Australian’s know all about distance and acknowledging this is essential for planning your next road trip.
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The Huge Distances
As we live on the world’s largest island, we understand the great distances and time required to travel from one state to the another. For example, to travel from Sydney to Brisbane by road will take an estimated 11 hours. Experienced Aussie travellers come to respect these distances, instinctively knowing when to establish camp, and when to pass around the Minties and press on. Afterall, sustainability is the key to the long haul!
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Outback Roads
Maintaining roads across vast distances through sparsely populated regions has its challenges, especially when you consider our weather extremes. The truth is, most outback roads are either unsealed or simply single-lane bitumen, but those among us wise to the woes of corrugations know to build in contingencies into our schedules.
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Mega Trucks
Multi-carriage road trains are common in the outback and will muster great speeds on the open plains. When you encounter one of these monsters thundering down the on you, it is best to pull over and give it with a wide berth.
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Road-Blind Wildlife
Many of us who have spent any time out on the open road have experienced close-calls with wildlife. Roos and emus, in particular, are known to dart in front of on-coming vehicles without hesitation. It is always recommended to travel during the day as it minimizes the risk and slow down if you need to travel at dusk and dawn.
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Weather
Many of us respect weather extremes, but the pace at which conditions change can catch inexperienced travellers off guard. Take the outback, it’s not uncommon for intense 40-degree highs to plummet to sub-zero temperatures after dark. Sudden downpours can wreak havoc, causing flooding, cutting off roads.
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Plan food, fuel and water
There are three things you will absolutely need during your trip, which cannot be substituted for anything else: food, fuel and water. In certain parts of the country it’s an extremely long way between towns, this is why you should always be planning your trip around places where you can fill up the tank, snacks and drinks.
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Let someone know where you are
It’s important for safety to let people know your basic itinerary. It could be as simple as breaking down in the outback with no wifi access.
