Have you ever just wanted to get in the car and hit the road?
AFLW and Survivor star Abbey Holmes made what is a pipe dream for many, a reality. With international borders slammed shut, Abbey wanted to encourage Aussies everywhere to explore our own backyard.
Abbey and her partner travelled from Adelaide, through the Northern Territory and across the border to Western Australia. Spending over a month in the car, Abbey experienced some of the most underrated and untouched locations in the country.
Abbey has shared her top five tips for first time adventurers with us below:
Don’t rely on your mobile phone
Did you know that only 14% of Australia is covered by mobile phone service? I sure didn’t. It is concerning how reliant we are on our iPhones, especially when we head out to the Great Outdoors. While I hope I don’t have to use them in an emergency, I have headed off around Australia with a couple of UHF CB radios from GME. I'm not a tech-head but these guys are reliable, durable and easy-to-use. I love knowing that I'm connected should we need help on the road.
Plan your supply pitstops
Rain, hail and extreme heat, you use up a lot of energy in the outback. Leaving Adelaide we had everything packed from fresh water and sneaky snacks to back up first aid kits and extra fuel.
We looked like doomsday preppers! Funnily enough we used it all up faster than we expected. That’s why we planned our pitstops ahead of time so that we could stock up on essentials. It all comes back to having a planned route to ensure you aren’t up sh*t creek with no water and food!
Make sure your vehicle is a go-er
I can't tell you how many times i have had nightmares about breaking down between the middle of nowhere and the end of the earth! So before heading off on any Road Trip, make sure you get your car checked. It doesn't matter if it has just been serviced , you want to hit the road knowing there is enough fuel in the tank to take you everywhere you want to go!
We were lucky to be hitting the road with a brand new Toyota Fortuner from Toyota Australia with all the bells and whistles of a 4x4 vehicle, so i was extremely confident that this vehicle would take us literally anywhere. To service your car on the go, I suggest packing heaps of water, a tire pressure gauge, and an oil level dipstick. We even packed a few planks of timber knowing that we would be doing a lot of soft sand driving on beaches , and definitely didn't want to get bogged! You never know what you might need!
Prepare for the memories
On this trip through the guts of Australia it was my mission to showcase just how awe-inspiring and incredible Australia is. To do that, I have made use of some amazing camera equipment. Get acquainted with your camera or phone camera’s features ahead of time. It might sound intuitive but it’s an absolute must! You want to ensure that you are prepared for capturing the best possible shots with the knowledge of any adjustments you might need to make on the fly.
The more you know about your camera’s features like how to adjust composition, lighting and filters, the more likely you are to experiment and shoot some amazing content.
Dive into Australia’s rich history
From Broome and Katherine Gorge to the Bungle Bungles in the Kimberley I have seen some amazing landmarks on this journey. At each location I have marvelled at the diverse and extensive history of the Indigenous Australian’s communities. No matter where you go in Australia, there is so much Indigenous culture to learn about; be that traditional cuisine and ways of living or their remarkable dreamtime stories.
Whatever your knowledge of Australia, I guarantee it will be enriched by an understanding of Indigenous culture and their relationship with the land.
