21 Best Tips to Australian off road driving adventure

Off road, driving can be challenging, particularly if you are inexperienced. It’s essential to understand that driving a small car is not the same as operating a beast like Nissan Patrol or Toyota Land Cruiser off-road.

In this guide, we provide critical information about off-road driving, based on our experience, to help you prepare for the road ahead.

Know your car

It is important to know what you can or can’t do while off-road driving your car. Familiarize yourself with your car, check the breaking distance and how long it will take to stop, and how to brake safely without losing stability (this is very important if you tow a camper trailer or caravan).

Remember that you have a higher centre of gravity, which means it’s easier to roll your car if you drive faster than conditions allow. Know when to use (and how to use) your 4WD gears.

Read your car manual

Before heading off-road, it’s important to consult your vehicle’s owner’s manual and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Some cars come with fully automatic systems that detect low-traction conditions and automatically engage in off-road mode.

On the other hand, some 4WD vehicles may require manual engagement, so it’s essential to learn when and how to use them before hitting the trails.

Additionally, it’s important to know whether your car has all-wheel drive (AWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD) since these systems operate differently.

AWD systems distribute power to the wheels with the most traction, while 4WD provides power to all four wheels equally.

Understanding your car’s capabilities will help you make the most of its features when driving off-road. You can find this information in your owner’s manual or by consulting a qualified mechanic.

Off road driving – when to use 4WD Low Range

• climbing steep tracks, where extra power is required
• descending steep track, this will add engine brake support
• driving/pulling at low speed
• beach driving on deep and
• crossing deep river crossings
• off the road driving in mud

Off road driving – when to engage 4WD High Range

• Off road driving on dirt roads when more traction is needed

Know your recovery points

Know your recovery points – sooner or later, this could be handy. You really don’t want to look for your car manual while in the middle of a crocodile-infested river to work out that the recovery point is well below water level… Learn how to use a winch if you have it installed.

Have recovery gear and know how to use it

We bought our recovery kit as a ready-to-use set. It contained 2 shackles (minimum), a snatch strap (we don’t have a winch) and a few other straps. We never had to use it yet, but it is there in case we need it.

When we go on a trip, the recovery kit is always packed in a box at the top of the roof rack, so we don’t need to open the car’s back. This could be handy if we are stuck in water or mud. For muddy or deep sand situations, we also carry traction aids (like Maxtrax) and a full-size shovel attached to the roof rack.

Know your car’s ground clearance

This factor is crucial because you can negotiate rougher terrain with higher clearance without scraping the bottom and leaving any parts behind. So, what does it really mean? Ground clearance is defined as the minimum distance between the lower end of the vehicle body and the road. 

For example, we know that our Nissan Patrol can travel on a challenging track at Ellenbrae Station in Kimberley despite big rocks lying on its path.

What to choose: mud or all-terrain tires?

This is a personal preference, but mud terrain tires provide better off-road traction in the extreme, deep mud, dirt, rock or deep sand terrain. These types of tires will be great for weekend fun in Glass House Mountains with your friends but not necessarily perfect for street driving. 

All-terrain tires are great for travelling to work during the week and having some fun on the weekends. Invest in a good brand and take a second spare if you go to a remote area on your own. 

Also, f you are lucky to find someone who can fix your tire, be prepared for a hefty bill. Have a tire repair kit and know how to use it.

Off road driving – when do you lower tyre pressure?

Generally when more grip is required:

• the track is muddy – for better traction 
• beach driving – for better traction 
• the surface is rocky  – for better traction and to not get a flat tyre

Also, the important thing is not to forget to re-inflate your tires once you are back on the normal road. Low pressure and high speed can cause tyre blowouts.

Read why lowering tyre pressure is important in off road 4WD driving
Read why monitoring tyre pressure is vital in off-road driving

Fix things in “bush style” and have spare parts with you

Corrugations on some Australian roads or tracks can be rough and unforgiving. To prepare for these conditions, we carry a variety of essential items, including spare screws, duct tape, and wire. While duct tape is not a permanent fix, it can be an effective temporary solution for many issues.

We also pack pieces of Velcro, spare parts, filters, and basic tools. While we may not know how to fix a broken or loose belt, we’ve found that other travellers on the road may have the necessary skills or equipment to help us out. Additionally, we always carry a manual tire repair kit and know how to use it.

It’s important to be prepared for any situation when travelling off-road, and having the right gear on hand can make all the difference.

As this air filter from the Gibb River Road shows, the dusty and rough conditions can take a toll on your vehicle, making it essential to pack spare parts and tools to keep your vehicle running smoothly.

Do not do remote off road driving alone

Off-road driving solo in an unknown remote location is always a big risk. We do it (not everyone can go with us for a longer adventure), but we always do a risk assessment. We had situations where we were standing in an amazing place, and we only needed to engage 4WD and go… but we didn’t do it and left it for another time (like this river crossing in Gregory National Park).

Check the weather conditions

Australia is an amazing but also hazardous place. Weather can change rapidly, and a beautiful day suddenly turns into one big disaster. What do we do? First, we monitor the condition status of the roads. 

Each state has its own website and social media accounts to follow. It’s also good to check the BOM site and confirm that nothing bad is predicted to happen in the next 2-3 days.

Seasons also play an important part when we plan our trips. Winter is perfect for the Simpson Desert journey, but summertime can be disastrous because day temperatures can reach 47 degrees. 

Travelling north in November – February can bring cyclones and torrential rain. No one wants to be in the eye of a cyclone. And finally – some roads or tracks are closed periodically because of seasonal weather conditions. 

That’s why a trip to Cape York has a concise window of opportunity, and people travel in packs… A lonely wolf experience in the middle of summer is impossible.

What if you are already there and the weather starts to change for the worse – we talk to locals. They know their area best.

Communication devices

A UHF radio is vital equipment if you go offroad. It can help you call emergency services when things go wrong, and it also makes your life easier if you travel in a convoy. 

We carry a handheld UHF as well as an in-car UHF. I don’t remember when we used a handheld one, but we had a situation in Simpson desert where the in-car radio gave up, and we had to borrow a handheld to travel safely through the dunes. A few rules to know about:

• channels 5 and 35 are emergency channels and shouldn’t be used except for emergency
• channel 10 is used by 4WD clubs 
• channel 11 is a “Call channel”, it is used to start conversion and then move quickly to another channel
• channel 18 is used by caravans and campers convoys  
• channel 40 is for truck drivers and people who want to talk to truck drivers (useful when a big house being relocated shows out of nowhere right behind you, and you are asked to move out of the way)
• for general conversation channels 9, 12-17, 19-21 24-28, 30, 39, 49-60, 64-70, 79 and 80 can be used
• channels 22,23,29,61-63 shouldn’t be used

Please remember that conversations on every UHF channel are public. We heard a few conversations that I would really like to forget about during our trips. Another useful (but not cheap) option would be a satellite phone. 

Maps and GPS navigation

We keep our Hema maps up to date and replace them every few years. We also have an on and off-road Hema HX-1 GPS navigator. Never trust your mobile phone navigation, and don’t be surprised if remote areas will not have mobile coverage!

Plan before you go

We are flexible, but we always have a plan of what way to take and then a backup route if we cannot drive through it. We always check spots where we can camp for free, and we also research caravan parks in the area. 

Moreover, we check people’s opinions and choose the best for us. If you travel with kids, don’t plan to drive 900 km/day because that’s very optimistic but probably not possible.

Don’t overweight your car

Travelling light and fast can be a challenge, especially when you have small children or are new to off-road travel. In the past, we struggled with overpacking and bringing unnecessary items on our trips.

To overcome this, I developed a system where I first gather everything I want to bring, then set aside the items that are essential. This approach takes some practice, but it helps us pack more efficiently and avoid bringing things we don’t need.

As this photo of a caravan park in Mt Isa shows, some people can go overboard with their packing. However, learning to pack light is an important skill that can help you travel more efficiently and comfortably, even in remote or rugged locations.

Take 4×4 driving course

While 4WD courses for beginners are optional, they are highly recommended, and we found them to be very beneficial. When you’re driving on rugged terrain, you never know what challenges you might face, such as steep inclines, river crossings, or muddy washouts.

It is better to be prepared and know what you are doing.

Participating in training will help you learn the necessary skills and techniques to navigate these obstacles safely. We thought we knew enough about off-road driving theory, but when we ended up bogged, we realized that we lacked practical experience.

Since then, we’ve taken every opportunity to participate in recovery workshops and other training programs to improve our skills and knowledge.

While it’s essential to have the right gear and equipment, training is equally important to ensure that you can handle unexpected challenges and stay safe while off-road.

Do not travel at night

That’s our golden rule – we do not drive at night (except if it’s a short distance return to our camp). Many Australian animals are nocturnal, and they are active at night, especially around dusk and dawn. The car is heavy. Our reaction is slow. We don’t do it.

Have your car checked by a mechanic

Before you go on another exciting adventure, you always visit our mechanic. It’s important to have a professional who knows what needs to be checked and specialises in 4WD cars. It took us some time to find such a person, but now we are delighted, and we completely rely on his expertise.

Fuel

Make sure you know where fuel stations are located. There could be a considerable distance between them when you get to more remote areas. A good option is to take extra fuel cans. We usually have two canisters mounted on the roof for a longer trip. 

A potential issue could also be contaminated fuel. That’s why we always use a funnel. Funnels could be messy to use as fuel can spill, but after we paid a few thousand of dollars to clean two tanks, injectors and pumps, we are happy to oblige. We also invested in additional fuel filters, and so far… all seems to be fine.

Read how we barely arrived in Perth after taking contaminated fuel somewhere in Kimberley.

Food and water

We always take a minimum of one week of food and 20L of fresh, ready-to-drink water. If we have an opportunity to buy lunch in the roadhouse, we do it, but we never count on it, and I’m always ready to “work my magic” and prepare a fast lunch or dinner from what we carry with us.

There are no McDonalds in the outback. Let’s not count that one in Daly Waters.

And the most important thing – have fun!