Servicing the area from Tweed Heads in the north to Grafton in the south and west to Tenterfield, Opposite Lock Northern Rivers is centrally located in Ballina, just off the Pacific Highway on Southern Cross Drive at the entrance to Ballina’s industrial estate.

Due to officially open on Friday 26 February, 4x4 enthusiasts should have no trouble finding the new Opposite Lock store. Brightly clad in OL’s red and white corporate colours, the 500 square metre showroom/workshop will be surrounded by outdoor displays of off-road campers and camping gear and graced by four fully-outfitted ‘demo’ vehicles.
The man behind all the activity is local 4x4 identity Frank Stoffels.

Well known for his Off Road Odyssey remote-area 4x4 expeditions, Frank and wife Ruth will form the core of Opposite Lock Northern Rivers’ staff, ably assisted by their son David and Dean Quinlivan both of whom are qualified automotive technicians and four-wheel-drive specialists.

"We’re very excited about opening Opposite Lock Northern Rivers," said Frank. "With Off Road Odyssey firmly established we’d been thinking about moving into the accessory side of the 4x4 industry for some time, and getting involved with Opposite Lock offered us an absolutely ideal means of doing just that."

Frank sees Opposite Lock’s reputation as a supplier of tried and proven products as being one of the business’ main strengths.

"We’ve talked to the local 4x4 clubs, and spoken to countless four-wheel-drivers, and they all back up something I’ve always believed myself … that reliability is everything. The message we’ve received—loud and clear—from everyone is ‘no failures, no comebacks’.

"We’ve really taken that to heart. Our intention is to give our customers the right advice, offer them products that are right for their needs, and provide the best possible technical support and service. I’d like to think that people will come to see us as a friendly, responsive supplier of reasonably-priced quality 4x4 accessories."

Opposite Lock Northern Rivers won’t just sell accessories though. With a modern two-hoist, four-bay workshop, Frank hopes the Ballina business will be kept busy fitting accessories and fettling customers’ 4x4s.

"We’ll be offering our customers a complete service … a ‘one-stop 4x4 shop’ where they can have accessories fitted, get their vehicles prepared for trips, and where they can be sure of having repairs and maintenance carried out to the high standard of reliability you expect from your 4x4."

Frank and the family don’t plan to spend all their time in the store though. As you’d expect from a man that’s been making a living running expeditions into remote areas of Australia, Frank has a few outings planned for OL Northern Rivers customers.

"We’ve been running expeditions into the Simpson Desert, the Sturt Stony Desert, the Strzelecki, Tarari and Cobbler Deserts, the Lake Eyre region and the Flinders Ranges—places where you need fairly advanced skills— for around 15 years now," said Frank.

"We intend to keep doing that, but we’ll also be running a lot of weekends away closer to home. There’s an awful lot of adventure to be had in the Great Dividing Range and up and down the coast here … this region has enormous potential for four-wheel-driving."

Helping OL Northern Rivers customers make the most of that potential, Frank will also be holding one-day courses in basic four-wheel-driving, safety, vehicle preparation and maintenance.

"We really want to offer 4x4 enthusiasts as much as we can," said Frank. "I’m really looking forward to meeting the people, talking 4x4s, and showing off Opposite Lock’s range of products. We’ve got a GQ turbodiesel Patrol, an 80-Series Cruiser and a GQ ute that are all fully loaded with Opposite Lock accessories, and we’re building up a short-wheelbase MQ Patrol to show just how much you can do with an older 4x4.

"If you’re in the area and you’re into 4x4s you really should come and see them. Drop by and talk to us at 6 Southern Cross Drive, Ballina, or give us a call on (02) 6681 5300."