Written by Kerrie Alexander
Ashley Needham was behind the wheel of his dad’s Ferguson tractor and FJ40 ute from a young age, navigating muddy tracks and terrain on the family’s property in Papua New Guinea.
Four-wheel-driving, combined with a passion for bush walking, hiking and camping, just runs through the veins of the owner of Fraser Dingo 4WD Adventures in Hervey Bay.
This massive part of his childhood ultimately led to establishing one of Hervey Bay’s biggest and long-standing 4WD adventure businesses.
“When I look back, I think I’ve had about 10 lives,” Ashley said with a laugh.
“Where I grew up was pretty rough on a tropical island in the middle of nowhere. I had the best childhood ever.
“Dad used to put me on the tractor, and he’d be in his office doing bookwork and I’d be driving this thing around and around the property with only a small gap where I would drive between our yard and a cliff face that went straight down … there was no cotton wool for me.
“I progressed to a short-wheel-based FJ40 with three Ford gears, and I’m sure the brakes weren’t that great in it.
“In the wet season I’d test myself trying to get through the tracks and it gave me great driving experience.”
One of Ashley’s most memorable experiences was a trip to the Red Centre in Central Australia in his 20s, with all his family on a self-guided 4WD convoy through desert plains, rocky gorges, mountain ranges and camping at Ayres Rock.
“We camped at Ayres where the whole Azaria Chamberlan thing happened, so we called ourselves the “Dingo Crew” with the cars being named Dingo 1, 2, 3, 4 etc.
“And now every morning when we’re sending out the tours it’s dingo 1, 2, 3 and so on. It’s weird how that all happened.”
The qualified National Park Ranger has had a variety of outdoor-based jobs over the years but in 2010 came one of his biggest adventures and challenges yet.
While driving buses for a local tour company on K’gari, Ashley was constantly stopped by people on self-drive tours to give directions, help with getting the right tyre pressure or answering general 4WD questions that should have been covered by the hire companies’ safety briefings.
It was right at the time too many accidents by self-drive tourists forced the Government to introduce regulated tag-a-long tours which meant that only drivers over 21 could drive a vehicle in a convoy behind an experienced guide.
Ashley felt there was room in the market for someone with his experience and knowledge.
Someone who would really take the time to make sure his guests had the best experience but also had the knowledge they needed to safely tackle the biggest Heritage-listed sand island in the world.
“So, it was a golden opportunity to enter the market,” Ashley said.
Ashley started Fraser Dingo 4WD adventures from a small shed in Urangan with options for hiking, with or without camping gear and a handful of vehicles for self-guided tours.
His wife Jane continued her full-time job as an art teacher to keep the couple financially afloat while the business got off the ground.
Ashley said it was a tough gig being the new kid on the block.
He was determined to build a business on the premise of safety and offer something unique to those wanting to fully experience the magic of K’gari.
Ashely’s own hour briefing is complimented by the mandatory Government DVD which could potentially save lives for people who have never driven on sand before.
They have even created a safety briefing option for the hearing impaired and translation sheets for non-English speaking guests.
“From the get-go, we have always done a very thorough safety briefing with our customers, and they have been extremely thankful for that.
“If they have a good experience they will come back and recommend you.
“We do a full, complimentary itinerary for the guests so they know where to be, how to drive to the tides and know how long it will take to get from point A to B.
“Then we get them home closer to the ferry at the end of their trip.”
The business continued to grow, the fleet of vehicles got bigger as Ashley introduced their signature product called The Couples 4wd Camper – a self-contained 4WD with a double bed and all equipment provided.
Jane said that’s when things really fired up.
“We came into the market with a five-seater 60 series Landcruiser and the Couples Camper with a bed in the back.
“We were innovative at the time and it’s still working. We are the only ones that offer that.
“It’s Ashely’s resilience that has kept us going and his foresight to be innovative enough to stay ahead of the game,” Jane said.
“It has been a constant evolvement and we’re always constantly improving,” Ashley added.
“There was no rule book about 4WD hire so I just had to teach myself and I just never gave in.
“There were so many times when I was up against a brick ball with Covid and fires, but we just kept going.”
The business also gained the permits to do the guided tagalong tours in 2014 and now, 14 years on since opening, it’s thriving.
So much so that Jane left her teaching job to work alongside Ashley, and even Jane’s daughter Ayeisha has been involved as a powerhouse behind their social media and marketing campaigns.
The fleet of four-wheel-drives has now grown to about 30 and the ever-growing team offer a great range of options for youth adventures (backpackers), families, couples and singles from all over the world to discover K’gari.
The business now operates out of purpose-built facility in Urangan where the bookings, vehicle cleaning and mechanical repairs are all done on site.
Jane said it was imperative to remain innovative and offer a great range of options for their guests like camping with or without hire equipment, hiking with or without a guide, and Luxury Hiking where the guests just sit back at night and relax in deluxe accommodation, enjoy gourmet meals and private 4WD transfers.
They are also the only business to hold a permit for pack-free camping hikes.
Both Ashley and Jane absolutely adore K’gari and love hearing about their guests’ positive experiences after their adventure.
“It is one of the most amazing places in the world to walk,” Ashley said.
“I have walked all over the world, and I tell people it just doesn’t get any better than this.
“Every place on K’gari has its own special magic and it changes every day over there.”
The couples’ favourite spots are Lake Boomanjin and the Valley of Giants.
“We go through that area a lot on our walks, and we just sit there and listen to the abundance of bird life. There is an amazing amount of birds there,” Jane said.
“It has an amazing body of water and people don’t usually swim in there a lot so it’s a really lovely space.
“The Valley of Giants is also a really special space that we love to show to the hikers,” Ashley added.
“Walking in from the Happy Valley end from the M12 to M11, is just amazing.
“There are trees in the forest that are absolutely huge that just go on and on.
“It’s an amazing spot.”
So, if you are looking for a truly unique way to experience K’gari be sure to visit http://www.fraserdingo4wdhire.com.au
“I really enjoy meeting all the different types of customers and providing a service that ends with them being on cloud nine at the end of their trip,” Ashley said.
“That’s when you know you’ve done a good job.”