|
|
 |
|
|
|
Oz Trek Series…Outback QueenslandThere's a lot of fun to be found between Amby and Birdsville in Queensland's outback, and even more fun when you time your trip to coincide with the famous Birdsville Races. Places to go…Mountain HighThe Barry Way follows alongside the Snowy River, and mountain travellers can find some excellent free riverside camping on the way. Park yourselfWA's national parks offer incredible diversity and a multitude of low cost camps in some of the most scenic spots in the country. Simple pleasuresWithin easy reach of Surat are three picturesque locations offering free camping and the chance to catch an outback Queensland fish. Welcome to WeddinWeddin Mountains National Park is a rugged area that’s home to plenty of wildlife, and visitors can also enjoy bushwalks and great camping.
Going to GoondiGoondiwindi is a friendly town with an even friendlier caravan park!
Hike to the summitTake a hike up Mt Roland in Tasmania, and then rest your legs on an easy food trail that showcases some of the region's finest cuisine.
Things to do…Portable fanKeep your cool in the heat with this handy portable fan.
Tortured landscapeSee what effects a glacier can have on the landscape at Hallett Cove, not far from Adelaide.
Perfect navigationUsed in conjunction with maps and atlases, Hema's 4WD Australia app turns your iPad or iPhone into a powerful navigation tool.
SaratogaWhen the barra aren't on the bite, a feisty saratoga can be the next best thing to catch.
Making TracksRon Moon questions the value of excessive signage near country towns.
Puzzles!Try our crossword and Sudoku puzzles. |
Caravans, MotorHomes & more...Pioneer Campers ArgyleProviding convenient hard-floor accommodation, this camper trailer uses innovative engineering to keep the weight down.
Kedron Caravans XC3 Cross CountryDesigned to be towed by a mid-sized 4WD, Kedron's Cross County is tough and nimble enough to tackle adventurous back country.
Outback Campers TanamiThis camper trailer has all the conveniences for a big trip, from the kitchen sink to a portable toilet!
Skoda YetiThe Yeti aspires to appeal to people looking for more space, functionality and something a little bit different.
Campsites…Each month, On The Road contributors report on bush campsites or caravan parks around the country.
Green Hill Lake Campsite, Ararat, Vic Farina Camping Grounds, Farina, SA Leaning Marri Campsite, D'Entrecasteaux National Park, WA Bendeela Recreation Area, Kangaroo Valley, NSW
Nature……In the bushThese 'dinosaur plants' can be easily overlooked in the Aussie bush, and cycads have changed little over millions of years. Cooking…Italian exportsItalian-inspired food favourites combine simplicity with flavour. Try our barbecued banana prawns, lamb shanks with gremolata, or herby stuffed tomatoes. Just for readers...Our CountryOur new readers' photographic competition focuses on great camps for the summer months, and the most inspiring entry received will earn a great prize from Snowgum!
Readers' lettersEach month, the best reader's letter wins a rugged, 12-volt Panther Versa-Lite. |
From Jindabyne south to the Victorian border, Barry Way cuts an historic path alongside the lower Snowy River where horsemen once rounded up wild brumbies. Following a route travelled by stockman driving cattle to market, this two-day drive through rugged white box woodlands leads campers to free riverside camps just perfect for trout fishing, canoeing and watching wildlife graze.
The 72-kilometre long route through the Byadbo and Pilot wilderness areas ends in Alpine National Park across the border. En route there are picnic areas with river access for paddlers and fisherfolk, walking and horseriding trails, and new facilities that might have you thinking this is a recently developed roadway.
The stars of the Milky Way shine down on us like a million sparkling diamonds on a cloth of black velvet. The Aboriginal people have many dreamtime stories about the stars and how they came to be there, but I am just enjoying the peace I find sitting in my camp chair gazing at the universe above.
We are camped in the Karijini National Park in the heart of Western Australia’s Pilbara region, just one of about 164 national parks and reserves that spread across the far corners of Western Australia. The WA Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) manages more than 27 million hectares of national parks, marine and conservation parks, state forests, and nature and recreation reserves that contain some of the state’s most stunning natural treasures, as well as an extensive network of campsites and walk trails. The locations ensures you can experience coral reefs and pristine beaches, towering forests and tumbling rivers, mountain ranges and savannah, sand dunes and deserts, rugged gorges and wilderness areas – and a chance to escape from the stresses of urban living.
On 14 August 1924, after a bone-shaking ride on board a Cobb & Co coach, dusty travellers heaved a sigh of relief when they spotted a cluster of buildings on the horizon. They had reached the south-western Queensland town of Surat on a journey that had been etched into history. And on that cold winter's day, as the era of horse drawn transport trotted to its inevitable conclusion, there had been welcoming shouts of "G'day mate" as the human cargo of the last Cobb & Co coach to rattle across the nation’s roads tumbled out onto terra firma.
Today Surat, with its population of less than 1000 people, is as busy as an ice factory in Alaska, but you'll still hear that familiar Aussie greeting "G'day mate" as strangers welcome you to their neighbourhood. With gardens daubed with roses and bougainvilleas, and with wide tree-lined streets, it's a neat and attractive town that sits lazily on the banks of the Balonne River.
