THE ESSENTIAL DETAILS
Good to know...
WHAT TO TAKE ON A ROAD TRIP: on longer journeys carry spare tires (and know how to change them), plan your gas stops before you go, and carry plenty of food and water. As a rule of thumb, plan to carry between 1.3 to 1.8 gallons of water per person, per day.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR AN OUTBACK WALK: don’t walk in the heat of the day (11am to 3pm) and always cover up: hat, sunblock, long sleeves. And carry plenty of water!
WHERE YOU’RE GOING: never underestimate distance and don’t trust Google Maps in remote areas. Always tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back.
WHEN TO DRIVE: drive after dawn and before dusk to reduce potential for collisions with wildlife.
HAVE A BREAKDOWN PLAN: put the hood up (it signals distress), crawl under the car for shade and always stay with your vehicle.
YOU DON’T NEED TO DRIVE: exploring the outback by train is a perfect alternative, and a luxurious one on The Ghan and The Indian Pacific ( greatsouthernrail.com.au).
Outback itinerary builder
ULURU AND ALICE SPRINGS, NORTHERN TERRITORY: The red rock at the heart of ancient and modern Australia. Aim to spend two days in ‘Alice’ checking out the DESERT ART TRAIL ( discovercentralaustralia.com) and exploring the ALICE SPRINGS DESERT PARK ( alicespringsdesertpark.com.au) – take the nocturnal tour – before heading to ULURU for three days to dine under the stars on dishes infused with ancient ingredients (bush tucker) at TALI WIRU, experience FIELD OF LIGHTS, artist Bruce Munro’s magical installation of 50,000 spindle lights in the desert, and take a Harley Davidson tour (stay at AYERS ROCK RESORT and they can take care of everything; ayersrockresort.com.au).
THE KIMBERLEY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA: The reddest of red ‘pindan’ dirt meets the insanely azure Indian Ocean. Read all about it on page 90.
FLINDERS RANGES, SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Rolling hills that rise to the crescendo of IKARA (Wilpena Pound), one of the southern hemisphere’s lesserknown wonders. Go for the outback walks, prolific wildlife, and to explore (salt) LAKE EYRE .
BIRDSVILLE, QUEENSLAND: Classic outback town with a classic outback pub. Attend Australia’s most famous COUNTRY RACES on September 6-7 or get a taste of Aussie rock ’n’ roll at the BIG RED BASH festival held under a majestic red dune.
ARNHEM LAND, NORTHERN TERRITORY: Exquisite coastlines meet fertile wilderness; home to remote communities of Yolngu people living traditional lifestyles. Book a tour with an Indigenous tour operator like LIRRWI TOURISM ( lirrwitourism.com.au) to see culture, art and life at its most elemental and inspirational.
MUNGO NATIONAL PARK, NEW SOUTH WALES: A fossilized lake bed set in a magical landscape including the eerily atmospheric and utterly photographable WALLS OF CHINA. Explore it with MUNGO NATIONAL PARK TOURS
( mungonationalparktours.com).