30 Years in the Pajero Club
What Being A Pajero Club Member Means To Us.
We joined the club in 1987 after owning our 1985 NB LWB Pajero for just over two years. In that time I (Laurie) had
made a fool of myself on two occasions whilst in low range. I thought that being brought up on a farm with considerable
driving experience on dirt and gravel roads and also a number of years involvement in club rallying there couldn’t be
much more l needed to know. It was when l tried to tow a trailer with two dirt bikes on board up a steep hill and on
another occasion l got bogged in a very tame bog hole that l decided it was time to join “The Pajero Club”.
From day one it was the right club for us.
We have gone from not being all that active in the earliest years, due to family commitments running kids to sporting
events all over the place and with a small family business it wasn’t always easy to get out in the bush. In the middle years
we were fairly active, with weekend and day trips and a few Working Bees. In the later years we have found ourselves
with more time and have done mostly longer trips, where we have been lucky enough to see many out of the way places
around Australia.
The main thing the club has given me is perhaps the confidence to have a go at some of the more remote areas around
Australia. To explore tracks that are not necessarily well marked on maps and to not worry if you got it wrong and have
to make a “ U “ turn! (That’s how I got the nick name “U turn Laurie).
Also, joining the DTU in 1997 has given me much pleasure in watching club members go from mostly rank 4 X 4
amateurs to skilful bush drivers. And I get to meet many new members and go into the bush in someone else’s car.
We have met many likeminded people over the 30 years and have made many lifelong friends.
Laurie.
Laurie and Chris Finlay # 267
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Vol 34 No. 5- June-July 2017