Discovery 5 & TuffAnt Kakadu Wheels Combination on Moreton Island: Trip Report

Moreton Island, Queensland, Australia

Just off the coastline of Brisbane Australia, lies Moreton Island; a sand island famed for its steep sand dunes, pristine beaches, and intriguing shipwrecks. It's a favourite destination for the TuffAnt crew, but this time TuffAnt co-founder, Natassia Pomroy, embarked on a 4-day solo adventure taking the Discovery 5 fitted with the brand new TuffAnt Kakadu 18's.

"It all began with a 2:45am alarm. Yes, you read that right. The 4:30am Moreton ferry waits for no one, so I had to get up at stupid o'clock to ensure I made it on time. Typically, I would drop tyres to 18psi for sand exploring, but we've had a dry spell lately, and trip reports hinted that the sand was exceptionally soft in places. To play it safe, I opted for 16 psi. Some folks on the ferry were going as low as 10 psi!

There were definitely a few sand traps around the island that caught some people unawares, especially those with higher psi. Every person I spoke to who was bogged had higher than 16psi, generally in the range of 18-22psi.

Although I've had many sand adventures, this was the first time I was taking the Discovery 5. Unsurprisingly, the Discovery 5 was an absolute powerhouse. So comfortable. So capable. Although at one point, the car did feel like it was trying to dig into the sand. A quick check revealed the sneaky DSC, dynamic stability control, had managed to turn itself back on... Rookie error! (shhh) I switched it off, and just like that, the D5 was back to gliding effortlessly over sand.

Featured wheels for this adventure were the brand-new TuffAnt Kimberley 18" alloys, wrapped in Falken Wildpeak 285/65r18. Totally love this combo. As for settings, I used Sand terrain response, DSC off, and offroad height. High-range was fine on compact sand, but when the terrain got a bit more demanding, Low-range took the stage. The Discovery 5 certainly looked like it was handling the wombat holes and soft sand a lot easier than other vehicles, although it's entirely possible I am biased. Packing for this trip was a breeze - essential tools, 4WD recovery gear, and of course, the TuffAnt marquee (because why not, right?). I kept it super chill and super lightweight with just a hammock tent, a chair, and an esky. No fridges or solar panels needed with a trip and gear like this. Low key, low stress.. Just explore and chill. My four days of pure island bliss was magic."

Stay chill, stay Tuff, and keep those adventures rolling! #LetsGo