ABOUT US
ON THE DIRT was created as a YouTube channel back in the first year that YouTube came into being, 2007. In those days, it was the personal YouTube account of John McCredie with a few little videos of some 4WD trips he had done with family and friends. John had always had a passion for gravel rallying and even won the Australian Rally Championship for pocket rockets in the front wheel drive 0-1300cc category. From there, this passion extended to four-wheel-driving and in 2009 John and his two sons Nathan and Jacob filmed their first 4WD Winch Comp.
The YouTube Channel soon started to grow in both popularity and size (number of videos) and was changed from the name OHM26 to ON THE DIRT. With more videos being produced and more 4wd and rally content being uploaded, the channel now has over 14,000 subscribers and almost 5 million views.
Silverado Strikes Gold – Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71
By Jon Thomson There is probably a reason why our cousins in the US call vehicles with a tray behind the cabin, trucks and not utes as we do. That is probably because, unlike our utes, their pickups are mighty big and are trucks in reality. While climbing aboard Chevy’s Silverado 1500 for the first time can be a little daunting for Aussies used to a dual cab one tonner or a Holden or Falcon ute, [...]
Team Ranga – Nissan Patrol Winch Truck
They say only a "Ranga" can call another red head a Ranga, but when your team name is Team Ranga, we may need to make an exception for these two blokes in their Nissan Patrol GU. Paul Semmens and Nathan Mills have had a few thrills and spills in their 4.8 inter-cooled turbo Patrol, sporting a few different coloured panels after repairs from previous winch events that didn't go according to plan. The truck features [...]
4WD Tyre Review – Kumho AT51’s on the Pajero and Defender
I often get asked what tyres I run on my four-wheel drive, so I thought it was about time I shared with you what I have and what I think. I have the Kumho Road Venture AT51’s on the Pajero and this is my second set of these All Terrain tyres. So straight up, for me to have bought them a second time, there must be something good about them. And based on my recommendation, we [...]
Redhead and Winwood-Smith Win Coffs Coast Rally Finale as NSW Titles Decided
The 2025 Quality Accounting Coffs Coast Rally delivered a thrilling finale to the Shamrock Haulage NSW Rally Championship, with Josh Redhead and Ray Winwood-Smith taking a hard-fought outright victory after a day of challenges, comeback drives, and championship drama on the Coffs Coast. The Redhead Motorsport crew’s weekend didn’t start smoothly. In Heat 1, their Hyundai i20 suffered engine issues that forced the team to turn off the anti-lag system, robbing the car of valuable turbo [...]
Need a Rally Fix? Here Are the Events Left for 2025!
If you’re a rally tragic, you’re in luck... there’s still plenty of high-octane action left before the year wraps up. From iconic coastal stages and flat-out forestry sprints, to multi-day endurance marathons and grassroots club challenges, the rest of 2025 is packed with unmissable events. You can expect: Sweeping forest stages that demand precision and bravery. Fast, flowing gravel roads where commitment pays off. Technical mountain climbs that test both driver and machine. Coastal blasts [...]
Rally Queensland 2025: Gympie Set to Host Mid-Season ARC Thriller
The gravel roads around Gympie are about to come alive, as the 2025 Accent Benchtops Rally Queensland gets set to host Round 3 of the Bosch Motorsport Australia Rally Championship from July 4 to 6. With the championship heating up and a bumper entry list now locked in, this year’s event promises to deliver some of the most exciting action of the season, both on and off the stages. Building on the momentum of previous years, Rally [...]
The Accent on Working Dogs at Bonalbo
It was a completely new event to all at the 2019 Accent Benchtops Working Dog Rally. A joint MTA NSW Rally Championship, Queensland Championship and East Coast Classic Rally Series event that saw 49 cars and crews take to the stages around the small northern NSW town of Bonalbo on a crisp July Saturday morning. The battle for the MTA NSW Rally Championship in particular was rejoined, as championship leaders Richard Shimmon and co driver [...]
Navara – Fierce Warrior
By Jon Thomson Australia is in love with dual cab utes, it can’t be stated more clearly than that. Once the province of tradies and council inspectors, one tonne dual cab utes are now morphing to fill so many different niches in the market these days, making them attractive for everyone from families with a couple of kids to young blokes and gals looking for an alternative sports car, to grey nomads towing caravans, off road [...]
WATCH: 2018 Holden Colorado Z71 Test Drive
Looking at the 2nd hand 4WD market for a good off-roader? This should be added to your test drive list. The Holden Colorado has become a popular choice for 4WD’ers and a car we’re seeing much more of out in the bush. Recently we had the opportunity to take a couple of 2018 Z71 models off road for a bit of a drive, and whilst it wasn’t extreme, it certainly gave them a good test. [...]
