Bush Camping out at Penrose

 If we could head out bush every weekend, life would be perfect. Even when simple trips still don't go to plan.

How good is the feeling when the car is all packed and you are heading down the highway on your way to a campsite, let alone a site you've never been to before? Shooting off on a Friday afternoon straight from work to go camping is always a great start to the weekend.

Matt's Triton, Our D-Max, and Dom's Rodeo

On this trip, we headed down to Penrose State Forest, which is 1 hour and a half south of Sydney or half an hour from Goulburn. Getting to Penrose is very easy as it is right on the Hume highway. Joining us we had Matt in his Triton and Dom in his Rodeo. 

When you think of camping and 4 wheel driving, Penrose is definitely not a place that would come to the minds of many. If you are after difficult or technical driving, then Penrose won't be the place for you, however, like many state forests in the region, Penrose offers some amazing scenery and gorgeous views. Exploring around the dirt trails allows you to navigate through the Pine plantations and find yourself on top of some fantastic lookouts. As pictured, Penrose is full of dirt trails that most all-wheel-drive vehicles will be able to get to, however, we chose to be in high range for the majority of the trip. We definitely would have been able to get by in two-wheel drive, however, we didn't for two reasons. Firstly by being in high range, it is easier for the vehicle to find traction, therefore we weren't spinning tyres and ripping up the roads, which can lead to tracks being closed. The second reason for staying in high-range was by not fighting for traction as much, we were also putting less strain on the vehicles. It always pays to use the gear that you have available to you.

As we were off an overnight camp, we left the camper at home and took the swag for our more basic camp setups. Matt stayed in his Big Daddy swag and Dom in a 3 man dome tent (which he borrowed from us). Because we didn't have the camper, we only took a few basic bits and pieces, such as our picnic bag with all the cutlery, plates and cooking utensils, the butane cookers and the Companion Fridge. The main campground at Penrose is Kingsbury VC Rest Area, however, this is right on the highway. The rest area has a few toilets and picnic tables which makes a quick stop from the highway or an overnight camp more comfortable, but we decided to avoid the noise and ventured through the Pine Trees to find a clearing big enough for the 3 utes to fit as well as set up camp. If you do decide to venture further then the rest area like we did, just a heads up that there are no other facilities. We always have the majority of what we need in our set up anyway with bringing enough food and water for everyone, a table and chairs. If nature does call, however, it is very handy to have the facilities not too far away. Penrose isn't the largest state forest out there, so it is only a 10-minute drive back to the rest area if need be. With Penrose being situated close to the highway, basic supplies such as food, fuel or additional water aren't far away, as there is a service station only a few kilometres back up the road.

There aren't too many open clearings to set up camp at Penrose, so our options for camp were limited. We were able to find a very open space and reasonably flat by the looks of it, however, a different group of campers beat us to it. The spot that we ended up claiming for the night wasn't the flattest camp we've had but it was far from the worst we've been at. Once the mozzies disappeared late in the night, we had the joys of a clear sky. Nothing beats sitting under the moonlight, having a cold beer while watching the stars.

Only we could have the luck of running into issues with the fourby while driving on fire trails that we saw a Mazda 6 driving around. Not saying anything bad about a Mazda 6, it's the same car that my mum drives, but the roads around Penrose are simple dirt roads. We ran into trouble when we felt a shuttering in the breaks. At first, we thought something was wrong with the tail shaft of the D-Max however, once I was able to get under the car and have a look around, we found that one of the bolts on the brake caliper had fallen out, causing them to slip off the rotor and scrape on the rim.

The replacement bolt in
the caliper

As a state of precaution, we always carry a paint can of spare nuts and bolts which can be used to get us out of trouble. Luckily for team D-Max, there was an M14 high tensile bolt in the box of spares (2 of them in fact). A quick repair allowed for the D-Max was once again fixed (and safe). 

It always pays to carry spares with you on any trip, no matter how easy you think the trip will be, something may go wrong. A tip that I have been given (not yet used but been meaning to), is to go to the local wrecking yard that has the same vehicle as yours and grab yourself an assortment of bolts to carry as spares. You never quite know when these will come in handy. 

Vehicle spares aside, similar to Belanaglo (which is only 10 minutes up the road), Penrose offers some gorgeous scenery for any outdoors enthusiast. If you are looking for a relaxing day trip, or a simple overnight stay not too far from home, then Penrose is definitely a place to keep on your list. Once you navigate through the thousands of pine trees, you will be able to find some amazing little lookouts and views. It is so easy to forget that you are only minutes from the Hume Highway. 

Be sure to check out our latest video about our adventures to Penrose State Forest at the bottom of the article. 

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