AUSTRALIA

Below a 6-minute compilation covering Australia and how we got hooked on OFF ROAD TRAVEL.  Our Around the world adventure planned to last 5 years but to date has lasted 19 years and we still have another 4 years to go before we can state we have travelled overland around the world.

That is if we are allowed to enter the US. Our Visa application has been denied based on our travels in Sudan-Iran-Syria-Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in between 2010 and 2014 as part of our around the world overland trip. We have been advised we need to come down to Sydney for a face to face interview but waiting times are huge. 

The end of the clip shows the several types off road vehicles we owned and the new 300 series Toyota land cruiser we just purchased.

Australia, the smallest continent in the world, the world’s largest island, the 6^th largest country in the world after Russia, Canada, China, the USA, and Brazil. Australia is as diverse as it is beautiful, from the ochre-red outback, tropical white beaches, rainforest, desert, tropical islands, wide open spaces, the Great Barrier reef, to Alpine regions with frosty and in winter snow-capped mountains.

We have been asked by overlanders if you can drive to all the well-known tourist spots in Australia in a 2WD motorhome. The answer is yes. In fact, I have given quite a few overlanders some options based on the type of vehicle they drive.

1. You can travel around Australia on bitumen and good gravel roads to most if not all tourist attractions.
2. You can travel in a 4WD vehicle all around Australia including tracks which take up to 3 weeks to complete and in some cases without seeing another person.
3. You can do hard Off Road driving negotiating rocks, deep river crossings, long remote Beach runs chasing the tides, steep hills either sand, mud or very rocky, but I do suggest when venturing really off road you have a winch, diff locks, mud tyres, good communication on board and at least one other vehicle. DO NOT BECOME A STATISTIC
4. You can visit remote islands in the great barrier reef away from the crowds and snorkel or dive in an amazing environment.
5. In fact, Australia will offer every type of driving (road-track or no track you can imagine) and subject to the time of the year you could be travelling in some desert areas with seeing anyone for weeks.
6. Is one year Australia enough, short answer is Yes, long answer is No. We planned 1 year this became 4 years. We planned 1 year for Africa this became 5 years. All is subject to how much time you have. 1 year is enough if you pick the right times of the year for the various parts of Australia. But it is like covering Europe or South America 1 year is just giving you a basic impression.

Australia only attracts 9.4 million tourist per annum (2019) before covid compere this with France 89.5 million, The UK the 10^th largest tourist market in the world achieves 40 million tourist a year. (2019)

In fact, countries like Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, China, and South Africa receive much more tourist than Australia. Hence if you like Bush camping in beautiful scenery, near rugged escarpments, lush rainforest, waterfalls, remote beaches, wetlands, and deserts and are willing to get away from the beaten track you can be on your own for weeks on end.

With a choice of thousands and thousands of little bush tracks or just outback wheel tracks it is the ultimate off-road destination in the world allowing you to travel East to west or North to south without having to use the main roads. and for those who go off road into the desert areas the excitement of driving for days or weeks without seeing another person is something they have never experienced before.

However, be warned to see and do the extremes you do need a sturdy and reliable 4WD, lots of water and communication in case you get into trouble. CB radios are perfect for vehicle to vehicle talk; UHF is okay in the bush as you do have repeater stations. However, a satellite phone or use a HF Radio is what I suggest for the outback.

An HF Radio which will cover all of Australia including the Royal Flying Doctor service. For those who do have a HF Radio (you can hire them) become a member of the VKS-737 they are providing emergency and radio communications support for those who work, live or travel in remote areas of Australia. https://vks737.radio/

Animals such as Kangaroos, Dingoes, Koala’s, and Kookaburras are native to Australia, Australia has a unique flora and fauna including the only egg laying mammals on Earth, the platypus and echidna.

Let’s hope we meet one day travelling in the Bush or in the Outback.

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