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NYMBOIDA, NSW WITH PATRIOT CAMPERS

WORDS JAMES SECHER PHOTOS ELLEN DEWER

TOY STORY4X4 Getaway

What do the crew from Patriot do when they’re not building

one of Australia’s most versatile off-road campers? They head

out bush with their toys!

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From ATV buggies, to dirt bikes and quads, it was pretty clear the

Patriot crew like their toys

When plans were forming regarding a weekend away with the guys from Patriot Campers, it was evident from the get-go that it would be an action-packed weekend. Justin Montesalvo, owner and operator of Patriot Campers, was adamant in his

email on what to bring for the weekend: normal camping essentials and TOYS, TOYS, TOYS.

We met the Patriot crew at a property on the Boyd River, near the Nymboida National Park, to start the weekend with some white-water canoeing and tubing. The Nymboida National Park is roughly 40km south-west of Grafton in northern NSW and boasts some beautiful scenery consisting of rock formations, rivers and creeks with stone beaches dotted along the banks. There are plenty of activities to partake in, including mountain bike riding, hiking, four-wheel driving, canoeing and swimming. Best of all there’s very little, if not any, phone reception.

The extended Patriot family and friends sure like Toyotas, with several 200 Series Cruisers, a HiLux and a 79 Series making up the pack. When asked why the crew all drive Toyotas, Justin’s response was simple: “Our whole family drives Toyotas because that’s what we were brought up with. Nothing beats a twin-turbo V8 diesel, it’s a pretty simple choice.”

The Patriot campsite was on the Boyd River about 5km north of Dalmorton. More Toyotas were parked here, mixed with a laundry list of off-road toys from ATV buggies, to dirt bikes and quads. It was pretty clear the Patriot crew like their toys and it’s easy to see how the latest addition to the Patriot range, the Toy Hauler 560 (TH560), came about.

4X4 GETAWAY WITH PATRIOT CAMPERS – NYMBOIDA, NSW

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How could you not have fun with a toy box like this?

Justin’s own Polaris RZR wears Patriot colours of course, and it runs about $8K worth of Fox Racing suspension

It didn’t take long for the action to step up a few notches once the buggies, dirt bikes and ATVs were fuelled up. I’ve been a dirt bike rider for many years and have never paid any attention to the full-size Side-by-Side ATV buggies such as the Polaris RZR 1000. I always figured they were a bit of a novelty. It took less than 20 seconds riding shotgun with Justin at the wheel, however, to change my mind. These are an impressive bit of kit; ridiculously quick and extremely capable over just about any terrain.

Later in the afternoon we set off into the forest to recover one of the buggies that had had lost an argument with a tree stump the day before. After some repairs it was up and running again, ready for another session the next day.

When that day arrived, we set off to another part of the property to set up an area where the kids could ride their dirt bikes and some of the adults could head off and explore in the buggies. A TH560 was set up here as a base for the kids, and it became obvious that as much as the Patriot gang like to get out and enjoy their toys, spending time with the family and encouraging the kids to get out and enjoy the outdoors is high on the list of priorities, too.

The weekend was a blur of buggies, dirt bikes, quads, white-water canoeing, 4WDing, swimming and camping in some of the most beautiful scenery northern NSW has to offer. The Patriot crew of family and friends was extremely welcoming, and after spending the weekend with them it’s obvious that they work hard all week so they can enjoy their camping and toys on the weekends.

Read on to find out exactly what those toys are...

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Nothing like a good fire on a cold Autumn

night in the hills.

Flat tyres were some of the lesser damage

to the RZRs. They sure took a beating.

The weekend was a blur of buggies, dirt bikes, quads, white-

water canoeing, 4WDing, swimming

and camping

4X4 GETAWAY WITH PATRIOT CAMPERS – NYMBOIDA, NSW

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JUSTIN MONTESALVO’S 2015 LC200Among the pack of 200 Series Land Cruisers at the camp, Justin’s highly-modified 2015 model stood out. It has had the back chopped and a 650mm chassis extension performed by the guys at Creative Conversions. In addition, it has a Patriot Campers custom tray that includes a 70-litre water tank under the tray with an electric pump, a slide-out kitchen, a tray-mounted stereo, a set of Maxtrax, and a hi-lift jack. The finish of the tray is of extremely high quality and holds the same look and feel as the X1 and TH560 trailers.

The 200 Series is fitted with a wish-list of accessories making it an exceptionally capable tourer. Up front is a TJM bar and winch sporting a set of Great White spot lights and LED lightbars powered by a 100A lithium battery with Redarc BMS1230 and TJM battery monitor. The Cruiser rides on a set of Icon remote-reservoir coilovers, with front and rear lockers pushing 35x12.50x17in BFG Mud Terrains to get it out of any tough terrain.

A Torqit diesel tuner and pedal torque are set up to squeeze some extra power out of the turbodiesel V8, and with a four-

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The TH560 is the next level trailer for serious touring, with the capacity

to carry five dirt bikes

4X4 GETAWAY WITH PATRIOT CAMPERS – NYMBOIDA, NSW

Patriot’s Justin & Sarah Montesalvo and their children sure know how to have fun in the bush.

Is this the ultimate touring rig? Justin’s crew-cab Cruiser with dirt bikes and Toy Hauler in tow

inch stainless-steel Beaudesert Exhaust, the LC200 sounds tough and looks the part to match. A Rhino-Rack roof basket gives extra storage and a long-range fuel tank increases touring range.

When asked what sort of attention he gets driving the LC200 towing the TH560, Justin said: “I literally can’t take that set-up anywhere without being mobbed every time we stop. We get barricaded on the highway by people wanting to check it out.”

For this trip the Cruiser had the kids’ trio of Yamaha dirt bikes on the tray, while a Polaris RZR100 rode on the Toy Hauler.

TOY HAULER 560There were three TH560s on this trip, each carrying a Polaris 1000cc RZR buggy on their massive 1.7m x 3.0m decks. The TH560s are a sight to see; with the carrying capacity on the back plus all the features and the living area of the smaller Patriot X1 Camper on the front. It’s the next-level trailer for serious touring with the capacity to carry five dirt bikes, or one Side-by-Side ATV, a pair of jet skis, or two ATVs. Pictures don’t give it justice.

ROBERT MONTESALVO – LC200 SERIESRobert Montesalvo runs a standard Toyota Land Cruiser 200 Series. It tows a Patriot X1 sporting the Patriot Howling Moon Tent with the extra kids room. He also brought along a Yamaha YZF quad bike towed by his brother Jamie.

CHASE MONTESALVO – TOYOTA HILUXChase must be the black sheep of the family as he was the only brother not running a Land Cruiser on the weekend. He opted for the tried-and-true Toyota HiLux with a Bilstein-based 50mm lift, ARB bars front and rear, a Safari Snorkel, IPF HID and lightbar, Flipdeck tonneau cover, BFG All-Terrain tyres and custom bash plates. Chase’s HiLux is a reliable workhorse more than capable of towing his Patriot X1 Camper anywhere.

There’s plenty of wilderness in northern NSW to explore in the buggies or by 4x4.

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Daring to be different, Chase uses a nicely kitted SR5 Hilux to pull the X1 Patriot

Nick & Nick with a 200 Series that packs a sounds system that could have a nightclub pumping.

That’s John on the Honda with Josh & Joe Hutchins in fronmt of the Cruiser

“I literally can’t take that set-up anywhere

without being mobbed every time

we stop”

4X4 GETAWAY WITH PATRIOT CAMPERS – NYMBOIDA, NSW

JAMIE MONTESALVO – 2014 LC200 SERIES Jamie’s Sahara runs Bilsteins and all-terrains. It was towing a standard car trailer carrying a Polaris RZR 1000 and Robert’s Yamaha YZF450 quad bike.

JOE HUTCHINS – LC200 SERIES SAHARAFamily friend Joe Hutchins brought along his LC200 Sahara with some basic mods; a Redarc brake controller and ARB front bar. He was towing a TH560 sporting a 1.8m family Patriot Howling Moon Tent and carrying a Polaris RZR 1000 and a Honda CRF450.

MATHEW GALEA – LC200 SERIESAnother family friend, Matt ‘Pinkie’ Galea rocked up with another LC200 sporting a strong touring capable set-up, including front and rear lockers, a diesel tuner chip, front and rear bars, winch, snorkel, BFG ATs, Old Man Emu suspension and a long range fuel tank. This set-up tows his TH560 sporting a James Baroud Evasion Rooftop Tent and carries a Polaris RZR 1000 Side-by-Side.

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Adrian Racso and family enjoying the weekend away

4x4 buggies like the Polaris RZR will get you to places full size 4x4

wagons will never go and you’ll have lot of fun exploring in them.

4X4 GETAWAY WITH PATRIOT CAMPERS – NYMBOIDA, NSW

Campbell’s 79 was the workhoprse of the weekend

Pan and Matt Galea and his well set up 200

NICK DORNAN – LC200 SERIESNick Dornan ran the support vehicle for the weekend; a 200 Series running a set of BFG tyres, three-inch stainless exhaust, an ARB front bar with Warn XP 9500 winch, TJM side-steps, TJM snorkel, ARB roof rack with James Baroud Rooftop Tent, dual Waeco fridges, 90-litre stainless water tank, dual batteries under the bonnet and three more batteries in the back and front and rear ARB air lockers. It’s well set-up and ready to tow a standard car trailer with all manner of toys, including a Yamaha YZ250, KTM 300, Honda ATV and the small, white Polaris Sportsman Ace.

CAMPBELL EDWARDS – LC79 SERIESCampbell’s custom-black LC79 Series is arguably a toy in itself. With a 75mm lift, 35-inch muddies, front and rear lockers and a recently-installed 3.5-inch Lukey exhaust, the ute would likely go anywhere the ATVs could, albeit at a more respectable pace.

ADRIAN RASCO – V8 PETROL 100 SERIES Adrian made the trip with his family towing a RZR 1000. behind the black LC 100 that rolls on big alloys

Please create logo as per this one, White lettering, yellow X!

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4X4 GETAWAY WITH PATRIOT CAMPERS – NYMBOIDA, NSW

Prepared to explore.

Prepared to explore.

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www.hemamaps.com

NYMBOIDA NATIONAL PARK, NSW