All you need to know about Outback trip planning

The ‘big sky’ country of Australia’s Outback is one of the most captivating parts of the world.

We might not be able to holiday overseas right now, but we Aussies have arguably the best place in the world to have a camping holiday with a 4x4 right here in our own back yard.

It’s a big back yard though, and you’ve probably heard the stories of people breaking down in the remote Outback and not making it back out again…

Without proper planning, the risk of getting lost or stranded hundreds of kilometres from civilisation is a very real one.

Yet it doesn’t have to be that way. You can have a great Outback experience you’ll never forget – so long as you put in the time for planning.

The key things you’ll need to consider in the months before you go include 4WD driver training, trying camping locally first, prepping your vehicle, allowing enough time, and dealing with accommodation and other bookings.

If you think of a transfer case as an employee wanting to work elsewhere, then get a 4WD driver training course under your belt.

Such a training session is even a good idea for seasoned four-wheel drivers as a refresher.

It will give you practical four-wheel drive training and experience in off-road terrain such as soft sand, mud, steep tracks and water crossings.

We won’t delve too deep into 4WD vehicle preparation – that’s a subject that needs to be dealt with by itself.

But if you intend to steer off the tarmac for any considerable period, your 4x4 needs at the very least some tougher tyres, such as all-terrains (A/T), preferably in a light-truck construction.

Book your vehicle in for a service in the weeks before you go. Aside from fresh fluids and filters, if brake pads or tyres are anywhere near the end of their service life, make sure they are replaced.

Don’t forget you’re going to be adding thousands of kilometres to the odometer, and some of it on hard-going corrugations and the like.

Your whole trip depends on your vehicle being reliable; it has to be in top condition for a trip like this.

A way to test out your 4x4 driving skills, camping readiness and trip planning is to try a few days bush camping not far from home.

This will either give you and your family a bigger thirst for longer trips into the deep Outback, or make it obvious that the sandflies, pit toilets and potentially days without a wash are not for you.

You’ll soon work out exactly what sort of camping compromises the family will be happy to make. If the only stars everyone is happy with is five stars, you might have to reconsider your plans for a Simpson Desert crossing.

Perhaps a camper trailer or caravan might be enough of a step up from tent camping for everyone in the family.

You might think that an Outback camping trip is sure to be a cheap one, compared to travelling overseas. But that’s not always the case.

Fuel bills quickly add up when you’re travelling the thousands of kilometres you need just to get to and from the Outback, and fuel costs a lot more in remote areas.

If you’re travelling from the south-east metro regions to central Australia, for example, you’ll spend at least $2000 in fuel in a large 4WD towing a camper for the whole trip.

Food is much more expensive the further you get from metro areas too, and even a campsite is not always necessarily going to be cheap.

While not a direct cost, prepping your 4x4 with a service, new tyres and buying any extra camping gear you’ll need also adds up.

The winter months are best for travelling in central Australia and further north. The summer months are too hot in the desert, and in the tropical north roads are often impassible due to the ‘big wet’ flooding.

The winter months in the desert are not always ‘shorts and t-shirt’ weather. The nights can get cold, so allow for warm clothing and bedding.

Be realistic about how far you can go with the time you have for a 4WD Outback holiday.

It’s easy to forget that travelling times are much longer in the bush, as everything is much further away than on the east-coast urban centres.

For many living in Australia’s south-east for example, it can take three solid days’ driving just to get to the Red Centre, never mind the Kimberley.

While you might love driving and don’t mind a long day or three to get somewhere worth going to, the family might not.

Travel times will be slower on rough Outback dirt roads than the highways, so factor that in when making travel time estimates.

You might also be surprised by how tiring driving in the Outback can be. If you’re towing a heavy caravan, that alone requires much more concentration than you’d think.

Then there is the need to be on the constant lookout for stray wildlife. While it is not recommended to travel at night for this reason, even during the day you will find wildlife trying to occupy the same piece of road you’re on.

Plan to break up the trip more, and if you don’t have time, don’t plan to go as far. For example, if you live in Melbourne and always wanted to see the Kimberley, don’t do it if you only have two weeks off.

You will spend most of that two weeks solidly driving. You’ll need a holiday to get over the holiday.

No matter how far you go, it’s going to be a long trip for the kids. Organise plenty of in-car entertainment, and don’t rely on a mobile phone signal to do it.

Just remember that it’s likely you won’t often have mobile reception on the road, so the kids won’t be streaming movies using cellular data (unless, of course, you remember to download it beforehand).

Speaking of a mobile signal, get used to not having one. There will be many stretches of Outback where there will be no signal.

A UHF radio is a must if you stray off the highway, but ultimately it is limited in range and usefulness in an emergency situation.

Outback communications is a topic that needs to be treated on its own, but the basics are this: a satellite phone and/or a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) are important items to have if you’re intending to travel deep into the Outback and there’s an emergency.

You should also give someone at home your itinerary and check in with them regularly.

Work out your vehicle’s touring fuel range – remembering it’ll be shorter than usual if you’ve got a loaded roof rack or are towing a camper or caravan.

Having a 300km-plus distance between towns – between anything, in fact – is not unusual. So any town you’re passing through in more remote areas is a good one to stop at and top-up the tank.

The same applies to food and water. Make sure you regularly check that you have enough provisions, and stock up if required as you go. A Mars Bar and a can of Coke won’t be enough if you’re stuck for two days broken down before help arrives.

Before deciding on any particular Outback destination, read as much as possible about the area you intend to visit.

A lot can change in the bush, from weather conditions to fuel and food availability, as well as accommodation.

For up-to-date road information, check the websites for the government agency relevant to the area.

The websites or social media pages of nearby businesses such as roadhouses could tell you if, for example, there’s a big event planned for when you intend to stay – meaning there will be more pressure on facilities such as accommodation.

One reason to plan well ahead for an Outback trip is the strain on any sort of accommodation at popular destinations during the peak winter season.

In these periods, it’s important to book even just a camping spot ahead of your visit.

If you think you’ll be fine with bush camping, check that the area you’re planning to visit actually has such facility – there are not as many free camp areas as you might think in the Outback, unless you’re well off the beaten track.

Also check the school holidays dates for the state you’re going to, as those times will be busier, especially if within a few hours’ drive of a large urban centre (such as Litchfield National Park, a few hours down the road from Darwin).

You may need to buy permits to be allowed to enter particular areas, such as desert parks, so where possible, do that before you go.

Solo remote desert expeditions are not recommended for the newcomer. Such remote-area travel takes trip planning to a whole new level.

You will need to accurately estimate total fuel, water and food supplies, and plan ahead for obtaining provisions at drop-off points if you think you’ll run out.

With a bit of 4WD touring experience under your belt and a well-set-up vehicle, an Australian Outback tag-along tour is a good taste-test for seeing such more remote areas.

You’ll have the safety back-up of guides who know the area and know what to do if things go wrong.

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