Category Archives: 4WD

Classic Australian road trips you have to do

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There’s only one way to see most of Australia – and that’s by car. Australia’s highways are a roadmap to adventure; start your exploration with one of these classic road trips, which cover wide open roads from the red centre to the coastal fringe.

Stuart Highway from Alice Springs to Darwin, Northern Territory

This road, cutting through the heart of the country between Darwin and Adelaide, is one of the great Australian adventures. And the 1500km section between Darwin and Alice Springs is a track to the best of the Northern Territory: there’s the Devils Marbles, ancient rock formations carefully balanced on top of each other like a cheerleaders’ pyramid, the hot springs at Bitter Springs and Mataranka, the eerie termite mounds of Litchfield National Park, the waterfalls and gorges of Nitmiluk National Park … and that’s not even mentioning the charismatic roadhouses along the highway (the one at Wycliffe Well is famous for alien sightings). This is a road trip full of personality.

Great Ocean Road, Victoria

This insanely picturesque route is the Australian version of driving along the Amalfi Coast. The Great Ocean Road winds its way between tree-covered mountains and the endless rolling surf and, just like in Italy, there are charming seaside towns here too, from the barista boomtown of Lorne to the picture-perfect cottages of Port Fairy. The road starts just south of Torquay and runs for 278km along the coast past famous landmarks like the Twelve Apostles and Cape Otway Lightstation. You could drive the route in a few hours, but follow the example of the locals and chill out, slow down and enjoy the scenery.

Savannah Way from Cairns, Queensland to Katherine, Northern Territory

This bumpy road connects Queensland with the Northern Territory through the heart of the Gulf country with its river crossings and crocs – plus the odd interestingly named roadside stop, like Hells Gate Roadhouse. After leaving Cairns, the Savannah Way quickly passes through the lush Atherton Tablelands on its way to more wild and adventurous territory, like the true-blue gold-mining towns of Croydon and Normanton, which proudly displays a statue of the biggest croc ever caught. From Normanton, it’s a 700km stretch of unsealed road through some of the best barramundi-catching territory in the country on the way to Katherine. Just watch out for road trains!

Princes Highway from Sydney, New South Wales to Melbourne, Victoria

As you sit crunching your feet into the white sand of Hyams Beach at Jervis Bay, you’ll ask yourself why you ever drove the Hume Highway. While the Hume is the quickest route from Sydney to Melbourne, the 1000km meandering coastal road along the Princes Highway is by far the more interesting. It starts just outside of Sydney and rolls by the South Coast’s famously laid-back coastal towns, like Ulladulla, Jervis Bay, Eden and Lakes Entrance. You can also duck into the protected coastal environs of Royal National Park, Ben Boyd National Park and Croajingolong National Park. And if that’s not enough to convince you – there’s also good coffee.

Crossing the Nullarbor from Ceduna, South Australia to Norseman, Western Australia

Crossing the Nullarbor means driving 1200km between Ceduna in South Australia and Norseman in Western Australia across the Nullarbor Plain, a massive featureless expanse where you’ll also find the 90-Mile Straight, a 146km stretch of straight road. It’s enough to strike terror into the heart of any driver. Luckily there’s plenty to distract you along the route if you know where to look, from the 200km-long Bunda Cliffs, where the Nullarbor drops off into the ocean, to the Nullarbor Links, potentially the longest golf course in the world, where the holes are stretched out along the length of the highway. Then there are the roadhouses, peopled by outback characters and, in one case, a NASA museum. Yup, it’s fair to say that the Nullarbor is as interesting as you make it.

 

     

Top 4WD-only campsites in Australia

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4x4 Australia

Drivers, start your engines; we’ve selected the best 4WD-only campsites in Australia. You’ll find these five camping areas at the end of bumpy roads in some of the most spectacular corners of the country, from the croc-patrolled beaches of the Northern Territory to the challenging mountains of Man From Snowy River land in Victoria. This is no-frills camping, and you’ll need to be completely self-sufficient – but that’s half the fun, isn’t it?

Smith Point camping area, Garig Gunak Barlu National Park, Northern Territory 

This is just about as remote as you can get, and just about as beautiful. Garig Gunak Barlu National Park is at the very tip of the Cobourg Peninsula, and can only be accessed by boat or by a long and bumpy 4WD trek through Arnhem Land. You’ll need three permits: one to enter Arnhem Land, one to enter the national park and one to stay overnight. Oh, and you’ll have to be entirely self-sufficient. If that all sounds like a lot of effort, there are rewards aplenty for those intrepid enough to tackle the trip – including a jaw-dropping view of the Arafura Sea towards East Timor (don’t forget to keep an eye out for crocs as you stand there gawping).

Port Essington, Garig Gunak Barlu National Park, David Kirkland / Tourism NT

Port Essington, Garig Gunak Barlu National Park, David Kirkland / Tourism NT

Flinders Beach camping area, North Stradbroke Island, Queensland 

If you like your beach views slightly more accessible, Flinders Beach camping area on North Stradbroke Island, a tropical paradise only a short commute from Brisbane, might fit the bill. The camping area can only be accessed by a dirt road, or along the beach at low tide. There are 200 campsites hidden behind the dunes in the coastal shrub, and forget about the proximity to the city – this is back-to-basics self-sufficient camping. Flinders Beach camping area will provide the stupendous beach views; you’ll have to bring the rest.

North Stradbroke Island

North Stradbroke Island, Tourism Queensland

Coongie Lake camping area, Innamincka Regional Reserve, South Australia 

When you think about outback South Australia, you probably don’t think about a lake and wetland system teeming with birds and other wildlife. But that’s exactly what you’ll find at Coongie Lake, about halfway between Innamincka and Birdsville. You can set up tent right next to the impossible-seeming lake; it’s a simple camping area for the self-sufficient, and you need to leave it as you found it, so no fires or generators allowed.

Malkumba-Coongie Lakes, Wrightsair Scenic Flight

Malkumba-Coongie Lakes, Wrightsair Scenic Flight

Youdales Hut camping area, Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, New South Wales 

Youdales Hut camping area is deep in the wild country of northern New South Wales, along a 4WD-only gravel track in Oxley Wild Rivers National Park. This is a land of deep gorges, dense and misty rainforests, and epic views. You can only imagine what the early settlers who built Youdales Hut must have thought when they first saw it! Not much has changed at Youdales Hut from that time, apart from the added amenities of toilets and picnic tables. Don’t miss a plunge in one of the swimming holes at nearby Kunderang Brook.

Oxley Wild Rivers

Oxley Wild Rivers

Pineapple Flat camping area, Alpine National Park, Victoria 

If, after a long day of driving the challenging 4WD tracks along the mountains of Alpine National Park, you’re in search of a spacious and charming site to set up camp, look no further than Pineapple Flat camping area. Don’t let the name mislead you, there aren’t any pineapples or other surprising amenities here – you get toilets, water… and that’s it. Oh, and large grassy sites under shady trees, with easy access to some of the best 4WD tracks in the park.

Pineapple Flat

Pineapple Flat camping area, Lyndon Sparrow

     

Taking a 4WD tour into the heart of the Otways

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Great Otway National Park has an incredible amount of 4WD tracks, where you can really get amongst the beauty of the national park, as we see in this excerpt from Linda Lee Rathbun and Steven David Miller’s 4WD Australia: 50 Short Getaways.

Some things just are not fair. As if tiny Victoria did not already have a share of Australia’s 4WD opportunities far beyond its relative size, in 2005 a number of these were consolidated into one compact area.

Otway National Park, Angahook–Lorne State Park, Melba Gully State Park, Carlisle State Park, state forest land and crown land were all combined to form the new 103,000ha Great Otway National Park. The surrounding state forests are now the 40,000ha Otway Forest Park. Logging was phased out and ceased in 2008. Managed by Parks Victoria, this combined area swallows the Otway Range, a parade of mountains draped in forest and fringed by sea. Not only is it stunning, it is also cleaved by an astonishing number of 4WD tracks.

Look at a map of all those tracks in the combined parks, and try not to drool. This getaway begins in Anglesea, with quick access to the north-eastern end of the Otway Range and to the national park. The route follows a road that in many cases divides the forest park from the national park as it convulses and spins to the south-west. Time after time, 4WD-only tracks split from the tour route, providing additional and more demanding opportunities for fully equipped, experienced drivers with a real-deal 4WD. From No. 2 Road there is Denhams Track. From Seaview Road there is Gentle Annie Track with the chance to return on Moggs Creek Track. From Mount Sabine Road there is Garvey Track with the chance to return on Sharps Track. And all along the way, there are tracks that will take you to almost anywhere along the Great Ocean Road: Moggs Creek, Lorne, Wye River, Kennett River and Apollo Bay, to name just a few. North of the tour route are just as many tracks penetrating those sections of both the national park and forest park.

Though there is much, much more to explore, this route ends at Cape Otway. A tour of the lightstation will reveal the hypnotic tale of the many ships that crashed and burned (not to mention sank) along the coastline of Bass Strait. There is camping, koala-watching and walking on sections of the Great Ocean Walk. Stretching east and west, the Great Ocean Road promises delights galore.

Victoria’s Otways prove beyond doubt that good things do indeed come in small packages.

Tour information

Distances

• The start of the getaway at Anglesea is 111km from Melbourne.

• The getaway is 112km from Anglesea to Cape Otway, not including optional 4WD side tracks.

Duration

• You should allow 3 days for this getaway, not including time to get to Anglesea.

• A day to drive some of or the entire route from Anglesea to Cape Otway; more days can be added to complete additional 4WD tracks and to camp along the way.

• A 2nd day to spend at Cape Otway to do the fascinating lightstation tour, or for some walking and koala viewing in the park.

• A 3rd day to return home.

When to go

• When it is dry, and when the tracks are open. Late spring, summer and early autumn are the ideal times. In summer, be bushfire aware (Ph: 1800 240 667).

Road rating

• The main tourist roads are sealed.

• The mountain roads from Anglesea to the Great Ocean Rd N of Cape Otway are unsealed. There are ascents and descents, narrow sections where passing is dangerous, washouts, potholes (possibly with water), fords and/or causeways through creeks and an endless number of extreme hairpin turns.

• Numerous 4WD-only tracks branch off from this tour. Conditions can vary, but always be prepared for muddy, boggy tracks, steep ascents and descents, creek crossings and sharp hairpin turns.

Vehicle requirements

• Any 4WD, SUV or AWD will be fine on the unsealed mountain roads. For the 4WD-only tracks, a 4WD with high clearance and low range is needed.

• You should have at least 1 spare tyre in good condition and full recovery gear.

• A means of communication in case you need help; it is best to travel in a convoy of at least 2 vehicles.

• Caravans should not be towed on most of these mountain roads; camper-trailers will fare a bit better, but be prepared for a truly wild ride. The 4WD-only tracks are not suitable for towing anything.

Road conditions

• It is best not to drive on these unsealed mountain roads when they are wet; in fact, most of the 4WD tracks are closed through the winter.

• For general road conditions visit VicRoads (http://traffic.vicroads.vic.gov.au).

• For road and track closures in the park, check the Change of Conditions section of the Great Otway

National Park page at Parks Victoria (www.parkweb.vic.gov.au). Seasonal road and track closures are in force from the Queen’s Birthday long weekend (mid-June) to the Melbourne Cup Day weekend (1st weekend in Nov). This includes most of the 4WD tracks branching off the tour route.

Where to stay

• There is accommodation all along the Great Ocean Rd. From the main tour route a number of sealed roads, unsealed roads and 4WD tracks give access to the towns to the S and E. Anglesea, Aireys Inlet, Lorne, Cumberland River, Separation Creek, Wye River, Apollo Bay and Cape Otway all have caravan parks. There is also accommodation and a caravan park in Forrest to the N of Lake Elizabeth. Wildlife lovers should not miss Bimbi Park – Camping Under Koalas (Ph: (03) 5237 9246 www.bimbipark.com.au) at Cape Otway, where koalas reside in the manna gum trees.

• Parks Victoria operates numerous camping areas throughout Great Otway National Park. Facilities vary and may include picnic tables, BYO-wood fireplaces and toilets. Camping fees may be required at some camping areas and are payable at self-registration stations. Along this tour route and on side tracks, camping areas include Hammonds, Big Hill, Sharps Track, Lake Elizabeth, Beauchamp Falls, Blanket Bay and Aire River West and East.

Caravanners

• It would be best to set up camp at a caravan park in Anglesea and do the tour route from there. Otherwise, leave your caravan or camper-trailer at any of the other Great Ocean Road caravan parks, and then access sections of the tour route via the many sealed and unsealed roads or 4WD tracks.

• There are dump points at the Torquay Foreshore Caravan Park, the Anglesea Beachfront Family Caravan Park, the Lorne Foreshore Caravan Park and the Pisces Holiday Park in Apollo Bay.

What to take

• Plan to be self-sufficient with food and drinking water from Anglesea on.

• Be sure your 4WD (and your spare tyre) is in good order; you do not want to break down along these mountain roads and tracks as help is hard to come by.

• Bring a first-aid kit, prescription medication, personal items and clothing, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. If it is summer, bring swimwear. If you enjoy bushwalking, bring your hiking boots.

• Fuel should not be a problem as long as you fill up in Anglesea. Fuel is not available along the tour route; you would have to exit the route for fuel.

• Bring a gas stove and all your usual camping gear to be self-sufficient. Most of the camping areas have fireplaces where you may build a campfire unless it is fire-ban season. You must BYO wood (not to be collected in the national park).

Permits and fees

• Entry fees to the national park are not required.

• Camping fees are charged and must be paid at self-registration points at each camping area. All camping area are first-come, first-served, except for the Blanket Bay campsites which are allocated by ballot during summer and Easter holidays.

• Bookings can be made at the Bimbi Caravan Park (Ph: (03) 5237 9246 www.bimbipark.com.au) in Cape Otway (fees apply, of course).

Highlights

• The highlight of this getaway is simply the drive. To twist, turn, climb and plunge through the saturated, emerald forests of the Otway Range is perfection itself. As if that was not enough, the return drive along the Great Ocean Rd is considered one of the most scenic in Australia.

• For the more serious 4WD enthusiast, there are endless 4WD tracks splintering throughout the park. Try a few and as you become familiar with the terrain, try more!

• If time allows, explore more of the Otways from Lavers Hill, Gellibrand and Forrest.

• While your wheels will get you to many splendours, your feet will get you even further. Do not miss the walking tracks at Erskine Falls, Kalimna Falls, the Grey River picnic area, Lake Elizabeth, Beauchamp Falls, Maits Rest and at least a bit of the Great Ocean Walk along the coastline of Cape Otway.

• Sections of the 91km trek from Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles, called the Great Ocean Walk (www.greatoceanwalk.com.au) that can be done from Cape Otway include a wander along Station Beach and along the coast to Blanket Bay. standing at the northern point of the ‘Eye of the Needle’, a passage between Cape Otway and King Island where ships under sail, screaming across Bass Strait, had to navigate through to land in Victoria, safely or not: that is, without motors, radios, electronic depth sounders, weather forecasts or satellite navigation systems.

• Cape Otway presents numerous opportunities to see koalas in the wild along Lighthouse Rd. Find a safe pullout and look up, or look for people who are looking up and pull over safely to join them. The Bimbi Caravan Park has resident koalas in the manna gum trees.

• Play a round of golf with the kangaroos at the Anglesea Golf Club (Ph: (03) 5263 1582 www.angleseagolfclub.com.au).

Cautions

• You will be sharing mountain roads and tracks with hikers, bikers and horseback riders. Never travel so fast that you cannot come to a sudden stop when one of these appears before you. Always drive taking account of the conditions and with other road users in mind.

• Check the weather forecast before leaving home and do not go if the area is wet.

• A number of tracks and roads bisecting the Otways are not open to vehicles; they either are closed for revegetation or are only used by rangers as service tracks. In addition, tracks can be closed at any time for any reason; this is usually after extended wet weather. If a gate bars access, it means you should not go there!

• Rubbish bins are not provided in the camping areas; you must take your rubbish with you.

• Generators are not permitted in the national park camping areas.

• If you have no other means of communication and become stuck, you can try using your mobile phone even if you are out of range. Dial 112 then press the YES button; this is the same as 000 so it should be used only in an emergency.

 

     

Ultimate Australian dream trips

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Sunset at Uluru, Tourism NT

Sunset at Uluru, Tourism NT

What trips are on your Australian bucket list? Do you want to climb Big Red on the Birdsville Track in a 4WD? Or do you want to island hop in the Whitsundays in your own boat?

Here are six Australian trips that have captured our imaginations and catapulted to the top of our must-do lists.

Taking time off to travel Highway 1

Want to circumnavigate the world’s largest island, on one of the world’s longest highways, in one epic trip? Look no further than Highway 1.

This highway includes many iconic Australia drives, such as the Nullarbor crossing and the drive down the east coast. This isn’t a drive you should rush, as there’s much to see and do along the route. In fact, you won’t get to see everything even if you take six months the complete it.

But no matter how much time you have, things you must see include the Daintree, Cable Beach in Broome, Kalbarri National Park, the Valley of the Giants, the caves and cliffs of the Nullarbor, the beaches of Jervis Bay, dolphins off Byron Bay and the calm Gippsland lakes.

There are also sections of the road that, while not technically Highway 1, head in the same direction and are much more exciting than the main route. We recommend detouring down the Great Ocean Road in Victoria and also, if you have a 4WD, taking a drive along the Savannah Way in Queensland.

Travel the Development Road to the tip of Australia

You can’t go any further north on mainland Australia than Cape York. After travelling the bumpy and often wild Peninsula Development Road (complete with crocs and river crossings), there’s nothing more satisfying than hopping out of your 4WD and seeing the sign that announces you’ve arrived at the northernmost point of Australia. A 4WD or dirt bike are the only vehicles that can reach the tip.

Once you’ve snapped a few photos, you can stay at Punsand Bay Camping Resort, only 5 kilometres away from the tip, which has campsites lining the beautiful coast.

And after your stay, there’s nothing left to do but turn around and go back the way you came. But not without stopping at a few iconic stops along the road, including Musgrave Roadhouse. Maybe it’s time to head to the southernmost point?

Camp next to Uluru

Everything seems bigger in the centre of Australia, including Uluru. We’ve all heard stories about how big it is, but you can’t truly anticipate the scale of the rock until you’ve seen it in person.

You’ll need a bit of time to take it in, so why not set up tent at Ayers Rock Campground? Once you’ve marvelled at Uluru, keep on looking up – on a clear night in the true outback the sky gives a whole new meaning to the word big.

Spending the night at Uluru will also give you some extra time to explore other natural wonders in the region, including Kata Tjuta. After all, it’s a five hour drive back to Alice Springs, so make the most of your time at what could almost be called the spiritual heart of the country.

Houseboat on the Murray River

Houseboat on the Murray River, Tourism Victoria

Houseboat on the Murray River, Tourism Victoria

If Uluru is the heart of Australia, then the Murray River is one of its arteries. This graceful river stretches from the Australian Alps, along the border between Victoria and New South Wales, before finally ending where the river meets the sea in Goolwa, South Australia.

And the best way to experience the Murray River is on it. You can rent houseboats from many of the towns along the river and all you need is an unrestricted car license to drive a houseboat.

Meander along the river by day and park next to the riverbank at night to experience one of our greatest rivers as never before.

Tackling Overland Track in Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park

Overland Track, Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park

Welcome to the Tasmanian wilderness, an area of unparalleled beauty. Many of the places in the Tasmanian Wilderness Area remain virtually untouched. And the best way to see these places (without leaving much of a trace) is by walking in with everything you need on your back.

The Overland Track is the most famous of these walks. Traversing Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park for 65 kilometres, the walk normally takes around six days. You need to book the walk, as well as the huts along the route, as places are strictly limited. Walking through the ancient landscape, past mountains and valleys and rainforests and lakes (you really do see a lot a scenery), will give you the time to truly appreciate the landscape.

If you want to go on a walk that’s a little bit more wild, both the South Coast and Port Davey tracks trek through the protected wilderness of Southwest National Park, at the bottom of Tasmania. These walks don’t have the facilities of the Overland Track – there are no huts, visitor centre or even boardwalks. Just a lot of hard graft and spectacular nature.

Travel like the Man From Snowy River in Victoria’s High Country

Victoria’s High Country might not be home to the highest peaks in Australia (that honour goes to nearby Kosciuszko National Park, over the border in New South Wales), but it is home to some of the best outdoor adventures you’ll find in the country, including walking, mountain-biking, rafting, fishing, horse-riding and cross-country skiing, if you’re there in the right season.

Bush camping is allowed in most sections of Alpine National Park, so you can camp next to your chosen adventure.

 

     

Discover all of our camping around Australia lists

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Going camping? Find all the inspiration you need to find the perfect campsite in one of our camping lists.