It seems the news of Ford Australia’s Super Duty Ranger model has sparked the interest of the aftermarket which has up until now been doing a roaring trade of upgrading 4x4s with GVM upgrades to increase load capacity.

Ford announced last week that it has been working on the Ranger SD and will introduce it to market as a 2026 model with capacities of 4500kg GVM, 4500kg towing, and a 8000kg GCM.

While initially born of the demands of industries such as fire services, forestry, national parks and other that require a go-anywhere 4×4 with heavy weight capacity, the Ranger SD will also have strong appeal in the touring and off road segment particularly for those wanting to tow heavy trailers.

We’re expecting a long slow drip-feed of information and teasers on the Ranger SD to dribble out over the coming year and the latest is this image on the SD’s steel, 18-inch, 8 lug wheel and 33-inch tyre which is similar to what you will find on commercial variants of the Ford F-250.

The teaser video shows a vehicle driving up Rocky Track in Toolangi State Forest in Melbourne, a track that is challenging and well known with local 4-wheel drivers. It’s a given that the local Ford team will be out and about testing the Ranger SD over terrain like this and in many other conditions as well and testing and development at the company’s You Yangs testing facility near Geelong.

If the Ranger Super Duty delivers on its promises it will offer a factory-built mid-size 4×4 ute with heavy duty capability off the showroom floor, negating the need for owners to look to the aftermarket and Second Stage Manufacturers (SSM) for upgrades.

Up until now this type of vehicle has been the domain of the Land Cruiser 79 Series and Mercedes Benz G-Professional cab-chassis with regular Rangers and Hiluxes modified to do lighter duties. Even the mighty LC79 and G-Professional are subject to extensive modifications for both capacity and safety for such work by the industries noted above.

The Mercedes has been plagued with problems when used for such work with many departments complaining of faults that keep vehicles off the road while being repaired and, with questions being asked about the long-term future of the Toyota 70 series, the new product from Ford Australia could find itself perfectly positioned to make its mark.

We’re sure that Ford will keep up fed with a steady flow of information in the months before we see an actual Ranger Super Duty.

GMSV has released a catalogue of accessories for their flagship model Silverado, which not only aims to give their customers a means of personalising their utes, but also allows the mods to be fully covered under the factory warranty.

A range of options are on offer, as well as a pair of value bundles – the Terrain Pack and the Black Pack – which may be more cosmetic than lockers-and-gearing, but still provide owners with a degree of individualisation of their new rig.

The Terrain Pack (for the ZR2 models) features a tonneau cover, sports bar, rocker protectors, weathershields and the fancy black Chevrolet tailgate lettering for maximum cool points, while the Black Pack (on the LTZ Premium) makes all the lettering, you guessed it, white (just kidding, it’s black), along with the front Bow-Tie emblem and the 20in rims are high gloss black to round out the theme.

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“We know that so many of our customers personalise their Silverado,” says GM Australia and New Zealand managing director, Jess Bala, “and the launch of these dealer-fitted accessory packs will give them even more choice, while at the same time simplifying the process.”

While the majority of the individually available accessories are largely skin-deep, you know, things like hood deflectors, all-weather mats for the tray and chrome sidesteps, there are a few options for those who like to tow or tour in their full-size as well.

There’s a range of tonneau covers ranging from soft, to roll-up aluminium to trifold to fully electric and activated by the key fob – which are handy if you don’t want to invest in a canopy, or the rear under-seat lockable storage would be useful for stashing gear on a trip. The swing out, lockable and weatherproof toolboxes make a lot of sense, as do the cargo tie down rings and 3500-4500kg hitch towball kits and the trailer camera.

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Regardless of your intended use, it’s nice to know that there is a range of gear available for the Silverados which is covered under the new car warranty (or 24 months/50,000km from the date of install, whichever is greater).

You can find the details of what’s available below.

2024 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 ZR2 TERRAIN PACK

$4,192 List Price (excl. Fitment Costs and GST)

• Soft Tonneau Cover
• Sports Bar
• Weathershields
• Rocker Protectors
• Black Chevrolet Tailgate Lettering

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2024 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 LTZ PREMIUM BLACK PACK

$3,032 List Price (excl. Fitment Costs and GST)

• 20” High Gloss Black Accessory Wheel Package
• Black Chevrolet Tailgate Lettering
• Black Lettering Kit
• Black Front Bow Tie Badge
• Black Z71 Emblems
• Weathershields

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GMSV 2024 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 PREMIUM ACCESSORIES

• Electric Rolling Tonneau Cover, with Key Fob.
• Tri-fold Tonneau Cover with aluminium outer cover, lockable, easy open.
• Hard Roll-Up Tonneau Cover, aluminium
• Soft Tonneau Cover
• Swing Out Toolbox (driver or passenger side) – mounted, lockable, weatherproof storage for tools.
• Cargo Net
• Cross Rail
• Cargo Tie Down Rings
• Tailgate Gap Cover
• Hood Deflector
• Weathershields
• Silver Chevrolet Tailgate Lettering
• Black Chevrolet Tailgate Lettering
• Black Front Bow Tie Badge
• Black Lettering Kit
• Black Z71 Emblems
• Front Flat Mud Guards
• Black Round Side Steps
• Chrome Round Side Steps
• Sports Bar
• Wheel Lock & Lug Nut Kit Black
• 20” High Gloss Black Accessory Wheel Package
• Centre Console Organiser
• Rear All-Weather Mat
• Rear Under seat Lockable Storage Organiser
• Tow Hitch 50mm Ball Kit – 3500kg
• Tow Hitch 70mm Ball Kit – 4500kg
• Trailer Camera
• Trailer Tyre Pressure Sensors

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Volkswagen Australia has proudly announced that it has achieved a Guinness world record for driving Australia’s 10 recognised deserts in a time of six days and 17 hours in a modified Amarok

Employing a team of three drivers the Amarok covered 6,421km to take in the Great Victoria, Great Sandy, Tanami, Simpson, Gibson, Little Sandy, Strzelecki, Sturt Stony, Tirari and Pedirka deserts passing through Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

They actually smashed the previous record which was closer to 14 hours and held by a motorcyclist.

The drivers, German endurance driver and multiple record holder Rainer Zietlow, his compatriot Marius Biela and Australia’s Brad Howe, drove in shifts with two up front while one of them attempted to sleep on the back seat of the VW Amarok Style V6.

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Brad Howe told us that sleeping in the car was a challenge and they wore rugby players headgear to allow them to ‘rest’ against the side of the door while driving over the rough terrain. Even then, the sleep was sketchy at best.

The drive was non-stop except for refuelling and one extended halt that occurred less than 24 hours in to the drive. This was in the early hours of the morning when the Amarok was bogged when crossing a damp Lake Poeppel in the Simpson Desert in pitch darkness.

“I woke up and looked around and when I realised where we were I told the driver to try and get to the side of the lake but it was too late,” Brad told us as we took the record-winning Amarok for a spin in Victoria’s forests.

There was no support crew with them and getting the car out was done by jacking it up, digging out under the tyres and placing boards under them, and that took three hours.

A similar incident was narrowly avoided driving through the flooded areas at the northern end of the Canning Stock Route but luckily, they were able to reverse out of the bog and pick a firmer line to traverse it.

The Amarok used for the drive was modified for the task using accessories that many adventurous owners would be fitting to their own 4×4 vehicles. ARB suspension with BP51 shocks, underbody protection, rated recovery points front and rear, ROH wheels with Kumho m/t tyres, a Rhino roof rack, ARB lighting, and a 160-litre fuel tank from Brown Davis.

Not so common was the specifically made tyre rack on the cargo tub that was fabricated to carry spare wheels and tyres. The car only had one puncture over the length of the trip and no other mechanical faults. 1199-litres of fuel were consumed and 500ml of engine oil over the arduous journey.

ROAD GOING

The good news for Amarok buyers is that VW Australia has produced a limited run of 300 specifically equipped 10 Deserts Edition Amaroks set to go on sale early in 2025.

Built on the Amarok ‘Life’ model using the TDI500 4-cylinder bi-turbo engine and part-time, dual range 4×4 system, the 10 Desert Edition Amaroks ae fitted with bespoke 17-inch alloy wheels, raised ARB suspension, underbody protection and a soft tonneau cover. More aggressive all terrain tyres will be available as a no-cost option

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The added height of the suspension brings the ground clearance up to 275mm which VW says is more than any other car in its class, only topped by the bespoke built Ford Ranger Raptor.

The bi-turbo diesel engine of the limited-edition car gives little away to the V6 as used in the record setting Amarok. It’s 500Nm of torque is more than up to the needs of on and offroad driving, towing and hauling. VW was also quick to point out that the 4-pot is 80kg lighter than the V6 over the front axle making it more nimble and better suited for off road work.

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We had a chance to drive both the limited edition 10 deserts Amarok and the actual record setting vehicle on some bush tracks west of Melbourne and the modifications to both improve their respective off road capabilities.

LIMITED EDITION

The 10 Deserts Edition Amarok is based on the mid-range Life model but it really isn’t missing out of anything. It is following the trend we’ve seen in the later part of 2024 with ‘Black Edition’ variants of double-cab 4×4 utes being based on lower-spec models with a bit more equipment added to improve the overall package. VW had a record setting accomplishment to celebrate so we were spared yet another Black model but the recipe is the same.

That said, VW Australia went a bit further than the others with uprated suspension giving extra ground clearance and improved body control, plus the no-cost option of more aggressive all terrain tyres, all of which are much appreciated extras.

The extra ground clearance was needed when driving around the off road tracks in Cobaw State Forest where deep ruts and tree buttresses threaten the standard side steps as we crawled over them.

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On faster gravel tracks the suspension feels more compliant than the standard Amarok settings giving a smoother ride without sacrificing handling and control.

The Ford-sourced 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel engine and 10 speed automatic power train has proven itself over the years as being punchy and reliable. I might lack the towing grunt and refinement of the V6 but gives nothing away in terms of driveability and past experience tell us that it is considerably more economical.

In earlier drives of the Amarok we have said that the Life model with the biturbo engine represents a sweet spot in the model range in terms of equipment and price.

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With standard equipment including LED lights, 8-way adjustable driver and passenger seats and a leather covered steering wheel and gear -shifter it is well equipped in relation to its competition at this end of the ute segment. It certainly doesn’t feel like a entry level model with only the striped-out Amarok Core coming in below it.

VW Australia hasn’t confirmed the pricing yet but says it will fall between the standard Amarok Life and the style model so we expect it to fall in at around the $65K mark when it lobs in showrooms early in 2025.

RECORD SETTER

Driving the kitted up Amarok that actually did the record-setting deserts run was a different experience to what you get in any new production car. In fact, it felt much like the many other modified 4×4 utes we’ve driven, especially those that have covered plenty of outback miles.

Taller, stiffer and full of rattles was my initial impression. The combination of the ARB suspension and the stiff, light truck construction Kumho muddies certainly made the Amarok feel solid on the road.

Brad Howe told us that the car felt softer when it was fully loaded for the trip and the suspension was still running these settings with the car now relatively unladen. Brad says he was relatively impressed with the adjustability of the BP-51 shocks adding that he only adjusted the rebound settings to better suit the load and conditions.

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With all the equipment on it, this Amarok feels a lot heavier than the Limited Edition offering plus the fact that it has the V6 powertrain. The V6 engine is more relaxed in the way it delivers its power than the bi-turbo 4-cylinder and the extra weight on this car we reckon the limited edition bi-turbo would give it a run for its money in a short sprint.

The this Amarok feels ready to take on anything and thanks to its added clearance required less caution on the rock steps and ruts. Even wit the tyres at road pressures they clawed over the obstacles easier than in the standard car giving the driver more confidence it it abilities.

More than anything about this Amarok, we think that it’s great to see a OEM working with leading aftermarket brands to build a capable 4×4 vehicle to take on the outback, just as the readers of 4×4 Australia are doing.

VOLKSWAGEN AMAROK LIFE SPECS

The ute segment is running red-hot right now, and there’s no shortage of newcomers looking to steal a slice of the gigantic sales pie in Australia.

One such upstart is the Kia Tasman, the first body-on-frame dual cab for the South Korean automaker, and one that’s already polarizing punters with its unique styling. However, metrics often matter more than aesthetics in this segment, so how does the Tasman tally up when you put it next to its core segment rivals?

There’s another East-Asian challenger entering the ring too, in the form of the BYD Shark 6. The BYD brand might still be in nappies, but it’s already gunning for market share with a boundary-pushing plug-in hybrid offering that’s already lodged thousands of orders before deliveries have even started. Are Aussies finally ready to embrace electrified utes in a big way? As with the Tasman, the Shark 6 will need to deliver on some critical numbers if it’s to attain true staying power in this ultra-competitive market.

To help you figure out the pecking order – and decide which of these new utes fits your needs better – we’ve arranged this helpful data matrix. With both the Tasman and Shark 6 being so new (the Tasman isn’t due to arrive until mid-2025), there are a few knowledge gaps, critically around both of their Gross Combination Masses (GCM), which means calculating their true worth as trailer-haulers is a little difficult.

But there’s definitely one thing to note about the BYD and the Kia: They’re massive. That Shark 6 in particular, which is the longest, widest and tallest of this bunch by considerable margins, but even the Kia eclipses something as sizable as a Ford Ranger. How do they do they measure in terms of cargo-carrying capacity though?

Alongside the Kia and BYD, we’ve put the stats for four segment favourites so you can see how the new arrivals stack up against stalwarts like the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and Mitsubishi Triton. Also, we’ve gone ahead and done the maths on your behalf so you can see just how much each of them can carry when either at their maximum rated payload, or their maximum rated tow weight.

Size

Tub dimensions

Mechanical

Towing

* denotes information sourced from a non-OEM dataset.

As Black Friday rolls through Australia, MSA 4X4 is offering substantial discounts on their top-tier 4WD accessories. We’ve written extensively about the innovative and durable products MSA 4X4 builds and we reckon this is a great time to get a deal if you’re an off-road enthusiasts who wants to enhance your vehicles without stretching the budget.

The sale kicked off on Friday, November 22, 2024, and runs until 11:59 PM AEDT on Friday, December 6, 2024 so there is still plenty of time to get in and get a deal.

So load up that shopping cart with the some of MSA’s products in the list below and once you go to check out you can apply a stack of Black Friday coupons to get a healthy discount.

MSA 4X4’s 2024 Black Friday Deals

Drop Slides: Enjoy up to 15% off MSA’s Drop Slides, designed to provide easy access to your fridge or gear. MSA really are one of the best in the game and these slides are engineered for strength and convenience.

Storage Drawer Systems: Secure a 25% discount on MSA’s Storage Drawer Systems, perfect for organizing your equipment and maximizing space in your 4WD. Built with quality materials, these drawers are both durable and practical.

Canvas Seat Covers: Protect your seats with MSA’s premium Canvas Seat Covers, now available at 20% off. Tailored for a snug fit, they offer excellent protection against the rigors of off-road adventures.

Fridge Barriers: Keep your fridge secure with a 15% discount on MSA’s Fridge Barriers. These barriers ensure your fridge stays in place, no matter how rough the terrain gets.

Rear Wheel Bags: Take advantage of 10% off MSA’s Rear Wheel Bags, ideal for storing rubbish or wet gear, keeping your vehicle’s interior clean and odor-free.

To get a closer look at all these deals go to their Black Friday Specials page here

https://msa4x4.com.au/black-friday-specials/

Before you look for any other MSA 4×4 deals it’s worth noting Black Friday orders must be placed through the MSA online store during the sale period to receive their stated discounts.

Like a lot of sales this time of year, MSA 4X4’s Black Friday sale is a limited-time opportunity to upgrade your 4WD with high-quality accessories at reduced prices. Whether you’re preparing for an upcoming expedition or enhancing your daily drive, these deals are worth exploring.

As the annual Black Friday sales take hold in Australia, we’ve had a look at some of the top 4×4 brands and their discounted offers.

To start, we looked at some of TJM Australia who have listed a series of big savings across their range from Bull Bars to Canopies.

With the touring season fast approaching, these TJM deals are a perfect way to upgrade your Isuzu D-Max, Mitsubishi Triton or Ford Ranger.

The TJM sale will close off at midnight on December 2nd so get in quick with these offers.

TJM’s 2024 Black Friday Deals

Bull Bars: An impressive 20% off TJM bull bars tailored for various models, including the Isuzu D-MAX, Toyota Prado, and Mitsubishi Triton. Visit: https://www.tjm.com.au/black-friday-protection

XGS Suspension Lift Kits: It looks like you can snag a 20% discount on all their XGS Suspension products. Given this is a pretty hands on upgrade you’ll need to get in touch with them. Visit: https://www.tjm.com.au/black-friday-suspension

Canopies: Save up to $1,000 on select canopies, including their new Aeroklas Aluminium Modular Range, which the guys at TJM reckon provide segment leading style and functionality. Visit: https://www.tjm.com.au/canopies/modular-canopy

Yakima Roof Racks: Receive 20% off Yakima roof racks, which we’ve always thought is ideal for topping up your touring storage capacity. Visit: https://www.tjm.com.au/roof-racks/roof-platform-solutions-and-canopy-roof-racks

Aluminium Trays: Take advantage of a 10% discount on Bocar and Flexiglass aluminium trays, if you’re in need of an upgrade. Visit: https://www.tjm.com.au/trays-and-tubs/alloy-trays

On a final note take an eagle eye to the terms and conditions with any of these deals as the above listed discounts are only applicable to new orders placed and confirmed in a TJM store or online within the sale period. It’s also worth pointing out that fitment costs are excluded from the sale so keep that in mind when you’re doing the maths.

Keep an eye out on 4×4 Australia as we look for other deals that 4×4 enthusiasts should take advantage of.

While we at 4×4 Australia have always believed that it’s no use owning a 4-wheel drive vehicle if you don’t use it to its full potential to get out and explore the great outdoors, it seems that buyers looking at the available options of off road capable EVs are also thinking the same thing.

According to recent survey by Ford Motor Company, 47-percent of respondents told the manufacturer that they were looking for something with off-road capability from their EV purchase and 60-percent said they’d be more likely to buy one if it offers real towing ability. Conveniently, Ford says it has the vehicle for them arriving soon.

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“When the Ranger PHEV arrives here in 2025, buyers can rest assured it has been developed with their needs in mind, providing the full Ranger experience, including 3500kg towing and off-road capability, along with the added benefit of electric-only driving and off-grid power via Pro Power Onboard,” said Ambrose Henderson, marketing director, Ford Australia.

The Ford Ranger was the first vehicle in the mid-size ute class to introduce trailer set up technology that is accessed via the multimedia screen and we’d tip that this will carry on to the PHEV variant. The tech offers users a checklist to use when attaching your trailer and allows owners to set up multiple trailers in the system with various lengths. This then allows the drivers aids like BLIS and lane warning to be calibrated to the different lengths of your horse float, boat or box trailer.

The Ford F-150’s nifty Pro trailer back up system has also found it way in to some Ranger variants and looking at the supplied images, it looks as though it makes it in to the Ranger PHEV as well.

Driving the Ranger PHEV will be a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost petrol engine with an electric motor and rechargeable battery system. The system employs a 11.8kWh rechargeable battery which Ford says will meet the needs of most drivers without forcing them to make sacrifices when it came to key attributes, like towing and driving off road. It will also offer owners the ability to operate power tools and appliances using the Pro Power Onboard system.

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The Ranger is the best selling 4×4 in Australia and we know that users take them off road, tow and work out of their 4×4 utes. Data from Ford’s survey backs this up with 59-percent of owners saying they drive in 4 Auto for all-road performance while 45-percent engaged 4H with 11-percent taking on more difficult terrain requiring low range 4×4. A further 45-percent of owners said that they engaged the rear locking-differential.

“The team studied how Ranger drivers used their vehicles and the average daily distances they drove. We also studied the charging habits of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle owners and used this information to inform the electrification of Ranger’s drivetrain,” said Henderson.

The data attained from more than 10,000 Rangers, covering more than five million journeys revealed that 30-percent of users towed heavy loads with their Rangers and used the integrated electric brake controller.

“Real-world customer usage, combined with Ford’s own research that customers are looking for an electrified vehicle with off-road and towing capability is proof that Ranger PHEV is the right kind of electrified ute for Australia,” said Henderson.

Full specification and pricing of the 2025 Ranger PHEV will become available closer to launch date.

2024 is a milestone year for 4×4 Australia, and you can join the celebration by picking up a 12-month subscription to Australia’s ultimate guide to all things four-by-four.

Starting today, and running all through to 4:45pm (AEDT) on the 2nd of December 2024 you can pick up a 12 months (13 issues) of 4×4 Australia for 50% off, and you can have something fresh to read for any month you head out into the wilderness. That’s $155 of value for under $80.

Or perhaps you would be interested in something classic from years past, with back issues of 4×4 Australia available for seeing classic adventures across the Great Brown Land.

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2025 is shaping up to be a bumper year for 4×4 adventurers, and with 4×4 Australia you can look forward to coverage on the following:

4×4 Australia 500th edition hits the stands

Celebrate the 500th edition of 4×4 Australia with a special edition packed with epic adventures, iconic vehicles, and many more of our all time reader favourites.

Everything you need to know about the New Toyota Prado with comprehensive reviews and comparison tests

Discover how the all-new Prado stacks up against the competition with in-depth reviews, head-to-head tests and we’ll answer if it is worth the new price tag!

Kia Tasman on and off-road

We put Kia’s bold new Tasman through its paces with our exclusive off road test drive tackling some of Australia’s most rugged terrain.

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Vehicle protection and why you need it

Keep your rig adventure-ready with expert tips on the must-have protection gear to conquer harsh Aussie conditions.

Building your 4×4 tourer – how to get the most our of it

As always, we bring you our ultimate step-by-step guide to transforming your 4×4 into the perfect touring machine for unforgettable off-road adventures.

The 4×4 Australia Land Cruiser 79 Series mega-build

Yep, the team at 4×4 Australia bought one of the last V8 Land Cruiser 79 Series. Subscribe as each issue covers the transformation of this jaw-dropping build ready to take on Australia’s toughest tracks.

Toyota Tundra takes on the picks from Ford, Ram, and Chevy

Big trucks, big showdown – see how the Tundra fares against the heavyweights in a battle of muscle and capability

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More EV 4x4s – are they suitable for off-road use?

Can electric 4x4s handle the demands of the bush? We put the latest models to the test in a real-world off-road environment.

All subscriptions provide free access to 4×4 Australia’s digital magazine archive, allowing subscribers to peruse all previous projects, builds and adventures in one easy-to-access library.

But get onto this deal quickly, as it will be gone soon.

When you think of Gulf Country, the mind wanders to thoughts of dusty outback stations, rogue cattle, crocodiles and barramundi. The landscape is harsh and remote, yet it has been drawing in silver nomads for years who want to escape cold southern winters.

These days, the secret is out, and younger folk are now tackling the route from Cairns to Broome via the Savannah Way. Money has been thrown into the roads and what was once dirt is now bitumen, and what was once a single-lane of blacktop is now modern two-lane roads.

It is far easier to get to Normanton than it used to be and once there, it’s well worth spending a few days in the area so you can experience what this part of the country has to offer.

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1. Normanton pub crawl

Picking which pub is the best in town can be a real challenge, so going on a pub crawl is the best way to work it out. There are only three pubs and they are all within a short walk of each other, so leave your rig back at camp.

The Purple Pub is the obvious starter, this historic hotel was once the Exchange Hotel in Croydon and was relocated to Normanton, morphing into the colourful building it now is over many years. The beer is cold and you’ll meet some interesting characters in the bar, but if you would prefer to sit outside, the beer garden pool room and bistro is located out the back.

The meals are typical pub fare and lunch is highly recommended. This is the only pub in town with gaming machines, TAB facilities and a drive-through liquor barn, while the pool competion is on Thursdays and Karaoke night is on Fridays.

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The Central Hotel also sells cold beer but is quieter during the day. Once the sun goes down, it is a different matter.

The food is restaurant quality, unexpected for such a remote town, and is enjoyed by many locals and travellers, so booking a table is recommended. The verandah is the perfect spot to watch the sunset while enjoying a top meal and cold beverage. The Central Hotel is closed on Sundays and Mondays but is open every other day for lunch and dinner.

The final pub is The Albion, which sports a good-sized deck that will please many. There is always a local or two sitting at the bar and the food is good too. When the afternoon breeze kicks in after a piping hot day, the Albion deck is the place to be with a schooner of icy-cold beer.

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In the mornings, the Green Room Cafe opens early for breakfast, and makes the best coffee and pastries this side of the black stump.

Technically, there is a fourth pub that can be added to this list, but it is 70km away in Karumba. The Sunset Tavern is the prime sunset location in the Gulf, and it is often a challenge snagging a table, so get in early.

The meals are bang on and so are the beers, and when that golden orb begins to sink below the horizon, the cameras and phones all come out as everyone tries to capture that epic Instagram shot. If you do head up to Karumba to watch the sunset, once it starts getting dark the roadside is busy with wallabies and cane toads. The wallabies should be avoided.

If you’ve been to Normanton, let us know which you think is the best pub.

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2. Ride the Gulflander

The idea of building a rail line from Normanton to Croydon was first developed in the 1880s to link the Port of Normanton with the copper fields in Cloncurry. When gold was discovered at Croydon, the decision was made to run the line from Normanton to Croydon, with construction starting in October 1887.

Wooden sleepers were no match for termites, so revolutionary steel sleepers were developed. The railway was laid on the surface of the ground with the sleepers packed with earth when they were laid to add weight and stability. The rails were bolted to the sleepers and no drains were dug or ballast used so that during the wet season floods, the water simply passed over the top of the rails.

The railway reached Blackbull on 15 December 1890 and Croydon on 20 July 1891. The sleepers have shown their usefulness for more than a hundred years and the line has carried steam trains and later railmotors over that time.

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The historic Normanton station was constructed in 1889 and now houses a museum, store, tea room and ticket office.

You can ride the 1959 railmotor known as the ‘Tin Hare’ and there are three seasonal experiences available. The first is across the Savannah with a five-hour journey from Normanton to Croydon where you can stay at the historic Club Hotel before catching the return trip the following day.

The Gulflander stops at Blackbull for tea and cake, and it is a popular place to capture a photo or two of the historic train. The second experience is a two-hour return trip out to Critters Camp, and the third experience is the Golden Sunset Tour from Croydon which includes a hearty outback meal.

Check out the website at www.gulflander.com.au [↗] for more Gulflander information and tour bookings.

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3. Norman River and Mutton Hole Wetlands

Normanton offers free camping alongside the Norman River with permits available from the Visitors Centre which must be picked up before you find a spot to set up.

Take care near the riverbanks as a 5m-long salty has been spotted here and that’s not something you’d want chasing you. The tracks that lead to the campsites are very dusty and if the wind is blowing in the wrong direction, your campsite could cop it whenever someone drives past.

There are a myriad of tracks that lead into the Mutton Hole Wetlands Conservation Park, a tropical savannah wildlife sanctuary. Take care as some can be boggy when wet and, when dry, the bulldust is ridiculous.

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The Mutton Hole wetlands cover 7860ha and are part of the largest continuous wetland in northern Queensland, with fauna including more than 120 species of birds, fish and amphibians, wallabies, wild pigs and dingoes.

You are likely to spy brolgas, magpie geese, sarus cranes, Australian bustards, and great and little egrets. Saltwater crocodiles inhabit the wetlands and enjoy eating humans. Move away if you see one and remember they can run as fast as you can walk, but it isn’t worth trying to race them.

While canoeing is acceptable, it is precarious, and the locals call canoes ‘croc lures’.

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The Gkuthaarn and Kurtijar people have lived in the Normanton area and hunted across the wetlands for thousands of years, trapping fish in the shallows, holding ceremonies, and resolving disputes.

This changed in the mid-19th century when Normanton was established as a port town with coastal shipping skirting the wetlands journeys up the river to the old wharf near the bridge.

A meatworks operated near Goose Lagoon from the 1890s to early in the 20th century, mostly to slaughter cattle for tallow, which no doubt would have been attractive to the crocodiles. There are no traces of the meatworks these days.

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4. Walk around town

The best way to learn more about historic Normanton is the town walk, and the best place to start is the Visitor Information Centre where you can check out the displays and pick up a town map.

There is also a magnificent display that showcases the resilience, spirit and sheer hard work of the indigenous men and women who played a vital role in the establishment of the cattle industry in the Gulf region. The informative and interactive display is free to view, and also highlights the skill of indigenous people as stock workers and on the rodeo circuit.

Krys the Crocodile is a life-size model of an estuarine crocodile that was killed by Krystina Pawlowski in July 1957. With one shot between the eyes, the giant beast was dragged onto the MacArthur Bank on the Norman River.

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The crocodile measured 8.63m long, and ended up in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest crocodile ever shot.

Krystina and her husband Ron were professional crocodile hunters who later became advocates for protecting these ancient creatures. You’ll find Krys located near the corner of Landsborough and Haig Streets.

The Burns Philp warehouse is a stunning piece of architecture built in 1884 and is oldest surviving store of the company that dominated shipping and mercantile trading in Australia and the South Pacific from the late-19th century to the late 20th century.

In 189, the artesian bore located at the entrance to the Normanton Caravan Park was drilled into the Great Artesian Basin to a depth of 710m, and it supplied over one million litres per day at a temperature of 66°C.

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The bore previously fed the town baths and still services the caravan park’s hot water supply, and supplements the town water supply.

The Bank of NSW (now Westpac) was opened for business in a tent on this site on 23 July 1884. The current building was built in 1886 and once served the Croydon goldfields and the thriving seaport economy of Normanton. You can check out two safes on display, the bank’s records and old scales used to weigh the Croydon gold.

There is also a self-guided walk around the heritage-listed Normanton station precinct. Explore the museum, vintage steam locomotives, wagons and carriages and the goods shed, the old station building and the gardens. The museum is home to a lot of memorabilia and artefacts that have been collected from the local area and along the railway track to Croydon.

And don’t forget to drop in at the three aforementioned hotels.

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5. Explore Burke and Wills last camp

Camp 119 was the most northerly camp of the ill-fated Victorian Exploration Expedition led by Burke and Wills. The location of the camp is signposted 36km to the southwest of Normanton on the Burketown Normanton Road, with a 1.5km drive to the carpark.

A short walk leads to a set of storyboards that tell of the colonial rivalry between Victoria and South Australia in the quest to cross the continent from south to north, as well as highlighting the relief parties led by Alfred Howitt, John McKinlay and Fredrick Walker during 1861.

The storyboards tell how the four exhausted men of the Vurke and Wills party arrived here on Saturday 9 February 1861, before Burke and Wills themselves pushed on with their desperate dash north the next day in an attempt to reach the sea.

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Sadly, as hard as they tried, the vast saltpans, boggy ground and mangroves threw up barriers preventing them from obtaining a view of the open ocean.

In the meantime, John King and Charles Gray marked no less than fifteen trees as proof that they’d reached northern Australia as well as burying a camp oven at the base of the tree marked ‘B CXIX’ that contained Wills’ mercury horizon (used in celestial navigation) and other material.

Returning to Camp 119 on Tuesday 12 February, the camp was abandoned the following day as the four men made their return journey towards Cooper Creek.

Fredrick Walker’s relief party discovered camel and human footprints near here in January 1862, before locating the abandoned Camp 119 shortly afterwards. Walker blazed a large tree that King and Gray had left untouched, while the buried camp over was not discovered until much later, before being lost again.

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1. Catch a barra on the Norman River
2. Check out Leichhardt Falls
3. Camp at Leichhardt Lagoon
4. Join a fishing charter from Karumba
5. Explore the Les Wilson Barramundi Discovery Centre in Karumba

A bigger ute than the existing LDV T60 Plus (see dimensions below) the Terron9 will sell alongside T60, the new offering is hoping to entice a new breed of buyers.

“We want to make sure when a ute buyer walks into an LDV showroom, we have a vehicle that offers value across a range of price points,” said LDV Australia General Manager, Dinesh Chinnappa.

“We are not going to leave our traditional ute buyers behind. Rather, the LDV Terron ute series will broaden our offering across the ute segment.”

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The two Terron9s have been covering a range of Australian roads in the Eastern states to validate advanced safety systems such as speed-sign recognition, lane-keeping assistance, and other electronic aids all necessary to meet the expectations of the modern ute buyer in terms of both safety and performance.

Full specifications and pricing of the Terron9 are expected closer to the launch in Q2 of 2025.

Dimensions

MY24 LDV T60 Plus

• Length: 5395mm
• Width (body): 1900mm
• Height: 1819mm
• Wheelbase: 3175mm

MY25 LDV Terron 9

• Length: 5500mm
• Width (body): 1997mm
• Height: 1860mm
• Wheelbase: 3300mm

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