Nissan Patrol Club SAOctober 4, 2011 at 9:06 am
Just spent my second weekend at Willangi and have to say Neil and Antionette go out of their way to make your stay enjoyable.
Fantastic camping areas, with fire wood supplied. Excellent views and some good tracks to drive. Peterborough has plenty of local things to do and see.
Well worth a visit.
Craig
Nissan PAtrol Club SA
Helen Richards “” This place is definitely worth a visit. The whole place is just amazing. For a weekend of
total bliss and fun……..Good Luck Neil & Antoinette, let the good times roll, you have a peace of heaven up there. Look after ” Our Palace”. Dave & Helen NPC 364.
In June our friends Ray and Gina Lewis and myhusband Kevin and myself arrived at Willangi Bush Escapes .We were welcomed by Antoinette and taken to our campsite where Ray and Gina had already arrived .We were made so welcomed by Antoinette who offered on the Saturday for Neil her husband to show us their new 4wheel drive track .We had a fabulous time even me who is a bit on the chicken side when it comes to some tracks . After our tracking we then went to watch our hosts planting saltbush which was an experience of how the people on the land works .We would really recommend any 4wheel enthusiests or two wheel drive nature people to experience this holiday .I haven’t yet mentioned the other tracks that they have, which at the top have some great views .The night time is wonderful around the wood fires the wood being (left by the hosts for use) and looking at the stars on a beautiful clear night .All the best to Neil and Antoinette and all you people that want something different try this location .
Our recent Mt Lofty Rangers 4WD Club Trip at Willangi Bush Escapes over the Anzac Day long weekend was nothing short of fantastic. The unique nature of the property coupled with the overwhelming hospitality of Neil and Antoinette ensured that all who came along left with the unanimous decision to return. The facilities at each camp were some of the best appointed bush camp facilities that we have seen when travelling aroung the regional areas of Australia, and Neil’s enthusiastic desire to show us all that his property had to offer was second to none. The 4WD tracks that Neil and Antoinette have developed will cater for the beginner right through to the extreme enthusiast, whilst all the while exposing you to some of the best elevated 360′ views and wildlife that the mid north has on show. A sincere thankyou for a fantatsic experience and we will definitley be back.
Paddy Flood
Mt Lofty Rangers 4WD Club
After meeting our wonderful hosts we set up camp in the unspoilt bush setting. The inclusion of the long drop at the camp site is both welcome and unobtrusive, the rustic construction of local raw timber and second hand iron just fits into the landscape.
Then it was time to explore the tracks. We filled in the afternoon at the slate pit, there was much bouncing and laughing as I honed my skills ready for greater challenges on the big hills. Several furry and feathered locals joined in the fun and we got some great pics.
Amongst the peace punctuated only by the odd bird call we ate dinner and relaxed by the camp fire, after a visit from a small owl we retired and slept soundly. Due to committments further afield we rose with the Kookaburras and loaded up to hit the tracks early.
The morning was filled with low range fun challenging asscents, decents and tight bends, my cheeks grew sore as I am not accustomed to smiling and laughing for such long periods. Thankfully we were forced to stop and exit the vehicle periodcally to marvel at the breathtaking panoramic views. Again there was plenty of local fauna about to keep the kids looking out the window. Each track offers it’s own personality so there are plenty of surprises to keep the adrenilie flowing.
Sadly we had to move on but we will be back. Many thanks to the Sleep family for their hospiality!!!
We had a great experience at Willangi.
Our first night was clear skies and millions of stars, the best night to have a bath.
Next day feeling fully relaxed we explored the tracks. The many eagles and other birds and kangaroos added to the beautiful scenery. The 360 degree views were to behold.
That night at camp we relaxed in the absolute quiet. The peacefulness was restoration for the soul.
A morning bath with views of Blackrock Peak and the parrots and the peace and the privacy….
And then the camp brecky!
Then off to explore again. We spent some of the day at Dawson exploring the old buildings and remembering days gone.
There’s so much on our list to see and do we can’t fit it all in.
We watched the sun go down as we sat at Slate Pit.
Our last night was thundery and lightening with a refreshing rain. It all added to the experience and was a good test for our new tent.
We were sad to pack up and leave! There’s still so much to do.
Next trip we want to do more walking, more exploring and more relaxing…we’ll be back.
Thanks to Neil, Antoinette, Phil and Belinda and little Houdini for your hospitality.
Glenrest Camper Trailer Hire.
If you don’t have your own Tent, Caravan or Camper Trailer, Why not hire a Camper Trailer from Glenrest Jamestown.
Peterborough Information
Nearby Peterborough has a wealth of interesting history, unique points of interest and surprising attractions, as well as ‘Steamtown,’ which is soon to have a world class light and sound show.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Dear All,
As the chief event organiser of Mount Lofty Rangers Inc (4wd Club) inaugural 4WD Octoberfest I had this vision to run a biannual event to complement the successful Whyalla Weekend.
I considered all the alternatives that could be utilized and I kept coming back to the thought of where would I get the most support to host something of this calibre. My thoughts came back to our initial Anzac weekend where we met Antoniette, Neil, Phil and Belinda Sleep. Four more lovely, friendly and accommodating people you will never meet. I tested their willingness to be involved in this by bringing up ideas and plans, in every case they met and exceeded my expectations and thank them from the bottom of my heart.
Over the last 12 months of planning for the 4WD Octoberfest I have spent one weekend a month based at Willangi Bush Escapes explorer Willangi’s multiply properties and the other parts of the mid north’s fantastic country side, through this the Sleep’s have become a second family to us and better country hospitality you won’t find.
The camping at Willangi is set up with discrete campsites away from each other for the sole purpose to make you feel you are the only ones there. The new showers the sleeps have built are fantastic, gas fired showers utilizing rain water, not Adelaide hard tap water, how nice does your hair feel after? Who has heard of flushing bush toilets, they really have out done themselves. The other camp sites with bush toilets are the best you will find bar none I am sure. Their is plenty of history to find on the properties from old Scout camp, old blitz truck to old farm houses to keep the kids entertained. Neil supplies your firewood for your camp fire, most camp sites can be accessed by two wheel drive, what are you waiting for give them a try, you will be back as we will.
With our love
Paul, Jenny and James McGregor
Mount Lofty Rangers Inc.
We just spent the weekend with another 7 members of the Nissan Patrol Club of S.A. at Willangi. Paul and all other members of the Mt Lofty 4 X club should feel Extremely proud of the event just hosted. It is a shame that other property owners don’t go to the effort that Neil & Antionette have gone to to make visitors sooo welcome and comfortable with toilets with running water and hot showers. A huge plus, especially with the ladies. Paul ,PLEASE advise our club of the next trip. Thanks again to all involved.
Just had a great Octoberfest long weekend at Willangi Bush Escapes with the Mt Lofty 4 Wheel Drive Club and will say it was a well orginised event for their first event and a special thanks go to the owners who go out of their way to make your stay enjoyable .
Fantastic camping areas for the group with fire wood, toilets (flushing) and hot showers available. Views from the range tops was excellent and a good variety of tracks to drive for different levels for driver abilities.
Well worth a visit.
Whyalla & District 4WD club
Just had an excellent weekend, nothing was left unorganised and the facilities are great.
Get away to the bush but still have the mod cons.
Will definitely be back
Just spent my second weekend at Willangi and have to say Neil and Antionette go out of their way to make your stay enjoyable.
Fantastic camping areas, with fire wood supplied. Excellent views and some good tracks to drive. Peterborough has plenty of local things to do and see.
Well worth a visit.
Craig
Nissan PAtrol Club SA
Helen Richards “” This place is definitely worth a visit. The whole place is just amazing. For a weekend of
total bliss and fun……..Good Luck Neil & Antoinette, let the good times roll, you have a peace of heaven up there. Look after ” Our Palace”. Dave & Helen NPC 364.
In June our friends Ray and Gina Lewis and myhusband Kevin and myself arrived at Willangi Bush Escapes .We were welcomed by Antoinette and taken to our campsite where Ray and Gina had already arrived .We were made so welcomed by Antoinette who offered on the Saturday for Neil her husband to show us their new 4wheel drive track .We had a fabulous time even me who is a bit on the chicken side when it comes to some tracks . After our tracking we then went to watch our hosts planting saltbush which was an experience of how the people on the land works .We would really recommend any 4wheel enthusiests or two wheel drive nature people to experience this holiday .I haven’t yet mentioned the other tracks that they have, which at the top have some great views .The night time is wonderful around the wood fires the wood being (left by the hosts for use) and looking at the stars on a beautiful clear night .All the best to Neil and Antoinette and all you people that want something different try this location .
Our recent Mt Lofty Rangers 4WD Club Trip at Willangi Bush Escapes over the Anzac Day long weekend was nothing short of fantastic. The unique nature of the property coupled with the overwhelming hospitality of Neil and Antoinette ensured that all who came along left with the unanimous decision to return. The facilities at each camp were some of the best appointed bush camp facilities that we have seen when travelling aroung the regional areas of Australia, and Neil’s enthusiastic desire to show us all that his property had to offer was second to none. The 4WD tracks that Neil and Antoinette have developed will cater for the beginner right through to the extreme enthusiast, whilst all the while exposing you to some of the best elevated 360′ views and wildlife that the mid north has on show. A sincere thankyou for a fantatsic experience and we will definitley be back.
Paddy Flood
Mt Lofty Rangers 4WD Club
After meeting our wonderful hosts we set up camp in the unspoilt bush setting. The inclusion of the long drop at the camp site is both welcome and unobtrusive, the rustic construction of local raw timber and second hand iron just fits into the landscape.
Then it was time to explore the tracks. We filled in the afternoon at the slate pit, there was much bouncing and laughing as I honed my skills ready for greater challenges on the big hills. Several furry and feathered locals joined in the fun and we got some great pics.
Amongst the peace punctuated only by the odd bird call we ate dinner and relaxed by the camp fire, after a visit from a small owl we retired and slept soundly. Due to committments further afield we rose with the Kookaburras and loaded up to hit the tracks early.
The morning was filled with low range fun challenging asscents, decents and tight bends, my cheeks grew sore as I am not accustomed to smiling and laughing for such long periods. Thankfully we were forced to stop and exit the vehicle periodcally to marvel at the breathtaking panoramic views. Again there was plenty of local fauna about to keep the kids looking out the window. Each track offers it’s own personality so there are plenty of surprises to keep the adrenilie flowing.
Sadly we had to move on but we will be back. Many thanks to the Sleep family for their hospiality!!!
We had a great experience at Willangi.
Our first night was clear skies and millions of stars, the best night to have a bath.
Next day feeling fully relaxed we explored the tracks. The many eagles and other birds and kangaroos added to the beautiful scenery. The 360 degree views were to behold.
That night at camp we relaxed in the absolute quiet. The peacefulness was restoration for the soul.
A morning bath with views of Blackrock Peak and the parrots and the peace and the privacy….
And then the camp brecky!
Then off to explore again. We spent some of the day at Dawson exploring the old buildings and remembering days gone.
There’s so much on our list to see and do we can’t fit it all in.
We watched the sun go down as we sat at Slate Pit.
Our last night was thundery and lightening with a refreshing rain. It all added to the experience and was a good test for our new tent.
We were sad to pack up and leave! There’s still so much to do.
Next trip we want to do more walking, more exploring and more relaxing…we’ll be back.
Thanks to Neil, Antoinette, Phil and Belinda and little Houdini for your hospitality.