Cape Crusader

ALICIA HAS TRANSFORMED HER WORK RIG IN TO THE PERFECT FAMILY TOURING HILUX AND IS HEADING FOR THE CAPE

- MATT RAUDONIKIS

IT’S said that you should never pass on the faults of your parents to your own children, yet, on the flip side of the coin, there is no reason not to pass on the best parts of your childhood.

Queenslander, Alicia Randall, subscribed to the latter way of thinking with fond memories of camping and four-wheel driving when she was growing up and wanting to give her own child the same great experiences.

“I purchased the Hilux brand-new when I was a single mum,” recalls Alicia. “The day I picked it up from the showroom, I went home and packed it up with our camping gear and headed off to Bribie Island on our own for a few nights.”

Living on South-East Queensland’s coast means Alicia and her family are spoiled for choices when it comes to beach camping and 4WD adventures, and that trip was the first of many exploring Bribie, Fraser, Stradbroke and Moreton Islands in the Hilux.

The 2017 SR5 Hilux was kept relatively stock for the first few years of ownership, as it served double duty for family and business usage. It was loaded up with work gear during the week and was more than up to the task of exploring the beaches on weekends.

“The Hilux had everything that I wanted in a modern car at that time,” says Alicia, “plus the capability to get me everywhere I wanted to go and also serve as a work ute.”

Inevitably, Alicia saw ways she could improve the way the Hilux serves her purposes and the modifications began in earnest.