DESTINATIONS – PLANNING & PACKING

Although modern 4WDs make relatively light work of ploughing through sand, breasting creeks, climbing rocky tracks and conquering long stretches of corrugated roads there’s still a need for the vehicle occupants to have degree of’ ‘match fitness’. Margot Mora spells out a gentle fitness regime for all of us.

Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) has put together a must-read guide on the most common mistakes to avoid when buying travel insurance.

We’ve agonised for several years over the need to run this story, because we’ve got to know and love many First Nations people over our 50 years of bush travel, but we think it’s time to advise Outback-travelling ‘newbies’ how to avoid robbery or worse.

Many people seem to think travelling is a luxury reserved for later in life when you have no commitments: academic, professional, familial, or otherwise. For a student, the thought of travelling seems particularly daunting as you’re likely in a constant state of catch-up with assignments and exams while living on a tight budget.

We’re testing a 2019-release mapping app that promises more free features than any other mapping software.

One in six people yearn to recreate the holiday experiences of their youth, according to recent research carried out by Tourism and Events Queensland.

Knowing where you are at any time is vital for safe bush travel and today it’s easier than ever before to pinpoint your position with great accuracy.

Outback Travel Australia relies on the VKS737 network on all bush trips.

If you intend to stray from the thick lines that connect major points of civilisation on road maps onto the thin or even the dotted ones, you need to understand the basics of topographic map reading – whether your ‘topos’ are on paper or on a GPS screen.

Hema’s Explorer app combines Hema maps with 40,000 interactive points of interest (POI).

It’s much more relaxing in the Outback when you know that reliable contact with the outside world is only a button-push away.

We all learn as we go along, but there are some absolute basics you need to know before you venture out of your driveway.

The OTA Team has been travelling Outback for many years, in different vehicles and with varying camping arrangements. Here is a list of common mistakes novice 4WDers make.

The OTA gang lists 20 of the essential items they wouldn’t leave home without.

We always carry some rope with us and it’s handy to know a few knots, so you can use the rope to maximum effect.

Most first-timers take too much ‘stuff’ away with them, so every campsite is a potential drama scene, where piles of gear are unloaded and then have to be forced back in again.

Pre-trip checking could have prevented many breakdowns we’ve seen.

‘Do your homework, or you’re not going out’. That’s what your mum used to say and she was right.