Australia 2000, travel and nature photography

Australia 2000

Select a section on the map and click on the pages below to see the images

This was our first long trip through Australia. After two short trips to Sydney and Perth in '96 and '97, we decided to see more of this enormous country. Having met travellers who visited the Kimberley, Kakadu and the Red Centre, we knew we wanted to experience the 'Real Australia'. Therefore we were determined to buy ourselves a decent 4WD and make a trip of at least three months, starting from our favourite part of Australia, the West coast. In order to see the Top End at the right time of the year (during the 'dry'), we took of from Perth in early April. Slowly making our way up North, we arrived in Darwin in late May. Unfortunately 2000 was a very wet season, and large parts of the North, were still inaccessible, even for our rugged Landcruiser. The Gibb River road, and large parts of Kakadu were still closed. After a brief visit to these two places, we decided to leave this part of Australia for another year. Heading further South there was still plenty to see. Alice Springs, Kings Canyon, Uluru, the Simpson Desert, the Flinders Ranges and Melbourne. Being able to extend our trip with another month, we were lucky to be able to go up the East coast as well, and catch some sunshine, before returning home. We managed to reach tropical Cairns, where the climate in July was wonderful. Reluctantly we returned to Brisbane in early August, but not before seeing the magic Humpback whales in Hervey Bay. We stored the car in Brisbane, with the idea of coming back in 2001.

A large part of our trip led through very remote country. Some special precautions were taken to travel into the extremely remote areas of outback Australia (see advice below for travelling in remote areas).

USEFUL TIPS AND LINKS FOR TRAVELLING IN REMOTE AREAS:

When you travel in remote areas, you have to bear in mind that in the event of a car breakdown or accident, you may be days away from civilisation. A few hours in a 4WD, could be a number of days on foot!

Here are some recommendations from the Australian government (which apply worldwide):

carry adequate fuel, water, food, current road maps, two spare tyres
two jacks, shovel, first aid kit and tow rope
drink water at regular intervals to avoid dehydration
travel at speeds appropriate to road conditions
avoid night driving when wildlife and livestock may be active
in the event of breakdown - NEVER LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE
do not camp in waterways - flash floods may occur without warning
avoid wet weather driving - roads can become dangerous and impassable
keep friends or relatives informed of your outback travel itinerary

In addition to the list above, we always carry the following items:

a comprehensive set of hand tools (spanners, sockets, screw drivers, pliers, etc.), ty-raps and tank tape
recovery gear: snatch strap with large D-shackles, hand winch with tree protector
a tyre pressure gauge and 12V air compressor as well as a backup foot pump
two additional spare tubes and tyre repair kit (including a bead breaker!)
a small compass/topo maps
a satellite phone (check the coverage for a specific area)
an emergency radio beacon (EPIRB or PLB) monitored by Cospas-Sarsat (EPIRBs can be obtained from Sartech Engineering Ltd.)
Garmin GPS receiver with 12V car adaptor (and additional spare batteries!)
spare radiator hoses and fan belts
a CV joint
a set of contact points and spark plugs (our car is a petrol)

OTHER USEFUL LINKS FOR ADVENTURE TRAVELLERS:

AIRWAYS Services to all major destinations in Australia.

Sartech Engineering, specialists in search-and-rescue terchnology.

Satellite phone services with 100% worldwide coverage.

The best address in Western Australia for your photo equipment. Delivery Australia wide.

ExplorOz Comprehensive 4WD trip notes.

South Australia road conditions.

Western Australia road conditions.

Northern Territory road conditions.

Queensland road conditions.

to australia projects

top

home