Australia’s outback is an absolutely amazing place to explore. But one thing many people don’t realise is just how remote it really is.
After travelling full-time around Australia in our caravan and 4WD, we’ve seen first-hand how quickly conditions can change in remote areas.
Proper preparation is essential when travelling through the outback, especially when planning a lap of Australia. Understanding these safety fundamentals can prevent serious problems and give you confidence when travelling in isolated regions.
These outback travel safety tips will ensure that when you venture into the outback you will be prepared for anything too.
Stay Alert
Travelling in the outback means that you are sometimes travelling long distances in one go. Plus many of the roads can be flat and straight, so can sometimes become a bit boring.
It can be really easy to find your mind start to wander and lose concentration. If this happens, it may mean that you hit an animal that you didn’t see in time. Or you might veer off the road into loose gravel and lose control of your vehicle.
So, always stay alert to your surroundings. If you feel yourself getting a little tired or bored, swap drivers if you can. Or pull up and go for a walk and have a stretch. It might just save your life. The WikiCamps app is helpful for finding spots to pull over for a break.
Fuel And Supplies
In the outback, it can be a long way between fuel stations. Knowing how big your fuel tank is and roughly how far you can travel on a tank will help you manage your fuel supply.
But even then, a headwind or lots of hills may see you use more fuel than expected. So, depending on where you are travelling to, it may be advisable to carry some extra fuel with you. But the general rule of travelling in the outback is to never drive past a fuel station without topping up your tank!
You will also want to make sure that you have enough water and food with you. Adult men need to drink around 2.8 litres of water a day and women around 2 litres. This amount may need to increase in very hot weather or with strenuous exercise. {SOURCE}
If you have particular dietary requirements, such as gluten-free, you may find that some smaller towns may not cater to your needs. The same can be said if you require regular prescription medication.
Some small towns don’t even have a pharmacy and if they do, they may not stock your particular medication, so make sure you carry enough with you to last the duration of your trip.
Communication
In our experience, you won’t get any mobile phone reception in outback areas until you reach the town limits. Usually, around 10 kilometres out. Also, Telstra is pretty much the only service provider that will work. Therefore, having a good quality two-way radio in your vehicle is vital.
Read which UHF Radios that actually work for a lap of Australia here.
Using repeater channels on your two way can get you help if you need it. Make sure the duplex button is selected on your two way. Select channel 5 (channel 5 is designated as the Emergency channel) and just call, and ask if anyone can hear you.
Wait for 10 to 15 secs and try again. If you don’t get a response, start at channel 1 and call, then channel 2. Do this up to channel 8 as these are the repeater channels and will cover the most amount of ground as these use communication towers to repeat the channel from tower to tower, much the same as your mobile phone. You can download a list of all the Australian UHF Frequencies HERE.
As you travel you will see signs saying that the shire area you are entering is contactable on repeater channel 3 or whichever channel they select. A handy thing to make a note of as you travel through in case you need help.
If you are travelling into really remote areas or perhaps travelling on your own, we would highly recommend carrying a sat phone or at the very least a Personal Locator Beacon.
Breakdowns Or Accidents
The No. 1 rule of breaking down in the outback is to STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE! We cannot stress the importance of this enough. Staying with your vehicle gives you somewhere to shelter from the elements. A vehicle is also much more easily spotted from the air.
No matter what type of vehicle you have or how well maintained it is, there is always the possibility of something going wrong. And unfortunately, with modern vehicles and computer technology, there may not be much chance of working out what is wrong with it or fixing it either.
If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident and someone is injured, it would be really hard to remain with your vehicle and not try and go for help. Again, having a two-way radio or an EPIRB will be a lifesaver. Having a good first aid kit and being able to confidently apply first aid will also be of help in an emergency situation.
Where Are You Going?
It is vital when you are travelling in the outback that you let someone know where you are going and how long you plan on being gone. You could let the manager at the
We always try and send a message to our kids as well, especially if we know we will be out of phone range for a couple of days.
Good maps and a reliable GPS are essential as well. Never rely on Google maps. It is not always accurate. We think it’s a great idea to call the local Visitor Information Centre to get up to date maps and information on things like road conditions or road closures.
Also, don’t rely on the distance to somewhere as an indicator of how long it will take you to get there. For example, when we were in Birdsville, we considered driving out to Poeppel Corner. It’s only about 160 kilometres from Birdsville but as we discovered, it will take you somewhere around six to seven hours.
Watch The Weather
As we all know, the weather can be unpredictable in Australia at the best of times. Even travelling in the outback in the middle of winter won’t guarantee you cool days. Temps can still be up around the 30` mark or better but drop quite dramatically at night.
Wind can whip up at any time and cause dust storms not to mention buffet your van and car around. Just watch the fuel gauge go down when driving into a strong headwind.
As mentioned above, rain can make some outback roads impassable so always check the weather forecast before setting off. There are loads of free apps that you download to your phone. We tend to use Willy Weather the most.
Road Conditions
Driving in the outback is completely different to driving anywhere else. One thing you really need to be aware of is that many outback roads can become completely impassable, even after just a small amount of rain. Some of these roads will have advisory signs on them. If you are unsure whether a road is an open check with the local Police or at the nearest Visitors Information Centre. Most times, even the local pub will be able to advise you on road conditions.
Planning A Lap Of Australia Safely
Outback travel is one of the most rewarding parts of a lap of Australia, but preparation is essential. Making sure your vehicle, communication equipment, and supplies are properly set up will help you travel safely and confidently.
You can read my complete guide to planning a lap of Australia here to prepare properly before you leave.
We hope you find these outback travel safety tips useful. There is so much to love about exploring the Australian outback that you will want to do it again and again.
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Listen in to their podcast episode https://allaroundoz.com.au/podcasts/travelling-and-working-around-australia/
‘re fuel. Download the app fuelmap, not just to tell you the cheapest fuel but to tell you the next fuel stop. It’s been very handy for us, especially in a head wind.
We use FuelMap all the time. Never thought to include it in our post.