Self Drive Information

The Australian Outback is a very remote place, and you can often find yourself many hundreds of kilometres from assistance. Some roads seldom see traffic at all. Whilst modern four-wheel drives (4X4) are highly advanced and extremely reliable, the simple fact is that people die, and sadly people will continue to die in this extremely hostile environment. Many past deaths could have been avoided with adequate preparation, the right tips and local knowledge, and the best vehicle warranty and insurance is useless hundreds of kilometres from help.

With the advent of four-wheel drive camper hire companies, more and more people are travelling into more and more remote areas without the essential preparation and equipment. In 1998 we came across an Italian in a rented 4X4 camper at Well 48 on the Canning Stock Route. He asked us for directions to Wiluna, a distance of some 1900kms with no services in between. He had a single tank of fuel, 20 litres of water, no tools, no radio communications, no experience, and one rented vehicle.

Generally speaking, aside from the main tourist destinations such as Kakadu, Uluru (Ayers Rock), and the like, NEVER travel alone. Advise a reliable close friend or police at the departure point of your itinerary and your estimated time of arrival at your destination. If you don’t have the required mechanical, navigational and survival skills, consider travelling with a tour operator, either in one of their seats, or as a tag along with your own vehicle. Self driving in the Outback is a wonderful experience, one you will never forget. Just remember to take care, make adequate preparations and respect the bush. If you do intend to travel to the outback with a group of friends, we hope the information on these pages is useful.

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Best time to travel
Information on the best time to travel, which season is best to get the most out of your Outback adventure

Vehicle and preparation
What you should consider and what preparation you should undertake to get your truck ship shape

Toolkit
What you should have in your toolkit, with handy tips from experts in Outback travel.

Roofracks
How good are roofracks, how should you set them up and what should you put on them

Tyres
What tyres you should run, what pressure you should put in them and how to repair them on the road

Trailers
Important information on what kind of trailer you should take and how to modify it for the outback

Maps
Information and links to both paper and digital maps, what you need and where to get it

Communications
Modern communications are essential in remote areas. Find out the what, why, where and when

First Aid
In the outback you could be several days from medical help. The RFDS can't get everywhere. Details of first aid kit contents and medical training. Essential!