NEWS

The New South Wales State Emergency Service (SES) has taken delivery of three Mercedes-Benz Trucks Unimog emergency response vehicles.

Roadvision has kindly presented a pair of Stealth Series seven-inch driving lights to a lucky couple, Moyra and Peter S, of Victoria. Outback Travel Australia regularly hands out prizes to people among our group of website donors.

Electrical systems specialist company, Projecta, has set up a technical support forum on Facebook. One of the tech experts is Projecta’s long-serving employee, Benny. 

We were very impressed with the value for money represented by Big Red Gear’s trio of LED driving lights and light bar. BRG has now made an Outback Travel Trio of this lighting combination, available for only $385.

Aeroklas Asia Pacific, a 4WD accessories and automotive parts business owned by a Thai-listed company, has acquired John Agostino’s Tough Dog Sydney-based after-market suspension company, for AU$70 million.

Mahindra & Mahindra have launched the new ‘Scorpio-N’ in India and it’s planned for Australian release in 2023.

Thousands of travellers are expected to cruise Longreach’s Thomson River in future years, thanks to the arrival of the 100-year-old paddle-wheeler, Pride of the Murray.

A class action by owners of certain HiLux and Prado vehicles against Toyota has received wide coverage in the general media. However, Toyota has a global reputation of being highly litigious and has already said it will appeal the Court’s ruling, so Class Action Members: don’t spend the money yet!

Probably the most-filmed Isuzu N Series of 2022 is being raffled, with the proceeds going to Gotcha4Life, Australia’s leading not-for-profit mental fitness foundation. Read below to find out how the truck performs and how to win it.

Outback NSW’s biggest ever live music event is scheduled for 18-20 August 2022, featuring a stellar lineup of Australian artists.

Retro RV motorhomes has committed its franchise operators to list their vans exclusively with leading motorhome, campervan and caravan rental platform Camplify. The Retro RV fleet numbers 25 vehicles.

Bendix has partnered with Outback Cleanups Australia, a registered not-for-profit charity dedicated to removing rubbish from Australia’s remote coastal areas, bushlands and marine environments.

Volkswagen Group plans to revive the Scout off-road badge, to create a share of the booming US light-truck market.

The Australian Government released some sobering news in April 2022: road fatalities spiked 2.7-percent in the last 12 months – the largest increase in incidents since 2018. More than 1100 people have died in road accidents since February 2021.

Unlike popular motoring news outlets, Outback Travel Australia didn’t share in the media enthusiasm for the proposed merger and acquisition (M&A) offer made by Korean electric bus maker, Edison, for troubled SsangYong Motors – currently operating under Seoul Rehabilitation Court administration.

Ford Australia is planning for the legendary F-150 to arrive in Australia by mid-2023, through a right-hand drive, local remanufacturing program with RMA Automotive Holdings.

In 2022, Isuzu Trucks celebrated 50 years of operation in Australia, with a key focus on the people and product that have contributed to this enviable achievement.

Nissan’s legendary Patrol celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2021and to celebrate, Nissan is finding Patrol owners around Australia who have done incredible things with their vehicles. One such owner is Les Siviour.

Reporting on the current twin crises of Covid testing inadequacies and AdBlue supply uncertainty, without roundly condemning the Federal Government is just not possible.

Orange Sky, supported by Australian electronics manufacturer, REDARC and global visual communications platform, Canva, has launched the world’s first solar powered laundry van fleet, to support people experiencing homelessness, or doing it tough, in remote Indigenous communities.

After systematically downplaying the significance of battery-electric vehicles for years Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) displayed 16 battery-electric concept vehicles in Tokyo on December 15.

The Audi RS Q e-tron competition vehicle is scheduled to race in Dakar Rally in January 2022, with Audi Motorsport fielding its range-extended EV prototype. 

“Everything is connected to everything else,”  said Leonardo da Vinci, all those years ago, predicting situations like the post-pandemic skyrocketing price of oil and natural gas that would result in a sudden shortage of AdBlue.

Call us cynical, if you will, but we can’t rise to the level of press excitement generated by the news that Gippsland-based H2X Global is planning to launch a Ford Ranger based, fuel-cell ute in early 2022.

Guy Hull’s previous best-seller was called The Dogs that Made Australia and he’s followed it up with a sad history of the feral populations that have made life a misery for many Australians – indigenous and immigrants – over the past 200 years.

Slovakian company Torsus has announced its ‘Terrastorm’ derivative of the 4Motion-equipped Volkswagen Crafter/MAN TGE platform. Will this vehicle make it Down Under? Maybe.

Camperact has been appointed a dealer for Kimberley Kampers in NSW and the ACT, adding to an impressive list of brands it represents.

Those of us who drive on the nations dirt and gravel roads will probably agree with the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) in welcoming a new Commonwealth Remote Roads Upgrade Pilot Program. This Program will offer councils 80 to 100 percent of required funding to make unsealed local roads safer and more productive.

Many caravans have been sitting idle for quite some time, because of the travel restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic. 

If you didn’t get to the recent Let’s Go Brisbane Caravan & Outdoor Show – only Queenslanders and captive interstate visitors could – here’s some of what you missed.

According to The Land, the NSW Government has purchased the 121,390-hectare Avenel/Mt Westwood Station, north of Broken Hill. The combined properties were once part of Sir Sydney Kidman’s Corona Station.

Yes, we know that this prototype solar motorhome has insufficient ground clearance for Aussie conditions, but its essence is worth investigating, we reckon.

New Zealand-born natural performance apparel company, Icebreaker, has launched a provocative marketing campaign that asks consumers one simple question: “Are you still wearing plastic?” For many consumers, the answer is: “Yes”. 

Watergen Ltd, a global leading company in atmospheric water generation technology, plans to launch what is said to be the world’s first built-in water generator for recreation vehicles and campers in 2022. 

An all-new British company has launched an extended-range, electrically-powered adventure ute that is designed to handle the most demanding terrains.

The fact that Middle Eastern, African and Afghani Islamic extremists prefer Toyotas as the base for their gunships is more than just an embarrassment for Toyota. The company is taking steps to ensure that thousands of new 300 Series wagons don’t find their way into conflict zones.

Redarc’s US office has used the company’s successful Australian Outback experience to demonstrate what it can do for adventurers based in the USA. Redarc has tricked-out a 2021 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road model.

Ahead of the Australian launch in late-2021, the Isuzu MU-X seven-seat SUV has been previewed. Obvious from the photos are LED headlights and 20-inch wheels. Inside is a 225mm (9-inch) touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay.

Jeep Australia is introducing 80th Anniversary Special Edition models, from late May 2021.

ARB and Ford – are collaborating to sell selected off-road accessories as Ford Licensed Accessories through participating Ford dealers in Australia from the second half of 2021.

With millions of people flocking to Australian beaches, safety on our beaches continues to be the top priority. To assist with keeping our patrolled shores safe, Isuzu UTE Australia is pledging support to the national symbol of beach safety, Surf Life Saving Australia, with a fleet of Isuzu D-MAX Utes and MU-X SUVs.

As reported by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), by the end of February 2021 an accumulative total of 148,077 D-MAX utes and 52,038 MU-X SUVs have been delivered in Australia.

Land Rover Classic is a Division of Land Rover that refurbishes second hand vehicles and resells them. This Division continuing the formidable expedition legacy of the original Defender with a limited production run of adventure-ready Defender Works V8 Trophy vehicles for an exclusive competition at Eastnor Castle in 2021. 

The National 4×4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo is returning to the Brisbane Showgrounds from March 19th to 21st, 2021.

Your next Isuzu 4×4 could be Cummins powered.

GMC has started taking orders in the USA for its brand new all-electric Hummer crew-cab ute. Variations in power, driving range and equipment levels are available and deliveries are scheduled for 2022.

Based on the Mercedes-Benz battery-electric EQC car is a concept vehicle that demonstrates the off-road ability of an all-electric vehicle. The EQC 4×4² shows that electrification at Mercedes-Benz goes further than the road network. 

One of Queensland’s most anticipated music festivals, the iconic Winton’s Way Out West Festival, is scheduled for April 2021, with a star-studded line-up of more than 100 Australian artists and musicians. Way Out West is planned to run for six days and nights of entertainment in seven Outback locations.  

The slightly modified Iconic 2006 travel slogan has been brought back by comms specialist GME as more Aussies go ‘bush’ and country icons, including Lee Kernaghan, urge Aussies to prioritise safety when exploring the great outdoors.

With all the stress around Covid this year, a famous Aussie bush cook is launching a fun Curry for Covid campaign to help boost family immune systems on Father’s Day on September 6th.