Australia is a lot more than the Sydney Opera House, kangaroos and beautiful beaches. Some of the country's most spectacular scenery and adventures await if you escape the cities and mainstream tourist traps. Discover off-road Australia and with it, the splendor that is the largest island on the planet.
You have two choices when it comes to traveling off the beaten track down under. You can decide to go it alone and rent or buy a four-wheel drive vehicle for your expedition, or you can join a 4WD tour or what's called a Tag Along (where you use your own vehicle but join a group of like minded thrill seekers). Either way you will experience unique and untouched parts of the country.
Depending where you choose to go, there will be certain elements that you need to take into account when planning your trip. Driving conditions can be treacherous and off-road in Australia really does mean off-road. Hopefully you will be familiar with driving on the other side of the road (or if not, at least you will be open to the idea of learning). It is also important to have a good grasp of the metric system when it comes to judging distances in kilometers as well as fuelling your vehicle correctly in liters. This may all seem rather basic to the well-versed traveler, however you would be surprised by the number of tourists who run into severe trouble because they had not correctly estimated distances or volumes.
Climate is another essential variable, as some remote areas of Australia are inaccessible during the wet season. Cape York in northern Queensland for example, can only be reached during the dry season, which runs from the end of May to the beginning of November. If you will be driving along beaches (which is legal in many National Parks and isolated parts of the country), make a point to investigate tide times as you may end up stranded, or more likely floating in your 4WD if you don't time your trip accurately. It may also be wise to do your research when it comes to the wildlife in the area you will be visiting. Australia has the dubious honor of being home to a plethora of dangerous and deadly animals, from venomous snakes and spiders to crocodiles, so be aware of what is out there. As crocodiles inhabit many of the waterways in northern Australia, do not swim in any water unless there are signs saying it is safe to do so. If you are traveling alone, consider using a vehicle with Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation and always try to have a telephone or communication system that will work in even the most remote regions. If you have a laptop, invest in navigational software like the $85 Ozi Explorer Program (www.oziexplorer.com), which will also help to keep you on track.
Some of the best off-road travel experiences can be found in the magnificent region of Cape York, Queensland. Here you can experience secluded beaches, interact with indigenous aboriginal tribes, swim in your own personal watering hole at the foot of towering waterfalls and fish for Barramundi in crystal clear waters. Most locals recommend that no trip to the Cape is complete without driving the OTT (Overland Telegraph Track). The mining town of Wiepa is the main base for travel in this area. From there you can visit numerous wateralls and waterholes, including Twin Falls, Elliot Falls and Fruit Bat Falls. Alternatively you could rent a boat and travel down the crocodile infested estuaries, charter a fishing boat or catch a ferry from the town of Seisa to Thursday Island in the Torres Strait. Lakefield National Park is also along the OTT and it features abundant wildlife and fishing opportunities along the many rivers, creeks and waterholes. Whilst in Cape York, don't forget to visit The Tip -- the northern most tip of mainland Australia, surrounded by mangroves and the most pristine beaches you are likely to experience. You are quite likely to encounter animals during your Cape visit, from the cute and cuddly to the outright scary. Spiders and scorpions are common here, as are dingoes and wild pigs, and of course crocodiles.
You may also want to consider a trip to Fraser Island, located further south off the Queensland Pacific coastline. Fraser is the largest sand island in the world and it is made up of undulating sand dunes, tropical rainforests and freshwater lagoons. Ferries depart for Fraser Island from Hervey Bay and its tracks and many beaches are only accessible by 4WD.
Aussie Off Road Experience (www.aussieoffroad.com.au/home.htm) is a tour and training company based in Sydney, Australia, offering quality 4WD adventure tours and accredited, nationally recognized advanced 4WD driver training courses. Their Tag Along tours allow you to travel in convoy for the ultimate adventure tour. These are self-drive, self-catered expeditions giving you the thrill and experience of driving in the outback, combined with the safety of a group environment and personal tour guides who will escort and assist you throughout your trip. From July 6 to 23, their 18-day "Cape York Experience" Tag Along tour departs from Cairns, Queensland and is priced at $1,062 per person and includes a trip on the Daintree National Park ferry, a private bushcamp on Australia's most northerly cattle station, a ferry to Thursday Island, tour of Thursday Island, the tip of Cape York, a celebration dinner, farewell lunch, and all camping fees. Other meals and fuel costs are additional. The 20-day "Aussie Red Center Experience" from 10 to 29 September features a loop of Central Australia's red center. The $1,172 price tag includes all camping fees, and visits to Alice Springs, Uluru (Ayres Rock), the East MacDonnell Ranges, Kings Canyon, Palm Valley, along the Oodnadatta Track and Port Augusta.
Duncans Off Road Tours (www.duncansoffroad.com.au/4wd-tag-along-tours.asp) also offers Tag Along tours that range from one-day escapes, to short (two to six days) and long expeditions (seven -26 days) all over Australia. Their "Cape York Tag Along" tour runs in June, July and September and varies in length from 16 to 22 days at a cost of $1133 per person (16 days), $1,345 (19 days) and $1,558 (22 days). Departing from Brisbane, the prices include camping fees, park entry permits and all meals. Their "Arnhem Land and Gulf Savannah" tour is a 26-day adventure in some of the most remote regions of northern Australia. Priced at $1670 per person for 24 days departing from Mount Isa, it offers the traveler a unique opportunity to travel through this isolated region and insight into indigenous Australia communities.
For more information to help you plan your Australian adventure visit www.australia.com.
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