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Travelling with Starlink in Australia: What you need to know
Fast internet in the middle of nowhere: our complete guide to using Starlink on the road.
New Nissan Patrol Y63 locked in for 2027 arrival
Nissan Australia has confirmed orders for the all-new Y63 Patrol will open later this month, with first customer deliveries due in the first quarter of 2027. It’s the seventh generation of a nameplate that landed here in 1961 and has spent the past 65 years earning...
Toyota working on 250-Series Prado fixes to address load space
Toyota has confirmed an update is imminent to address the rear load floor issue that has frustrated owners – and would-be buyers - of the latest 250-Series Prado models since the large SUV's local launch late in 2024. The problem relates to the load area, where the...
Why the Chevrolet Silverado’s V8 still rules when rivals have gone six-cylinder
Chevrolet is capitalising on the Aussie love of V8 engines with its Silverado pick-up truck that is proving a popular beast. While the rival Ram 1500, Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra have all moved to turbocharged six-cylinder engines, General Motors Specialty Vehicles...
Kia Tasman diesel here for the long haul, hybrid still years away
Kia has committed to its struggling Tasman ute, reaffirming that diesel will play a key role – even with revised sales targets.
Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series gets AdBlue as part of 2026 update
Toyota’s legendary LandCruiser 70-Series is the latest off-roader to adopt AdBlue as part of its artillery to clean exhaust gases. While nobody who orders a LandCruiser 70-Series has ever put AdBlue on their wishlist, Toyota has finally added the fuel additive that...
Hybrid hysteria: Battery myths creating real-world problems in the bush
Misinformation on social media, combined with official guidance, is fuelling confusion over whether hybrid and electric vehicles can use Australian vehicle ferries, potentially creating unnecessary delays as sales continue to grow. The K’gari island car ferry that...
Best 4WDs by the numbers
Australia’s 4WDs, ranked
What is left for people and gear with a 3,000kg van on the back, after the towball takes its 10 per cent.
- 1Ford Ranger Super DutySuper Duty1,682kg
- 2RAM 3500Laramie High Output1,352kg
- 3Toyota LandCruiser 70 uteGX1,080kg
- 4Mitsubishi TritonGLX1,035kg
- 5Ford RangerXL1,016kg
None of these quite you? Tell us what you tow, what you carry and where you go, and the 4WD Matcher will work out which ones actually fit.
Find your matchLatest 4×4 reviews
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Why China dominates the electrified vehicle age
While traditional brands busied themselves resisting the electric vehicle age, Chinese companies were concentrating on the future and are now reaping the rewards, while many established brands are facing market share and financial losses.
Buying used – the right process
A used 4WD can save you thousands, but there are some tricks of the trade you need to be aware of.
Reducing the cost of recreational vehicles
Many of us would like to have a flash off-road caravan, 4WD campervan or motorhome, but it does’t take much research to discover that a new, off the shelf vehicle will set you back between $150,000 and $500,000. There are ways to reduce that initial outlay or to offset the costs.
Lexus LX
Lexus’ LandCruiser-300-based LX combined all the ‘fruit’ from the top-shelf ‘Cruiser with Lexus’ additional equipment and legendary fit and finish. Upgrades and an Overtrail model were added in mid-2025.
GMC Yukon
GMC Australia & New Zealand released the Yukon wagon in May 2025. The Australian market launch model was in highly-specified ‘Denali’ trim.
Land Rover Defender
The only carry-over signature from the original Defender in the post-2020 model was aluminium bodywork. However, it’s here to stay and was updated for 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Big lap in a Kia Tasman: 20,000km across Australia with a caravan
The first thing you notice on a long lap around Australia isn’t the kilometres. It’s how quickly life changes. One day you’re worrying about deadlines, meetings and school zones. A week later you’re watching the sun come up over the Flinders Ranges while wondering whether the coffee machine has
Kia Tasman: Full details
The Kia Tasman is taking on the big guns of the ute segment, but does it have what it takes to shake up the dominance of the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger?
JAC Hunter PHEV review
The JAC Hunter PHEV arrives as Australia's most affordable plug-in hybrid ute, with a sub-$50,000 price tag, 3.5-tonne tow rating and 100km of electric range. We drove early development cars to find out if it can back up the numbers where it counts.
Ford Ranger Super Duty
The Ford Ranger Super Duty adds heavy duty load carrying and rock crushing off-road ability to an already capable package. But there’s a lot more to the ute that wants to steal sales from the Toyota LandCruiser 70-Series.
‘New’ Toyota Hilux now on sale
Toyota has unveiled its long anticipated new Hilux – except a lot of it is not that new. Yes, the 2026 Hilux has a fresh face – with TOYOTA spelled out across its grille – and there’s more tech and gear. But the chassis, much of the body and
Ford Ranger and Raptor
The Ranger Mk II model was released in August 2015 and updated every year since. The 2023 model was released in mid-2022, upgraded in early 2024 and a PHEV was released in mid-2025. A 2026 Super Duty model is planned.
Destinations
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East MacDonnell Ranges
Although the best known sites around Alice Springs are in the West MacDonnells, there are many natural and historic wonders to the east of the town that are not so well visited.
Tasmanian Odyssey
We spent all of February 2023 in Tasmania, but it wasn’t the usual off-road-oriented trip that we normally do. We were running-in our 75 Series’ rebuilt engine, so we played normal tourists for the trip, with some dirt road and beach driving thrown in. Younger members of the group did their own adventure thing.
Canning Stock Route
There are drives that are rougher, sand dunes that are taller and floodways that are stickier, but no track compares with the CSR in terms of sheer distance and the mechanical and physical endurance required.
Daly Waters
The Northern Territory’s Daly Waters Hotel is a legendary spot in a tiny town on the Stuart Highway. Today, with a population of about 23, the town of Daly Waters has little to commend it apart from its historic pub.
Marree
Marree is an outback town near Lake Eyre South and is an old settlement on the edge of the vast desert area of Central Australia. It is a true desert settlement, receiving an average annual rainfall of only 155mm.
Camping
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Caravan makers finally under scrutiny
In September, 2022 the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) issued a report on the conduct of some suppliers and manufacturers in the new caravan retailing market.
The perils of importing goods to Australia
It’s tempting to buy overseas and directly import gear you need for outback travel, but you may enter unknown territory when you import goods into Australia, particularly if your business is doing the importing.
Camping through the years
These two Aussies are Outback Travel Australia devotees who gladly offered their camping experience as a guide for people who are just getting into outback travel, or who are part-way along the gear-upgrade path.
Book Review – The Small Kitchen Cook
The clue for the purpose of this book is in the title that aims it at compact, not necessarily camping, kitchens. It also extols the undoubted virtues of home-made, lovingly prepared meals and that’s not always possible when camping – especially remote-area camping.
Portable Fridge Options
Portable fridges and coolers look much the same from the outside – they’re all insulated boxes with lids – but there are significant differences in the way they work and the type of energy they use. It’s necessary to know something about the ebbs and flows of the cooling business if you want to be sure of buying the right unit for your needs.
Powered fridge slide
Clearview has released the world’s first patented aluminium powered fridge slide that has been developed and tested over three years. It’s available in four sizes – S, M, L and XXL.
4WD SUV news and reviews
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Lexus LX
Lexus’ LandCruiser-300-based LX combined all the ‘fruit’ from the top-shelf ‘Cruiser with Lexus’ additional equipment and legendary fit and finish. Upgrades and an Overtrail model were added in mid-2025.
GMC Yukon
GMC Australia & New Zealand released the Yukon wagon in May 2025. The Australian market launch model was in highly-specified ‘Denali’ trim.
Land Rover Defender
The only carry-over signature from the original Defender in the post-2020 model was aluminium bodywork. However, it’s here to stay and was updated for 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Mitsubishi Pajero Sport
With Super Select 4WD drivetrain and stability and traction control as standard, the Pajero Sport is one of the keenly-priced medium wagons. It was upgraded in 2018, in mid-2019, early 2022, early 2023 and 2024.
Toyota Prado
The post-2010 Prado range scored upgraded diesel and petrol engines in September 2015, six-speed transmissions and additional improvements for 2018 and 2020. The next-generation was launched in mid-2024 and RRPs were way up.
LDV D90
The LDV D90 seven-seat 4WD made its Australian debut in November 2017, was upgraded in 2019, given a bi-turbo diesel option in 2020 and reverted to petrol-only power for 2025.
4×4 ute news and reviews
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Ford Ranger Super Duty
The Ford Ranger Super Duty adds heavy duty load carrying and rock crushing off-road ability to an already capable package. But there’s a lot more to the ute that wants to steal sales from the Toyota LandCruiser 70-Series.
‘New’ Toyota Hilux now on sale
The 2026 Toyota Hilux: old mixed with new Toyota has unveiled its long anticipated new Hilux - except a lot of it is not that new. Yes, the 2026 Hilux has a fresh face – with TOYOTA spelled out across its grille – and there’s more tech and gear. But the chassis, much...
Ford Ranger and Raptor
The Ranger Mk II model was released in August 2015 and updated every year since. The 2023 model was released in mid-2022, upgraded in early 2024 and a PHEV was released in mid-2025. A 2026 Super Duty model is planned.
Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon Pro
The tray-back version of the G-Wagon was released in early 2017. Outback Travel Australia managed to get its hands on one of the pre-production vehicles for an exclusive report.
Featured 4WD videos
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ABOUT US
Outback Travel Australia
Outback Travel Australia was established in 2009 by Allan Whiting and his team. His knowledge, enthusiasm and countless outback kilometres created a treasure trove of content unrivalled in depth and passion.
In 2025, Toby Hagon took the wheel with a vision to expand it further. While honouring Allan’s legacy, he plans to add new voices, fresh stories, and insights that reflect the ever-changing outback travel experience. The goal is to keep Outback Travel Australia the most trusted companion for anyone exploring the bush, the desert, and beyond.
