Navigating the Australian Outback

The Outback is the vast, remote interior of Australia. It extends from the northern to the southern Australian coastlines and includes a variety of ecosystems. It’s a common misconception the Outback is one long stretch of desert. There are also tropical and monsoonal climates in certain areas. The environment is still mostly untouched by people, as most of the people in Australia keep to the coasts. The Outback is ingrained in Australian heritage, history and folklore, due to the indigenous Australians who have lived there for 50,000 years.

Today, visitors enjoy the Outback to take in the nature and learn more about the native people of Australia. Due to the majority of the Outback’s climate being dry and hot, most places recommend renting a 4 Wheel Drive vehicle and exploring from the comfort and safety of a car. The road conditions vary from season to season as well, so make sure to pick a vehicle prepared for the Outback.

The entirety of the Outback looks like a colonial frontier so for those travelers concerned about using popular routes, don’t worry, they all look like they’ve been untouched. Choosing a route is important because that will determine how long a traveler will be on the road and what they might run into on the trip. Following routes will keep visitors safer than if they divert into unfamiliar destinations. One of the most iconic is the Kalgoorie to Uluru route that takes about five days to complete. There are more challenging routes, like Canning Stock or Gunbarrel Highway.