“Driveabout”; two month journey through Australia

 Like most great ideas, mine come from nowhere.  But it takes vision to turn a great idea into action.  And thanks to my family, for not only feeding me the idea, but for turning this idea into action points.  I now find myself on yet another journey of self discovery.  Only this time, it’s one which complies with the Covid restrictions of no international travel, applying for permits for inter state travel, and hoping that the premiers of Western and South Australia don’t hear anyone sneeze in Sydney as both have been known to close their state border on less.

Perhaps I should explain.  Over dinner last month, discussing with my family my frustrations of the delays with the work projects I was working towards, and a lack of any meaningful alternative, my family suggested that I fix up my Ford Ranger and drive and discover Australia.  Think “walkabout”, but add a 4X4 and Australia’s VAST outback, and we have a “driveabout”.  

On investigating options to convert my Ford Ranger, a few 4X4 mechanics had suggested that today’s utes are less equipped to travel through the Australian outback than one would imagine.  This concern is less a mechanical one, but a concern based on the vast electrical components in most utes today which show great value for driving in cities than 4X4 in the bush.  Add the red soil and dust, electrical components become very vulnerable.  Finding the broken electronics, so I’m told, is like finding a faulty bulb within Christmas Tree lights.  So then I looked into renting one in Perth, but seems that I’m not the only Aussie with this idea as rental places were booked-out for at near 9 months.  But even if I had rented one, the insurance on rental 4X4 only permits driving on gravel and sand, and not covered for true 4X4 driving (odd). 

I then turned my attention to buying a used Toyota Land Cruiser, the preferred car for the Australian outback according to just about every 4X4 mechanic.  Hoping to find one with less than 50,000 kms and 5 years, then reselling it at a cost less than renting a 4X4 for two months.   But to my complete surprise, the cost of a used one was $5,000 less then buying one new!  So off buy a new one, right?  

Well, here too, this was very difficult task as it seems that this is the last year that Toyota is making the Land cruiser Ute/Trooper/200 series with a 4.5 litre diesel engine.  Automatic, is not an option when driving extreme 4X4, so manual it was.  Believing that the Land cruiser is favoured in the bush and rural towns, I phoned a few Toyota dealers outside of Sydney.  Could not find one Land cruiser, not one.  They were all sold out and there is a four to six month wait list to get a new one.  Ugh.  

Seems Australian domestic travel is alive and well, and not just with the grey nomads.  Few want to commit to even domestic air travel, let alone hotel deposits, as COVID related border closures has already cost many a lot of money (I have a week’s accomodation in Noosa, sitting as a twelve month credit, if anyone is interested). Back to the future, as last time we saw this level of domestic travel was back when we were growing up in the 60s and 70s.

My wife then suggested I try a Toyota dealer in Sydney.  Didn’t like my chances, but she found one in the city.  Great.  But given the demand has peaked, and next years Land cruiser will only be a 3.5 litre V6 turbo diesel (instead of today’s 4.5 litre V8 turbo diesel), forget trying to negotiate.  “Here is what we have.  If you don’t like, please move aside as the people behind you will buy it.”

Land cruiser utes are NOT built for city drivers, let alone people wanting some common comforts like rear camera, stereo, etc.  They’re built for farmers on paddocks and miners in pits.  NO COMFORTS.  And if you’re driving 10 hour days across Australia, these comforts are good to have.  Add on top the need to raise suspension, better all terrain tyres, bull bar and winch, and storage, I’d need to convert the farm car into and Australian outback ready off road machine.

Here too, was reminded that I am not the only one with this desire as people are converting their utes for extreme off road and camping, not just Land cruiser.  Add on top the trade disruption, getting all the parts you need is even more difficult than finding the Land cruiser.  I was VERY lucky as not only did I find a converter who knew exactly what I needed without selling me a kitchen sink, what they didn’t have they sourced from other states.  Thank you Daniel Fennech from Opposite Lock in South Nowra.  (I only recommend them as the service and guidance they gave me was exemplary.  

Daniel and I sat down for over an hour, drawing up a list and adding/costing them into three categories: must have, good to have, nice to have.  As I had a budget, and while people spend over $50,000 to convert their 4X4 to something ready for any Mad Max movie (mindless trivia, “Mad Max” the movie was set in 2021), putting things into this list was very helpful.  My “must have”, and some “good to have” was still pricey, but within my budget.  But here is the amazing thing.  My goal was to buy/convert and sell, and have a net loss lower than had I rented one for the two months.  But from what I see on car sales web sites, I may even turn a profit from this sale of my 1 yo Land cruiser with an expected 15,000 kms on the odometer.  Crazy, I know, but it’s indicative of how “hot” this idea is to travel through the remote Australian bush.

As my Land cruiser was being modified, expected to take 2 weeks, I began to apply for state permits in SA and WA.  As I have travelled around the Australian east coast, my focus was on SA and WA.  And with these states having VERY rigid rules for entry, I have to tell you that it was a little surreal having to apply for a permit to drive in my country.  Yes, yes.  I fully appreciate the significance as to why I have to apply.  Am just saying that when you receive a “rejection” for your application, it is a stark reminder of the reality we are living in.  Eventually my permits for SA and WA were received, as the situation in Sydney and NSW were improving and case free.  The only condition I received from SA and WA was that I not stop in Victoria following their Australian Open outbreaks (which were eventually controlled).

Picking up my now modified Land cruiser was a special moment.  Even gave it a name; Bam Bam.  Tough and indestructible.  Bam Bam ready to roll, my idea was to leave as soon as I could as quickly as I could as the rules are uber fluid and can change within 12 hours of incident.  It would mean driving through some beautiful country side of NSW and Victoria, but with my eye on SA and WA, this “drive by” was understandable.  

I write this note from SA, where I arrived yesterday afternoon.  My idea is to drive to Kangaroo Island, then work my way up to Adelaide, Flinders Range, Coober Peedy, Nullarbor Hwy to Kalgoorlie, then south to the south coast of WA.  Work my way up to Perth, spend a few days, then head up the WA west coast to Exmouth.  Once there, and depending on the time of the year (trying to avoid the “big wet”), decide to turn home or continue on to Broome.  

I am fond of movies and books about travel and self discovery; from movies like “Into the Wild”, “Motorcycle Diaries”, and Netflix’s “Kindness Diaries”.  And in two months, I hope to experience even a fraction of what those authors had, making new friends, comparing notes, and learning more about the vast country I love.  Thank you for allowing me this moment to share this with you.