Stockton Beach – Oct 2025

Playing in the Sand – 31 Oct to 2 Nov 2025

 Participants:

• Ian and Nicole Toten – Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
• Mackenzie Toten – Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
• David Brown – Suzuki Jimny

 The trip commenced at Birubi Beach caravan park with David having the luxury of a leisurely trip arriving around 4, the rest of us left Canberra at 4 and were there around 10PM. After a leisurely start we aired down at the caravan park and headed south down Stockton beach.

There had been some light rain overnight, so the sand was pretty firm. The first stop was Tin City a cluster of 11 shacks that started as a homeless camp in the 1920s and until the beach was handed back to the traditional owners the shacks were on a 100-year lease. They are now only able to be given away or handed down in a family. There were a few cars there when we stopped so they are clearly still being used.

We continued down the beach to the southernmost point that is drivable, the remains of the MV Signa, of which there is not much left visible.

Following the fence line, we headed inland to explore the 350 hectares of sand dunes that are able to be driven on, the two jeeps made it up the dunes with no problems, however we discovered that 20 PSI was too much pressure in the rear tyres of the Jimny which didn’t quite make it up. Some adjustments to the air pressure made a significant difference and David said that the vehicle was transformed on the sand. David also discovered that in high range the traction control button doesn’t do what it says it does with traction control repeatedly turning itself back on. David rectified this by selecting low range which made the traction control behave itself. Following a drive around the dunes we had some lunch and headed north back to Anna Bay.

On the way out of the dunes we stopped to help a P plater in a Mazda BT50 who had lowered his tyre a little too far with a tyre deflater that had removed the valve core and let a bit too much air out. We headed back to cam and aired up with David electing to stay at cam and read whilst the Totens headed to the Shark and Ray Rescue Centre, where we got to feed and pat some gummy sharks and rays and play with a snake.

Sunday was fine and dry, and we headed home at our own pace.

Author: Ian Toten

Some interesting pics (click to enlarge):