Comments made by the various drivers and passengers about the vehicles during the trip only served to underline the specific attributes and shortcomings of the relevant machines, save for one, the Russian Lada Niva. This was a completely unknown quantity.

Our Lada, supplied by Graham West, the man who will shortly start marketing the Niva in Australia, was a pilot-built pre-production right hand drive prototype. It was from the outset of the trip, the only vehicle in our convoy to cause any concern over its ability to tackle the rugged terrain which we knew to be ahead

As it turned out our apprehension was totally ill founded. For the little four-seater passenger car acquitted itself with honor, surprising everybody with its ability to take on challenges which tested even the more ubiquitous machines in our company.

In addition to the Lada, which - as with any compromise four wheel drive - was not void of imperfections, we took along a Toyota Land Cruiser, a Land Rover station wagon, a Mitsubishi Pajero, a Jeep Cherokee station wagon and an F100 Ford utility.

Effectively the range represented just about every basic concept of four wheel drive, from the near antique simplicity of the British Land Rover, to the high-tech completeness of the Japanese Pajero, the bulk unsophisticated brute of the Americans and the unusual qualities of the Russian representative.

It was a true multi-raciat gathering held on neutral ground which, it could be said in light of the terrain, was a Summit Meeting.

As is the case when different philosophies and opinions are compared, there was 'no victor', with individual preferences and perceived applications leading to each of the drivers drawing up a different rating list.

There was no surprise when the Mitsubishi Pajero came out on top with 34 points. With the points having been awarded on the basis of six for first, five for second and so on through to one for sixth.

What was surprising though, was that the Lada rated second place with 25 points.

This result, while obviously based on very subjective criteria, augurs very well for the future of the Lada in Australia.

Needless to say, our ratings were simply for the machines we took away and do not include such obvious competitors as the Subaru, Jackaroo and Diahatsu.

As a matter of interest, the voting placed the Jeep Cherokee third, then the Ford F100, followed by the Land Cruiser and then the dear old Land Rover.

Elsewhere in this issue of 4X4 Australia there is an in-depth evaluation of the Lada. It would be wrong to call it a full 'test' as the vehicle we used was a prototype and we did not run it over the full spectrum of terrains, did very few miles in the city and did not run it against the stopwatch and so forth.

Our trip took us into the mountains via Heyfield, along the River to Licola and then up onto the Pinnacles, part of the high range which divides the Gippsland plains from the huge chunk of Victoria covered with mountains.

From the Pinnacles we dropped down to the Wonnongatta River, via the Billygoat Bluff spur track. Fording the river at Eaglevale and climbing Mount Cynthia we eventually dropped down into the Wonnongatta Station plain via Wombat Spur, pitching camp just on dusk, after having left Dandenong at around eight o'clock in the morning.

Most of the following morning was spent guiding the newcomers in our ranks over the historic Wonnongatta Station homestead ruins, the graveyard and other points Of interest in the geographically unique patch of horizontal earth in an area better known for vertical scenery.

Until we reached our first campsite there were no problems with the various vehicles. Both American devices were criticised for the huge slab of sheet metal called a hood, which effectively obliterates 10 or so metres of track, and also for the apparent bulk of the body to be aimed through the foliage.

The F100 was a 351 cubic inch V8 auto, fitted with the XLT pack, while the Jeep was the base Cherokee model with a 4.2 litre 6-cylinder engine and five-speed manual box,

Only the Land Cruiser, a short wheelbase four speed, was privately owned as all the others were supplied by the various manufacturers or distributors. It was also the only modified machine, sitting on big wheels and tyres, which was the subject of the owner's complaint. Mated to a small diameter steering wheel, the bulk of the rubber proved to be quite heavy to muscle around on the often steep and rutted tracks.

Just one bitch was made about the Pajero, which was the top-of-the-line turbo diesel version, fitted with just about every gadget known to man. The problem here was, as we discovered during our recent tests, with the gear change being less than precise and allowing the pilot to engage the wrong cog at the wrong time.

The Lada did not escape without a tongue-lashing, directed at first gear being too tall, as is explained elsewhere in this issue.

As for the Land Rover - well, it was the huge 3.9 litre four pot diesel model. It was the true workhorse of the fleet, very trucklike and heavy to handle.

After brunch we left Wonnongatta and headed up onto the Howitt High Plains via the Zeta Creek track. This is a long and often arduous climb which resulted in just one noteworthy incident - when the Land Rover became stuck on a particularly steep and stepped section of the track.

Eventually the 'lumbering Landie' scrambled up onto level ground, and its tyre pressures were dropped to a sensible level so it was able to proceed with relative ease for the duration of the climb. At the same stage everybody else had a play with their pressures and all immediately reported significant improvements in the ability to traverse tricky spots.

Up on the alpine grasslands of the plain we were, as usual, taken aback by the staggering vista over mountain range after range and contemplated setting up camp there for the evening. We were also blown away by the wind, which had until that stage not come to our attention. Down in the Wonnongatta Valley it had been warm and mild, with T-shirts being the order of the day, but up top the breeze brought with it a definite chill and, combined with the problem of finding a 'legal' camping spot where vehicles could be parked without driving over the delicate grasses, a fear of freezing all night.

An hour or so later we arrived down on the river trail again, which at this point runs through a very deep 'V' shaped valley, which in turn means there are very few places where seven tents can be erected alongside six vehicles.

After a few reconnaissance ventures down likely tracks we eventually found sufficient space at Tullutville. Actually we pressed a disused track into service, setting up our tents on the track itself, with four of them pitched on the bridge over the river.

Predictably Tullutville was renamed Venice, which should have been Florence, 'cause that is where the 'Bridge of Sighs' is located, being the famous bridge sporting buildings on its span.

Don't bother looking for Tullutville on the 'the map, you won’t find it’. The name was coined by a group of locals, Tulluts, who are bent on spreading 'the word' and, in spite of good taste, will probably succeed in making it a household word before too long.

Sorry about digressing, but remember you read it here first.

That evening at Tullutville was a memorable one, with the sixteen members of our party - who have been made honorary Tulluts - enjoying each other's company plus a fair amount of fare and refreshment. A good night.

It was also 'good night' to summer, for at three o'clock the following morning summer turned to winter when the drought broke in the alps, which until then had escaped the rains which had blessed most other parts of the south-east corner of the country.

Ironically only the two cheapest tents in our camp remained leak free, so breakfast and packing up the next morning was a damp and uncomfortable experience. Our spirits, however, were high, with the message of Tullutarianism strongly lingering in our minds and bodies.

Once everyone was packed we held a war council to decide whether to short circuit our original plan and high tail it for Licola and home, or to head north to the Howqua River, Mount Buller, Mansfield and then home. The original plan won, so, leaving a few Tulluts behind, we headed off.

No longer was blinding, choking dust a problem for those unfortunate enough not to be in the lead vehicle - it was raining heavily and mud quickly became the problem.

But eventually, without really enjoying the lovely Licola scenery, the six muddy and extremely tired vehicles once again bit the big smoke.

For the 12 adults and four children who endured and enjoyed six very different 4WDs, it was an Easter to be remembered.

THE OLD OFF ROADER STILL HOLDS IT’S PLACE

Motor Manual editor Tim Britten took the Jeep Cherokee through its paces to find out not much has changed.

The Jeep Cherokee wagon must rate as having one of the longest running body styles around. I’m not exactly sure how far back it goes, but I can remember seeing tests of the vehicle back in 1968. Today, it barely looks any different and that, depending on how you judge it, is either a commendation or a condemnation.

Actually it’s difficult to criticise a 4WD the wa yyou cana passenger sedan. The criteria is somewhat different. If an off roader does its job on the bush tracks, carries people comfortably and is reliable, then that should be enough. When the basic concept of 4WD vehicles have not changed significantly since WWII, there’s not a lot you can do, apart from refine. Today, perhaps, we are on the brink of something new in the off road market, with vehicles like the Pajero, or Russia’s Lada Niva but the bulk of 4WDs still follow a pretty conservative pattern.

What it comes down to is that the Jeep Cherokee can still hold its place as a family utility vehicle despite its age – in a way no sedan conceived in the 60s could hope to day, especially with the same body panels it was using 15 years ago.

When the Newpress staff organised a 4WD expedition into the Wonnangatta station for the brief Easter respite, the thought that I would be driving a manual six cylinder Jeep Cherokee met with mixed emotions. My experience with Jeeps in the past has been limited to brief encounters with Renegades, mainly on smooth, well surfaced roads and I wasn’t too sure how the mammoth flagship would cope in the rough. The Jeep would be in the company with tried and proven bush bashers like a Toyota Landcruiser and a long wheelbase Land Rover with a little interest thrown in by the inclusion of a trubo diesel Pajero, a 4x4 Ford F100 and a Lada Niva.

The whole exercise proved you can't anticipate things in advance. I had images of the field waiting for the, the Cherokee to extricate itself from a succession of awkward situations – its sheer bulk a handicap in the tight sections. If there was to be no problem there, then surely the constant re-fuelling as the Jeep drank quantities of petrol would slow the big lump of US iron right down. But this wasn’t the case at all.

To be frank, I came away from the Easter winding, weekend with a great respect for the Jeep. Off the road, it was a big, comfortable behemoth you felt could take on anything. On the highway it cruised easily, more quietly that any 4WD this side of a Range Rover, with only the super low geared super light steering showing the vehicle’s heredity.

The size of the thing proved to be one major advantages. Where everyone else on our expedition loaded up with a full range of camping gear, including a fascinating array of tents in all shapes and sizes, I simply in the back of the wagon. To do that need to remove the rear seat which is a 5 minute job and once done, there's acres space.

For travelling, the cherokee has the sort of seating capacity you only get in an American car. Not only do you have a vast amount of leg room. front and rear, you can also fit three lanky, wide shouldered sons of Australia in the back, and have leg room to spare.

Cruising the Princes Highway through to Heyfield in Gippsland, then negotiating winding narrow bitumen road through to Licola, the Jeep felt like a big sedan. The olde-worlde feel came through the chassis with its solid leaf-sprung axles front and rear. No doubt a certain amount of unsprung weight was bouncing around down there so the ride was not exactly European. Then again it wasn't your traditional American float down the freeway, either, largely due to the heavy-duty, nature of the beast.

Six cylinder versions of the Cherokee get a manual five speed transmission, top having an overdrive 0.76:1 ratio to cut down noise and improve fuel economy. Five ratios in a big American 4WD Wagon with heaps of torque may seem rather incongruous, but it makes sense, even off-road, when you've got ten effective ratios to choose from.

Bitumen performance of the Cherokee saw a strong division between handling and road holding. The low-geared, super-light power steering took some getting used to and even though the Jeep clung, to the road in an acceptable fashion you couldn't really appreciate it because the helm never gave any indication of where the wheels were pointing.

But if the Cherokee had its shortcomings as a highway sportscar, off-road you quickly forget about these. With its super-low reduction of 2.62:1, the big American had the gearing to run up cliffs at idle, then run d own a gain in low first without touching the brakes. Wheels are only 15 inches, but the fat Wrangler radials provide heaps of grip and found the Jeep running through rough patches that would stop the Landy, without a touch of wheelspin. To be fair, we did discover after the Land Rover bogged down in a couple of ridiculous places, that the driver was using tyre-bursting pressures and things improved markedly after we dropped about 20 psi at each wheel.

Manoeuvrability of the Cherokee was something of a surprise. Turning circle, at 11 ½ metres, is quite reasonable for a vehicle that's 4.7 metres long, and you can make the best of it through the light steering and the ability to get lock-on quickly.

There's no question about the Jeep's rugged nature with its full perimeter chassis, heavy-duty leaf springs and two solid axles, but that means it doesn't have the long-travel softness of a Range Rover. The long wheelbase helps the ride, but you can always feel the big ones coming back at you on rocky tracks such as those that abound in the Wonnangatta area.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of all was the fuel mileage returned by the Cherokee after its three-day jaunt into the mountains. Overall, mixing highway cruising with a solid two days of 4WD work, the figure worked out to 15.7 litres per 100 kilometres, or 18 mpg - much better than we expected, and giving the big Jeep a respectable touring range. One thing to remember, though, like any modern car, the venting system used in the fuel tank means the last few litres when you're filling up, will come very slowly. If the pump attendant gives up after the first click of the auto bowser, you'll be way short of the vehicle's actual capacity. If you're patient, and squeeze every last drop into the 81.4 litre tank, you'll be rewarded with a very handy cruising range of around 500 km.