Club History

The Portland Dune Buggy Club was formed in September 1969 when a need arose to have a unified voice in negotiation with various Government Departments in relation to off road Vehicle use on the Discovery Bay Sand Dune Complex. After some years of cooperation with a number of government departments involved in the management of the area, the club was granted a trial permit in the early 1970s to operate within a specific area of the dune complex. By the mid 1970s, the trial period had proved satisfactory to government, and so the area was officially declared as the "Designated Dune Buggy Area". Certain rules were put in place for its use. Among these were, apart from Parks Victoria, the PDBC was to act as the sole regulator of vehicle activity. During this time the Dunes had been proclaimed a National Park so the issuing of a permit was breaking new ground for off road enthusiasts. The Park is a broad expanse of mobile sand dunes, interspersed with vegetation outcrops. An unfettered, or unsupervised vehicle access could be a difficulty for Parks Victoria because of the remoteness of the area. Thus the club, bound by specific rules, is charged with year round supervision. A more than fifty year span of this supervisory role has proved to be an effective management tool. The Club has an excellent working relationship with Parks Victoria, in particular local Officers, and embraces the opportunity to assist with both the policing and ongoing maintenance of the Discovery Bay Coastal Park. The Club’s main focus is on family orientated social activity involving the use of off road vehicles. These may take the form of specialised dune buggies, or road going 4WDs. The accent is on the driving experience in sand, not dissimilar to acquiring driving skills on other terrain forms such as mud, snow, or steep hills.

Club History

The Portland Dune Buggy Club was formed in September 1969 when a need arose to have a unified voice in negotiation with various Government Departments in relation to off road Vehicle use on the Discovery Bay Sand Dune Complex. After some years of cooperation with a number of government departments involved in the management of the area, the club was granted a trial permit in the early 1970s to operate within a specific area of the dune complex. By the mid 1970s, the trial period had proved satisfactory to government, and so the area was officially declared as the "Designated Dune Buggy Area". Certain rules were put in place for its use. Among these were, apart from Parks Victoria, the PDBC was to act as the sole regulator of vehicle activity. During this time the Dunes had been proclaimed a National Park so the issuing of a permit was breaking new ground for off road enthusiasts. The Park is a broad expanse of mobile sand dunes, interspersed with vegetation outcrops. An unfettered, or unsupervised vehicle access could be a difficulty for Parks Victoria because of the remoteness of the area. Thus the club, bound by specific rules, is charged with year round supervision. A more than fifty year span of this supervisory role has proved to be an effective management tool. The Club has an excellent working relationship with Parks Victoria, in particular local Officers, and embraces the opportunity to assist with both the policing and ongoing maintenance of the Discovery Bay Coastal Park. The Club’s main focus is on family orientated social activity involving the use of off road vehicles. These may take the form of specialised dune buggies, or road going 4WDs. The accent is on the driving experience in sand, not dissimilar to acquiring driving skills on other terrain forms such as mud, snow, or steep hills.