Telegraph Line: Issue 16

G’day all,

It’s been sometime between editions of the Telegraph Line. It has been a very busy 6 months at Expedition 134 and on a personal front.

On a personal note, some of you are aware that my Brother James “Jim” McKenzie passed away suddenly from a heart attack, at the age of 47 in late 2021 leaving behind his spouse Maree and 14 year old daughter Heather. It has been a shock to the Family and a huge hole to fill. Jim was a mentor and confidant to me, a loving son to my parents Bruce and Lindsay, a wonderful spouse to Maree and most importantly a fantastic Father to Heather.

Jim was great supporter of Expedition 134 in a way only a great brother could be. In fact, many of the Expedition 134 boxes in the hands of customers were quality controlled by Jim when he would volunteer his time to come and help out at a production run. Jim was such a supporter, he would often randomly go and buy an Expedition 134 box from one of his local retailers and rave about them to the shop employee or owner serving him. Can’t ask for better support when you are trying to get your business and product off the ground.

Kari, Angus and I were very fortunate to have Jim and Heather visit us in Cairns in June 2021 as they continued a wonderful trip up into Cape York. Jim had always wanted to get up the Cape, but until last year with his business and family commitments it had been difficult to get the opportunity. I was able to take them on a section of their trip North and took them up through the Palmer River Goldfields exploring the pioneering heritage of Maytown and surrounds. A Great night was spent around the campfire down on the Palmer River. Camp oven Pizzas and a few quiet beverages sharing stories and catching up as siblings do. The following day was a great trip along the Old Coach Road from Maytown to Laura before a final camp. Some more camp oven cooking, rums around the camp fire sharing exploits of the Old Coach Road. Heather critiqued our vehicles and driving skills knowing full well there is always a sibling competitiveness at stake resulting in many a good laugh. Little did we know this would be the last campfire we would share.

Heather continues to rave about their trip and I think it will be a lasting memory of cherished time with her Father.

I am pleased to announce we have a container on the way to the United States. The Australian-made and owned Expedition 134 storage boxes will be available through Mule Expedition Outfitters in Seattle.

I am also pleased to announce our New Zealand supporters are able to pre-order our Expedition 134 storage boxes through 4×4 Offroad Solutions in Dunedin, New Zealand. A shipment is already on the way to Shannon and his team and Shannon tells me he has already sold 50% of the stock. These won’t last long so get in quick.

Season Two is underway with the third episode ready to drop on Youtube for the men from True North Adventures. Based in FNQ we were glad to be part of their exploits up Cape York in 2022. Learn more at True North Adventures. Make sure you subscribe to their Youtube channel.

The Expedition 134 retailer network continues to grow throughout Australia and we would like to welcome the following retailers to the family:

Jeremy from Filedbox on the NSW Central Coast custom manufactures canopies and solutions for your next adventure. Jeremy in fact was in the process of manufacturing a system to house a mutual customer’s Expedition 134 storage boxes and the rest is history. So, if you are looking for a custom solution for your vehicle give Jeremy a call at Fieldbox.

We would love to welcome Graeme Pryde at Camping Adventures Oz in Melbourne, Victoria. I met Graeme many years ago working down in Victoria and his customer service was second to none. It made sense to work with Graeme when I went down a path of creating the Expedition 134 storage boxes. Camping Adventures Oz are also the Victorian agents for Patriot Campers and Lifestyle Campers. If you are looking for a camper, camping and outdoor gear, or simply some initial advice, Graeme and his team have a wealth of knowledge.

We are pleased to have Steve Bax from Spot on Fishing Hobart – The Fishing Connection as our first retailer in Tasmania. One of his long-term employees, Andrew Large linked us up and the rest is history as they say. Multiple orders later the Expedition 134 storage boxes are a great fit with the fantastic array of products and advice Steve offers to his customers who are all focused on their outdoor pursuits.

A Second of the Spot On Group have joined us in the last week. We welcome Craig and Julie of Spot on Fishing Tackle and Outdoors Mount Gambier South Australia. They have a huge range of quality outdoor, fishing, camping gear as well as excellent advice to help you find the right gear for you. We are pleased to be working with Craig and Julie to offer the Mount Gambier region our Expedition 134 storage boxes.

In the Northern Territory we have welcomed Elite 4 x 4 who opened a few months ago and are owned by Husband and Wife team Nathan and Emily Corpus. They are the Authorised Dealer for Opposite Lock in Darwin. Nathan and Emily have been around the outdoor and 4×4 industry in the North for some time and it’s great to see them having a crack at their own business. We wish them every success and are happy to be working alongside them.

Let’s not forget about our friends in the West who have joined our Expedition 134 network. The Peel 4wd Centre is a family owned business based in Mandurah about 1hr south of Perth. They have a large range of top quality 4wd products and accessories and of course loads of advice on what best suits your needs. Pop on in and see Helen and her team to get your next adventure underway.

You can see more of our Expedition 134 retail network here.

For a limited time run only we have the Turquoise Expedition 134 storage box which is a match with the Maxtrax limited edition turquoise. Nothing like colour matching some Australian made product brands on your vehicle.

Available until stock runs out – Limited Edition Turquoise Expedition 134

Kari and I would like to thank all supporters of Expedition 134, both clients, and various industry members. We value your contributions big and small. We look forward to continuing to work with you into the future.

Regards
Nic ‘Macka’ McKenzie