The Four Wheel Drive Victoria 50th Anniversary is now one month away, taking place from 17 to 19 October. Ticket sales and camping spots are filling fast. Book here

Join Us for Four Wheel Drive Victoria’s 50th Anniversary Celebration!

We’re turning 50 and you’re invited to celebrate with us!

From 17 to 19 October, Four Wheel Drive Victoria will be hosting a special 50th Anniversary Event in Merrijig, and we’d love to see you there. This milestone marks five decades of adventure, advocacy, and community in the four wheel drive world, and we’re pulling out all the stops to make it a weekend to remember.

Expect a fantastic lineup of activities, entertainment, and opportunities to connect with fellow four wheel drivers from across the state. Whether you’re a long time member or new to the community, this is your chance to be part of something truly special.

All are welcome — bring your family, friends, and club mates!
Tickets are on sale now, so don’t miss out tickets here

Let’s celebrate the journey, the people, and the passion that have made Four Wheel Drive Victoria what it is today. We can’t wait to see you there!

National 4x4 Show a Resounding Success for Four Wheel Drive Victoria

Four Wheel Drive Victoria was proud to be part of the National 4x4 Outdoors Show, which proved to be a fantastic event for the off-road community. The show was buzzing with energy, and our stand attracted a steady stream of visitors keen to learn more about responsible four-wheel driving, track access, and club membership.

A huge thank you goes out to the incredible volunteers from our affiliated clubs who generously gave their time to assist on the Four Wheel Drive Victoria stand. Their enthusiasm, knowledge, and friendly approach made a lasting impression on attendees and helped showcase the strength and spirit of our community.

We also want to acknowledge the clubs that hosted their own stands at the show. Your displays were engaging, informative, and a great representation of the diverse experiences and opportunities available through club membership.

Events like these highlight the importance of collaboration and community in the four-wheel drive world. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making the show such a success - we couldn’t have done it without you!

What's On:

October 2025:

6: FWDV Annual General Meeting

17-19: FWDV 50th Anniversary register here

November 2025:

8-9 Regional Representatives meeting #2 2025 - at Alexandra

15 Clean up the Bush project, Mt Disappointment

19-23 November - Friends of Wonnangatta Valley

https://www.facebook.com/friendsofwonnangattavalley

Victorian 4wd Centre

Last year, Four Wheel Drive Victoria and the Land Rover Owners Club of Victoria jointly purchased a factory in Rowville with a view to developing the site to become their permanent home.  The factory is currently vacant following completion of demolition works removing the majority of the existing office fit-out.  LROCV has been able to use the property for mailing nights and special interest group meetings, and will continue to do so until building works commence.

While the process has taken longer than anticipated, there has been considerable work undertaken by a joint Property Management Committee (PMC) who together with an architect, Graeme Parker from Building Designed – Warragul, have been working on developing a design that meets the requirements of both parties.  The design is now essentially finalised, floor plans, elevations and other diagrams produced and so the PMC is now able to move forward with other consultants. 

A building surveyor, Watershed Building Consultants, has been engaged to review the plans to ensure they meet building code regulations.  Watershed will remain engaged as we require building permits and certification on completion.  A civil & structural engineering firm, Chris O’Brien & Co has been appointed to design and calculate all the structural requirements for the mezzanine construction and the PMC is working with MEP Engineering to identify the mechanical requirements related to air movement and ventilation, which will result in a design we can take to mechanical contractors to obtain quotes for supply and installation.

At the same time, submissions have been made to Knox Council to request a Change of Use permit, which is necessary to support our intended uses being both a ‘place of assembly’ and ‘office’.  A submission was also made requesting a reduction in the number of Council mandated car parking spaces, as there is minimal parking on-site, but plenty of roadside parking in the court and surrounding streets.  This latter request was supported by a traffic impact assessment report developed by RedSquare Traffic. The PMC also reached out to many local businesses who have generously agreed to allow after hours parking in their spaces further increasing parking availability.

Knox Council are completing their final review of the submissions and we expect their approval to be given shortly. 

The final cost to complete the project has not yet been determined however now that a design has been produced and initial contractors engaged the PMC is working to develop a detailed cost plan and identify funding requirements for further review and approval by the owners. The PMC comprises of four FWDV committtee and three LROCV committee, with FWDV being the chair for the next 12 months

Multiple fee proposals have been sought prior to all engagements and the PMC selected contractors based on experience, capability and price to ensure a competitive outcome for the owners.  It is anticipated that much of the building work will be able to be completed by volunteers with support from registered contractors where required.  The PMC will be calling for interested volunteers to register their willingness to support the project.  Current floor plans have been uploaded to both LROCV and Four Wheel Drive Victoria websites for review by members and the PMC will continue to provide updates as the project continues. Please direct any queries to pmc.vic4wdcentre@gmail.com

New volunteering data submission link

Clubs are now starting to use the new volunteering data submission link which is great.  The data is for activities such as track clearing, hut-rebuilding, clean up the bush, flora and fauna projects, disaster relief, community/special work, and much more.

Data will then be reported to the government, Parks Victoria, DEECA, and other relevant bodies frequently.

Note that the FWDV link will not replace the Parks Victoria (PV) ParkConnect (PC) platform, as that is for approved PV activities. Clubs, members, and groups are encouraged to still use and submit via PC, but our preference is to submit via the FWDV link as a priority and step one.

Process:

1) Clubs or groups to assign one representative to collect the requested information from each activity.

2) One representative to submit the information as soon as possible, post-project/activity.

View and submit volunteering here

The live link is also available via the resources section on the FWDV website here, and will be available on our social media platforms shortly

4wd Courses with FWDV

Welcome New Clubs - Jatt 4x4 Club

Welcome to our newest affiliated club, Jatt 4x4 Club.  We are looking forward to seeing you out on the tracks and involved with FWDV.

Lifeblood

Demand for blood reached record levels over winter, coinciding with the highest appointment cancellation rates since the pandemic, severely impacting the blood supply. If you’ve never donated before, now is the time to start https://links.lifeblood.com.au/ASlj/bhp5fxh7. Donors of all blood types are needed, help us find them by spreading the word. #lifebloodau

Slithering into snake season - from DEECA

As temperatures rise, snakes become more active, emerging from a period of reduced activity to seek food and mates. While they may be more visible, snakes generally pose little danger to people when left alone.

Lachlan Clarke, Manager Statewide Wildlife Advisory Services at the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) said: “Most snake bites occur when people try to capture or kill them.”

“The most effective way to stay safe is to simply leave them alone. This includes keeping pets on leads in areas where snakes are known to occur," he said.

Remember:

• Keep your yard tidy, clear away clutter like timber piles and rocks.
• Supervise pets, keep dogs on a lead and watch pets closely in high-risk areas. If you suspect a bite, seek immediate veterinary care.
• Dress for the occasion, when out walking, wear long pants and proper shoes.
• Don’t try to catch or harm a snake. Call a licensed snake catcher instead.
• In the case of a bite, call 000 immediately.

Snakes are protected under the Wildlife Act 1975, and capturing, harming, or killing them is illegal.  You can report wildlife crime to Crime Stoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000.

For more information contact DEECA on 136 186.

For essential snake bite first aid information, visit here