GreatAustralian
Bight,SATHE CARAVAN YOU WANT IS NOW EASIER TO FIND tradervs.com.au^109
TRAVEL
I
t is in our DNA to explore, to find places
off the beaten track. It is what draws us
to places such as the Kimberly and Cape
York but few of us talk about the Great
Australian Bight. One of the most remote,
challenging and beautiful areas of Australia, a
trip along its edge is a journey like no other.
Over a beer or written on the back of a
napkin — no one can really remember when
or why our plan was hatched to follow in the
footsteps of some of Europe's early pioneers
including Burke, Thijssen, Eyre and Sturt —
but in late 2018 phone calls were made and a
plan was set.
The team included Scott Brady, CEO of US-
based Overland International, Rob Boegheim
from Hema, Steve Moore and Clayton Parks
from Redarc, Brad McCarthy from Maxtrax,
photographer Matt Williams, Anna Shepherd
on video and Tim van Duyl from Caravan
World and Camper magazines. Our journey
began in Brisbane with a quick bolt inland to
Innamincka, SA, a fast-paced run down the
Strzelecki and on to the Eyre Peninsula where
the trip began in earnest.
Each of us brought different expertise and
excitement for the challenge but we also
needed the right gear to survive the long hot
days away from help. Hema provided a pair
of LandCruisers set up for remote work with
added fuel capacity, onboard water, extra
electrical power, quality Cooper tyres and
almost every piece of ARB protection and
recovery gear on sale.
Behind the LandCruisers were two
prototype campers from the innovators at
Zone RV. You might think taking prototypes
on a 9000km return trip that includes days
offroad is a bad idea but with Cruisemaster
suspension under the heavy-duty chassis and
practically bulletproof bodies up top, their
makers were confident this torture test was
perfectly suited.
Brad from Maxtrax brought his favourite
two toys; a highly modified six-wheel 200
Series LandCruiser, Polaris UTV and a suite of
Maxtrax goodies including some prototypes
of his own for R&D testing.
The Redarc lads came with the most town-
focussed of the cars in a reasonably well set-
up Hilux with added fuel capacity, a wealth
of battery management and solar gear, added
clearance from a small lift and better tyres.