Specialist instructors teach women to drive 4WD cars

I borrowed a Jeep. Yes, a Jeep. And I'm about to learn how to drive it. Moreton Island's pristine white beach shimmers in the heat haze and sunlight bounces off the vehicles behind me. Every one of them is being driven by a woman. We are on a Dirty Girls 4x4 Weekend and there is not a husband or boyfriend in sight.

Soon these trips will be run by female instructors but for now the trail masters are guys. One of them walks up to my window, eyeing off the track in front of us. It is steep and narrow and piled high with deep, soft sand. He recommends a longer run up. I reverse then grip the steering wheel with steely determination and something close to terror.

"Drive it like you stole it!" he says.

Whoops fill the air as I floor the accelerator and hit the track at speed. Sand sprays high into the sky. I am slipping and sliding in all directions but there is nothing to be scared of. I am in control and it feels fantastic.

The Dirty Girls 4x4 convoy is ready to roll. Picture: Ryan Lennon

I still find it hard to believe that I didn't get stuck on that track but even if I had it wouldn't have mattered. When you are on a 4WD group tour there is always someone to help you out.

Organiser Bob Muller says the ladies-only Dirty Girls 4x4 Weekends came about when a group of women on a regular 4WD trip were enjoying each other's company so much they suggested a "girls only" getaway. Like most great ideas, you can't help but wonder why someone didn't think of it sooner.

Some of my fellow Dirty Girls are here for a fun weekend with their friends. Others want to learn how to 4WD without a male back seat driver. For most of us it is a bit of both.

I am a complete novice when it comes to driving a 4x4 so it is a relief when an instructor offers to jump in the passenger seat. The 30 minute trip from the car ferry to our Bulwer campsite gives me some much needed experience and is filled with useful hints and tips. We also stop to help the girls who get bogged. Getting stuck is treated as a learning opportunity and no one is made to feel embarrassed.

It’s not called a dirty weekend for nothing. The Pink Wrangler enters the mud bath.

Dirty Girls 4x4 Weekends are run by the Leo Muller Group but you don't need to be a customer to join the fun. Or the owner of a fancy 4WD. Along with Jeeps in every colour of the rainbow there are sturdy 4x4s which have seen better days and even a flat-bed ute on our trip.

Age is no barrier either. Our group includes women of all ages, from a teen who is still on her Ps to a lively group of over sixties. They missed out on the last Dirty Girls trip because it booked out in two hours. This time they put their names down early.

Our "glamping" accommodation is ideal for ladies after a relaxing overnight stay. Each tent sleeps from 2 to 4 people and has a toilet, shower, proper beds and an attractive wooden deck. We have time to settle in before enjoying a barbecue lunch. This is followed by a drive along the beach and a guided snorkel tour around the Tangalooma wrecks.

All the crew on the Dirty Girls 4x4 Weekend at Moreton Island Lighthouse. Picture: Ryan Lennon

Everything from vehicle permits to champagne is included in the trip. We enjoy a glass of bubbly then pile into a 4WD bus and let someone else do the driving to North Point. The setting sun sparkles on the water and the drinks flow freely as we share tales of our adventures and wriggle our toes in the sand. An impressive selection of biscuits, gourmet cheeses and dips ensures no one goes hungry.

After a raucous trip back to the campsite with the stereo cranked up loud we sit down to a three course dinner and live music from internationally acclaimed band Sons of Midnight. The next morning we hone our 4x4 driving skills in preparation for the speed run up the narrow track.

Before the trip my biggest fear was getting bogged but it only happens once when we are parking on the beach near Honeymoon Bay. Once again the instructor has good advice. Should I start digging or go for a swim? He smiles and throws me a towel.

Need to know

Dirty Girls 4x4 Weekends start at $220 and include one night in a glamping tent, all meals plus sunset canapes and dinner with champagne, wine and soft drinks, a guided snorkelling tour of the Tangalooma wrecks, vehicle transfers and permits and a Survival Kit with a T-shirt, cap, lip balm and snacks. Boys Only and Family Friendly Jamborees are also available.

The stunning scenery over Honeymoon Bay. Picture: Tiana Templeman

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