Adventures magazine - Issue 2

#2 2016 $8.95 inc GST

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AUSSIE TOURING HOT SPOTS E OTWAYS H T O T U R U FROM UL AND PLENTY IN BETWEEN!

INSIDE

RED BLUFF Off-grid camping on WA’s Quobba Coast ADVICE Choosing the ultimate touring rig WATARRKA NP Experience the sheer beauty of Kings Canyon FREYCINET PENINSULA An iconic Tassie destination

TR AVEL

S AFE Mu

emesrtg-ehnave gear! cy

A true outback city in every sense, Broken Hill is a living, breathing time capsule where the great mining prosperity of yesteryear blends seamlessly with a rising modern art scene, all set amid a sprawling desert landscape.

It’s a place of huge skies, red rocky earth and a fascinating and internationally significant history. It is, after all, Australia’s First National Heritage Listed City and a lost world waiting to be discovered.

This is Australia’s most accessible outback city, so what are you waiting for?

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Your authentic Australian outback experience awaits.

Visit travelin.com.au/BrokenHill

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2016

At Camp WITH ALI MILLAR

NEW BUSINESS ADVERTISING Tel: 1300 366 651 Email: newsales@bauertrader.com.au

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PRIVATE ADVERTISING Tel: 1300 362 272 ADVERTISER SERVICES Tel: 1300 362 355 EDITOR Ali Millar EDITOR AT LARGE Max Taylor DESIGN MANAGER Danielle Beadman DESIGNER Andrew McLagan EDITORIAL AND NEWS Locked Bag 12, Oakleigh, Vic 3166 Tel: (03) 9567 4200 Fax: (03) 9567 4100 ali.millar@bauertrader.com.au

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AUSSIE DREAMING It’s the great Australian dream. No, not the one involving a suburban block, two cars in the driveway and a 9-5 job... The other one. The one that sees you following the road wherever it takes you, camping under starry desert skies, sitting by the fire with beer in hand as the sun sets, or watching it rise from behind the dunes as you set about brewing your morning coffee to the sound of the ocean.

It’s the dream of uncovering new corners of the country, the anticipation of heading down unmarked tracks, meeting people you wouldn’t otherwise meet and seeing places you would never see if you simply hopped on a plane. It’s the good old Aussie road trip. And for adventurous spirits, our country is literally overflowing with possibilities; it’s a land of diversity, of contradictions and extremes.

These are certainly the things I’ve been dreaming of as I’ve been sitting at my desk in Melbourne, putting this issue of Adventures together. Reading each story and sorting through the stack of photos from stunning locations as diverse as Queensland’s Cape Melville or WA’s Lake Ballard, it’s impossible not to feel a tinge of excitement at the possibility of hitting the road and exploring these places for myself.

I find one of the hardest parts of planning a road trip is deciding where to go – or to put it another way, coming to terms with the extensive list of places I won’t be able to get to on a given trip. But if you have the time and the inclination, there really are endless itineraries, boundless possibilities.

So where to start? This is where Adventures comes in. These pages are jam-packed with great self-drive destinations and we’ve put together a list of 20 of our favourites, scattered around the country, to inspire you to take the plunge, to pack the car, camper, van or trailer, and hit the road for the long haul.

From kayaking the striking sandstone gorges of NT’s Nitmiluk NP to watching the sunset over the pink-tinged salt lakes in Victoria’s Murray Sunset NP, if these places don’t get your feet itching, I don’t know what will.

For me, there’s something appealing in the simplicity of chucking the tent in the back of our 4WD and waking up to the sounds of the bush from the cosy confines of canvas. But dealing with guy ropes and tent pegs isn’t for everyone and, given the array of fantastic rigs available, you certainly don’t have to.

We’ve got your back on this front, too: check out page 30 for the pros and cons of touring with different rigs and page 36 for our top tow car picks.

We are only in our second issue, but there’s plenty more to come from Adventures. We aim to cover the best bits of Australia, with plenty of advice on planning and preparation, and tips to keep you out there longer.

I hope you find some inspiration from within these pages to make the road your home for a while. See you at camp!

- Ali

SUBSCRIPTIONS Tel: 136 116 Fax: (02) 9267 4363 Web: magshop.com.au Reply Paid 4967, Sydney NSW 2001

FOR ADVERTISING TERMS & CONDITIONS GO TO: www.bauertrader.com.au Adventures is published by Bauer Trader Media, a division of Bauer Media Limited. ACN 053 273 546, ABN 18 053 273 546. All material in Adventures is protected by the Commonwealth Copyright Act, 1968. No material may be reproduced without written consent. *Recommended maximum retail price. Distributed by Network Services. Printed by APN Print, QLD. Adventures does not solicit, nor would it accept, payment for editorial commentary within its pages. All features are completely independent and reflect the opinion of the individual writer.

Sometimes simple is best: minimalist camping at Murray Sunset NP’s Pink Lakes, Vic.

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EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE SOMETHING SOMETHING MORE MORE VISIT TURU.COM.AU VISIT TURU.COM.AU BEFORE YOU BEFORE GO YOU GO

The most comprehensive The most comprehensive listing of listing of holiday parks,holiday camping parks, grounds camping and grounds and cabins in Australia. cabins in Australia.

Visit turu.com.au Visitbefore turu.com.au you go.before you go.

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Contents

Canunda NP, SA pg 17

T R AV E L

08 20 TOURING HOT SPOTS 42 RED BLUFF, WA 50 BARRINGTON TOPS, NSW 66 PINK ROADHOUSE, SA 72 WATARRKA NP, NT 80 FREYCINET NP, TAS Put these on your bucket list!

Rustic coastal camping

High Country adventures

Take a break at Oodnadatta

An unforgettable Red Centre oasis

Finding solitude on Tassie's famed peninsula

ADVICE

30 CHOOSING YOUR RIG 36 TOP TOW VEHICLES 58 EMERGENCY PLANNING 86 SETTING UP YOUR 4WD 94 BRIGHT IDEAS 96 GEAR TESTS Which RV is right for you?

You've got the RV, now the car...

Safety tips and gear for remote area travel

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58

Must-do pre-trip inspections

Tried-and-tested tips from true campers

The greatest gear to help you get out there

ON THE COVER

The dusty road into Purnululu National Park, WA, aglow in the late afternoon light.

(Pic: Ellen Dewar) 6

ADVENTURES

#2 2016

20

AUSSIE TOURING HOT SPOTS FROM ULURU TO THE OTW AYS AND PL ENTY IN BETWEE N!

INSIDE

RED BLU ADVIC FF Off-grid cam E Choosin ping on WA’s Quo WATA g the ultim bba Coa RR ate st FREYCIN KA NP Experien touring rig ce ET PE NINSU the sheer beauty LA An icon of Kings Canyon ic Tassie destinat ion

$8.9 5

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SAAFVEL E

M emuerst-have geagr!ency

inc GST

An Advertising Feature l Griffith NSW

GRIFFITH...

Griffith, a thriving regional capital is fast becoming a destination for foodies.

The region grows 90% of Australia’s rice and prunes, makes one in every four glasses of Australian wine and grows Australia’s sweetest navels.

Add to this significant production of chickens, truss-tomatoes, olives, almonds and walnuts and it is little wonder Griffith is fast becoming a destination for foodies.

Designed by Walter Burley Griffin, Griffith boasts radial patterns, parks and a beautiful tree-lined main street, one of the longest in the country. The shopping strip is dominated by alfresco dining at authentic Italian cafes serving excellent coffee, pizza, gnocchi and local wine. Boutique frock shops, beauticians and shoe shops are a further feature of the main street.

Banna Avenue is a hub of activity during the day and lively with couples and families out to dinner in the evening.

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Spoilt for choice it’s a vibrant cafe strip, capturing the many cultures of the community and featuring the toils of the region on the table.

Affectionately known as ‘Little Italy’ 60% of the population of Griffith claim Italian heritage and traditions such as salami making, preserving olives and sauce days are important family gatherings. Delicious locally made salami, oils, jams and pickles are available at the weekly Sunday markets direct from the makers, or through local outlets.

Griffith, synonymous with wine, produce and welcoming people, is a delightful place to spend a few days.

Contact the staff at the Griffith Visitor Information Centre on 1800 681 141 for a Griffith discovery guide, or visitgriffith.com.au

17 GRIFFITH EVENTS - 20 April 14-16 Griffith Easter Party May 12-13 Riverina Field Days June 10-12 Sikh Games August 27 Festa delle Salsicce October 8-21 Griffith Citrus Sculptures October 13-16 Festival of Gardens October 14 Multicultural Festival

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the Agricultural Powerhouse of the Riverina

visitgriffith.com.au

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Road

TRIPPING

Australia has an amazing array of jaw-dropping destinations for self-drive travellers doing the long haul.

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s anyone planning a round-Oz tour will know, when it comes to making all-important decisions about where to go, there’s countless diverse and interesting places you could include on your itinerary.

Whether you want to spend time relaxing by the beach, jumping into crystal-clear rock pools at the base of cascading

falls, clambering through red-rock gorges, exploring below dense canopies of rainforest or camping on the edge of an arid salt plain, Australia is simply overflowing with possibilities.

It’s also renowned for its huge distances – long hours in the car on dead straight outback highways, winding coastal roads, spine-tingling corrugations and dusty desert tracks, where good company, an excellent playlist and effective airconditioning may well be considered essential. And while the journey can certainly be as exciting as the destination,

after hundreds of kays, it sure helps if there’s a top spot at the end of the road to look forward to.

By no means could we possibly list all the amazing places ripe for exploration around this country of ours, but we’ve pulled together a list of some of our favourites to help with planning your next big trip and to provide a little inspiration for the road ahead.

Some are great Aussie icons, while others could easily fly under the radar but regardless, all have something unique to offer intrepid travellers.

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WORDS EMMA RYAN PICS ELLEN DEWAR

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Francois Peron NP, WA

Francois Peron NP is a pristine wilderness area where red earth crumbles into turquoise water.

FASTFACTS GETTING THERE

Francois Peron NP is located 830km north of Perth.

ACTIVITIES

4WDing, beachfront camping, snorkelling, wildlife viewing, soaking in the artesian hot tub.

STAY

At Gregories Campground for the beautiful sunset views.

MORE INFORMATION

www.parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/park/francoisperon 10

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he stark contrast between the outback countryside and the brilliant blue sea leaves you in awe as you head along the Monkey Mia Road from Denham, WA, towards Francois Peron National Park (NP). It is but a preview of the beauty that awaits you inside the national park, so named in honour of the French naturalist who documented much of the region’s flora and fauna between 1801 and 1803.

Have a quick poke around the old Peron Homestead at the park's entrance, where you can take a self-guided tour through the shearers’ quarters and woolsheds and bathe in the 40-degree artesian hot tub.

Then it's time to put down the tyres and start exploring the park itself.

Make the tip of the cape your destination, where red rock rolls into still blue water like a crimson tidal wave frozen in time. But take your time and enjoy a couple of detours along the way.

You will spend a good half-hour bouncing along the blood-red sandy track whose long straights and gentle rises are broken up intermittently by large, flat gypsum claypans. Over time, several of the outer clay pans have been flooded with sea

water, forming huge circular lagoons that are surely nature’s best attempt at resortstyle swimming pools. Turn left to visit the biggest of the pools, the rather aptly named Big Lagoon. If driving on sand is your bag, you’ll get a serious kick out of the track to the lagoon.

The cape looks out over Shark Bay, and the crimson red rocks that Francois Peron NP is famous for. Shark Bay earns its World Heritage status in a number of ways, but one is its flourishing sea grass banks which sustain one of the world’s largest concentrations of dugongs.

Keep an eye out and you might see them breach lazily in the background as you take your happy snaps of the cape.

From the cape, head to Gregories Campground on the western side of the peninsula to make the most of the stunning WA sunset. We found a completely empty campsite by the water’s edge with large, flat grassy sites.

Campfires are prohibited in the park, so we cooked up satay prawns on the stove, cracked a Corona and watched the sunset give way to the rising full moon – the perfect end to a fantastic day in one of Australia’s unique destinations.

WORDS & PICS CHRIS WHITELAW

Purnululu NP, WA

The remote and iconic Bungle Bungle Range is a wonder to behold.

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ying deep in the East Kimberley region, Purnululu National Park protects one of the world’s most remarkable natural wonders – the tiger-striped, beehive-shaped rock domes of the Bungle Bungle Range. Though just 300km south of Kununurra and barely 50km from the Great Northern Highway, this dramatic geological formation remained virtually unknown to all but the local Aboriginal people and a handful of pastoralists until it was revealed in a 1983 television documentary, filmed mainly from the air. Since then it has become an icon of the Australian outback, hailed internationally for its unrivalled splendour, attracting nearly 50,000 visitors annually.

For sightseeing purposes, Purnululu NP can be divided into a northern and a southern section, each featuring several walks and a lookout that are quite different in character.

In the north, start with Mini Palms Gorge, a moderately challenging 5km walk, which sets out along a stony creek bed before entering a narrow defile bounded by sheer cliffs. Echidna Chasm lies 10km further north and is one of the real highlights of the park. This 2km walk traces a sinuous path through a

narrow cleft bounded by 200m-high cliffs that block out the sun, except for a brief window in the middle of the day.

On the other side of the valley, an easy 10-minute walk leads to the Walanginjdji Sunset Lookout with a 360-degree view of the western escarpment of the Bungle Bungle Massif.

The Piccaninny Creek carpark is the starting point for a number of walks into the southern section of the park. The first of these is the Domes Walk, an easy 1km circuit among the famous tiger-striped ‘beehive’ domes.

At the end of the loop, the Piccaninny Creek Walk branches northward on one of the most beautiful and rewarding excursions in the park, along a dry sandstone watercourse that has been scoured bare and deeply rutted by millennia of wet season torrents.

Next to the domes, The Cathedral is arguably the most impressive of all the park’s natural marvels, and one of the easiest to reach. About 3km from the carpark, follow the sandy creek bed into Cathedral Gorge, a sinuous canyon between shadowy cliffs that loom higher and steeper to a terminus in a spectacular 100m-high cavern.

FASTFACTS GETTING THERE

Purnululu NP is about 200km south of Kununurra. The access road turns off the Great Northern Highway 55km south of Warmun.

ACTIVITIES

Camping in the East Kimberley savannah, sightseeing around spectacular geological formations, remote bushwalking.

STAY

Camping is available within the park at public and commercial campgrounds and outside the park at the Bungle Bungle Caravan Park (www.bunglebunglecaravanpark.com.au).

MORE INFORMATION

www.parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/park/ purnululu ADVENTURES

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WORDS CATHERINE LAWSON PICS DAVID BRISTOW

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Lake Ballard, WA

An intriguing art installation adds to the striking beauty of this isolated part of WA’s Goldfields region.

FASTFACTS GETTING THERE

Menzies is located 190km north of Kalgoorlie.

You’ll find Lake Ballard signposted 51km northwest of town.

ACTIVITIES

Wander among the 51 spirit-like sculptures on Lake Ballard’s saltpans, watch the landscape transform at sunset.

STAY

Lake Ballard bush camp.

MORE INFORMATION

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runching across shimmering salt flats, over gypsum dunes and up isolated ironstone ridges, a series of surprising outback vistas tempts us into a remarkable region on the Goldfields’ northern fringe. This little-travelled route, which links adventurers with Uluru across the Great Victoria Desert, provides passage to an unusual collection of outback wonders around the tiny town of Menzies.

At one of these, campers can experience a sunset like no other, gazing across a seascape of solitary, spirit-like figures stationed across Lake Ballard.

It’s the pairing of intriguing artwork and a strikingly beautiful landscape that lures travellers 51km west of Menzies to the site of artist Antony Gormley’s worldfamous installation ‘Inside Australia’. Lake Ballard’s vast saltpan provides an inspiring outback canvas for Gormley’s 51 life-size figures that stand sentry over a massive 10sq km portion of Lake Ballard and beckon walkers onto the flats to crunch along salt-crusted trails.

You can spend hours exploring the installation, crisscrossing the lake from one figure to the next. Above, windswept islands of rocky ironstone provide stellar views and

it takes only minutes to climb the closest knoll to count the figures within view.

Gormley’s mysterious figures are based on real-life Menzies locals who were laser scanned for the project. The figures were then cast from a stainless steel alloy that resembles volcanic rock and contains iron, chromium, nickel and trace elements of titanium oxide and vanadium taken from Lake Ballard itself.

Stretched along the lake’s gypsum dune and shaded by mulga woodland, a free bush camp provides travellers with excellent facilities for such a remote spot.

At a shelter in a camping area 300m from the lake’s entrance, interpretive signs explain what makes this place fascinating.

Wildflowers bloom around Lake Ballard after seasonal rains and you might spot large goannas on the dunes, emus and dingoes around camp and, overhead, rainbow bee-eaters and kites gliding on the updraft. This camp has gained notoriety for its unusual outdoor art, but it pays to remember that it exists in an unusually fragile environment. If you plan a campfire, gather wood before arriving at the sparsely vegetated lake. Nearby Menzies is a good spot for topping up with fuel and supplies.

WORDS & PICS BEN MURPHY

Mataranka, NT

You’ll never never find anywhere else like Mataranka.

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ne of the things we love most about the Territory is its complete uniqueness and ability to surprise us with something different at every turn – not that you’ll even remember what a turn looks like once you hit the Stuart Highway! The quaint little village of Mataranka and Mataranka Homestead are no exception and provide a welcome break from the long, impressively straight stretches of tarmac through the redpainted landscape.

Mataranka, with a population of just a few hundred people, is but a dot on the map in terms of size. However, this little place has more character than most, offering something very individual as a travel destination.

Mataranka Homestead is just a few kilometres off the highway heading east and borders the Elsey National Park. The homestead is part of the former Elsey Station, which was established in the late 1800s, across 5334sq km.

Aeneas and Jeannie Gunn took over the station in 1902 but Aeneas died the next year; Jeannie returned to Melbourne and wrote about her experiences and the characters she met in her book We of the Never Never, filmed

under the same title in the 1980s.

A replica of the original homestead was constructed for the film and is on display at Mataranka Homestead. Statues of the characters from the film are scattered throughout the town’s park – a lasting tribute of the town’s claim to fame.

The area also has plenty of World War II history to explore and it was after the war that the homestead started to take on a new lease of life as a tourist destination.

Today, it’s a fantastically set up tourist resort offering a range of accommodation.

It really has that Top End feel, complete with red dirt sites, lined with amazing tropical rainforest foliage, barra-filled rivers and the centrepiece of the entire homestead – the Rainbow Springs Thermal Pools. The swimming doesn’t get much better than taking a dip in the thermal springs and the constructed pools filled by the natural thermal springs provide easy access in and out of the warm waters.

There’s also camping available in Elsey NP at the 12 Mile Yards camping ground where there is also a canoe launching point. Bitter Springs provides another great swimming opportunity within the park.

FASTFACTS GETTING THERE

Mataranka is 420km south-east of Darwin on the Stuart Highway.

ACTIVITIES

Swimming in the thermal springs, fishing for barramundi, exploring Elsey NP. STAY

Mataranka Homestead: www.matarankahomestead.com.au MORE INFORMATION

www.nt.gov.au/leisure/parks-reserves/ find-a-park-to-visit/elsey-national-park ADVENTURES

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Nitmiluk NP, NT FASTFACTS GETTING THERE

Katherine is about 300km south of Darwin along the Stuart Highway. Nitmiluk NP is 30km north-east of Katherine.

ACTIVITIES

Boat tours in the gorge system, canoeing (including overnight explorations up to the Ninth Gorge), helicopter sightseeing, day walks or multi-day treks.

STAY

Nitmiluk Caravan Park: www.nitmiluktours. com.au/book-accommodation MORE INFORMATION

www.nt.gov.au/leisure/parks-reserves/find-apark-to-visit/nitmiluk-national-park 14

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Nitmiluk’s true power and beauty has to be seen to be believed.

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atherine is often referred to as the ‘Crossroads of the Outback’ due to its location 320km south of Darwin and its proximity, relatively speaking, to the Gulf Country to the east, the Kimberley to the west and the Tanami to the south.

Not only a geographic intersection, Katherine also stands at the convergence of three major Aboriginal groups, the Wardaman, the Dagoman and the Jawoyn people. The 2928sq km Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park is owned by the Jawoyn people and jointly managed under a 99-year lease with the Parks and Wildlife of the Northern Territory Commission.

The Katherine River flows 328km from its headwaters in Kakadu NP, joining the Daly River on its way to the Timor Sea. Fed by monsoonal rains for more than 20 million years, its passage across the ancient sandstone plateau has carved a series of 13 spectacular gorges extending 12km between towering 70m cliffs.

During the dry (May-September), the river is placid and its level falls to reveal rocky shoals and rapids that separate the gorges, enabling Nitmiluk

to be explored in many ways.

A popular way to see at least part of the gorge system is by flat-bottomed boat on one of the numerous cruises operated

by Nitmiluk Tours. The company also hires out single or double canoes and paddling beneath the towering sandstone is an unforgettable experience and one of the most enjoyable ways to see this amazing landscape.

The park has an excellent network of walking trails, extending for about 120km through a diverse range of landscapes. The walks are divided into the Southern Walks and the Jatbula Trail on the northern side of the gorge.

These are serious hikes that require sturdy shoes, a hat, sunscreen and plenty of drinking water.

Nitmiluk Caravan Park at the gorge and a campground at Leliyn (Edith Falls) – a must on your itinerary for a cooling dip – both offer RV travellers grassy sites, plenty of shade and full amenities. Elsewhere in the park, designated bush camping areas have been established for overnight walkers and canoeists, with toilets at some locations and a source of water almost always available nearby.

WORDS CLAUDIA BOUMA PICS CHRIS BOUMA

Uluru-Kata Tjuta NP, NT Experience the sheer magnitude of one of the world’s Seven Natural Wonders.

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ne of the world’s Seven Natural Wonders rises up abruptly in the heart of the Australian desert, captivating millions of visitors from all over the globe every year. Uluru is one of our country’s icons and rightly so – to stand in front of this giant monolith is to come face to face with nature’s power and majesty.

At 348m high, Uluru is an imposing sandstone rock situated on the western side of the Simpson Desert. Called Ayers Rock by William Gosse in 1873 after Sir Henry Ayers, its name was changed to Uluru after the land was handed back to the Anangu people, the traditional owners, in 1985.

A lot has changed since tourists first flocked to this famous rock, eager to camp next to it and climb to the top. As Uluru is now recognised as a sacred Aboriginal site, climbing the rock is discouraged and all tourist accommodation has been moved to the township of Yulara, 15km away. Here, you’ll find everything you could possibly need for a stay, long or short.

The Anangu people manage the park together with Parks Australia. They have

chosen to share some of their Tjukurpa, or Dreamtime, stories through the Cultural Centre to give visitors greater insight into their traditional law and culture.

The best way to enjoy and experience Uluru is to hike around the base, which is a 10km walk that takes about 3.5 hours. If you prefer shorter walks, there’s a choice of the 2km return Mala Walk, the 1km return Kuniya Walk and the 4km return Liru Walk, all offering insight into the beliefs and stories of the local people.

A visit to the national park is not complete without spending a full day at Kata Tjuta, meaning ‘many heads’. The Valley of the Winds Walk is a challenging hike, taking you right into the heart of this magnificent landscape and rewarding you with spectacular views.

The walk can be done as a circuit or you can choose to head back from the Karu or Karingana Lookouts, depending on your fitness.

Whether you head to Uluru-Kata Tjuta NP for a whirlwind tour or a longer stay, this natural wonder is sure to mesmerise you with its dramatic landscapes and cultural significance.

FASTFACTS GETTING THERE

Uluru-Kata Tjuta NP is situated 440km south-west of Alice Springs along sealed roads.

ACTIVITIES

Walk or cycle around Uluru, walk the Valley of the Winds track, visit the Cultural Centre, experience a desert camel ride.

STAY

Accommodation is available at nearby Yulara.

MORE INFORMATION

www.parksaustralia.gov.au/uluru ADVENTURES

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WORDS ALI MILLAR PICS GLENN WARDLE

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Innes NP, SA

The tip of South Australia’s ‘boot’ rewards travellers with relaxed coastal camping.

FASTFACTS GETTING THERE

Innes NP is just under 300km south-west of Adelaide via Port Wakefield.

ACTIVITIES

Explore the national park by car and on foot, fish straight off the beach or from the Stenhouse Bay Jetty, surf at Pondalowie Bay. STAY

At one of eight campgrounds within the national park (book online or at the visitor centre).

MORE INFORMATION

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or a couple of Victorians, the dry, arid heat of a South Australian summer was enough to knock our socks off and a few blisteringly-hot February days in the Flinders Ranges was all the impetus we needed to hit the road south.

With the flip of a coin, we headed to Innes NP on the very southern tip of the Yorke Peninsula, by chance happening upon a true South Aussie gem.

This relatively small national park packs a punch, offering excellent camping, fishing, surfing, swimming and bushwalking, all easily accessible by 2WD. Long, sweeping beaches where you can fish for Australian salmon and shady campsites with walking access to the beach add to the appeal.

We set up camp at the Casuarina campground, one of eight campsites in the park, and enjoyed the luxury of having it all to ourselves. Facilities are limited to drop toilets at most of the camping areas and only two – Stenhouse Bay and the Pondalowie Caravans and Trailers campgrounds – are suitable for vans or camper trailers.

Exploring the park’s rocky coastline takes you on a journey through this rough

coast’s past, with around 40 shipwrecks lying off the Yorke Peninsula. You can pay a visit to the remains of the park’s most famous wreck, the Ethel, although it’s not always visible, at times hidden beneath the shifting sands. As you continue your coastal journey, stop off at the Cape Spencer and West Cape lighthouses for sweeping ocean views from the cliff tops.

Away from the coastline, stroll through the historic village of Inneston and explore the ruins of this abandoned gypsum-mining town. Take the one-hour loop trail to truly step back in time.

Other walks in the park take in the rugged cliff tops and endless coastal dunes, with spectacular scenery along the way, and the opportunity to sight rare Tammar wallabies that are part of a growing population in the park.

But for me, sitting on the quiet stretch of beach near our camp as the sun was setting and watching a pod of dolphins frolic near a small group of surfers, all enjoying cruisy waves on the reef break at Pondalowie, was a highlight, and one that totally nails this national park – relaxed and peaceful yet wild, rugged and totally freeing.

WORDS CATHERINE LAWSON PICS DAVID BRISTOW

Canunda NP, SA

SA’s wild Limestone Coast has plenty to offer those willing to take the time to explore.

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n the far eastern corner of SA’s wild Limestone Coast, the tiny seaside town of Southend is famous for two things: a million-dollar live export market in southern rock lobster and the remarkable coastal wilderness of Canunda National Park.

Stretching for 40km from Southend to Cape Banks, Canunda NP covers an area of more than 9000ha and demands a patient itinerary to really explore. Although it flies under the radar, Canunda is the kind of national park that blow minds, thrilling visitors with ever-changing views of sea-ravaged cliffs, sandy coves and giant shifting sand dunes, carved by the sea to reveal ancient shells and middens.

This five-star destination offers one of the best wilderness escapes in the state, with 4WD and hiker access to incredible trails that lead to Indigenous and pioneering historical sites and lofty lookouts over the sea.

From Southend, begin exploring at Cape Buffon where a boat ramp accesses Rivoli Bay’s secure anchorage and a hundred good fishing spots on offshore reefs and headlands to the south. We drove then walked, tackling an easy

amble along Cape Buffon’s sculpted cliff top trail. But by far my favourite adventures were had along the Seaview Hike, a much longer walking experience that follows a coastal trail for 6km through vast, eroded dunes, with rugged vistas of undercut limestone cliffs sculpted with sea caves.

The beach fishing is reputedly brilliant along the entire limestone coast, where steep sandy banks give way to deep gutters. Surfers and snorkellers tough enough to brave the chilly waters will be thrilled by Canunda’s remote reef and beach surf breaks and, on calm days, the abundant marine life that thrives around headlands closer to shore.

From Southend, a 65km-long 4WD track cuts a rugged, sandy route that runs the entire length of Canunda NP, reaching Kyber Pass where the views seem utterly endless, and pushing south across a sea of shifting dunes to Geltwood Beach, Lake Bonney and Cape Banks Lighthouse near Carpenter Rocks.

If your offroad rig is up to the task, this route provides a great 4WD adventure, but you can also tackle it as a daytrip from either end of the park.

FASTFACTS GETTING THERE

Canunda NP is located 428km south-east of Adelaide and stretches from Southend to Cape Banks Lighthouse, 43km west of Mt Gambier.

ACTIVITIES

Walk through the dunes and along the cliff tops for spectacular views, set a pot and test your luck with the crays, explore the beaches and dunes in your 4WD. STAY

There are six campgrounds: choose Kotgee and Nal-a-wort campgrounds near Southend, Geltwood Beach west of Millicent, Number Two Rocks (accessible by 4WD only), or Oil Rig Square and Cape Banks Lighthouse in the park’s far south.

MORE INFORMATION

www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks ADVENTURES

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WORDS ALI MILLAR

ADVENTURES

FASTFACTS GETTING THERE

The turn-off to The Gardens at the southern end of the Bay of Fires is around 8km from St Helens. From Hobart, it’s around 250km north to St Helens and from Launceston, it’s around 165km east.

ACTIVITIES

Beachside camping, fishing, swimming and beachcombing.

STAY

The Bay of Fires Conservation Area is managed

by Parks and Wildlife Tasmania and offers a number of different camping grounds.

MORE INFORMATION

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Bay of Fires, Tas

With its whiter-than-white sand and crystal-clear water, this famed coastline is a free-campers’ paradise.

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ven if you haven’t spent a lot of time in Tassie, you may well have heard of this place – Lonely Planet named it one of the world’s ‘hottest’ travel destinations back in 2009. I reckon they were right on the money, but despite the accolades this is still a sleepy place where you can get away from it all.

Stretching from Binalong Bay to Eddystone Point, the Bay of Fires encompasses arcs of some of the whitest sand around, lapped by crystal-clear azure water and dotted with orange lichenencrusted granite boulders. The area was given its name back in 1773 by Captain Tobias Furneaux who supposedly saw the fires of local Aboriginal people dotted along the coastline, and middens still remain from the original inhabitants of the area.

Stock up on supplies in nearby St Helens then head to the Bay of Fires Conservation Area, where numerous options for camping can be found along the ensuing 13km stretch, including RV-friendly campsites at Grants Lagoon, Jeanneret Beach, Swimcart Beach and Cosy Corner.

Camping is free and operates on a first-

come, first-served basis.

The campsites range from open and grassy to secluded nooks tucked in among the sheoaks. One of the best things about this place is you can camp right behind the dunes and wake up to the sound of the waves pounding the beach, with just a short stroll down to the water’s edge.

This is the kind of place where you can just kick back at camp and relax.

When you’ve tired of that, take a rod down to the beach and try your luck off the rocks or straight off the steep, sandy banks.

Some of the beaches can be rough, with strong currents and dumping waves, but protected swimming spots can be found at Cosy Corner or at nearby Binalong Bay. Further afield, check out the northern part of the bay where Eddystone Point Lighthouse stands watch atop the tall cliffs of Mt William NP. If you’re lucky, you might even catch sight of whales on their annual migration.

At the end of the day, sit back around the campfire and watch the stars come out over the ocean – you really do feel like you’re a million miles from anywhere.

WORDS & PICS JULIE IHLE

Tarkine Wilderness, Tas

A new road has opened up the Tarkine to tourism, making it Tassie’s latest go-to wilderness spot.

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he Tarkine is an extremely important wilderness area and, while it may not have the hype of nearby Cradle Mountain, it offers intrepid travellers the opportunity to experience near-pristine wilderness, expansive temperate rainforest, aweinspiring views and now, thanks to the newly tarmacked road, it is accessible to everyone.

The Tarkine is a huge area, encompassing the Tarkine Drive, Arthur River on the west coast and Corinna at the southern end. The best way to see it is by car and my recommendation is that you choose one of these three locales to base yourself for a few days, to give you easy access to the Tarkine’s tourist drives and walks.

Tarkine Drive is the newly sealed road with around 12 tourist stop-offs, taking in sinkholes, lookouts, waterfall walks and rainforest rambles, with barbecue and picnic facilities at some of the stops.

The cute historic hamlet of Stanley (of The Nut fame) makes a good base for exploring this area; it’s only a 45-minute

drive from there to the start of the Tarkine Drive.

The coastal stretch of the Tarkine is speckled with tiny communities, their makeshift shacks braced against the constant wind. Apart from the windswept beaches, there is not much out this way – and that’s just the way they like it. Arthur River, the area’s main settlement, is home to The Edge of the World Lookout, which is definitely worth braving the elements to visit.

The wild heart of the Tarkine is Corinna. Surrounded by old-growth forest and untamed mountains, it is accessible via a two-and-a-half-hour wilderness drive from Arthur River. It’s a shorter drive from Waratah, but visitors need to cross the Pieman River via the wonderfully-named Fatman Barge.

This part of the Tarkine is predominantly rainforest and there are numerous walks to explore. The standout is Mount Donaldson – it’s a two-hour uphill trudge, but once you’re at the top, you are rewarded with wraparound valley views.

FASTFACTS GETTING THERE

The Tarkine is located in north-west Tasmania, a 2.5-hour drive or 230km from Launceston.

ACTIVITIES

Rainforest walks, kayaking on the Pieman River, scenic drives, off-grid serenity.

STAY

Corinna Wilderness Experience: www. corinna.com.au Stanley Cabin and Tourist Park: www. stanleycabinpark.com.au Arthur River Cabin Park: www. arthurrivercabinpark.com MORE INFORMATION

www.discoverthetarkine.com.au ADVENTURES

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WORDS & PICS CHRIS WHITELAW

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FASTFACTS GETTING THERE

Bruny is accessible by a 20-minute crossing of the D’Entrecasteaux Channel on the Mirambeena ferry from Kettering, 40km south of Hobart.

ACTIVITIES

Excellent swimming, boating and fishing, forest drives and bushwalks, birdwatching and wildlife tours, local heritage and history, ‘Made on Bruny’ Gourmet Trail.

STAY

Captain James Cook Caravan Park: www.captaincookpark.com National park campgrounds: www.parks.tas.gov.au MORE INFORMATION

Bruny Island Ferry: www.brunyislandferry.com.au Bruny Island Cruises: www.brunycruises.com.au 20

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Bruny Island, Tas

With stunning natural beauty, delicious cuisine and an abundance of great camping spots, this bite of the Apple Isle is a fascinating destination.

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runy Island is actually two landmasses – North Bruny and South Bruny – joined by a long, narrow isthmus called The Neck.

The island’s combined length is only about 100km, but the landscape changes dramatically from sheltered sandy beaches and farmlands in the north, to tall forests, open bays and dramatic sea cliffs in the south. The relatively sheltered channel side of the island is popular for fishing and recreational boating, whereas the exposed eastern side is extremely rugged, with dolerite cliffs towering 200m above the Tasman Sea. Bruny is a great place for touring. Most of the roads are easy 2WD standard, suitable for towing and cycling. But there are many unsealed sections and some slippery unsealed forest tracks more suited to offroad vehicles. Don’t be fooled into thinking you can see and do everything in a day; get the most out of your ferry fare and stay for a few days at the numerous campgrounds dotted across the island.

Bruny is renowned as a foodie’s paradise, offering a range of local produce and it’s worth stopping in

for tastings. Try the Bruny Island Smokehouse, the Bruny Island Cheese Company and Get Shucked Oyster Farm for starters.

The narrow ridge of sand that makes up The Neck houses a game reserve, which is an important habitat for native wildlife. Boardwalks with viewing platforms enable visitors to observe short-tailed shearwaters and fairy penguins in their rookeries among the dunes.

Don’t miss Cloudy Bay, where a relentless barrage of waves push onto the beach at one of the most dynamic surfing spots in Tasmania. Further south, the unsealed road leads you to the iconic Cape Bruny Lighthouse at the island’s south-west tip.

While you’re down south, treat yourself to a fast boat ride along the island’s south-east coast with Bruny Island Cruises. Departing from Adventure Bay, this half-day ‘cruise’ gets up close and personal with soaring sea cliffs and plenty of the native inhabitants. It is fun, fascinating and unforgettable. If you do nothing else in Tasmania, you must do this.

WORDS CATHERINE LAWSON PICS DAVID BRISTOW

The Otways, Vic

Away from the coast, the breathtaking beauty of the Otways reaches new heights.

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nland of Victoria’s most famous crumbling coastline, on the rainforested flanks of the Otway Range, tall canopies of mountain ash and ancient myrtle beech trees tower above a vast network of fern-fringed streams and dramatic, multi-tiered waterfalls.

These lush, lofty forests provide a quiet escape from the coastal crowds where you can walk in solitude and discover secluded pools and swimming holes. They also harbour an excellent trio of free forest camps – a surprising find in a region where campsites are at a premium – and it’s all thanks to their state forest boundaries.

Exploring the Otways is tremendous fun and with extensive coastline and undulating inland plains to explore on either side of the range there are plenty of routes you might tackle. To escape the crowds, try this easy waterfall circuit, looping inland from Apollo Bay to overnight at the base of Stevensons Falls, bushwalk around the picturesque hamlet of Beech Forest, and picnic beneath a giant stand of Californian Redwoods before ending your journey at the historic Cape Otway Lighthouse.

The Stevensons Falls campground makes a great base for exploring the nearby

historical timber town of Forrest, before seeking out platypus at Lake Elizabeth along some excellent walking trails. The big attraction for mountain bikers is Forrest’s 50km of offroad biking trails.

One of the most thrilling attractions on this loop is the Otway Fly Treetop Adventures where you can stroll the treetop boardwalk 30m above the forest floor and climb the Spiral Staircase to eyeball rainforest giants stretching 45m high.

Close by, the much photographed triple cascades of Triplet Falls are one of the Otways’ most beautiful waterfalls, accessed via a short boardwalk loop that takes about an hour.

For an unbeatable picnic spot, pull in to the Redwoods picnic area, in the midst of a magnificent grove of California redwoods, planted in the 1930s. Meandering along the 10-minute walking trail through the grove of forest giants is an awe-inspiring experience.

Further west, a final detour off the Great Ocean Road to the south leads to Cape Otway, where colonies of koalas can be spotted sleeping silently in the crooked limbs of manna gums, making a lovely diversion on the way to the historic Cape Otway Lighthouse.

FASTFACTS GETTING THERE

To start this loop, follow the Great Ocean Rd 5.5km east of Apollo Bay then turn north onto the Forrest-Apollo Bay Rd.

ACTIVITIES

Explore the numerous walking trails, check out the stunning waterfalls, make the most of the free bush camping and enjoy a self-drive tour of this spectacular region.

STAY

The free campgrounds at Stevensons Falls, Dandos and Beauchamp Falls are managed by DELWP (www.delwp.vic.gov.au).

MORE INFORMATION

www.visitgreatoceanroad.org.au www.parkweb.vic.gov.au ADVENTURES

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WORDS & PICS GREG CARTAN

ADVENTURES

FASTFACTS GETTING THERE

Murray-Sunset NP is in the north-west corner of Victoria, about 80km south of Mildura.

ACTIVITIES

This is a do-it-yourself experience, so you’ll need to make your own fun – enjoy the rich mallee scrub, go bushwalking, do some birdwatching, and check out some of the pastoral relics.

STAY

There are a few camping areas throughout the park – no permits, bookings or fees, and campfires are permitted in the fire pits provided.

MORE INFORMATION

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Murray-Sunset NP, Vic

Red dirt adventures await in Victoria’s own slice of the outback.

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or those living in the south east of this great country, and particularly for people who live in Victoria, the outback can seem like a distant dream, a long way off in the centre of the continent. But it turns out you don’t need to travel for days to get that feeling of isolation or to see endless stretches of red dirt and mallee scrub; you can find all this, and more, tucked away in the far north-west corner of Victoria, in the Murray-Sunset National Park.

Murray-Sunset NP comprises 677,000ha of mallee bushland, and can be seen as encompassing three different sections. The far north-west takes in Lindsay Island, right on the Murray River. The southern section is around the Pink Lakes area, where red algae in the lakes creates a beautiful pink tinge and makes for some great photo opportunities.

In the centre and north (the bulk of the park), are bush camping sites, unsealed roads (varying from good condition to pretty average tracks) and plenty of isolation.

This part of the park has some challenging sections of track – there are some soft, sandy strips, quite a few corrugations and,

in the low-lying areas, it can get boggy in the wet. For this central section, you’ll want a pretty tough offroad camper or van or, alternatively, leave the trailer at the Pink Lakes and head off solo in the 4WD. The distances are not daunting but travel throughout the park can be slow and the majority of places to see are in the eastern quarter. Get your hands on a decent map before you go and you should get around without too much difficulty.

There’s plenty to look at as you tour around. In the north-west, stop in for a look at the Shearers’ Quarters – grazing began here in the mid-1800s and the pastoral heritage is a feature of the park. Heading east, take a break at the Cattleyards on the Grub Track. These are a classic post and rail structure, now totally dilapidated. But these are great little bits of nostalgia and this one confirms the ingenuity and seriously hard toil the pastoralists injected into the country.

From here, continue east to the relative civilisation of the Pink Lakes. The main campground at Lake Crosby is neatly set out in defined sites. There are a few short walking trails and Pioneer Drive is okay for cycling if you have bikes on hand.

WORDS MICHAEL BORG PICS NATHAN JACOBS

High Country, Vic

Victoria’s High Country has some of the best camping and 4WD tracks going around.

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hen it comes to spectacular scenery, the Victorian High Country would have to be one of the most highly regarded destinations in the country. A 4WD is without a doubt the best way to experience this area, but you’ll need knackers of steel to tackle some of the steeper tracks in the region – they really do range from mild to absolutely insane, and it’s not just the steepness that can bring you undone, it’s the weather. A good rain can turn these tracks into a near vertical slosh pit, and there’s plenty of wrecks lying down the bottom of those big gullies to testify to the need to keep your wits about you. Plus, every now and then the High Country is home to a big blanket of fluffy white snow, which can simply make some of these tracks too dangerous to drive.

Check out the Crooked River Track (a little beauty that will have you tackling 24 river crossings in just 7km), the Billy Goat Bluff Track (which takes you scrambling up a seemingly near vertical track to a height of 1200m) and the Blue Rag Range Track (for epic views some 1700m up).

If steep tracks aren’t your forte there’s a lot more to see and do. There are freshwater river streams like you’ve never seen before, a climate that can really turn it up a notch and more history and quirky facts than Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.

Make sure you pack your fishing rod and your camera too – you’re guaranteed to get a few cracking happy snaps!

No trip to the High Country is complete without a stopover at the small town of Dargo. Surrounded by towering mountains, it's a great place to base yourself while exploring places like the mystery-riven Wonnangatta.

You’ll also find old mountain cattleman's huts all over the High Country, and they’re filled with history from the last few hundred years of cattle musters. One of the most popular is Craigs Hut, once home to Jim Craig in the iconic film The Man from Snowy River. It offers some spectacular views of the surrounding mountain ranges, especially Indian Head. Camp around here and you’ll be greeted with one of the most insane sunrises you’ve ever seen in your life, no bull!

FASTFACTS GETTING THERE

Dargo is 320km north-east of Melbourne.

ACTIVITIES

Epic 4WD tracks, clear mountain stream fishing, spectacular photo opportunities.

STAY

Numerous campgrounds are scattered throughout the High Country, around the old cattleman’s huts and in Dargo.

MORE INFORMATION

www.victoriashighcountry.com.au ADVENTURES

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WORDS CLAUDIA BOUMA PICS CHRIS BOUMA

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Warrumbungle NP, NSW

The awe-inspiring beauty of the Warrumbungles is out of this world.

FASTFACTS GETTING THERE

Warrumbungle NP is around 480km north-west of Sydney.

ACTIVITIES

Camping, bushwalking, birdwatching, stargazing and exploring the World’s Largest Virtual Solar System Drive.

STAY

Camp at one of the park’s bush camping areas.

MORE INFORMATION

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ramatic rock spires dominate the skyline as you head out of Coonabarabran and make your way to the spectacular Warrumbungle National Park. The tall, barren structures appeared to come out of nowhere, standing guard over this national Heritage-Listed park, where coastal breezes from the east meet the hot air from the dry western plains. The result is a unique climate and landscape with an extraordinary diversity of plants and animals which thrive in these conditions.

Driving through the steep hills, you pass several 3D planet models attached to billboards – part of the World’s Largest Virtual Solar System Drive. The 10 stops eventually lead to the impressive Siding Spring Observatory, perched high upon Mt Woorut. Siding Spring is the collective name for the research telescopes dotted around the mountains, including Australia’s largest optical telescope, the 3.9m Anglo-Australian Telescope, located here for the dark and often cloudless skies of the area.

The Warrumbungles hosted the seventh bi-annual Rogaine World championship event in 2006.

The park is a bushwalking Mecca with a vast network of trails, differing in length

and difficulty. The Grand High Tops walking circuit is the place to get a closeup look of the Breadknife, the park’s iconic feature. The 12.5km return walk to the Breadknife is the most popular and takes four to five hours.

Or you can opt for the shorter hike to Spirey View instead, a 6.2km return walk that eliminates the steep ascent, yet offers magnificent views of the narrow blade of stone that is the Breadknife. The icon is a volcanic dyke, created when volcanic activity caused the rocks to fracture and the crack filled with magma.

Another enjoyable walk is the 2km Burbie Canyon circuit. The cool sandstone canyon provides a home for the pobblebonk, a frog that buries itself in the sand when water is in short supply.

Burbie Creek is ephemeral, like most streams in the park, and flows only after large amounts of rain. When moisture seeps into the soil, the frog surfaces to feed and breed, then disappears again when the earth dries out.

We spent four days exploring this dramatic landscape and, as we headed south, a magic sunrise was the perfect end to a magnificent holiday in yet another of Australia’s stunning national parks.

WORDS MICHAEL BORG PICS MATT FEHLBERG

Broken Hill Region, NSW Explore the heart of the New South Wales outback, with just a twist of Aussie quirkiness along the way.

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ome of the most spectacular scenery you’ll ever lay your eyes on is right here in the heart of the New South Wales outback. It’s a haven of history, uniquely Australian wildlife, culture and world-renowned artwork, but it’s the spectacular outback sunsets that make this place so special.

There’s a bucket-load of weird and wonderful things to see and do in the Broken Hill region, but you can’t beat a few nights camping in the sweet serenity of Eldee Station. It’s just a few kilometres past Silverton, which is just a few more kilometres from Broken Hill, and it’s the perfect place to base yourself if you want to mix a bit of outback camping in with the numerous activities the region has to offer.

Although Eldee Station is still a working station, the good folks there are kind enough to allow the keen adventurer access to about 100km worth of 4WD tracks, with a few of the best being rocky mountain climbs that spit you out at some of the best vantage points of the Mundi Mundi Plains and the Barrier Ranges.

A short run into Silverton is well worth the effort – this place is full of tourist attractions to keep you occupied and

entertained. The town – and actor Mel Gibson – was put on the map when the original Mad Max movie was filmed there.

Check out the Mad Max Museum – it’s full of old relics and props from the movie.

You can also wander around a million and one different art galleries and see some truly authentic Australian artwork for yourself. You see, Silverton supplies the perfect outback setting for emerging new and well-established artists alike to whip up some of the best works in the country.

You’ll find the brush strokes of one of Australia’s top-selling artists and local resident John Dynon on display at the Silverton Outback Gallery.

If you duck back into Broken Hill, the famous artists just keep piling up. One of the best in the business being Kevin ‘Pro’ Heart, whose two-storey gallery is full of direct, humorous and down-toearth pieces. Broken Hill was also the birthplace of the global BHP mining company, born from rich silver deposits.

The sights and sounds of Silverton and Broken Hill are quirky and entertaining indeed. If it’s an authentic Aussie outback getaway you’re after, this region is really hard to beat.

FASTFACTS GETTING THERE

Silverton is 26km west of Broken Hill and 320km north of Mildura, Vic. Eldee Station is 36km north of Silverton.

ACTIVITIES

Explore the 4WD tracks that criss-cross Eldee Station, get your Mad Max fix, see some true outback art at some of the region’s galleries.

STAY

Camp at Eldee Station.

MORE INFORMATION

www.eldeestation.com www.silverton.org.au ADVENTURES

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WORDS MICHAEL BORG PICS MATT FEHLBERG

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Limeburners Creek NP, NSW FASTFACTS GETTING THERE

Limeburners Creek NP is 18km north of Port Macquarie.

ACTIVITIES

Swimming, surfing, coastal walks, beach driving (permit required).

STAY

Point Plomer and Melaleuca campgrounds.

MORE INFORMATION

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Prime beachfront camping and truly spectacular headlands earn this little cracker a place on everyone’s bucket-list.

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t’s hard to beat a relaxed surfside retreat. The sound of the ocean waves crashing is enough to lull anyone to sleep at night, and when you add in a fresh early morning dip there’s a better than average chance you’ll want to become a permanent resident.

Limeburners Creek National Park on the mid-north NSW coast has one of the best stretches of surfing coast in the country and is surrounded by pristine wilderness.

Campers are spoilt for choice – unless you plan to camp during school holidays, when the place is at its busiest. The Point Plomer Campground is a big favourite and the location is what makes this spot such a winner. It’s right on the water, the campsites aren’t marked and there’s a walk leading straight out of the grounds up to the main headland.

Not so well known is the 100-site Melaleuca Campground which is usually closed in the off-season, but can be opened up by arrangement. It has no direct water access, however.

During winter and spring, it’s a top spot to go whale-watching. These majestic giants of the ocean have a tendency to breach and show off as they pass through on their migration run.

There are a few headlands in the area that offer awesome vantage points if you don’t mind climbing a few stairs; it’s hard to beat the view overlooking the entire coastline from here.

A 9km each-way walk will get you to the centre of Port Macquarie via the Sea Acres National Park; the southern end is one of the few places on the east coast where “the forest meets the foam”.

Alternatively, the 1.4km Big Hill Rainforest Walk offers everything from low heath vegetation and pandanus palms to strangler figs, coastal blackbutt and more species of wildlife and birdlife than you can count. There’s even a chance you’ll spot microbats flying through the treetops as the sun drops in the west; it’s a rare sight but one you won’t forget!

WORDS EMMA RYAN PICS JACK MURPHY

Atherton Tablelands, Qld

A fairy tale land of rainforests, waterfalls and crystal clear crater lakes, the Atherton Tablelands is sure to delight.

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he journey from Cairns to Innisfail via the Atherton Tablelands is one of Australia’s loveliest road trips, packing an impressive range of landscapes and sights into a very manageable touring itinerary. You’ll encounter chilled-out rainforest towns, drive through outback savannah, drift atop barramundi-packed irrigation lakes, sit on rocks under cascading waterfalls, marvel at giant trees and swim in the crystal clear waters of ancient crater lakes.

From Cairns, Kuranda is an easy halfhour drive up onto the Tablelands. It’s a bustling, alternative town nestled in the rainforest, offering markets, cafes, craft shops and galleries. The Australian Butterfly Sanctuary will delight the kids, and at the right time of year, Barron Falls is impressive. A cable-car one way and scenic railway the other beats walking or driving.

From there, head west towards Mareeba, where the lush green coastal rainforest is replaced by outback savannah. The largest town on the Tablelands, Mareeba is an agricultural hub with a wide range of local produce, from macadamias and coffee to mangoes, pineapples and, of course, the ever-present sugarcane.

Anglers should head to Lake Tinaroo,

a man-made reservoir of some 407,000 mega litres – two-thirds the size of Sydney Harbour – and home to some of the country’s largest barramundi.

Passing through the charming historic town of Yungaburra, it’s just a fiveminute drive to one of the area’s main attractions – the Curtain Fig Tree. A 50m boardwalk delivers you to a clearing in the rainforest, where the magical tree occupies a privileged space in the sky, bedecked lovingly in moss and staghorn ferns. The light glistens off leaves that rain down gently like flower petals from the basket of a princess living in the eyrie high above. If your imagination isn’t on fire as you behold this wonderful artistry of nature, you may need to check your pulse.

Continue up the Gillies Highway to the almost circular Lake Barrine in the Crater Lakes NP. With verdant tropical rainforest overhanging its shoreline and stunningly clear water, it’s perfect for a swim.

Millaa Millaa is the final stop in this Atherton itinerary – a tiny little town in the southern region of the Tablelands and the gateway to some of its most stunning falls, where you can clamber over boulders and swim in the pools, an idyllic way to end your journey.

FASTFACTS GETTING THERE

Kuranda is 32km north of Cairns and 39km north-east of Mareeba. Lake Tinaroo is 43km south of Mareeba, or 77km from Kuranda. Millaa Millaa is a further 55km south of the lake.

ACTIVITIES

Visit the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary in Kuranda, fish at Lake Tinaroo, marvel at the Curtain Fig Tree near Yungaburra, swim in the pools at Millaa Millaa Falls.

STAY

Lake Tinaroo Holiday Park: www. laketinarooholidaypark.com.au MORE INFORMATION

Davies Creek and Crater Lakes national parks: www.nprsr.qld.gov.au Millaa Millaa Waterfall Circuit: www.millaamillaa.com.au ADVENTURES

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WORDS & PICS BEN MURPHY

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Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP, Qld Get off the highway in Queensland’s rugged Gulf Country.

FASTFACTS GETTING THERE

Lawn Hill is around 200km south-west of Normanton.

ACTIVITIES

Kayak in the gorge, explore the multitude of walking tracks, swim in the crystal-clear green waters.

STAY

Adels Grove Campground or at the camping area inside the national park.

MORE INFORMATION

www.adelsgrove.com.au www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/ boodjamulla-lawn-hill 28

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eaving the coast and heading inland can be a surreal experience, especially in the Top End. Watching the landscape start to parch as it goes from lush shades of blues and greens to that enticing earthy red is a real eye-opener.

Gregory Downs is your last chance for fuel for the trip out to Lawn Hill, although fuel is available at Adels Grove Camping Park, one of the accommodation options in the area. The road out slowly turns from a thin black strip of tarmac through the savannah grasslands, to a red bulldust-covered track into the dry plains and red sandstone ranges of Lawn Hill.

Inside Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP, the lush vegetation and clear, green waters of Lawn Hill Creek create the feeling of an oasis. The traditional owners of Boodjamulla – the Waanyi people – believe that Boodjamulla the Rainbow Serpent created the gorge and everything in it, as told in the Dreamtime story. Boodjamulla is said to show himself as the olive python Bububurna – and sure enough, large olive pythons are a common sight in the gorge.

On arrival, getting a kayak into the creek is a good way to explore the gorge.

The striking, bright green water is safe for swimming and the waters are

ripe with several species of fish – most commonly archerfish and some rather large catfish – although fishing is a nono in the park.

There are plenty of walking tracks to explore, taking you to all the best scenic vantage points overlooking the gorge.

The tracks range from easy walks that the kids will love, to challenging tracks that will give you a workout.

The national park has its own RVfriendly camping area with basic amenities including toilets and cold showers. Road conditions and weather forecasts should be checked before trying to take a van into the national park, as conditions vary and many of the unsealed roads are only suitable for 4WDs and offroad vans. Road closures can happen.

Adels Grove is located 10km from Lawn Hill Gorge and there are plenty of unpowered campsites available at the campground there. There’s a shop that stocks basic supplies, a mechanical workshop and fuel bowser with diesel and unleaded fuel to keep you going, limited Telstra internet service and a public phone. It’s an incredibly remote part of the country, but there’s enough here to keep you sustained for an extended stay if you choose to take your time to explore the area.

WORDS & PICS RON AND VIV MOON

Cape Melville, Qld

Wild and remote, Cape Melville is a spot worth taking time to explore.

C

onditions on the Cape Melville Track in Tropical North Queensland vary wildly from narrow, winding and soft to steady and rocky. Depending on the time of year and the previous wet season, it can be a very muddy challenge getting to the coast. Leave the trailer behind for this one – it’s 4WD access only.

North of the Wakooka Outstation, a relatively easy 70km from the Kalpowar Crossing takes you over the Normanby River. All being well, it takes between two and three hours to travel 180km from Wakooka to the beach at Bathurst Bay, which offers ample camping. Although there are a couple of designated camping areas along the beach towards Cape Melville (12km to the north-east), many campers pull up stumps under the shady wongai trees dotting the low sand ridge, back from the beach.

Once you’ve set up, head west a few kilometres to the mouth of the Muck River, which is a good fishing spot and a prime location to see estuarine crocodiles.

Further along the beach, an inland track leads to the Pearlers Monument, established in the aftermath of Cyclone Mahina, which swept through the region in March 1899.

During the cyclone, 295 Islander and Aboriginal people and 11 of European descent lost their lives when winds,

exceeding 200km/h, carried a tidal wave 10km inland. Standing there on a warm dry-season morning with a faint breeze rustling in the trees, it’s hard to believe such a horrible tragedy could happen here – or that the sea could rush this far inland.

Another few kilometres north of the monument the beach track ends where the large black rocks of the Cape tumble into the sea. Only the keen scramble over these large boulders; in fact, a Queensland Museum expedition uncovered many species previously unknown to science within pockets of rainforest amid the vast stone, including the Cape Melville leaftailed gecko, a golden-coloured skink and a boulder-dwelling frog.

The bay and the adjoining scrub and rocky hills also play host to varied birdlife, while inland the swamps provide excellent opportunities for watching nature, although the number of wild horses and even greater number of wild pigs may alarm you.

This area has long been the traditional land of several Aboriginal clans who today collectively identify themselves as ‘Saltwater People’. Their descendants maintain a strong connection to the land and sea and there are many cultural sites on the mainland and on the offshore islands. Please ask before intruding.

FASTFACTS GETTING THERE

Cape Melville is on the Cape York Peninsula, about 475km or 10 hours’ drive north of Cairns.

ACTIVITIES

Awesome 4WD-ing, wildlife-spotting and fishing.

STAY

Designated camping areas are available within the Cape Melville National Park.

MORE INFORMATION

www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/ cape-melville ADVENTURES

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CHOOSING YOUR RIG

VALUE

JUDGEMENT

WORDS MAX TAYLOR

RV decision-making is a process of natural selection.

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S

elf-drive travel is, without a doubt, the best way to see Australia. Sure, you could fly to Port Douglas, Qld, or to Broome, WA. But they say the journey is the destination. And when you’re exploring a country as diverse, large, and downright beautiful as ours, ain’t that the truth.

To fly to your destination inevitably means bypassing spectacular scenery and foregoing

adventures you’d potentially remember for a lifetime. As far as I’m concerned, the argument is settled: driving to your destination beats flying. End of story.

But the question of your accommodation while on the road remains. So what’s it going to be, caravan, motorhome, or camper trailer? There are good reasons for each… and, unfortunately, drawbacks, too. Let’s take a look at the pros, cons and considerations behind these main types of RV.

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CHOOSING YOUR RIG

CARAVANS

The humble caravan is the most popular type of RV in Australia, though it’s not so humble any more.

Dishwashers, spas (yes, spas), washing machines and bathrooms can all be found in Aussie vans.

Ultimately, a caravan is only limited by its size and, importantly, the potential weight of the finished product. After all, if a van ends up so heavy that it can’t be legally towed by any vehicle on the market, it’s nothing but a fancy backyard bungalow.

Before deciding if a caravan is right for you, carefully consider your needs and how you will travel. If it’s just the two of you, do you need that ostentatious 24-footer or will a well-appointed, comfortable 18ft van do the job just as well? The heavier the van, the harder your tow vehicle’s engine will have to work and the more fuel it will drink. The ongoing costs in tow-vehicle maintenance and fuel need to be part of the equation.

Speaking of the tow vehicle, don’t assume the car in your garage is up to the task. Matching the tow vehicle to the caravan – ensuring one can legally and safely tow the other – is one of the most important factors in play. Get it wrong, and you’ve got a problem on your hands. Internet forums are lousy with such tales of woe.

The need to periodically hitch and unhitch your van is inescapable, and there may be certain items you’ll have to purchase to improve the towing experience, such as a weight distribution hitch and extension mirrors.

But once you’ve matched your tow vehicle to your caravan and everything is well set up, what are the advantages of choosing a caravan over a motorhome or camper trailer? First, a trailer such as a caravan can be left at the holiday park when you want to go for a drive around town. This mightn’t sound particularly beneficial, but consider 32

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Caravans come in all shapes and sizes; inside a large offroad van; some caravans are designed for light offroad travel; dishwashers are among the many touring comforts gracing caravans today.

how you’d cope if you had to pack up much of your campsite because you ran out of milk and needed to drive into town, as you would if your RV was a motorhome.

Compared to camper trailers, caravans (generally speaking) are simpler and quicker to set up, offer more ‘home-like’ comforts, such as an inside lounge, bed, large fridge, built-in cooking facilities, a washing machine, and even heating.

Many vans even have offroad capabilities, though their inherent size might preclude touring tight bush tracks and the like.

So if comforts and living space are important to you, not to mention the freedom to drive your tow car whenever needed, a caravan makes good sense.

MOTORHOMES

When it comes to motorhomes, the sky is the limit. If money is no object, then why not splash out a few hundred thousand dollars on a converted coach that has every comfort of the most expensive caravan and twice the living space? Well, for starters, you’ll need to upgrade your driver’s licence. You see, any vehicle weighing over 4500kg Gross Vehicle Mass will require a Light Rigid or Heavy Rigid licence, depending on the weight of the vehicle.

But the good news is, there’s a heck of a lot of

BELOW: A 'slideout' increases the width of the interior of this cab-chassis motorhome.

BOTTOM: The need for a specialised licence depends on the weight of the rig. Not all do, though, including this Talvor Hayman C-class motorhome.

CARAVANS LOWDOWN

PROS

Home-like comforts Internal living space Ability to use tow vehicle as required

CONS

A new tow vehicle may be required, or a smaller caravan to match existing vehicle Size and weight will add to fuel and vehicle servicing expenses Additional items, such as a weight distribution hitch, friction coupling, etc., may be required

“IF PACK-UP-AND-GO TOURING APPEALS, AND THE IDEA OF TOWING MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE, A MOTORHOME MAY BE THE ANSWER”

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CHOOSING YOUR RIG

MOTORHOMES LOWDOWN PROS

Easy touring – no towing is necessarily involved All the space and comforts of a caravan Very easy to set up. Park, plug in, and relax

CONS

ABOVE: Motorhomes come in a variety of layouts and with all the comforts of home.

BELOW: Van conversions, like this one by Horizon, are relatively affordable.

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very special motorhomes that can be driven on a standard licence, with all the space and comforts of top-end caravans.

In terms of benefits, the biggest is the no-fuss factor. No towing (unless you’re A-framing a little Suzuki or a trailer), no hitching and unhitching.

Just pack your gear, turn the ignition, and hit the road. For a lot of people, this holds a lot of appeal.

Unfortunately, for most motorhomers, their rig is their primary mode of transport. And this means packing up much of the campsite to get that litre of milk from town. However, this is also why they utilise portable foldable bikes and similar portable means of transportation. It’s also why many tow a little hatchback behind their motorhome.

Limited transport options without packing up camp

Small motorhomes, such as commercial van conversions, are relatively affordable when purchased new, compared to the cost of a new 4WD and caravan combination, as are new mediumsized cab-chassis rigs. They are also surprisingly manoeuvrable and spritely on the freeway.

Even van conversions, such as those by Horizon, come equipped with small combo bathrooms and all the comforts of home – you’d be surprised at what can be sensibly squeezed into such small spaces.

If pack-up-and-go touring appeals, and the idea of towing makes you uncomfortable, a motorhome may be the answer. Just try to remember to get the milk before setting up camp…

“CAMPER TRAILERS ARE, TYPICALLY, MUCH MORE MANOEUVRABLE THAN CARAVANS”

Camper trailers are, typically, much more manoeuvrable than caravans, and a good offroad trailer should follow your 4WD almost anywhere, even on the tight bush tracks that’d trip up an offroad caravan. However, most camper trailers aren’t known for offering the comforts of home.

You’ll be cooking in the great outdoors, sleeping next to canvas walls, doing midnight toilet runs (unless you’ve stashed a portable toilet somewhere) and generally living much closer to nature.

The exception, of course, is hybrid campers; that is, rigs that are a kind of cross between a camper trailer and a caravan. These have hard walls (with very little canvas to speak of), a ‘proper’ bedroom, and sometimes small internal kitchens as well as external kitchens. You might even find a little bathroom somewhere. The point of difference, however, is their offroad touring abilities. A good hybrid will be able to tackle all the offroad tracks that an offroad hard or softfloor trailer can.

If you don’t mind some campsite fettling, want to be closer to the great outdoors, and need to keep the towed weight as light as possible, why not consider a camper trailer? They offer a very different camping experience to motorhomes and caravans, but for a lot of people, that’s the point – and there’s nothing wrong with that.

INSET: Hardfloor campers are fast to set up for an overnight stop and if you include the awning, you're rewarded with tonnes of room.

CAMPER TRAILERS

Camper trailers can be as kitted-out and innovative, or as cheap and cheerful, as you like. If you’ve got $50,000 or more, there are high-end hardfloor trailers with hard-core offroadability, extensive 12V power, plenty of refrigeration and water storage capacity, just begging to hit the bush.

Typically light (anywhere between 1000kg and 1500kg Tare, if not less), a camper trailer is a good option if you like to keep the weight behind your vehicle down and thereby reduce your fuel bill. The lower towing profile of a camper trailer, as compared to a caravan, is said to reduce drag and therefore improve fuel efficiency, too. The inherently lighter weight of camper trailers also makes it more likely you won’t need to upgrade your tow vehicle.

A new budget camper trailer will inevitably require a fair amount of manual setting up, at least 15 to 30 minutes’ worth. Think canvas awnings, telescopic tensioning poles, etc. A basic hardfloor camper can be bought for $17,000 to $25,000, while entry-level softfloor campers are available for less than $10,000. A softfloor trailer, however, will require even more fiddling and setting up than a hardfloor trailer, but it might be the way to go if you want to ‘test’ your commitment to the lifestyle before writing a larger cheque.

ABOVE: Cooking outdoors is central to camper-trailer life.

TOP: Hybrids offer a nice compromise between caravan comforts and camper trailer offroadability.

CAMPER TRAILERS LOWDOWN PROS

Lightweight and easy to tow Easier to manage in offroad conditions (but make no assumptions here – not all camper trailers are purpose-built for offroad touring) They offer a more ‘authentic’ camping experience

CONS

Will probably require you to carry more gear, such as a portable table and chairs Significantly more setting up is required than a caravan or motorhome (depending on the trailer)

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T O P 5 T OW V E H I C L E S

PULLING

RANK

So you’ve got the van… now for the towing options.

T

WORDS PHILIP LORD

here are many good tow vehicles, but fewer great ones. As chief tow tester for Caravan World – Adventures’ sister magazine – I’ve spent time behind the wheel of many tows car. And having tested many of the latest models, I’ve adjudged a quality quintet to get you out and on the road with your RV. The scope for this evaluation included any vehicle we’ve tow-tested that’s still on sale in 2016, provided it has not undergone any significant upgrade since tested.

Subsequently, the ‘Top 5’ were benchmarked

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against their ability to tow in city stop-start driving, freeway cruising, hill climbing and descending, and on rough secondary roads.

Ride smoothness, performance, stability and fuel economy were all considerations. Mirror design was assessed for suitability with the same mirror-mounted towing mirrors. And the simplicity of coupling up the caravan was also appraised, including accessibility of the towball, trailer electrical connector and shackle eyelets.

Just because your vehicle isn’t on this list, it doesn’t mean it’s not a good tow vehicle.

It’s just not one of the best.

1

RAM LARAMIE 2500

The US export RAM Laramie 2500 is a true towing champion.

PICS MATT FEHLBERG

The RAM is the stand-out of our ‘Top 5’ because it makes every other tow vehicle we’ve tested seem like toys. It can tow up to 6989kg behind it, but you’ll need a pintle hook to do that. With a 50mm towball, it’s ‘only’ a 3500kg maximum. It towed a 2900kg caravan like it wasn’t even there.

The RAM was a rock-solid towing platform and, although the front end pitched up and down on rough roads, it wasn’t too obvious. Hills didn’t slow the RAM and with its exhaust brakes, going downhill at a set speed without needing the brakes was easy. It might be more of a truck than some would want with its rough-riding ways, but if you wanted the ultimate tow vehicle, this is it.

SPECS

Engine 6.7L inline six-cylinder turbodiesel Transmission Six-speed automatic Towing capacity 3500kg (4500kg with 70mm towball; 6989kg with pintle) Towball (max) 350kg

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The RAM Lamarie towed the 2900kg caravan like it wasn’t even there; the takeoff of this smooth big turbodiesel six will surprise you at the lights; the 240V powerpoint adds an element of luxury on tour.

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T O P 5 T OW V E H I C L E S

PICS MATT FEHLBERG

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The latest engine design delivered an improved response; the LC200 is a proven rock-solid performer; the luxury cabin is reminiscent of a city-dwelling AWD; the freshened rear includes LED tail-lights.

2

TOYOTA LANDCRUISER 200 SERIES

The ever-popular LC200 Series still has what it takes.

The LandCruiser 200 Series might’ve been pushed down the ladder to number two by the RAM, but it’s still one hell of a good tow vehicle. We’ve saddled the LandCruiser 200 with all sorts of caravans over the years, in all sorts of conditions, and never found one situation where the LandCruiser felt anything but rock-solid.

Strong performance and a lush ride when towing are other pluses.

The negatives are that it is becoming dated (although it did receive a mild 2016 refresh) and the 4.5L V8 twinturbodiesel engine is almost as thirsty as the petrol model when towing.

SPECS

Engine Twin turbo-charged V8 diesel Transmission Six-speed automatic Towing capacity 3500kg Towball (max) 350kg

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3

LAND ROVER DISCOVERY 4 SDV6

The Discovery is a large, luxurious towing machine.

Based on the 2004 Discovery 3, the Discovery 4 is now in its twilight years – the Discovery 5 will be on sale in Australia in 2017 – but the current Disco is a worthy member of the ‘Top 5’ club, even in its dotage. A hefty 2700kg-plus kerb weight helps keep any caravan from shoving it around and the air-spring suspension provides a contained, comfortable ride with a van behind.

The sequential twin-turbo 2.7L diesel does not lack for power, either. The only downside is that Land Rover doesn’t support the use of a weight distribution hitch for the Disco 4.

SPECS

Engine 2.7L twin-turbo diesel Transmission Eight-speed auto Towing capacity 3500kg Towball (max) 350kg

PICS MARK BEAN

FROM TOP: Leather trim adds prestige to the Disco’s commanding stance behind the wheel; air spring suspension helps soften the ride; the hefty 2700kg+ kerb weight holds steady on tow.

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4

T O P 5 T OW V E H I C L E S

JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE CRD

The popular Jeep Grand Cherokee is a stable, city-friendly towing platform.

The WK2 Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of the few 4WDs that has the maximum 3500kg towing capacity and reasonably svelte dimensions to make it an acceptable city vehicle. The Jeep is very solid with a van behind – it’s very stable and predictable in its response to wind buffeting and road surface changes.

The 3L turbodiesel V6 copes well with the additional weight of a caravan – its mid-range response is very strong and the engine doesn’t chew through as much diesel as you might expect it to.

The eight-speed automatic is a smooth, willing companion to the engine and has a good spread of ratios.

SPECS

Engine 3L turbodiesel V6 Transmission Eight-speed automatic Towing capacity 3500kg Towball (max) 350kg

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FROM TOP: Modern comforts and city-friendly dimensions make the Grand Cherokee a versatile tourer; a strong midrange response assists mileage on tow; the 3500kg towing capacity and smooth eightspeed transition.

PICS PHIL COOPER

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: When it comes to towing, the Ford Ranger (shown) and Mazda BT50 are best-in-class; cosmetic differences exist but, by and large, they’re similar under the skin; the rear axle is close to the towball, delivering a stable ride; few models offer a five-cylinder engine found in the Ford Ranger and BT-50 offer.

5

FORD RANGER/ MAZDA BT-50

Two stand-out utes round out the ‘Top 5’!

These are the only two utes (except the RAM) to reach the ‘Top 5’ list because they are stand-out tow-tugs against their peers. The Ranger and BT-50 were co-developed and despite a slight parting of ways in their latest 2015 updates, they are still basically the same under the skin.

These utes have great stability, barely moving at all with a van behind,

SPECS

Engine Five-cylinder diesel Transmission Six-speed auto Towing capacity 3500kg Towball (max) 350kg

benefitting greatly from their lanky wheelbase and short rear-axle-totowball measurement. The Ranger and BT-50 have equal best-in-class performance when towing, able to steam up hills that leave the rest of their competitor utes floundering.

Engine braking is very good and the six-speed auto is easy to use in manual mode to hold gears on descents.

PICS MATT FEHLBERG

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R E D B L U F F, WA

MAGNETIC PULL

WORDS CATHERINE LAWSON PICS DAVID BRISTOW

Red Bluff lures travellers with the perfect combination of solitude, surf, sand and a rustic camping experience.

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Sometimes there's a little effort required to reach the best breaks and beaches.

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R E D B L U F F, WA

he headland swell that peels off Red Bluff has magnetised west coast surfers for decades, drawing them to a remote beach camp a bumpy, two-hour trip north of Carnarvon. Riding the epic left-hander by day and dossing down in swags and tents overnight has long been a ritual for wave riders, but it’s Red Bluff’s invigorating seascape and rustic campsites nestled against the cliffs, that are luring travellers to this one-in-a-million west coast surf Mecca.

After a 20-year hiatus, I finally made 44

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it back to Red Bluff to discover that this laid back spot has changed very little. The facilities are still primitive, the endless white sand beach remains utterly pristine and we still shake, rattle and roll as we cruise north along the coastal access track. The famous ‘Bluff Barrel’ is as powerful as ever and the family-run Red Bluff Store continues to serve up a mean coffee in the weatherbeaten shack overlooking the sea.

Located on Quobba Station, at the southern edge of Ningaloo Marine Park, Red Bluff doesn’t offer much in the way of camper facilities. There’s no power or showers, water or firewood, but the allure of this back-to-basics camping experience is palpable. Looking out from our shady camp clearing, I watch

a surfer as she teeters momentarily on the lip of a crystal blue wave before dropping down, carving a path to the left and shooting north out into the bay.

It’s exhilarating just to watch, let along experience, and there’s an energy here that pulls me down onto the beach to expend a little myself.

Thankfully for non-surfers, Red Bluff’s appeal stretches beyond its worldfamous waves. There are coral reefs and wreck sites to dive and snorkel, great beach fishing, and the best blowholes on the west coast – all within easy reach of this remarkable wilderness camp.

Accessible to 4WD vehicles with offroad caravans, camper trailers or tents, Red Bluff also rents out plush safari tents and is less than an hour’s drive

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:

Blowholes: one of Mother Nature's whimsies; no matter what you drive, there are campsites which won't break your vehicle, or the bank; sand, surf, sun, sea and spray – who needs shoes?

from Quobba Station’s big homestead campground where occupants of conventional rigs can base themselves.

THAR SHE BLOWS

This adventure begins at the Quobba Blowholes, 74km north-west of Carnarvon, where the bitumen ends and

a long stretch of isolated beaches and reeffringed shorelines begin.

When the blowholes are pumping, the spectacle stops travellers in their tracks: the surging ocean pummeling Quobba’s rugged cliffs and shooting spray skywards through narrow rock holes for up to 20m.

In these big seas, when fishing is out of the question (it’s impossible to avoid the ‘King Waves Kill’ warning signs as you approach the cliffs), snorkelling is the best way to explore. Just a kilometre south at Quobba Reserve, the steep sea cliffs drop suddenly away onto a pretty white-sand beach, and a shallow, cerulean lagoon nurtures a colourful coral garden and a thriving marine ecosystem.

Protected against the vigorous swell by an arcing rim of reef and rock, the lagoon is ideal for snorkelling and swimming, and new shade shelters installed along the beach provide a place to picnic.

If time is on your side, there’s a

camping area over the dunes with waterfront nooks along a kilometre of shoreline, tucked among a rambling sprawl of old beach shacks with awesome access to the beach and the sea.

The deep water that laps the clifffringed coastline and lures anglers also creates a pounding swell that can quickly transform into king waves, crashing unpredictably over the cliffs and sucking anglers into the sea. In good weather and calm seas, locals fish and dive south of the boat ramp, off the reef near Black Point.

Accessible to on-road rigs, this idyllic, bare-basics camp has a long history of facilitating great camping escapes

HIGHLIGHTS Watching surfers ride the Bluff Barrel.

Red Bluff’s Indian Ocean sunset.

A coffee by the sea at Red Bluff Store.

Fishing off the rocks.

Seeing the Quobba Blowholes explode.

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R MEUDN G B LOUNFP, F, N WA SW

but there are few facilities on offer. No drinking water is available and while there are toilets in the day-use area, campers are required to have their own toilet on board. There are bins and dump points on site, and generators and dogs on leads are permitted. Overnight camping fees are $11 for adults, $8 for seniors and pensioners, and free for kids, payable to the onsite ranger.

THE ROAD NORTH

A sandy track hugs the coast north of Quobba Blowholes, passing a cliff-top memorial 7.5km on. This poignant spot with grand sea vistas commemorates the WWII battle that resulted in the largest loss of life in the history of the Royal Australian Navy. On the night of November 19, 1941, RAN light cruiser HMAS Sydney II was sunk in a battle with German raider HSK Kormoran with its full complement of 645 on board. While 319 of the Kormoran’s 399 46

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personnel survived the brief, 30-minute engagement and were subsequently held as prisoners of war, there were no Australian survivors.

The incident has fuelled much debate around one question: how could a modified merchant vessel like the Kormoran defeat the purpose-built warship Sydney? After decades of searching, the wrecks of both ships were located off Shark Bay in 2008.

Just 2km up the track you’ll reach Quobba Station homestead, the headquarters of a sheep property that covers 75,000 hectares with 80km of spectacular shoreline. Tourism has long been part of the pastoral mix for the station leaseholders, the Meecham family, who were no doubt spurred to build facilities at Red Bluff to cater for surfers, anglers and solitude seekers.

There’s easy-to-access camping at the homestead with hot showers, power and fresh water for drinking – things

you won’t find at remote Red Bluff. It’s a spacious, albeit unshaded, camp and if you’re into fishing, there’s a great spot 3km north of the homestead where a brief break in the overhanging cliffs provides access down onto the sand.

Anglers can expect catches of dart, tailor, trevally, snapper and mulloway.

In my humble opinion, the homestead lacks the appeal of far-flung Red Bluff, but makes a decent base camp if the fish are biting, you crave power and need a shower, or don’t think your rig will survive the hour-long trip north. If you do overnight here, Red Bluff is an excellent day trip away.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Quobba's shallow lagoon protects coral reef; campsites and coffee at laidback Red Bluff; watching the waves; it's beautiful but can be deadly: a memorial to a surfer; the headland swell magnetises surfers; Monique Durant runs the Red Bluff Store.

SURF, SAND AND SEA

The road between the homestead and Red Bluff veers inland across the plains, pulling you away from an amazing coastal strip until you’ve cleared Rio Tinto’s mine haul roads. The track is reputedly graded during the peak winter travel season, but we found the corrugations too shaky for conversation as we neared the turnoff to Red Bluff.

If you intend to take a van to Red Bluff, stop at the homestead or phone ahead to enquire about road conditions before heading out.

It takes about an hour to travel the 54km from the homestead to Red Bluff campground, where sites are carved into a grassy hillside that drops gently to the beach. Stretching seaward at the south of the bay, Red Bluff’s flattop finger of rock interrupts the swell that peels off its point and curls and rolls over a reef break to form what wannasurf.com calls a ‘totally epic’ wave.

You can follow the board riders along a rocky goat track that leads to the very end of the bluff to watch them take on the Bluff Barrel or simply to enjoy the views from this invigorating spot. It’s also a lovely place to watch an Indian ADVENTURES

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R MEUDN G B LOUNFP, F, N WA SW

“THE FACILITIES ARE STILL PRIMITIVE, THE ENDLESS WHITE SAND BEACH REMAINS UTTERLY PRISTINE AND WE STILL SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL”

Ocean sunset, but pack a torch if you linger late. Back below camp, where a wide, white sand beach meets the turquoise sea, you can explore from the sea caves at the southern end, all the way north. Follow the arcing rim of sand and rock as far as you can, stopping to swim wherever the waves calm off.

Along the way, you might spot the humpback whales that cruise close to shore on their northern migration in June, returning south with their newly born calves from about September, bound for Antarctic waters. On beaches to the north, loggerhead turtles come ashore to lay their eggs over the summer months from October to May. Neighbouring Gnaraloo Station works closely with Department of Parks and Wildlife rangers to safeguard the Gnaraloo Bay Rookery, which rates as the loggerhead’s largest, confirmed nesting rookery in mainland WA. If 48

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LEFT: The beach gives way to a surf-pounded rocky shore.

BELOW LEFT: Time for a sit-down coffee in the shade.

FACTS GETTING THERE

To reach Red Bluff, turn off the North West Coastal Highway 24km north of Carnarvon and continue for 50km to the blowholes. Turn north and follow the coast for 9.5km to Quobba Station’s homestead campground, and continue another 54km to Red Bluff.

ACTIVITIES

your adventure leads you here, you can volunteer to assist with research programs during your stay.

While facilities at Red Bluff are undoubtedly basic, the spacious campsites nestled up the cliff are positioned in lovely, private nooks, some shaded and each with a fire pit.

All offer incredible ocean views and there are 15 drop toilets housed in little thatched humpies dotted around the camping area, so it’s never a long trip to the loo. That’s pretty much the extent of facilities, unless you splurge on one of the canvas-tented bungalows that come with access to a shared kitchen area.

Firewood is available from the camp office but you’ll need to bring plenty of water for drinking and washing.

One thing you can get on site is a great coffee and an easy meal, thanks to Monique and Reid Durant, who have been satisfying appetites at Red Bluff for 20 years. Their mango milkshakes

and Saturday night pizzas are legendary, and there are few places as tranquil as the store’s ocean-view deck to enjoy a caffeine fix.

The pair bought Red Bluff Store back in 1995 after a few years spent migrating between the equally magnetic Margaret River and Red Bluff.

They went on to transform the tiny timber store into a stellar little cafe and built a completely self-sufficient home while raising their ever-growing family of eight kids. Now aged between eight and 22 years, six of the Durant kids still live at Red Bluff and the two who have left come back regularly to surf the barrel.

Along with groceries and hot snacks, Red Bluff Store sells Monique’s fabulous beach-inspired jewellery and I still find it amazing that you can get a great coffee so far off the grid.

Head here for a breakfast latte and to meet the remarkable Monique.

Marvel at the power of the blowholes.

Relax and enjoy the peaceful off-grid beachside camping experience.

Experience the rush of surfing the Bluff Barrel.

Try your luck fishing if the sea is calm.

MORE INFORMATION

Unpowered campsites at Red Bluff cost $15 per person (pit toilets only, no drinking water). Dogs on leads are permitted but you’ll need to part with a $50 bond at the office upon check-in. For camping at Red Bluff, phone camp managers Jim and Bek on (08) 9948 5001.

The Quobba Station homestead campground provides hot showers, power and drinking water, and campsites cost $13/$16 (unpowered/powered). For enquires phone (08) 9948 5098.

Visit www.quobba.com.au Time your trip to catch the Carnarvon TropiCool Festival (late May) or Gascoyne Food Festival (mid-August).

Find out more about the region at www.australiascoralcoast.com or www. carnarvon.org.au or phone the Carnarvon Visitor Centre on (08) 9941 1146.

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B A R R I N G TO N TO P S , N S W

THE

GREAT ESCAPE

WORDS MICHAEL BORG PICS MATT FEHLBERG

Looking for a quick getaway from it all? Break free of the rat race for one of the best adventure weekenders in New South Wales.

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River crossings add an element of fun to a Barrington Tops escape.

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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Clean mountain air and views that stretch forever; the rainforests of Barrington Tops are World Heritage-listed; there's a wealth of information on offer about flora, fauna and things to do.

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I

t’s funny how a few days in the bush can have you feeling like a new man. All the stress of day-to-day life can take its toll on even the best of us after a while, yet, for some reason, we let it get in the way of our adventures all too often.

Those feelings of frustration are exactly what prompted this spur of the moment getaway for me. Sure, the work was piling up, but every now and

then, you’ve got to know when to say, “oh the hell with it”, right?

Choosing where to go wasn’t all that hard because, to be totally honest, I’ve been absolutely hanging to check out the Barrington/Gloucester Tops area properly since a brief overnight stay a few years back. And I’ll tell you what – I’m bloody stoked I did, because this place of full of surprises that’ll leave you with a grin from ear to ear! What’s so good about this place, you ask?

Well, it’s not the spectacular scenic

“BE WARNED: THERE’S A GOOD CHANCE YOU’LL WANT TO QUIT YOUR DAY JOB AND HIT THE ROAD FULL-TIME AFTER THIS ONE!” vistas that are spread throughout the entire area. It’s not the pristine waters that trickle their way down the mountain. It’s not even the assortment of premium campsites available. It’s the fact that all this is combined into one hell of a relaxing place!

Seriously, I reckon this place leaves you feeling that relaxed that it would put counsellors, doctors and youth workers out of a job if the secret ever got out.

But let’s wind this story back a bit. After throwing in the towel with

HIGHLIGHTS Epic walking tracks.

Great High Country feel.

Cracking bush campsites.

The crazy and varied sounds of the local lyrebirds.

the dramas of life midway through the week, I gave my good mate Matt, who just happens to be a gun photographer, a call and teed up a trip up towards the Barrington Tops region. It’s a good four-hour drive for my Troopy from Sydney, so it’s very accessible for a quick weekender.

Now, I don’t like admitting this, but I’m absolutely hopeless when it comes to navigating. Dead-set, I’ve got lost in square paddocks and on straight tracks in the past, so it’s no surprise we actually spent the first leg of the trip lost! But, like so many other times, being lost worked out great as we stumbled across some absolutely awesome parts of the world in the Barrington Tops region. In fact, I’d almost recommend getting lost after seeing some of the excellent views and picnic sites we found.

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B A R R I N G TO N TO P S , N S W

CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: Our

mascot was bowled over by what we saw; all the creature comforts of home away from home; seasonal rivers may need fording.

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COMING OUT ON TOP

Barrington Tops National Park (NP) is a World Heritage-listed park that’s jam-packed full of hiking tracks and scenic vistas, with everything from rainforest in the valleys to a sub-alpine climate at the top. For the hikers, the Aeroplane Hill Walking Track is at the top of the list. At an altitude of 1500m, this track gives you a glimpse of life high up in the hills. It takes in the sights of Careys Peak Lookout, while snow- and mountain-gums bear testament to the sub-alpine terrain.

Another cracking track is the Gloucester Falls walking track, which, as the name suggests, offers waterfall views when the rivers are running, plus a maze of other scenic sights as well. The best part about these tracks is they’re not big multi-day hikes that you have to train 12 months in

FACTS GETTING THERE

The entrance to Barrington Tops NP is 325km from Sydney.

advance for. Nope, they’re quite easily accessible for anyone of moderate fitness and only take around an hour or two to complete.

But if walking sounds like as much fun as getting a tooth pulled out, there’s plenty of relaxation to be had back at camp. We really are spoilt for choice with campsites around here.

Seriously, the hardest part is choosing the right one. For me, I just couldn’t drive past Polblue camping area. Being up high in sub-alpine woodland, it’s just one of those spots that’ll light up your eyes on approach. It’s a fairly well-known and well-used spot, especially on weekends, but there’s plenty of room to set up everything and spread out without having to listen to old mate next door snoring all night.

Plus, it’s away from the road so it’s great for the kids.

Not far from camp is the Thunderbolts Lookout, which is a must-do in my opinion. It’s about a 10-minute walk until you hit the lookout itself, but the walk is actually half the fun. It’s got a real High Country feel to the place with some awesome flora to take in and a well-carved track. The lookout is nothing short of utterly spectacular.

It’s the sort of place you can literally sit down, relax and take in for hours and hours on end.

RIVER PLEASURES

Over Gloucester Tops NP way, there’s a great little campsite called Gloucester River Campground. It’s a beaut spot for a quick dip to cool down, and you’ll find there’s a few old historical relics spread around the grounds to have a geez at, too. There are also a few good walking tracks heading out straight

ACTIVITIES

Pack a day pack and hit the hiking trails for some amazing scenery and vistas.

Cool off in the Gloucester River.

Slow down and enjoy the peacefulness of camping in this beautiful area.

MORE INFORMATION

There are a number of camper trailerand caravan-friendly campgrounds within Barrington Tops National Park, the largest being Polblue and Gloucester River.

Visit www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au for more information.

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ABOVE: Views like this make you appreciate the efforts of pioneers who first cut the access tracks we take for granted.

RIGHT: Oldmachinery buffs will spend hours trying to work out what it used to do.

from camp, and no shortage of wildlife to listen to either. Brush-turkeys and lyrebirds call this place home, and those lyrebirds have learnt a whole heap of cool sounds from around the area. What sort of sounds, you ask?

Well, imagine hearing a chainsaw going off at about one in the morning, right next to camp. Yep, that happened, and it scared the kahunas out of me.

If you’re planning to visit this region, remember to take the climate into 56

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account. You’ll climb to fairly high altitudes quickly where that subalpine feeling really kicks in. With a record low temperature of -17°C, the winter chill sets in pretty bloody hard here. We’re talking fog, snow, and track closures – the works! In fact, the altitude and frequent fog has wreaked absolute havoc for pilots of aircraft over the years with a heap of plane crashes in the area being put down to the harsh conditions.

Well that’s another absolutely cracking trip done and dusted for me and, as usual, it wasn’t long enough. It never is though, right?

But like I said from the start, a trip to Barrington Tops will have you feeling brand new in a jiffy.

The worst part about this place is you won’t want to go home! So be warned: there’s a good chance you’ll want to quit your day job and hit the road full-time after this one!

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WORDS AND PICS DAN EVERETT

ADVICE

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M U S T- H AV E E M E R G E N C Y G E A R

DISASTER PLANNING There’s more to offroad emergencies than the beer going warm, so heed these 10 safety tips when all ‘goes south’.

T

hree… That’s the number of people you’ll find on average per square kilometre in Australia.

It’s enough to rate us seventh on the list of least populated countries in the world, and that list is 241 countries long! Factor in that the average is bumped way out of kilter by some parts of Sydney having a population of over 13,000 people per square kilometre and it highlights the sheer geographical isolation of certain regions in Oz. We’re one of the few countries where people enjoy an ability to head off and carve out a little slice of paradise far from the madding crowd and chaos of modern society, but with that privilege is responsibility. Break down in suburbia and you’re up for a tow ride home and a tight month paying the bills. Break down on some side track in a long-forgotten part of Australia and you better have an exit strategy. Rather than a re-hashed list of the spares you should take we’ve examined 10 key areas requiring your attention.

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M U S T- H AV E E M E R G E N C Y G E A R

COMMUNICATIONS Hollywood loves to play up the hero heading off by themselves for help only to return at the key moment and save the day. Everyone wants to be the hero, but unless you’ve broken down 3km from a service station on an overcast autumn day, chances are you’ll succumb to the

elements long before you reach help. The safe plan is staying with your vehicle and calling for help.

Communications can come in many forms and need to be appropriate for the destination you’re heading to. If you’re off camping at the local state forest or

national park for a weekend then a UHF radio is more than enough to reach out for help.

If you’re travelling anywhere further than a few hours from a major city, satellite phones or personal locating beacons are an absolute must.

NAVIGATION

HIGH AND DRY

Heading off into the rain or towards river crossings? No worries, a resealable plastic sleeve is the perfect spot for your maps.

Even if you don’t plan on getting wet, it can’t hurt to take precautions. A soggy, ink-smeared piece of paper won’t do you any good!

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In almost all situations you’re better off sticking with your 4WD, but if help is just over the hill it can be damn tempting to hoof it there and get yourself out of the brown stuff faster. The problem comes into knowing just how far off help might be. This is where reliable navigation can come into play. Over that next hill might be a service station, a campground full of help, a river full of fresh water, or 100km of sunbleached nothing.

Electronic navigation like standalone GPS units and smart phone apps are the easiest solution as they’re able to accurately pinpoint your location and can have detailed information on nearby areas, although they aren’t without their issues, like battery life and susceptibility to damage. If you’re travelling remote, a set of paper maps should always be used as a backup. Plot your progress as you go, allowing you to keep track of where you are at all times.

SHELTER

There’s an old survival guide called the ‘rule of threes’. Three minutes without air, three hours without shelter in a harsh environment, three days without water, and three weeks without food. If you’re not planning on driving your 4WD under water the first point is moot, and if you follow every other step accurately the last is as well (surprisingly, keeping emergency food is way down the priority list).

So that just leaves water and shelter. If you’re parked up with your camper trailer or even just your 4WD you’ll have plenty of protection from the sun and heat, making coldness the serious issue. A heavy blanket, or preferably a quality sleeping bag, per person is a vital first step but you’ll also need the ability to build a fire, not only for heat but as a signal. When it comes to emergencies, ‘two is one, and one is none’. So aim for at least three methods of building a fire to be safe. A box of matches is an easy one, arcing out jumper leads is another, and a cigarette lighter will get you across the line for all three.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER You don’t need to travel far down a remote track to find the shell of at least one burnt-out 4WD. Aside from the obvious negatives of your pride and joy going up in smoke, it can quickly burn through any trailers you’re towing as well, leaving you standing by the side of the track with nothing more than the clothes on your

back and a long wait for help. A fire extinguisher at hand can be the difference between a lifealtering fire, and getting your fridge fixed under warranty.

There are a few things to consider with fire extinguishers, and the abundance of cheap items makes people far too complacent. The general rule is

small extinguishers won’t save a vehicle, they’ll just give you time to grab the kids and any important gear out of the back.

You’ll want a small extinguisher easily accessible by both driver and passenger, with a large unit in your storage area capable of taking on engine bay fires. If you’re lugging around a camper trailer a third one should be near the cooking area.

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M U S T- H AV E E M E R G E N C Y G E A R

WATER

FLUID LINES

A slab of water bottles might look like a lot, but it’s only 14.4L. That’s barely enough to fix a cooling system if you burst a hose, or just one day’s drinking water for a family of four in hot conditions. Work out your actual requirements and don’t skimp on the water stocks. Storing your water in a couple of different tanks or jerry cans is also a good idea. That way, if one water source gets contaminated or springs a leak, you won’t lose the whole lot.

This one should come as a nobrainer but water is pretty vital in an emergency situation. It might be tempting to chuck a few 600ml bottles of Mount Franklin in the 12V fridge, but when you actually start adding up your water needs things get a little more complicated.

If you spring a leak in your cooling system you could potentially dump close to 20L of coolant, that’s around 34 water bottles.

You’ll also want to factor in drinking water for all the passengers on board. The rule is three litres per person, per day, and that’s not counting cooking and cleaning. If you’re doing a desert crossing or remote touring, a family of four can easily go through 50L of water in four days. When you include 20L for the vehicle in case of emergency, your water storage needs start adding up and camper trailers or caravans with large, fitted water tanks become very tempting.

FIRST AID TRAINING

Over the last 40 or so years, life expectancy rates have jumped from mid60s up to mid-80s and it’s all thanks to modern medicines. We’re able to quickly and effectively treat issues that used to be fatal, but it all goes out the window the minute you’re nowhere near a hospital. A first aid kit is seen as a magic wand by 4WDers who believe as long as you’ve got a box full of Band-Aids, nothing bad can happen. The truth is a first aid kit is just a box of tools. In some cheaper kits the tools inside just aren’t up to the task, and in all situations the tools are completely useless without the knowledge of how to use them.

Generic first aid courses are generally centred around stabilising someone until help can arrive, but in remote conditions help can be literally days away. Most first aid trainers now offer courses for remote situations that go far more in-depth and can prepare you for the worst case scenarios that might happen.

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A WINCH

A 12V winch is one of those bits of gear that gets lumped into the wrong category. At face value it’s easy to look at it like a set of lockers or mud tyres, something to get you further down the track. The reality

is they’re one of the most essential bits of emergency gear money can buy. A 12V winch, a couple of pulley blocks and a few extension straps should find their way into any 4WD. If your trailer

slips sideways off a steep track they can be used to get it back on solid ground; they’re also able to right a rolled 4WD and get you back on the tracks, lift fallen objects off people, and perform running repairs.

JUST IN CASE

A spare CV joint and driveshaft? You’ll need to juggle how likely you are to need it, and how difficult it is to bring the parts. In many cases, most things can be slapped together enough to get you back into town with a few basic spares.

For those items you deem useful and necessary but only need to access once in a blue moon, a good trick is a couple of easily removable covers in the back, which can seriously open up storage space.

SPARE PARTS Ever heard the story about an old mate who used to do an annual desert crossing? It’s chopped and changed between an old Series Landy and an FJ40 more times than it’s been told. The story goes that year in and year out he’d blow a diff halfway across the Simmo so would also carry a spare centre. Except one year he couldn’t get one in time and nervously set off without it, and low and behold didn’t need it. The point was without

the extra weight of those spare parts his 4WD was under so much less stress it didn’t actually need them. It’s tempting to get carried away and bring every spare part imaginable but then you start running into GVM issues and seriously overloading your 4WD. If it’s light, cheap, or easy to repair yourself then chuck it in. Spare hoses, belts and filters take up very little room and add even less weight so are a no-brainer.

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M U S T- H AV E E M E R G E N C Y G E A R

TOOLS

CHOOSE WISELY

In a perfect world we’d all have a magic toolbag with every tool imaginable in it, but you’re far better off having the tools needed to do the job, rather than a bunch of speciality gear. Offroad tool kits don’t need to be the fanciest on the tracks. Everything you need to do the job and nothing more.

A PLAN

There’s an old saying, ‘we don’t rise to our level of expectations, we fall to the level of our training’, and it couldn’t be any truer than with remote touring. If you have a plan and know exactly what to do if something goes wrong, then you’re in a much better situation than if you plan on winging it and hoping for the best.

The next time you’ve got a free 10 minutes sit down with a notepad and pen and run through the likely issues you could face out of phone reception and think about how you’d handle each one. Simple issues like collapsed wheel bearings might mean packing the parts and the tools. A rear axle failure could mean disconnecting the driveshaft and driving home in front-wheel drive. Your plan might be using the repeater stations on your UHF and hoping help hears you, or jumping on the satellite phone to the nearest 4WD recovery crew with credit card in hand.

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It’s easy to get caught up in a shopping spree and buy every tool known to man for your next adventure, and hey, who doesn’t want a pull scale for setting bearing pre-load and a depth gauge in case you need to readjust your diff gears halfway up the Canning Stock Route. The problem is all that stuff adds weight and takes up space.

If you’re in a bind it’s not going to matter if your wheel bearings were tightened up with the proper socket, or a hammer and chisel; the important part is being able to do the repair to get you back on the track. Make a list of the failures that might happen and what tools are required to do the job. Then try and cut that list in half. You’ll find a lot of tools can perform double duties; for example, do you need that soft-face hammer, or will a lumpy do the job with a rag over the end? Likewise, a 10 and 12mm combination spanner can replace two individual ones.

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PINK ROADHOUSE, SA

TICKLED

WORDS EMMA RYAN PICS ELLEN DEWAR

Pink

An outback icon and a lifeline for travellers on the remote Oodnadatta Track, the Pink Roadhouse has entered a new phase of its history.

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Almost a destination in itself, the iconic outback roadhouse offers a respite for drivers and riders.

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“

I

PINK ROADHOUSE, SA

t’s a bit isolated,” said Neville Jacob, the new owner of the iconic Pink Roadhouse in Oodnadatta, SA. His resistance to hyperbole is fairly typical of the no-bullshit folk you’re likely to meet out here. About 1000km north of Adelaide, Oodnadatta is Australia’s hottest, driest town, with a population of just 80 people. It’s a bit isolated, yes.

But Neville is quick to point out that he meets a great many people as the proprietor of the much-loved Pink Roadhouse, and that’s hardly surprising, given its location on the popular Oodnadatta Track, at the southern gateway to the Simpson Desert. For those who don’t like tarmac, it’s the logical way to get from Adelaide to the Red Centre and the road is usually in good condition, making the trek perfect for beginners and suitable for the towing brigade.

With that in mind, Neville reckons there’s never a dull moment at the Pink Roadhouse.

It was certainly hopping when we pulled in, stinging for a taste of the famous ‘Oodnaburger’ after three days of meat and tinned veg in one dry creek bed or another along the track.

We found a flurry of activity as mudcovered cars and motorbikes lined up for fuel, ladies lined up for the loo, and hungry mouths lined up for namesake burgers.

Punters shared stories of Simpson shenanigans and Oodna mudslides, the diesel bowser a scuttlebutt where advice and warnings were received by excited wide-eyed travellers only halfway there. There had been a lot of rain the week before and the track had only just reopened. The layers of mud on each vehicle were assessed with admiration, like fully displayed peacock feathers, as visitors rolled into the unlikely pink oasis. We might’ve been in South Australia’s most remote town, but compared 68

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to the vast expanse of vibrant nothingness we’d been traversing for days, this was the height of civilisation.

FRIENDS OF THE OUTBACK

Neville purchased the Pink Roadhouse with his wife Adriana three years ago and they relocated to Oodnadatta, but the two were no strangers to outback life, having lived 200km south at William Creek. By outback standards, that’s just down the road and, as such, the Jacobs were friends with the previous owners, Adam and Lynnie Plate. After Adam’s tragic death in a car accident in 2012, Lynnie sold the business and relocated to Adelaide.

That’s when the Jacobs made the decision to carry on the legacy of this outback icon, much-loved by travellers and locals for decades.

THE MAKING OF AN OUTBACK ICON

So why on earth is there a bright pink roadhouse in the middle of the outback, anyway? That’s a valid question, and to answer it, we have to travel back to the 1970s.

Adam and Lynnie were selfconfessed hippies on a soul-searching sabbatical, walking the desert down the tracks of the old Ghan with camels, donkeys and horses. In 1975, they rolled into the little Aboriginal community of Oodnadatta and, after some tension in their touring party, the couple decided to CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: In times of strife stay on for a while to this man might be your regroup, and they best mate; better make that 'world-famous'; smart never left. travellers make a note of The town was the numbers casually rowdy but the people painted on a 44-gallon drum lid, just in case. were friendly, and there was some activity and vibrancy as the Whitlam government of the day poured money into Aboriginal housing. Aboriginal people here were allowed to drink and vote, and Adam and Lynnie quickly became a welcomed part of the community.

Adam set up a motorcycle repair business in 1978 to service the nearby

“THE DIESEL BOWSER WAS A SCUTTLEBUTT WHERE ADVICE AND WARNINGS WERE RECEIVED BY EXCITED WIDE-EYED TRAVELLERS ONLY HALFWAY THERE” HIGHLIGHTS The Pink Roadhouse’s extensive mud maps tour along the Oodnadatta Track.

Location, location, location! A great info point for through traffic.

The sheer pinkness of it all. A photographer’s dream.

stations that used bikes to muster camels and, shortly after, Lynnie set up a shop called the Tuckerbox to sell snacks and supplies to the growing number of travellers. It was decorated with a giant Rolling Stone-style mouth with a tongue; they were an eclectic pair. The Tuckerbox also became somewhat of a soup kitchen for hungry kids waiting for their parents to leave the pub.

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PINK ROADHOUSE, SA

THE OODNADATTA TRACK

The Oodnadatta Track is a 600km South Australian odyssey between Marree in the south, a railway outpost where the Birdsville Track also starts, to Marla in the north, where the track loops back to meet the Stuart Highway.

For travellers commuting between the Flinders Ranges or Adelaide and Alice Springs, it is by far the more interesting route when compared with the blacktop of the Stuart.

And while it traverses some truly breathtaking and remote outback country, it’s generally a very accessible, good quality gravel track perfect for 4WD beginners with factory-standard vehicles and suitable also for those who are towing offroad rigs. Of course, track conditions should always be checked ahead of any journey, and the Oodnadatta does get closed during extensive rain.

The track forms a section of the Old Ghan Heritage Trail, running alongside disused railway lines, crumbling old sidings and railway outpost ghost towns. This makes for an interesting element, learning the fascinating history of this major railway artery linking opposing ends of our hulking great continent.

Named in honour of the Afghani cameleers brought to Australia to help unravel the mystery of her vast interior, the Ghan track was rebuilt several hundred kays to the west where flooding was less of an issue – a death knell for many of the little villages that had cropped up to service the line. Where crumbling bricks and swallows now reside, the imagination places publicans, railway workers, stockmen, deserthardened women and generations of kids who never saw the ocean.

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When the Ghan was relocated and the old tracks closed in 1980, it was thought Oodnadatta – like so many other towns along the track – would die.

But Adam and Lynnie had explored the surrounds by motorbike and knew the town was well-positioned to capitalise on the growing 4WD trade, located as it was between the Flinders Ranges and Alice Springs.

The surrounding country was magnificently contrasting outback: the Painted Desert, the Simpson Desert, hot springs at Dalhousie and Coward Springs, stark gibber plains and undulating red sand hills. Adam and Lynnie poured their efforts into establishing tourism, and immortalised the town by naming the 600km road the Oodnadatta Track.

In 1983, fuel was added to the Plates’ service and the place was renamed the Oodnadatta Traders. It was Adam’s idea to paint it pink; as a former art student, he knew the power of juxtaposition and that the contrast between the outback's many hues and a candy pink roadhouse would be a talking point for travellers.

Shortly after that, it became known as the Pink Roadhouse and, to this day, is still a talking point.

Adam and Lynnie’s philosophy was to make people feel comfortable and safe in the desert. Adam poured a great deal of time and effort into the Pink Roadhouse’s iconic ‘mud maps’ tour;

RIGHT: You might not find everything you want, but you'll certainly get everything you need.

BOTTOM: Neville will have to raise the roof if layers of outback mud keep getting dropped on his forecourt.

FACTS GETTING THERE Oodnadatta is about 410km north-west of Marree and 210km east of Marla, via the Oodnadatta Track.

quirky, hand-painted signs and maps dotted along the Oodnadatta Track offering warm anecdotes and information to lonely outback travellers. This huge undertaking adds so much to the trek for modern day 4WDers and serves as a tangible reminder of Adam’s passion for the outback and, in particular, the little town of Oodnadatta. The man may have passed, but his legacy is very much alive and well. Adam’s extensive library of mud maps is available to download at the Pink Roadhouse’s website.

These days, the Pink Roadhouse offers camping, powered caravan sites, accommodation and internet access. It has hot showers, hot meals, cold beer (a relatively new addition), groceries and plenty of pink clothing, hats and other merchandise. There’s a workshop for basic repairs, more than 150 tyres in stock and

a 24-hour 4WD recovery service that can be called up on UHF channel 7 repeater.

As has always been the Pink Roadhouse’s philosophy, if you get in trouble out here, help isn’t too far away – a concept that is very much carried on by new owners Neville and Adriana.

Speaking with Neville, it's clear he's humbled to be running this beloved outback icon. He's a warm and gregarious man with a sparkle in his eye that suggests he's right at home catching all the grubby travellers the desert spits out at him, serving them up a cold beer or a hot coffee and listening to their tall tales and grand plans. Such is the life of a roadhouse owner; people are always coming from somewhere and going somewhere else. His is an infectious energy, and one that his quirky pink palace harnesses to great effect.

ACTIVITIES Enjoy the outback charms of this iconic roadhouse.

Refuel and restock.

Tuck into an ‘Oodnaburger’.

MORE INFORMATION The Pink Roadhouse: (08) 8670 7822, 1800 802 074 (Freecall), UHF Channel 7 duplex (repeater), pinkroadhouse@bigpond. com, www.pinkroadhouse.com.au Check road conditions before travelling the Oodnadatta Track at www.dpti. sa.gov.au/OutbackRoads/outback_road_ conditions/area_3_oodnadatta_track

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WATA R R K A N P, N T

Sheer

BEAUTY

WORDS CHRIS WHITELAW PICS CHRIS WHITELAW AND ROBERT NORMAN

Wild, arid and striking, Kings Canyon is an unforgettable oasis in the heart of Australia.

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A magical sunrise over the gorge rim at Kings Canyon.

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WATA R R K A N P, N T

T

he Northern Territory is blessed with many natural wonders and geological marvels, but few of them can match Kings Canyon for sheer jaw-dropping splendour. The canyon is the central feature and prime attraction of the Watarrka National Park (NP), 330km south-west of Alice Springs, cleaving a buttressed outlyer of the rugged George Gill Range in a massive gorge bounded by sheer, 300m-high cliffs.

On either side of the canyon, the plateau has been sculpted by the elements into a maze of burnished red sandstone beehive domes. They are interspersed with rock hollows whose cool, shady depths nurture lush vegetation along chains of perennial waterholes. It's one of the most varied and starkly beautiful landscapes in all of central Australia.

It would be trite to say that this is an ancient landscape – that applies to pretty much all of the Australian continent – but the fact is the range’s geological record stretches back more than 400 million years. Back then this arid expanse, once the bed of a vast primordial sea, was a featureless wind-swept plain. Marine fossils embedded in rock bear witness to the extraordinary evolutionary changes that have occurred here.

The canyon’s rich red colour is believed to be the result of iron-rich dust blown onto the once-white sandstone and fixed in place by a form of fungus.

The record of human occupation is a mere blink of the eye by comparison, but impressive all the same. The Luritja Aboriginal people have lived in the region for more than 20,000 years and still constitute the third-largest Indigenous population in central Australia. The name ‘Luritja’ is thought to derive from the Arrernte word lurinya, meaning ‘foreigner’, applied to people who relocated from remote Western Desert areas on to Arrernte lands closer to Alice Springs. For them, Kings Canyon was an oasis in a harsh environment, providing refuge from the hostile elements among the waterholes and shady gorges, and abundant food in the plants and animals that lived there.

Their occupation is attested by engravings

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within the canyon and rock art sites along the southern escarpment of the range.

The national park is named after the umbrella bush (Acacia ligulata), known to the Luritja people as watarrka, which proliferates across the range and surrounding plains. This and more than 750 other plant species have been recorded in the park, ranging from desert oak, spinifex and acacias on the exposed plateau to 60 or so rare riverine plant communities along the waterholes deep within the canyon. These

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Stark red sandstone, millions of years in the making; some walks are harder than others; powered sites are available at Kings Canyon Resort.

HOLIDAY PARKS NEAR WATARRKA NP Kings Canyon Resort (08) 7999 6035 Luritja Road Watarrka National Park Kings Creek Station (08) 8956 7474 Off Lasseter Highway Kings Canyon

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include the endemic creeping swamp fern and a species of cycad (Macrozamia macdonnellii), relics of the rainforest which covered the area 50 million years ago.

This diverse vegetation fosters a wealth of wildlife, including more than 100 species of birds.

STATIONS OF THE PAST

Explorers Ernest Giles and Samuel Carmichael were the first Europeans to traverse the region in October 1872. They found desperately needed water within the canyon and Giles named the creek after an old friend, Fiedler King; the range he named after his brother-in-law, George

HIGHLIGHTS Kings Canyon Rim Walk.

Excellent facilities at Kings Canyon Resort.

Outback station stay on Kings Creek Station.

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Gill, who helped fund the expedition.

Giles was followed a year later by William Gosse, who camped along Kings Creek before heading south and ‘discovering’ Uluru, which he named Ayers Rock after the then-governor of South Australia, Sir Henry Ayers.

In the late 1880s, Tempe Downs cattle station was established on land east of the canyon. However, a run of bad seasons decimated the grazing land and dried up the creeks, forcing the owners to move 2500 head of cattle west to Reedy Rockhole and Kathleen Springs. This brought the pastoralists into conflict with the Luritja people, a number of whom were arrested by police for spearing cattle in defence of their traditional waterholes. In 1983, Tempe Downs surrendered more than 1000sq km of land for the establishment of the national park, which was formally declared in 1989.

Jack and Elsie Cotterill set up the first tourism venture in the area in 1960 when

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they built a tourist lodge called Wallara Ranch at Yowa Bore, 100km east of the canyon. In 1980, Ian and Lyn Conway took up 3200sq km of Crown Land to establish Kings Creek Station, adjoining what is now the national park, on which they created a successful cattle enterprise and tourist haven, offering a station-stay experience for travellers. They also founded a charitable trust called Conway’s Kids to provide educational opportunities for indigenous students from remote central Australian communities.

REWARDING WALKS

For modern-day visitors, bushwalking is the main activity in the park and several well-marked walking trails of differing lengths and degrees of difficulty provide ample opportunity to explore this unforgiving, unforgettable environment.

A good introduction is the Kings Creek Walk, an easy 2.6km return stroll that meanders along the canyon floor, through ADVENTURES

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WATA R R K A N P, N T

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:

Fork-leafed corkwood is just one of many local species; a few large trees thrive, despite the harsh environment; Garden of Eden offers a chance to recharge midway through the Canyon Rim Walk.

groves of coolabahs and red gums and with many interpretive signs that explain the geology, vegetation and birdlife. The trail ends at a viewing platform affording stunning views of the towering sandstone walls that enclose the canyon. Beyond this point is a traditional ceremonial place that is sacred to the Luritja people and only men fully initiated into their culture may go there.

A much longer and, in parts, strenuous, but very rewarding excursion is the Kings Canyon Rim Walk, rated by many as one of the best in central Australia for its diversity and spectacular views. This 6km loop begins with a steep, 500-step climb of more than 100m to the plateau above the canyon. As the trail can only be followed in a clockwise direction, there’s no avoiding this ascent but it can be interrupted part of the way up at a lookout with an impressive view down Kings Creek Valley and along the buttressed escarpment of the George Gill Range.

Once on the plateau, the trail is fairly easy, following the gorge’s northern rim across tiers of weathered sandstone clad 76

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in a smattering of spinifex, white cypress and ghost gums. Several vantage points reveal spectacular views along the canyon and across to the opposite wall. Near the top of the canyon, the track undulates through the Lost City, a maze of domed beehive formations, and a 600m detour follows a projecting spur to Cotterill’s Lookout with vertiginous views into the canyon.

About halfway around the loop, the trail descends a wooden staircase into the delightfully lush Garden of Eden, a narrow gorge lined with ferns and prehistoric cycads and ending at a large permanent pool embraced by an amphitheatre of vivid orange-red sandstone. This shady grotto is the perfect spot to take a break, cool off and enjoy the quiet ambience of this secluded oasis.

Another staircase climbs out of the gorge as the trail continues around the canyon’s southern rim on the return leg. Many consider this part of the loop the most scenic, as it meanders through another swarm of weathered domes, narrow gaps and rugged valleys, emerging

at strategic lookouts over the sheer-sided canyon and the rugged George Gill Range at Kestrel Falls.

So hostile is this arid environment that national park authorities restrict access to the Kings Canyon Rim Walk during periods of hot weather. On days when the forecast maximum is 36°C or higher (which is often the case), the Rim Walk is closed after 9am. Even when the temperatures are not so high, there is very little shade on the walk and visitors should be wary of dehydration. It is best to start the walk early in the day and be well prepared with lots of water, a hat, sturdy shoes, sunscreen and snacks. And although you’re likely to encounter many other walkers on the track, this is remote country and emergency radios have been installed along the trail and at the car park, along with first aid boxes at the top of the canyon.

Two other walks reveal different aspects of this diverse national park. The Kathleen Springs Walk (2.6km return) is an easy stroll through open terrain to a permanent, spring-fed waterhole at the head of Kathleen Gorge, with interpretative

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FACTS GETTING THERE

Watarrka National Park is about 330km south-west of Alice Springs via Stuart Highway, Ernest Giles Road (4WD essential) and Luritja Road (unsealed for 70km), or 320km via Larapinta Drive and Mereenie Loop Road (unsealed for 198km – 4WD recommended).

Mereenie Loop Road passes through Aboriginal land and a permit is required.

2WD access to the park is via the Stuart Highway, Lasseter Highway and Luritja Road, all fully sealed (460km).

The Garden of Eden is an oasis in this harsh environment.

“KINGS CANYON IS AN OASIS IN A HARSH ENVIRONMENT, PROVIDING REFUGE FROM THE HOSTILE ELEMENTS AMONG THE WATERHOLES AND SHADY GORGES” signs about local Aboriginal culture and physical remnants of early settlement and recent cattle industry. For the more adventurous, the 22km (one-way) Giles Track offers a two-day walk connecting the Rim Walk and Kathleen Springs across the top of the range. This one is for experienced bushwalkers only and requires careful planning and preparation.

UNFORGETTABLE VANTAGE

The national park and surrounding region may also be explored via a range of guided activities and scenic helicopter flights out of Kings Canyon Resort, as well as quad bike safaris and camel rides on Kings Creek Station.

There is no accommodation within the park and camping is not permitted.

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range of options to suit all budgets. These include a camping area at Kings Canyon Resort with powered sites for caravans and unpowered tent sites, bunkhouse accommodation and hotel rooms. Kings Creek Station also has a campground and accommodation in safari-style cabins with shared facilities. Australia Pacific Touring maintains ‘glamping’ facilities nearby at the Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge for their touring clients, but also accessible to self-drive travellers who book ahead.

Make no mistake, Kings Canyon is way off the beaten track in a harsh desert environment which can get infernally hot, especially in summer. This combination hardly makes for anyone’s idea of the perfect outback destination, but it should, and does make for an unforgettable experience in the Territory’s Red Centre, for the thousands of adventurers who visit this iconic landmark every year.

ACTIVITIES

Bushwalking in desert wilderness.

Helicopter flights.

Outback experience on a working cattle station.

Camel rides.

Quad bike safaris.

MORE INFORMATION

The park is accessible year-round but the best time to visit is during the cooler months of April to September.

Camping and accommodation are available at nearby Kings Canyon Resort, Kings Creek Station and Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge.

Fuel and supplies are available at Alice Springs, Hermannsburg, Kings Canyon Resort and Yulara.

Alice Springs Visitor Centre: 1800 645 199, info@discoverca.com.au, www.discovercentralaustralia.com Kings Canyon Resort: www.kingscanyonresort.com.au Kings Creek Station: res@kingscreekstation.com.au, www.kingscreekstation.com.au Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge: (08) 8955 8311, www.aptouring.com.au

Discover your favourite corner of New England High Country

ADV-FP-5016473-CS-016

Find your favourite corner in one of the most motorcycle-friendly regions in New South Wales, if not Australia. To see tour videos, view itineraries, maps and book accommodation head to travelin.com.au

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F R E Y C I N E T N P, TA S

By Name

AND NATURE

WORDS CATHERINE LAWSON PICS DAVID BRISTOW

The Freycinet Peninsula is one of Tassie’s most popular destinations – and for good reason.

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Calm coves nestle beneath Freycinet's pink granite peaks.

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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: The rugged granite shore of Freycinet; first light – and coffee – at the Friendly Beaches; The view from Cape Tourville Lighthouse.

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F R E Y C I N E T N P, TA S

A

n arcing ribbon of white sand that splits the shimmering blue sea from towering granite peaks: no seascape magnetises travellers quite like Freycinet’s famous Wineglass Bay. This alluring panorama is a highlight of any itinerary along Tassie’s east coast, but it’s not the only reason to spend time in

Freycinet National Park (NP).

All over the Freycinet Peninsula, more subtle but equally stirring scenes await discovery – from the fiery, lichen-covered boulders that tumble away into the sea and forested peaks reflected in shallow tarns, to the towering sand dunes carved by the whims of the sea.

As one of the state’s most popular camping destinations, Freycinet offers excellent national park facilities, with a choice of powered and unpowered sites close to amenities, walk-in sites for

HOLIDAY PARKS IN FREYCINET BIG 4 Iluka on Freycinet (03) 6111 4756 Reserve Road Coles Bay

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A COVETED VIEW

Without a doubt, the lookout above Wineglass Bay provides the most coveted view in Freycinet NP. The challenge for most is tackling the short but steep 1.5km uphill climb to get there, joining an incongruous crowd of sneaker-clad families, hardy bushwalkers hauling heavy packs to overnight on the peninsula, and international tourists keen to snap images of one of the world’s most

HIGHLIGHTS Reaching the lofty lookout above Wineglass Bay. Whale watching from Cape Tourville Lighthouse.

Seeing the shell middens on Hazards Beach.

Sunset over the Friendly Beaches.

Bathing at Honeymoon Bay rockpools.

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adventurous hikers, and the amazing beachfront freebies nestled among the coastal heath of the Friendly Beaches.

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photogenic bays.

By taking your time, this rewarding adventure is within reach of most visitors.

The fun begins along the Hazards Circuit with a rigorous uphill climb to the Saddle Seat. This ingeniously-designed timber lounge, nestled between Mount Amos and Mount Mayson, provides the perfect excuse for a good lie-down. When the lookout eventually beckons you on, you’ll spend only another minute or so on your feet before that hard-earned vista finally reveals why Wineglass Bay got its name.

There’s no doubt that the lookout views are inspiring and worthy of all that hard yakka, but Wineglass Bay from sea level is no less enchanting and most walkers can’t resist the urge to continue along the gentle downhill trail to the water’s edge.

If you’ve packed a picnic, there’s no better location to enjoy it than Wineglass Bay, surrounded by the peaks of the Hazards to the north-east and, to the south, Mount Graham and Mount Freycinet, the

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national park’s highest peak at 620m.

A narrow isthmus divides these two ranges, allowing walkers to escape the crowds and journey on through tea tree scrub, beneath wattles and past silvery tarns dotted with wombat scat and the scratchings of echidnas, to reach Hazards Beach on the quieter side of the peninsula.

This magical 11km loop through Freycinet’s diverse wilderness takes around four to five hours, revealing everchanging scenes of a diverse landscape that you won’t see if you just stop at Wineglass Bay. Across the isthmus, the trail leads beneath high sand dunes carved by the sea to reveal ancient shell middens.

Look for them as you beachcomb north past Refuge Island and Promise Rock.

Beyond Hazards Beach, the walking trail completes its loop, traversing the coast around the base of Mount Mayson, reaching high lookouts and dropping down into tiny coves that make lovely rest spots.

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F R E Y C I N E T N P, TA S

“NO SEASCAPE MAGNETISES TRAVELLERS QUITE LIKE FREYCINET’S FAMOUS WINEGLASS BAY”

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: The lookout

over Wineglass Bay delivers one of Tassie's most famed vistas; the rocky shoreline of Great Oyster Bay; wild Bennetts wallabies are frequently seen around camp at Friendly Beaches.

FRIENDLY BY NAME

After a busy day on the trail to Wineglass Bay, there can be no better place to unwind than at the Friendly Beaches. Added to the national park in 1992, the Friendly Beaches is a solitude seeker’s dream come true, with windswept bush campsites nestled into the coastal heath at Isaacs Point, along a seemingly endless stretch of coastline. Some are perfectly snug for tent campers, while other sites are large enough for a caravan-towing vehicle to turn around, and spacious enough for groups to share.

There are no fees to stay here, although national park admission fees still apply, but bear in mind that only pit toilets are provided. Because it lies within the national park, you can’t bring pets here or light a campfire, and you’ll need to dispose of rubbish when you head back into town to top up on drinking water and supplies.

That said, campers who would rather be closer to the beach than an ablution block may well find this is a destination that's difficult to leave.

On our most recent winter-time stay, we

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spent long afternoons dawdling along the sand, equally mesmerised by the surfers riding the beach breaks and the dazzling cowrie shells caught among colourful rocks. As we strolled south towards the Cape Tourville Lighthouse, translucent seas revealed great gardens of thick kelp swaying in the swell that washed piles of shells against tessellated rock pavements.

With our campervan parked to make the most of the awesome water views, we spent the hours before dusk watching Bennett’s wallabies and pademelons feeding on the grassy foreshore, sipping champagne as we clicked off ever-improving images of the setting sun.

On this unpopulated stretch of coastline you might spot white-bellied sea eagles circling overhead, hear yellow-tailed black cockatoos or glimpse nectar-feeding spinebills and honeyeaters. Don’t miss the great flocks of black swans and other waterfowl that gather on Saltwater Lagoon, an easy 20-minute walk behind the beach.

TIME TO EXPLORE

At Cape Tourville Lighthouse, a sealed 600m interpretive trail provides excellent views of Wineglass Bay and the Friendly

FACTS GETTING THERE

Freycinet National Park is about 2.5 hours north-east of Hobart (194km) or two hours south-east of Launceston (173km).

Beaches, and a chance to spot southern right whales during the winter months.

A visit here might be combined with a trip to Sleepy Bay, a popular summertime snorkelling and diving spot, or the Honeymoon Bay rockpools where you can picnic and enjoy a calm, safe swim.

Further afield, experienced trekkers can tackle the three-hour climb up Mount Amos, part of the Hazards range of peaks.

This sometimes-slippery endeavour rewards with panoramic summit views shared with few fellow walkers. With a pack on your back, the Peninsula Circuit offers exciting multi-day escapades between the basic campgrounds at Wineglass Bay, Hazards Beach, Cooks and Bryans Beaches.

With more days to fill, you can join a host of national park ranger-led activities: free guided walks, talks and slide shows held at the visitor centre’s outdoor theatre.

For a splurge, take a sea kayaking tour of the peninsula, try rock climbing or abseiling, launch your tinny on Great Oyster Bay or simply spend some time birdwatching at Moulting Lagoon. Named for the vast flocks of black swans that shed their flight feathers on the lagoon’s shores, Moulting Lagoon is a wetland of international importance with a substantial black swan population. Not only does this enormous waterway attract a diverse range of birds (and duck hunters

in season), but it also permits bush camping at a basic campground off River and Rocks Road. To get there, head 8km north of Coles Bay, turn left onto River and Rocks Road and continue for 1km to a shady camp clearing with pit toilets and lots of brushtail possums.

The closest and most popular place to set up camp in Freycinet NP is right on the water at Richardsons Beach. With easy access to walking trails, the camp has 18 powered sites for campervans and caravans up to 5.49m/18ft and 27 unpowered tent sites stretched along the dunes. In peak seasons – especially Christmas and Easter – another seven sites are opened at Honeymoon Bay, a little further from the camp’s cluster of amenities. Bearing in mind that this is a wilderness camp, Freycinet offers good facilities with cold water showers, toilets, picnic tables, drinking water, rubbish and recycling bins, a public phone and free electric barbecues to compensate for the ban on campfires.

Close to the park, the Coles Bay township sells everything a long or shortstay camper could possibly need, including fuel, groceries, ice and gas refills. In town there are also some cafes and restaurants for dining out.

Finally, anglers keen to get out on to Great Oyster Bay will find a boat ramp just opposite the local shops.

ACTIVITIES

Numerous walks of varying lengths and difficulties are on offer throughout the park, many with spectacular views.

Join the ranger-led activities during peak seasons.

Swimming, snorkelling, fishing, beachcombing and birdwatching.

MORE INFORMATION

Park entry fees are $24 per vehicle, per day. This makes a Holiday Pass a better deal at $60 per vehicle for entry to all Tasmanian national parks for up to eight weeks.

Bush campsites at the Friendly Beaches and Moulting Lagoon Game Reserve are free but offer pit toilets only.

Campsites at Freycinet’s Richardsons Beach and Honeymoon Bay cost $13 (unpowered) or $16 (powered) for up to two people. Extra charges apply for additional people and family rates are available.

For Richardsons Beach and Honeymoon Bay, you’ll need to enter a ballot by July 31 for summer-time stays (December 18 to February 10) and over Easter.

For further information and campsite bookings, contact the Freycinet National Park Visitor Centre: 1300 827 727, freycinet@parks.tas.gov.au or search www.parks.tas.gov.au

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PRE-TRIP INSPECTIONS

PRE-EMPTIVE

STRIKE!

WORDS MICHAEL BORG PICS MATT FEHLBERG

A pre-trip inspection of your rig will ease the tension of an extended adventure.

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don’t know about you but when I’ve got a lengthy expedition approaching I can barely sleep for about a month beforehand. Yep, call me crazy but all the excitement about hitting the road can all get a bit too much for me, and the only way to stop the jitters is to get out in the shed and spin a few spanners for a while.

Yep, prevention is better than cure and the first line of defence when embarking on a

long journey into the wild blue yonder.

This time, though, I managed to con my mate Blake into giving the old Troopy the once over for the day. He’s a secondgeneration motor mechanic/auto electrician with a keen eye when it comes to picking up potential problems during a pre-trip inspection. So I’m more than happy to hand the reins over to him when it comes to getting the big Troopy up to scratch.

So let’s see what he found, shall we?

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PRE-TRIP INSPECTIONS

THINGS YOUR AVERAGE MECHANIC WON’T CHECK

The Aussie outback places its own demands on your 4WD, so unless your mechanic is experienced in dealing with vehicles in the bush, some of the early signs of damage caused out on the tracks can be missed.

SEALED AIR FILTER BOX

TOP TO BOTTOM: Relocating the breather lines is an easy mod; a snorkel's air intake will be affected if the air filter box isn't completely sealed; a full service is advisable before any big trip.

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Fitting a snorkel would have to be one of the best modifications you can make to your 4WD. The idea is it raises the air intake point as high as possible to prevent water being sucked up into the engine during water crossings, as well as accessing fresher, cleaner air while you’re on the road. But let’s face it, a snorkel isn’t going to help much if the rest of your air intake, like the air filter box and intake pipe, has holes in it. Therefore, it’s a good idea to check the air box is completely sealed, paying particular attention to loose mounting clips and missing breather tubes. The lower drainage compartments at the bottom of some models are

also often unsealed, which can be the main water entry point when it’s submerged in water.

DIFF BREATHERS

A 4WD’s differential housings will have a diff breather, which allows air to escape to prevent it from pressurising and popping the axle’s seals or similar. If you’re new to 4WDing, one of the simplest, yet important modifications you can make is to extend the differential, gearbox and transfer case breather lines to a higher location to prevent water getting in and contaminating your oil. It’s equally important at every service to ensure the breathers aren’t blocked up. This can be done by simply blowing through the breather to ensure air flows through.

BATTERY TRAY

One of the most common parts of a 4WD to rattle to pieces is the battery tray. It’s also one of the most dangerous, with the risk of a short circuit and fire being quite real if too much movement

SPARES TO CARRY

A quick inventory check should be a part of any pre-trip check over for a big adventure. Believe it or not, even your spare parts can get lost or damaged over time, and there’s nothing worse than thinking you have a spare part ready to go when it’s buggered even more than the one that needs replacing!

For an older truck like the Troopy, I like to carry half a workshop full of spares with me. Things like spare fan belts and radiator hoses are a given, but it pays to have a good think about spares you may specifically require for your vehicle. For example, the Troopy’s got a nasty habit of either wearing out rear wheel bearings or snapping the axle studs. So I carry a full set of fresh bearings and an entire hub assembly just in case.

BELOW: Tyres should also be part of the pretrip check over ritual.

BOTTOM: Bearings should be packed with grease prior to embarking on an extended trip.

WHEEL BEARING WOES

One of the most important parts of a pretrip check over is the wheel bearings. After all, you won’t get far if the wheels don’t turn. At a bare minimum, you should be checking for any signs of excess play or movement by simply jacking the tyre up and off the ground and wriggling it from top to bottom.

For bigger trips, it’s highly recommended to repack the bearings with fresh grease and re-adjust their pre-load. At a bare minimum, you can at least peek inside the hub and see what sort of condition the grease is in. If you’ve tackled a few water crossings since your last wheel bearing check-up, there is a better than average chance water has penetrated the hub which contaminates the grease and renders it useless.

The other sign that should ring alarm bells is if the grease has gone runny, which indicates diff oil has leaked into the hub assembly. This is usually caused by the axle seal being damaged, and is one of the reasons regular wheel bearing checks are an absolute must.

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PRE-TRIP INSPECTIONS

ABOVE: With your pre-trip checks done you can head off with confidence.

RIGHT: Utilise an experienced motor mechanic for pretrip inspections.

TENSIONED RIGHT

Before any big trip, it’s a good idea to run over any major nuts and bolts with a socket or spanner. While you’re there, why not mark their position with a permanent marker so you know if they’ve been loosening up during your travels?

It costs next to nothing to do and it offers great peace of mind knowing that you can check your bolts are tight with a quick glance. The truth is, it really doesn’t take much for a bolt to rattle loose and cause all sorts of dramas – ask me how I know that!

is allowed. Make it a part of your routine maintenance to ensure your battery is secure. That includes the battery tray and its mounts as well.

COUPLING NUT TENSION

If you’re running an old poly-block style coupling like me, you’ll find the mounting nut has a nasty habit of coming loose over harsh corrugations.

So, check there’s a spring washer in place and the nut is nice and tight as part of your routine maintenance.

WHEEL NUTS

With your wheels off, take 10 minutes to clean and lube up the threads inside the wheel lugs and on the wheel studs. Dirt and muck commonly gets caught and is the number one cause of thread 90

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BLAKE’S MOBILE AUTOMOTIVE

When it comes to keeping your 4WD running well, good maintenance is the key.

So before any big trip it’s worth giving your vehicle a full service and a good check over.

What are the most common maintenance items to get neglected on a 4WD? Blake: The brake calliper slides! They seize up over time, especially if water gets inside.

This can cause uneven braking issues and uneven/premature brake pad wear. They should be lubricated with a special antiseize brake compound specifically made for brake callipers every time you change your brake pads, and even more regularly if your 4WD likes to play in the mud.

“HECK, A FEW YEARS BACK THOSE SAME ICONIC TRIPS WERE DONE ON HORSEBACK!” damage in 4WDs, and there’s nothing worse than a stubborn wheel nut when you’re in the middle of a trackside fix.

READY TO ROLL

Well, there’s not much else left to do but chuck the gear in the back, hitch up your rig and hit the road. I’ll tell you what, though, if there’s one thing I’ve learnt over the years it’s that having an equipped mind is far more useful than having an over-equipped vehicle. What I mean is it’s easy to get caught up in the hype and think you need every latest gizmo to do the trip. Heck, a few years back those same iconic trips were done on horseback! So, I guess there are no excuses, eh? It’s time to head out there for your most epic adventure yet!

How long before a big trip should you give your vehicle the once over?

A good 3-4 weeks is usually ideal. Not only does it help avoid the mad rush before a trip, but if there is a problem it allows enough time to allow for repairs, or for parts to arrive. Plus, it’s best to let new parts settle in properly before you leave.

Why are regular oil changes so important?

Engine oil contains detergents which do break down over time. These detergents break down carbon that enters the oil and if it’s not changed regularly, a thick sludge will form leading to blockages of oil galleries and pick-ups. This eventually starves vital internal engine components of oil pressure, causing a catastrophic engine failure.

What little odd jobs can 4WDers do between services to help out with the maintenance side of things?

Little things like lubricating the door locks and hinges go a long way over time. I’d also recommend to regularly check the external radiator fins are free of mud and the front grille isn’t caked up with grass seeds or similar.

Check the engine fluid levels, check the air filter and clean electrical connections with contact cleaner.

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Bright Ideas W I T H DAV I D C O O K

Tried tips from true campers.

HOT CHIPS

Running short of kindling or fire starters? Then rescue that bag of corn chips from the kids and save your bacon. Corn chips will burn freely, are easy to light and a handful will start a fire with ease. And the best bit is that once the fire has started, you can nibble on the rest of the packet with your beer or glass of wine.

A REAL BELTER

An old belt with a few bent wire hooks makes a handy companion around a campfire. The belt can go around any nearby tree and with the attached hooks you can hang all those useful fireside tools that you’re going to need for preparing those succulent camping meals, keeping them off the ground.

RIGHT LIGHT

Head torches and many LED light sources can be harsh and very directional, when what you want around camp is a soft, even light.

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behind a white plastic bottle filled with water – an empty milk bottle is ideal – it will produce a soft, even light that will illuminate a kitchen, table or general area. Best of all, once you’re finished, you can use the water for washing up or a cuppa.

WHIP INTO ACTION

Is whipping together a few ingredients with a hand whisk too much to ask for your campsite souffle? No problem. If you carry a cordless drill in the car or camper then that whisk can be turned into a Mixmaster in minutes. You’ll probably need a good-sized chuck, but it can save an awful lot of hard work.

Just try to avoid maximum speed as you will end up with more of the ingredients on the outside of the bowl than inside.

ROLLED GOLD

Carrying a roll of toilet paper is a necessary part of camping, and if the bush is wet or dusty, you want to keep it dry and organised for obvious reasons. A round plastic tub with a lid (we use an old honey container) with a hole cut in the centre makes an ideal container.

If it’s a tight fit you might have to remove the cardboard tube from the centre of the roll to allow you to pull the paper up through the outlet, but if you have a little space around it, you can draw your paper from the outer circumference. The yellow lid makes it easy to find in the dark and the handle ensures it’s easy to carry.

BUCKET LIST

Even when you’re out in the bush, you still have to present a good face to the world, and that includes keeping the camping threads clean. I don’t mean getting down on your hands and knees at the local waterhole. A couple of clean, cast off industrial buckets and a long-handled plumber’s plunger will do the trick just nicely. Use one bucket with detergent to get the dirt out and the other with clean water to rinse out the soap. All you need to add is a bit of elbow grease and a clothes line.

COTTON ON

A cotton wool ball coated in Vaseline is another guaranteed fire starter. Rub the petroleum jelly into the cotton wool ball and wrap it in aluminium foil. You can prepare these at home before you leave and drop them into

a bottle or plastic bag. Unwrap the foil and light, the smeared cotton will continue to burn for five to seven minutes, depending on the amount of Vaseline, giving you a good chance of starting a fire even with damp kindling.

RARE AIR

A wine cask bladder can be a very handy item around camp. Inflate the bladder by blowing air into the open valve and place it into the fridge when you’ve removed some of the contents.

The air will rapidly cool to the internal temperature of the fridge and stay in place whenever you open the fridge, rather than spill out and be replaced by warmer ambient air.

This will save the fridge from having to re-cool that air volume, saving your batteries in turn.

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BOSCH BALLADS

W

hile there’s nothing quite like relaxing at camp, enjoying the serenity and immersed in the sounds of the bush, sometimes when you’re sitting around the campfire with a happy-hour drink, some low-key ambiance playing in the background is just what you need. And for this purpose, the Bosch PRA MultiPower Portable Radio is an excellent addition to your camping setup.

As part of the Bosch DIY suite of products, the PRA MultiPower Radio can be operated with either a DC-in adaptor for use via mains power or wirelessly via a lithium-ion battery.

The radio comes with an auxiliary cord (AUX-in cable) to plug in your phone or tablet.

The battery (available in 10.8V, 14.4V or 18V) and battery charger pack are not included and must be purchased separately. The battery starter kit, which includes an 18V 2.0Ah battery and an 18V charger, has a RRP of $99.

The benefit of this system is the battery is interchangeable among a variety of Bosch products so if you already have a Bosch garden or power

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tool, there’s a good chance you already have a battery to use with the radio. Of course, the downside for camping use is that to recharge the battery you will need access to 240V power.

The unit is 300mm (L) x 280mm (W) x 250mm (H) and weighs 2.9kg (including the power cord). I found the design userfriendly – it’s compact and easy to carry with large handles. It is triangular and effectively has a handle at each point of the triangle, with the bottom two acting as feet which help to sit the radio flat on rough or uneven surfaces. The digital screen is clear and there are large buttons so it’s all easy to read and fairly intuitive. The screen also displays the time and the battery charge level.

It’s possible to pre-set 10 AM and 10 FM channels for radio use, so you can easily flick between your favourite stations and catch up on local news. To play your own music, simply connect your device via the auxiliary cord or via Bluetooth, which is useful if you want to use your phone while playing music.

A feature I found particularly useful for camping is that the phone can be stored in the back cavity of the radio while in use. This makes the radio easier to move around without cords and devices to get tangled up and it also protects your

phone from dirt and dust. The cavity also stores the power cord and is where the battery is plugged in.

While Bosch states the length of time the battery will power the radio will depend on the size of the battery and the mode used, we had it at camp over a long weekend in the Victorian High Country and found the 18V battery lasted really well, playing music via the auxiliary cord for several hours each day.

The sound quality is pretty good, and you can get plenty of volume from the two 3.5W speakers. There are 20 volume settings and an equalizer function for bass and treble adjustment. If you were using it somewhere noisy, you might find it lacking, but for use around camp where any potential neighbours probably don’t want to hear your music anyway, it is more than sufficient.

While many modern RVs come with a stereo system already wired in, the portable radio could be useful if you’re heading off fishing or to light a fire away from your rig, or even at home in the garden or shed. For me, this is a versatile product perfect for both camping and at home.

– Ali Millar

Bosch PRA MultiPower Portable Radio (battery and charger RRP $149 sold separately) WHERE Hardware stores, nationwide MORE INFO www.bosch-do-it.com/ au/en/diy/homepage/ index.jsp

RATING 

4

ROK SOLID I’d been in the market for a good portable coffee machine since placing the order for my new camper. The thought of waking up in the bush to drink instant muck was too much to bear. The only question: a 12V espresso maker or a manual machine that I could use at home as easily as in the outback?

The answer came when my home machine went to the big cafe in the sky.

Its replacement had to be portable, easy to use in remote areas, and above all, make excellent coffee. The Rok Espresso Maker seemed to fit the bill.

This stylish unit (do I detect a hint of retro flair?) comes in a robust travel tin, along with a stainless steel, handpowered milk frothing device should you want to turn your espresso into a latte or cappuccino. The frother does a surprisingly good job, by the way.

To use the Rok, add pre-ground coffee to the filter attachment with the included combined scoop/tamper, click the filter into place, and pour boiling water into the pot above. Then, lift the arms, wait about one minute, then slowly pull the arms down to press the water through the ground coffee. Experiment with the water level and speed with which you lower the arms – this will determine the

coffee’s ‘crema’ (the thick, foamy stuff that forms on the top).

The mechanism works incredibly smoothly and the Rok’s simple construction has no internal components.

Overall, it’s a refined, well-developed unit that nonetheless comes with a 10-year warranty – longer than most cars! The unit takes up very little bench space, at home or in the camper. And provided you use a quality grind, the coffee is as good – if not better – than what you’ll pay $5 for in a cafe. As such, the Rok has become a permanent part of our family travel kit.

– Max Taylor

Rok Espresso Maker

RRP $199 WHERE Online MORE INFO www.espressounplugged. com.au RATING 

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of the button and you’re in business.

Each burner has a large, fully adjustable knob to regulate the heat.

The stove has been designed for use with propane cylinders but with the appropriate adaptor a standard gas bottle can also be used.

So how long did it take to boil water?

We filled up the camp kettle with one litre of nine-degree tap water and lit the stove. Initially the burner was very noisy and produced a whistling sound, but this stopped after about ten seconds. The heat output was impressive, consistently delivering 12,000 BTU’s of cooking power.

Compare this to the common camping stove, which produces between 6000-9000 BTU, to appreciate the massive difference.

After five-and-a-half minutes the kettle whistled which is, in fact, twice as fast as most stoves. We repeated the experiment a couple of times and consistently came up with a similar result.

So, what’s the verdict? The Coleman Hyperflame Fyreknight is an impressive camping stove which absolutely delivers on its promises.

– Claudia Bouma

ALL FYRED UP! Gone are the days when a camping stove was a simple affair with two basic burners and the knowledge that boiling water or cooking food would take a lot longer than on the regular stove in the kitchen at home.

Sure, you can still buy a stove at the cheaper end of the market and it will do the job. However, if you’re after more cutting-edge technology, you can’t go past Coleman’s Hyperflame Fyreknight.

Cynics could be excused for wondering about “Hyperflame technology” which supposedly boils water twice as fast as a standard burner. Add to this the “innovative Windblock” feature and I wondered if this product could deliver what it promised.

We picked a windy day to trial the stove so we could give the equipment a run for its money. Carrying the Hyperflame Fyreknight by its threepiece pivoting handle, the stove is easy to transport and weighs 7.1kg. It’s a sizeable piece of equipment at 38.5cm wide and 69cm long but it does mean

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you can use two large 30cm pots on the burners. The non-skid feet are great as they ensure the stove sits firmly on any table, eliminating the risk of sliding.

All the corners have been reinforced to protect the nice-looking unit.

Setting up the stove is fairly straightforward. After opening the lid, pull down a bracket which holds the lid firmly in place. The Hyperflame Fyreknight features two burners with a unique downward-stair-stepping design which reduces the flames’ exposure to wind. The top of each burner is dotted with uniform holes to increase the burner’s heating area.

Two pan supports fit snugly across the burners, creating an impressive wind shield, eliminating the need for separate side shields. The use of multiple vents, spaced along the pan support, is extremely effective in keeping the wind out and the heat in.

Like most Coleman stoves, this piece of cooking equipment comes with Instastart electric ignition, so one push

Coleman Hyperflame Fyreknight

RRP $279.99 WHERE www.colemanaustralia.com.au colemanaust.com.au MORE INFO customerservice@ or 1800 224 350 RATING 

5

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