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Ridges and Ruts - July 2026 edition

FWDV Update

The year keeps rolling and we are now already past the halfway point!

Thank you to those clubs that have already submitted and paid for their reaffiliation. For those who haven't, please have a read of the article below to learn how to do so. Please complete this before any club trip or activity.

With a new round of funding underway from DEECA to help support FWDV and our club's activities, there are a whole lot of volunteering opportunities for our clubs. Many of these were announced at the previous President's and Delegates' Meeting, and sign up for these events can be found HERE. Please note more will be announced over the coming months. To those who have already signed up, we will be in contact soon.

It is also a very exciting time at Four Wheel Drive Victoria, with a new role currently being scouted for. If you want to learn more, there is an article below with a link to the Seek listing. We are looking for someone who can help lift FWDV's digital presence and also help out in the office in a part time capacity.

With the National 4x4 Show coming at the Melbourne Showgrounds over the 21st - 23rd of August, it is a great reminder these cold days aren't forever and soon we will be all out 4wding in warmer conditions. But regarding the show, we look forward to seeing as many of our clubs as possible at the event. FWDV are in a new spot, closer to our clubs, making a great FWDV hub area. We will also be running winching demonstrations again in conjunction with Saber Offroad and having our clubs talking at the Tracks N Trips stage once again. Be sure to drop in and say G'Day. If your club is not holding a stand but you want to help out, see the article below for how you can still be involved.

We have plenty coming up in the next few months, from the 4x4 Show to the next President's and Delegates' meeting in September (see What's On) and the AGM in October. I know I'll be seeing plenty of our members out and about. If you ever want to hear more directly from us, give us a call (8872 7300), email (operations@fwdvictoria.org.au) or even invite us to a club meeting and we love the opportunity to speak directly to members about what's going on at FWDV.

Cheers,

Daniel

Renewal Info Now Overdue

Club renewal information is now overdue. Thank you to those clubs who have already supplied FWDV with the required information and made their membership payment. For any club that has not yet done so, please see the information below that has been previously circulated to clubs.

If you have any payment questions, please email Di at accounts@fwdvictoria.org.au

If you have any questions regarding the reaffiliation process, please email Daniel at operations@fwdvictoria.org.au

Club affiliations are now overdue.

Thank you to those clubs who have already sent in their re-affiliation information.
As at 6 July 2026 - approximaltey 45% of clubs have re-affiliated, all clubs must be affiliated prior to any club trips.

To advise of your 2026/2027 member affiliations complete the following steps:

Determine your club's current members and complete the template by downloading it HERE
Once you have completed the form (all three Tabs in the spreadsheet) submit/upload your club details HERE
Once recieved FWDV will issue an invoice to the affiliated club.

Note: The existing club and member insurance for 2025/26 ceased 4pm 30 June 2026.

Membership subscription annual renewal fee.

The Four Wheel Drive Victoria Board determined that the affiliation per member fee for the financial year 2026/27 will be $62.00.

The basis of the decision is from Rule 12 of the Victoria Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs Inc, the annual member subscription will be adjusted and increased annually in line with the Melbourne Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the preceding December quarter, rounded up to the nearest whole dollar. The CPI for Melbourne as at December was 3.1%

Full information can be found on our website: Four Wheel Drive Victoria - Membership Subscription Annual Review
and previously announced the April edition of our e-newsletter Ridges and Ruts.

Board Update

FWDV would like to congratulate and welcome Roger Beresford from the Land Rover Owners Club of Victoria to the FWDV Board.

Roger is filling the casual vacancy previously advertised by FWDV until the AGM in October. He will bring in a wealth of klnowledge and expierence and we are excited to have him on board.

Volunteering at the National 4x4 Show

The National 4x4 Show is fast coming up, the 21st - 23rd of August 2026.

Is your club holding a stand at the show? If not, and you still want to be involved with the show, FWDV have the opportunity for you.

We are looking for volunteers at the FWDV stand across all 3 days. If you are interested, please follow the link below and register your interest. CLICK HERE

Volunteers with FWDV will receive the following:

Free entry into the National 4x4 Show ($34)
Parking reimbursed at the National 4x4 Show ($30)

Please note, volunteers are not expected to be volutneering all day. We are looking for 2 hour blocks, you will have the rest of the day to explore the show.

Club Stickers

Club stickers for the new financial year are available to pick up for clubs. Please note, FWDV expect clubs to have paid and reaffiliated prior to receiving stickers. If you are unsure of your club's status, please see the article regarding this information.

How to collect your stickers

Please email operations@fwdvictoria.org.au if you wish to have them posted. Otherwise, please email the above address or call the FWDV office (8872 7300) ahead of time to ensure someone is available.

Seasonal Road Closures

Don't forget that Seasonal Road Closures started in June.

Many tracks across Victoria are now shut due to Seasonal Closures. These closures are there to protect tracks during periods when they are susceptible to damage and where there may be environmental and ecological concerns.

You can check out these closures and where they are via the link below:

MapshareVic

Club Chainsaw Courses

Is your club helping out with Seasonal Track Reopening later this year?

It's time to start getting organised for this. FWDV are looking to assist and run chainsaw courses for clubs. If your club has interested members, please register interest by clicking HERE.

Chainsaw Course Info

Units of Competency

FWPCOT2254 - Maintain Chainsaws
FPWCOT2273 - Trim and Cut Felled Trees

Cost

Normally $975, discounted to $495 for all FWDV members

Duration

2.5 days. The course is structured to run with a 3 hour theory session followed by 2 full days of practical work.

FWDV Are Hiring

You may of heard, FWDV are hiring!

At the recent Presidents and Delegates meeting we announced a new part-time role titled "Media and Business Support Coordinator". The aim of the role to help grow our media presence as well as assist in the office as required, it is an exciting opportunity for someone who is looking to establish themselves in the media and digital content creation world.

If you, or someone you know, may be a good fit, check out the job listing HERE.

What's On

Check out What's On via the events tab via the link below. We are constantly updating this page to make sure our members know what is coming up for FWDV.

Mt Skene & Permits

Mt Skene permits have been running out the door, with over 80 already issued for this years season!

If you haven't got yours yet don't worry there's still time. The permit is being run the same as last year with the FWFDV website already open for online submissions. Permit applications can be submitted by any FWDV Club member as long as they are a financial member of an affiliated club.

If you have any issues or questions about your permit or the scheme please email Daniel at: operations@fwdvictoria.org.au

Don't forget FWDV members are also able to apply through FWDV for access to MVO tracks through an agreement FWDV have for our members through PV and DEECA. Check out how it works with the link below.