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Budd Stanley photos
The Aussie Way
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Budd Stanley photos
The Aussie Way
Solid axles under a five-year old 70-series … only in Aus.
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Budd Stanley photos
The Aussie Way
Yes, turbo diesel V-8 power is awesome.
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Budd Stanley photos
The Aussie Way
A kitchenette slides out of the side of the truck with gas burners and sink.
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Budd Stanley photos
The Aussie Way
The Britz Challenger 4WD in full camp mode, kitchen ready to cook up supper.
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Budd Stanley photos
The Aussie Way
The bench pulls out into a double bed, I took the top bunk for airflow and a better view.
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Budd Stanley photos
The Aussie Way
A small sample of Sandy Capes beauty.
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Budd Stanley photos
The Aussie Way
After a long drive and some needless shoveling, the camper was set up in seconds ready for bed.
Story & photos by Budd Stanley
Wheeling and camping in the Australian Outback
It's only been three years since I've set foot on the Australia continent, but I had already forgotten that the Outback has a certain smell to it. It's a pleasant smell, but something you wouldn't recognize unless you've experienced the wilderness of a continent that is not your own. In the wilds of Canada, scents of pine, fir, moss and dirt linger in the air, while in the Australian Outback it is sand, red dust, clay and scrub brush.
That is the beauty of traveling to countries that value the 4WD lifestyle as much, if not even more than we do. Here down under, it is quite normal that you can rent a fully kitted 4WD and continue to explore weird new wildernesses despite not having your own equipment. Travelling overseas usually means that you are limited to foreign cities or crowded tourist destinations that are reachable by tour bus. Or, you shell out for a rental car that gets you into smaller villages, but that is about it. In Australia, there is the 4WD Camper, the perfect rental that not only gets you into the true wilderness, but also provides you all the provisions you need to be self-contained.
While Perth is a fantastic urban destination in Western Australia, I didn’t want to spend all my time in the hustle and bustle of the city. The Australian Outback is a natural wonder that should be on any travellers bucket list, and the only way to get out there is by 4WD.
Enter Britz Campers, a rental company that not only rents several different sizes of camper vans, they also offer four different 4WD camper options. The Britz 4WD is a basic VW Amarok truck or Toyota Landcruiser with a roof rack, fresh water tank and a fridge. The Safari 4WD is a VW Amarok with a roof rack, fresh water tank, sink, stove, kitchen utensils, a large 5-person tent, linen and bedding. The Safari Landcruiser 4WD is pretty much the same setup as the Safari, only utilizing a Toyota Landcruiser Long-Wheel-Base and a rooftop tent. My weapon of choice was the Challenger 4WD. This is a modern Toyota Landcruiser 70-Series that has been camperized with a popup roof, kitchenette and sleeping for 2 + 2 contained inside the vehicle.
With any camper, starting out with a good reliable base is essential. Everyone knows the quality of a Landcruiser, but Britz has taken advantage of the 70-Series Troopy (LWB) that is still available in the land of Aus. With a proper 4WD system and two solid axles, the Troopy gets its motivation from a 4.5L twin turbo V-8 diesel that supplies more than enough oomph to keep the big 4WD moving in just about any terrain one might find in the outback.
Two 90L diesel fuel tanks are installed as well as a dual battery system. I’m not sure how much range that equates to as it was more than I needed over the course of a five day rental, but rather reassuring that you have 180L onboard if you are deep into the Outback. When the going gets tough, an ARB front bumper with grille and front fender guards keeps the vitals safe, while a snorkel feeds air to the two turbo’s. As the vehicle is right-hand-drive, the sound of mass quantities of air being sucked into the snorkel just beside your head gives an added sense of the power ready to be unleashed by the twin turbo V-8.
Mechanicals aside, the genius of the Challenger is the way Britz has laid out the camping portion of the vehicle. The roof has been replaced with a popup tent that literally pops into position once four hinges have been released. This gives the interior 1.9 m (6.2 ft) of head clearance and creates a sleeping rack when two platforms are pulled out along the original roofline. The rest of the rear section is dominated by a long bench down the driver’s side that slides into the isle to create a bed, with cupboards and counter space down the passenger side. At the end of the counter, just by the rear door sits a 32L Engel Fridge, with lots of storage under the bench to place bags and additional equipment.
Move outside and a temporary kitchen can be created on the side of the Landcruiser with a two-burner stove and sink module that slides out of the side of the truck. There is also a prep table that slides out and can be attached just above the rear wheel to create a rather impressive kitchen arrangement. An outdoor kitchen might seem a bit odd to Canucks when it could be easily placed in the camper, but trust me when I say that having a cooking flame on the exterior rather than the interior, in the heat of an Aussie evening is essential. Weather is not issue as there is 270-degree awning that wraps around the back of the Challenger providing both shelter and shade to the kitchen area.
After a trip to the shops to fill the fridge and get some basics, I was soon on my way up Indian Ocean Drive, Hwy 60, towards Jurien Bay. My destination, the sand peninsula called Sandy Cape, a very popular 4WD park just north of Jurien Bay. The Sandy Cape 4WD recreational area is littered with beautiful sandy beaches, and a maze of 4WD tracks to get to each one. Sounds like just the place for a 4WDrive editor.
There are three ways to camp in Australia. There are caravan parks usually situated in or very near to towns and cities that provide water and powered sites but are people are packed-in a little tight for my liking. These sites have full bathroom and shower facilities, communal kitchens and even living rooms with a TV and Wi-Fi. There are also many rustic campsites that are very similar to Canadian camp sites featuring dedicated camp bays with fire rings, a picnic table and little else. Depending on the site, there might be a small fee that works on the honour system. Then there is wilderness camping, my personal favourite and the most adventurous. The Aussie Outback is a massive and desolate expanse, so finding a place to set up camp is easy and you’re not likely to see another soul for days. For my needs however, I’ll be making use of the park campsites for my first night, then kicking it wilderness style on the trails my second night.
I've forgotten just how fast the sun plummets into the horizon here in Australia. At such low latitudes the Suns trajectory is much more vertical than in Canada. It simply drops into the ocean in a matter of seconds. Rolling into Sandy Cape just after sunset, I paid my nightly dues for a campsite and wandered aimlessly in the dark to find the best site available. Something on the beach would do nicely. Problem was I inadvertently ventured unawares into the trail system and came upon some deep sand. Realizing my mistake, I attempted to pull a 180 to retreat, however my lack of any sand driving experience showed its face and I promptly dug myself down to the axles. With my headlights shining into the air, the sound of air being let out of tires and the revving of the engine with no movement, I could envision the other campers giggling at my expense… “Ah, another tourist showed up.” The good thing was that with tire pressures in the single digits, locked axles, 4WD and a heap of right foot, I was able to drag myself free of the ego killing sand and slinked back to camp.
To my relief, my amateur hour went unnoticed by the few residents nearby. I did however make lots of new friends chatting up the locals to find the best site, and get some helpful hints for the local terrain and trail network. Aussies are great that way; they are all very approachable and are always willing to help you out.
With a campsite found, came the process of setting up in the dark, every camper’s pet peeve. However, this was an cinch with the Challenger. All I had to do is find some level ground, pull four clips around the rooftop, jump into the back and push up on the roof to pop up the tent. I organized some bags, set the bed and was ready to crack a beer and spark up the barby to grill up some lamb, and some shrimp… this is Australia after all.
With a good meal in my stomach and a cold beer in hand, I was able to sit and enjoy the stress relieving realization of where I was. A crystal clear sky revealed a starry night, the likes of which I’ve only seen a couple times before, while the waves, caressed by a warm breeze, crashed on the sandy beach 15 metres away. It just doesn’t get any better.
If you want to see the real Australia, you need a 4WD camper. Trust me, it’s well worth the upfront investment. Tune into the next issue of 4WDrive Magazine when I take the Challenger into the wilds of Sandy Cape, and learn the art of driving in deep sand with pizza cutter tires.