Four-wheel drivers know the importance of in-vehicle communication, especially when travelling to remote areas. It allows communication within a group and with other road users such as truck drivers.

But what about out-of-vehicle communication? Think trailbikers, guiding another vehicle up a tough track, a part-time four wheel driver without the need for a vehicle-mounted unit, or maybe just someone who wants the versatility of a portable unit.

Handheld UHF radios offer a flexibility car-mounted units can’t match. They do present a downside in terms of range due to the lack of a fixed antenna, but for some, the versatility may well be worth this limitation. If you’re the type of 4WD tourer who will drive somewhere, jump out of the car and set off on a hike to a waterfall or mountain top, then a handheld UHF may be just what you need.

Typically, the performance of 0.5- or 1-watt units is only suitable for the kids around camp. So to make sure your hard-earned goes towards something that will do what it says on the box, we will avoid units with less than two watts of transmit power and will only be looking at Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA) approved units that have been programmed with Australian channels and meet legal requirements.

So the “fully programmable” special won’t be considered here, but if you’re looking for a portable communication option for all outdoor activities, then read on. We’ve included both two- and five-watt units below.

JUMP AHEAD

Two-watt units

• Oricom UHF2500-1GR
• GME TX677

Five-watt units

• Uniden UH755
• GME TX6160
• ICOM IC-41 Pro
• Midland G18XT
• Uniden UH850S-DLX
• Uniden XTRAK 50

Oricom UHF2500-1GR

This cheap and cheerful 2 Watt UHF CB radio is a basic, tough little unit that features a waterproof rating of IPX7 (waterproof to 1m for 30 minutes) and a super handy float-and-flash function when dropped in water.

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This means if it’s dropped in water it will float and an indicator light will flash, so it won’t be lost to the depths of a bottomless bog hole. This unit is ideal for fishing or kayaking, and it also includes a Micro USB jack for charging. It comes with a three-year warranty that excludes the battery, but it runs on AA batteries and can use disposable batteries in a pinch.

GME TX677

The TX677 is a two-watt UHF CB radio that is compact and lightweight.

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The GME radio features up to 14 hours of battery life, or up to 20 hours of battery life if utilising the switchable transmission power option (2/0.5 watt). The unit features USB charging and a rotary power/volume control for easy operation. It comes with a two-year warranty, with one-year on the battery, and is a very compact unit compared to the competition.

Uniden UH755

The UH755 UHF CB handheld radio is a Japanese-made unit, designed for those who need a rugged and heavy duty radio suitable for various conditions.

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The Uniden unit features an alloy body which is splashproof to IP54 (limited dust protection and splash-resistant from any angle). The radio may only offer fairly basic functionality, but it’s ruggedly tough and reliable. It includes selectable power of 5- or 1-watt, a battery saver mode, and a three-year warranty.

GME TX6160

This unit from GME features a full IP67 waterproof rating, a rugged metal chassis that comes in three colour options, and a handy LED torch.

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This combination makes this unit ideal for those who play in the mud or spend time on the water and in the elements. Boasting a lightning fast channel scan speed and a rotary power/volume knob, the unit is user-friendly and easy to operate. A three-year warranty will give confidence in your purchase.

ICOM IC-41Pro

A heavy duty commercial-spec unit designed for farming and mining industries, which makes it well-suited to the abuse outdoor enthusiasts will put it through.

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It features a tough metal chassis with IP67 waterproof rating, and it comes with a class-leading five-year warranty. The ICOM unit comes programmed with the standard 80 channel for consumers, but as it’s a pro level unit sold all around the world, it is also fully programmable and includes additional ‘private’ channels. It also features either a stubby antenna for those who want to strap it to a belt, or a longer whip antenna for those seeking additional range. Plus, for those who play in mud, there are red and orange colour options.

Midland G18XT

Another rough-and-tumble UHF CB radio with an aluminium chassis and full IP67 waterproof rating, this unit suits those who want something simple and reliable.

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This no-frills unit has basically no add-on features. No battery life has been quoted by the manufacturer, but reports indicate good battery life that easily lasts more than a day of use. This radio comes with a two-year warranty and, though a European company, the radio has been built for Australasian conditions.

Uniden UH850S-DLX

This unit claims a battery life of a whopping 39 hours. It also features a car kit that transforms the unit into a mobile car-mounted unit.

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It suits those who are away from charging options for long periods or those who want a temporary car-mounted unit. The Deluxe package includes 12v charging and a magnetic antenna, to increase transmission range. This radio is IP67 waterproof with a tough chassis, and the included accessories have been built specifically for Australian conditions and come with a one-year warranty.

These radios include an innovation called Master Scan, which allows users to communicate on a group of channels. If your current channel is interrupted by outsiders, all radios in your group will automatically jump to a new clear channel.

Uniden XTRAK 50

The latest UHF radios from Uniden now include features that were, until now, limited to vehicle-mounted units.

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The XTRAK range includes an instant replay function, and the XTRAK 50-PRO version also includes location sharing. The replay function allows you to record and replay up to four minutes of conversation. The radios are rugged, waterproof and built to IPX7 standards, and a 2W speaker ensures crystal clear communications. They come with a three-year warranty.

A buyers’ guide to UHF handheld radios

How we review products

North Queensland has an amazing history of mining, some endeavours of short duration and others that continue to operate today.

Many mine sites are closed to the public due to being on private or restricted Aboriginal land, and while others can be accessed at your own risk, the tracks can be treacherous and dangerous due to washouts and their isolated locations.

I love old mine sites and their once-bustling but now abandoned townships, and the legends and history of rags to riches for those who dared, finding the ore, mining and processing it, reaping the financial rewards or enduring the loss of bad investments.

The silent, often ghostly ruins tell tales about the people who settled the most remote locations in the country; men, women and children who dared to challenge the wilderness, walking and carrying their possessions on their backs, or on a pushbike or wheelbarrow. Some rode horses, or drove drays and wagons loaded with lengths of galvanised iron that would become their new homes.

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Droughts and floods dogged their way while the unfortunate fell victim to long spears or were waddied to death as they slept by hostile tribal people who objected to their country being overrun by the newcomers.

Mining ruins and towns are about our history, the hopes and the ambitions of our pioneering settlers, and the dwellings and settlements they lived in under trying conditions.

Children died from heat stress, men and women went mad, and they endured sorrow and sadness beyond the imagination of modern people. They were heroes who made such an amazing contribution to building our nation as we know it today.

Here are some of North Queensland’s old mining sites…

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Cumberland gold mine

Located along the Savannah Way, west of Georgetown, Cumberland is easy to locate as you can spot its tall chimney rising out of the open woodlands and above the hills before you arrive. It’s only several hundred metres from the busy highway and is well signposted.

Today the dam that once provided water for the mine is alive with waterfowl that frolick about colourful water lilies where melaleuca and gum trees provide shade for the annual invasion of dry season grey nomad travellers.

As in other places along the Savannah Way, councils have established unofficial campsites with no facilities and it’s up to people to do the right thing with night soil and rubbish disposal, or these sites will be closed.

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In its day Cumberland was the richest and largest gold mine on the Etheridge Goldfields.

It was registered by Parks, Smith, Hardie and Steele on 18 December 1872, and it sold 14 years later to the Cumberland Mining Company Ltd. The vendors were smart, because in addition to being retained as managers, they received £100,000 in cash and £60,000 in fully paid £1 shares.

The new owners expanded and modernised the operation with steam-driven engines, tramways and winding gear that serviced the underground operation and its 380m shaft.

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But today only the 25m high chimney and concrete foundations remain of what was once a bustling mine serviced by a nearby township of 400 people, one that had all the mod cons including shops, school, hospital, police station and three pubs.

A big flood in 1893 washed the tailing and water dam walls away, and with it the hopes of the mine, which was struggling at the time, with the best gold having petered out. Drought created a water shortage in 1888-89, and then a cyanide gold process was introduced in 1894 to recover fine gold.

By 1898 only one hotel remained as people walked away from their homes, though the school remained open until 1915 when no pupils registered. The company shut down in 1897, but others scratched about the mine until at least 1934.

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The Palmer Goldfields region

Fredirick Walker, a member of the 1871-72 Hann Expedition to the Cape, discovered gold in the Palmer and Normanby Rivers in 1872, but James Venture Mulligan was given the credit for it when he followed up on Hann’s reports in June 1873.

It started an amazing rush that founded the Port of Cook’s Town, later Cooktown, while others came from Georgetown, Croydon and Charters Towers, people heading into the unknown, surviving floods and hostile natives.

Determined, they founded townships and large camps in the wilderness; Lukinville, Palmerville, Maytown, Uhrstown, Chinatown and Byerstown serviced dozens of diggings and mines along the Palmer River and its feeder creeks.

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Another rush started to the Normanby River in 1874 as hopefuls packed up and headed to the new ‘El dorado’. Ephemeral settlements were quickly founded and abandoned even faster when the gold petered out.

A railway headed west from Cooktown, but the project was abandoned when it reached Laura. The Palmer gold had run out. These days the hills are silent and only the calls of the dingoes, crows and the raucous cries of blue-winged kookaburras break the silent torpor of the bush.

Some mining continues, but the best gold has gone, some say to China after the Chinese rolled over the field in what was said to be ‘like a yellow wave.’

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The Palmer River diggings can be accessed from the Mulligan Highway at Maitland Downs and the Palmer River Road.

Keep in mind that prospecting may incur the wrath of a leaseholder who won’t take kindly to their grounds being poached. Some years back a prospector was shot, his body was never found but the then owners of Palmerville Station are doing life for the alleged crime.

Bush camping is available on the field, but the best way to avoid any trespassing problems is to camp on the comfortable grounds at Palmerville Station and do day trips from there. It is, of course, 4×4 country… and then some.

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The Limestone Creek Rush

Gold was discovered in May 1889 on Limestone Creek, south of the Palmer River. The mines were sited in rugged and waterless hills, but two villages – Groganville and Harbord  – were founded here.

Little remains of the townships today apart from broken bottles, rusted iron and discarded cans. The mine site can only be reached via a creek bed and it is not marked.

A nearby cemetery tells of the hardships that people faced here, including babies, some of whom died within days of being born due to the extreme heat in the hot valleys. Most dwellings were nothing more than rough shelters built from bush timbers that were no better than the gunyahs of the Aborigines.

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Access is north of Mount Carbine, on the Karma Waters Station turnoff. Curraghmore Station and Karma Waters have campsites along the river, including on the old Cooktown Crossing, the original track that extended to the Palmer and to Cooktown from the south.

Mount Molloy and Mount Carbine are former mining towns that were once part of the mining trails of the region. Another route is from Chillagoe, which has more than its fair share of abandoned mines and relics. The original road turned north to the OK Mine and to the Palmer, via Groganville.

Part of the track runs through Bellevue Station, but it’s private and not open to visitors without permission. It’s an interesting route that cuts across hills and valleys, while the remains of an extensive concrete bridge built across the wide Mitchell River is worth seeing.

Only concrete pylons remain. It was constructed by the Burma-Singh Mining Company to access the Hannibal Copper Mine, but was abandoned when the mine closed in 1953.

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The Hodgkinson Field

Situated south of the Mitchell River, the Hodgkinson Field came into prominence when gold was discovered there by James Venture Mulligan on 23 October 1875.

It led to a huge rush, but the new arrivals wanted to lynch Mulligan as they had believed that it was alluvial gold, but instead it was reefing gold that was beyond the means of the diggers. The first machinery arrived from the Ethridge Field, which was now in decline, while a track was cut down the impossible rainforest-clad coastal ranges to Cardwell.

Another tracked across the high ranges from Port Douglas, via Mount Molloy. It’s astonishing how people and pack animals managed to haul heavy and bulky mining machinery up these seemingly impossible ranges.

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Today the field is silent other than the cries of crows that disturb the peace where once busy mines and smelters operated.

Thornborough, Kingsborough, Beaconsfield and Northcote were the first towns, and these housed almost 2000 people, while other smaller settlements grew up about the mines. But by the 1880s a rush for the tin mines at Herberton and Irvinebank saw the beginning of the end for the Hodgkinson Field.

Coal was discovered under Mount Mulligan, which overlooks the former goldfields, and a town plan was laid out in 1913. Unlike today, coal was rare in Queensland and the government constructed a railway line from Cairns to the mine.

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A terrible accident occurred on 19 September 1921 when the underground mine blew up killing all 75 men who had just started their shift, making every woman and child in town an instant widow and orphan respectively. To this day it remains the second worst mine disaster in Australia.

The mine reopened soon afterwards, the coal needed for the Queensland Railways, but it closed in October 1957. At its peak, Mount Mulligan had a population of 500. Only a tall chimney, foundations and relic machinery remains, and the nearby cemetery where 74 miners are interned.

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A life of hardship

Often the only evidence of human settlement in many remote areas are the cemeteries and bush graves, simply marked ‘Killed by Black,’ or ‘Died of Fever.’

The former mining town cemeteries are a grim reminder of hardships and accidents that people had to contend with.

Nation building was tough as Australia struggled through its infancy, in harsh country that tried to kill settlers off with bushfires, floods, droughts, diseases, accidents and attacks from the natives who resisted the newcomers at every turn.

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Make sure you don’t miss the graves on your mining trail quest; the country has not changed and the tracks are rough, the distances long and the isolation is real.

Leave things as they are and don’t take relics home with you – they belong where they are – and most importantly, don’t rubbish the bush. The greatest threat to the physical reminder of our history comes from those who pick things up and take them away, or the bottle collector who smashes what he can’t carry out thus increasing its value and scarcity.

Respect our history and enjoy the drive… and most of all, remember our brave and struggling pioneers.

Over a century ago the Karunjie Track in the far north of Western Australia was used by drovers to move cattle across the Kimberley from the south up to Wyndham for export.

My journey here started at the end of the Gibb River Road, where I had spent several days at the beautiful Home Valley Station on Balanggarra Country.

Home Valley is situated right on the Pentecost River where big crocs and big barra abound. There are two camping areas on offer, a great bar and grill, as well as tours on to country with traditional owners showing off their stunning waterfalls and rock art, with the majestic Cockburn Ranges as a backdrop.

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I spent several nights at both campgrounds, one situated near the homestead and the other on the Pentecost River near Bindoola Creek.

Leaving Home Valley Station it was only about a 10km drive before I was parked and standing in front of the wide Pentecost River crossing. The river was named in 1882 by expedition leader Michael Durack who was surveying it. The crossing is several hundred metres and with the thought of estuarine crocs lurking about, I didn’t consider walking it first.

But generally speaking the Pentecost has a hard rocky base and if the water isn’t too deep most 4x4s, tour buses and trucks get across easily enough in the dry season. On the eastern side of the river is where the blacktop starts (or stops – depending on your direction) on the Gibb River Road, all the way to the east coast.

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The Karunjie Track

Having just explored the east Kimberley, I crossed the mighty Pentecost River and turned left to follow the river along the 80km-long Karunjie Track.

At the start of the track is a popular free camping spot where travellers pull up either before or after tackling the Gibb River Road. Here most people fish for barra, take in the stunning views of the Cockburn Ranges or just relax on the river. We not only caught some Barra here but also happened to hook a couple of endangered sawfish.

Once a stock route, today Karunjie Track is a remote 4×4 track that is only traversable in the dry season, and it is not maintained for its entire length. Departing the Pentecost River the track is slow going for the first 20km, following with deep ruts and plenty of washed-out sections.

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It’s hard to keep your eyes on the track as you follow the river, passing beautiful old boabs and gazing at the majestic Cockburn Range to your right. The first gate you pass through signifies you are onto private property until you reach the end of the track, owned by El Questro Station.

Once down onto the huge moonscape like floodplains, the track smooths out and you can pick up the pace. The massive floodplains become an impassable quagmire in the wet season and trying to cross here would be simply impossible… and stupid. This location was used in several scenes for the film Australia.

The flats soon give way to some higher rocky country and the boundary gate signifies the end of the Karunjie Track. Officially, no camping is allowed between the two gates, only near the Pentecost River, as El Questro is still a working cattle station.

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King River

Once through the last gate you’re now onto the King River Road where, if you turn left, will take you to Diggers Rest campgrounds, or straight on towards Wyndham.

Not far along this road, a brown historical marker caught my eye so we swung in for a look. What I had spotted  was the infamous Boab Prison Tree, also known as Hillgrove lockup. Way back in 1890 this boab was hollowed out and used as a holding cell for Aboriginal prisoners on their way to Wyndham for trial, where they made them stay inside the tree overnight.

Used for about 30 years, the inside of the tree was dry during storms so the police officers would gather inside while leaving the prisoners chained up outside under guard.

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Putting the grim history aside, this boab is huge, and is estimated to be around 1500 years old, with massive low-hanging branches and a girth of about 12 metres. Signatures and dates are carved in the tree from 130 years ago.

Crossing the King River the next point of call is Moochalabra Dam and some stunning cave rock art just 10 minutes down the road. Throughout the Top End, rock art tells a story of families, local animals and passing trade.

At Moochalabra Dam it’s no different, and the more you look the more you find, with a variety of rock art up on the ceilings and walls including depictions of animals, handprints and other shapes.

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This site is important to the Balanggara people where there are also depictions of Wandjina Spirit ancestors, all painted with natural ochres found in the cliffs.

This is a peaceful place where quietly sitting and looking at the art, and down below towards the boabs and waterholes, one can only imagine how life was here for the thousands of years prior to European settlement. Moochalabra Dam is a further 5km up the road where you can laze around with a picnic and watch for birds, especially the Gouldian finch.

Follow the King River Road for about 30km beside King River, passing through areas of thick plain grass and more saltpans, you’ll eventually come to the Wyndham to Kununurra road.

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Wyndham

My journey neared its end at the beautiful old town of Wyndham, where I wanted to see where the Pentecost River ends its journey into the Cambridge Gulf.

The best viewing point is up at the Five Rivers Lookout about 15 minutes drive out of town. From this stunning lookout there are literally five rivers that drain into the gulf: the Pentecost, Durack, King, Forrest and the Old rivers.

Down below the lookout is Wyndham Port, where drovers used to move their cattle after traversing the Karunjie Track. Established in 1885, the port was a hub with slaughterhouses, a freight centre and the nearby original town of Wyndham.

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While the new town is situated away from the port, the waterways are still used for the export of fuel, freight and live cattle, and occasionally cruise ships visit here.

While the Karunjie Track may only be 80km long, it’s a fascinating and off-the-beaten-track part of the east Kimberley that is well worth exploring. Is it an iconic track? With its stunning views, its sheer remoteness and isolation, and the history along the way, I would say it is.

We might be dubbed 4X4 “Australia”, but sometimes we like to branch out and inspect some popular vehicles abroad.

With the ever-popular Superbowl taking place on Monday, February 12 (our time), we thought we’d take a quick look at what some of the NFL’s best scoot around in. Unsurprisingly, prepare for super-sized builds and plenty of F-trucks.

JUMP AHEAD

• Dak Prescott: Ford F-350
• Josh Allen: Ford F-150 Raptor
• Tyreek Hill: Ford F-250 Platinum
• Travis Kelce: GMC Hummer EV
• John Burrow: Lordstown Endurance Truck
• Patrick Holmes: 2019 Nissan Titan XD Rocky Ridge Edition

Dak Prescott: Ford F-350

Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Dak Prescott, has a customised 2022 Ford F-350 upgraded by the team at RealTruck, a powerhouse aftermarket source in the USA.

The formidable F-350 is off-road ready thanks to the addition of a 3.5-inch lift kit from Superlift, in combination with a set of Nitto Ridge Grappler 37s. A 12,000lb Warn Zeon winch up front is a safety switch in case of emergencies. Other mods include Road Armor Vaquero heavy duty bumpers; Bushwacker Extend-a-Fender Flares; Morimoto XB Black LED headlights and tail lights; 4Banger LED fog lights; AMP Research Power Step XL automatic running boards; Retrax’s PowertraxPRO retractable truck bed; and a Dometic powered cooler.

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Josh Allen: Ford F-150 Shelby Raptor

Josh Allen, quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, has a decent car collection consisting of a Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, Range Rover Sport, Mercedes-Benz G Wagen and an Aston Martin Vantage.

Until recently, he also floated around in a twin-turbo V8-powered custom-built Shelby-tweaked F-150 Baja Raptor wearing 37-inch BFGoodrich KM3 mud-terrain tyres. Allen traded in the vehicle to the dealership he bought it from, and they in turn gave the truck away to charity.

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Tyreek Hill: Ford F-250 Platinum

Tyreek Hill is a wide receiver at the Miami Dolphins, and his glitzy custom F-250 Platinum is packed full of kit.

None more eyeball-grabbing than the Stryker Off Road Designs 8-inch lift powdercoated in black. Other mods include 26×14 Candy Red Fuel Runner wheels inside 37x1350x26 AMP muddies; a 4 link upgrade long arm; dual stabiliser; Center Cradle Ladder Traction Bars; and 2.5-inch coilover Reservoir Sniper shocks.

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Travis Kelce: GMC Hummer EV

A tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, Travis Kelce is another NFL player with a spectacular car collection.

The line-up includes a Rolls-Royce Ghost, 1970 Custom Chevrolet Chevelle SS, Mercedes Benz AMG G63, Range Rover V6, GMC Terrain SUV and a Cadillac Escalade. He’s also been seen in a new all-electric GMC Hummer SUV that’s capable of the 0-100km/h dash in just 3.3 seconds.

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John Burrow: Lordstown Endurance Truck

The quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals owns a vehicle most people know little about: a Lordstown Endurance Truck.

The full-size battery electric pick-up truck can tow up to 8000 pounds (3628kg) and has a range of more than 400km on a single charge, and its rugged design combined with four in-wheel hub motors is said to give it an all-terrain ability.

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Patrick Mahomes: 2019 Nissan Titan XD Rocky Ridge Edition

Until recently, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback owned a custom-designed 2019 Nissan Titan XD Rocky Ridge Edition.

Auctioned off at the end of 2023, the limited edition Titan is powered by a 5.6-litre V8, and it was modified with custom bumpers, lighting and metallic paintwork. On the inside, it features a slick seat stitching.

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Terrain Tamer has released its newest innovation in the form of Fortified Plus Clutch kits.

Arriving several years after the release of the brand’s original Fortified Clutch range, this new standard in clutch technology extends the company’s existing catalogue of standard replacement and heavy-duty clutch kits.

Superseding the previous Fortified range, the Fortified PLUS Clutches are OE-manufactured and exclusive to Terrain Tamer and follow the company’s legacy of producing stronger, improved parts for 4WD applications.

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The Fortified Plus Clutch range was purposely designed with the extreme weight and engine capacity of armoured vehicles in mind. It offers up to an impressive 80 per cent increase in torque capacity, making it perfect for vehicles with GVM upgrades where the clutch is often the weakest point, or for those carrying extremely heavy loads or with increased power from upgrades such as chips, aftermarket exhausts and turbos.

After many years of developing and testing a variety of designs and friction materials, the Fortified Plus Clutch range employs exclusive Terrain Tamer tooling. All components have been made in Japan, including an innovative clutch disc design that utilises Clutchtex Kevlar material on both the engine and transmission facings to combat shuddering, a technology not previously used in the 4WD industry.

This Kevlar compound offers a significant increase in strength and a longevity of up to 2-3 times the OE counterpart, paired with smoother engagement and a softness that ensures the flywheel and pressure plate remain unmarked. This design also features an increase in damper spring capacity, friction material coefficient and the burst strength of the facing. Where applicable, it also features a three-stage damper design.

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“We believe our new Fortified Plus Clutch is the first Kevlar 4WD Clutch on the market,” said Skye Kottachchi, marketing manager at Terrain Tamer. “This is exciting now only because it offers an unmatchable strength, up to three times as strong as the original, but it addresses the issue of shuddering that many users of heavy duty clutches report.”

The Fortified Plus Clutch cover assembly is anodised for maximum corrosion resistance and features a spheroidal graphite anti-burst pressure plate casting, to both assist in the extended life of the clutch and allow it to run cooler in extreme situations. It offers higher clamp loads and additional drive straps for strength, where required.

A small but growing range of Terrain Tamer’s Fortified Plus Clutches is now available. The pricing for the Fortified Plus kits ranges from approximately $1700 to $2700.

March 19: 2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport facelift revealed

February 7: Mitsubishi Pajero Sport update imminent

An update for the 2024 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport off-road SUV is imminent.

4X4 Australia understands the updated Mitsubishi Pajero Sport will feature exterior design revisions and interior enhancements, with first arrivals due in Australia around April.

Dealer information seen by 4X4 Australia confirms the model-year 2024 Pajero Sport will adopt a new ‘QG’ model code to replace the ‘QF’ model currently in runout.

It will remain available in GLX, GLS, Exceed and GSR variants.

The updated model will not be based on the new 2024 Mitsubishi Triton platform, with the next-generation Pajero Sport not due until some point in 2025 at the earliest.

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While the exact changes are unknown, revisions could include new bumpers and alloy wheels, an updated infotainment system similar to the latest Outlander and Triton, and features already available overseas – such as a sunroof or a Rockford Fosgate audio system.

Some active safety features, such as lane-change assist, blind-spot alert and rear cross-traffic alert, could also be standardised for lower-spec variants in line with the Outlander and Triton.

The updated Pajero Sport will continue to feature the 133kW/430Nm 2.4-litre ‘4N15’ single-turbo four-cylinder diesel and 3.1-tonne braked towing capacity shared with the outgoing Triton, though the engine is mated to an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission.

Indonesian production switch for some Mitsubishi Pajero Sports

As Mitsubishi prepares to launch the updated Pajero Sport, production has temporarily shifted from Thailand to Indonesia for the GLX 4×4 variant to reduce supply delays, with a plan to return to Thailand for all variants in due course.

There are no specification changes for the Indonesian-built GLX 4×4 variant.

It follows a shipment of Toyota Fortuner vehicles – a direct rival to the Pajero Sport – imported from Indonesia that arrived in 2022, while the 2005-17 Suzuki APV and the 2012 Nissan Micra were also built in the Southeast Asian nation for the Australian market.

If there’s one modification that can alter 4×4 performance and appearance more than any other, it’s tyres.

Bolting on a fresh set of rubber has the ability to completely transform your 4×4, with nothing else than some credit card digits being swapped and a torque wrench doing a lap of your wheel nuts. There is a problem, though: how are you meant to choose the right tyres for your rig?

There are so many brands with various tread designs and price points on the market these days, and what may work for your mate’s HiLux will be absolutely awful on your Proton Jumbuck. Not to worry, we’re here to help. In this guide we’ve done most of the hard work for you, no matter what you’re after. ATs, HTs, MTs and Hybrid options are all listed below, so have a read and see if you can find your next set of 4×4 tyres.

To keep things fairly uniform on the cost side of things, we’ve set the tyre size to the commonly available 265/70R17 for all tyres, or as close to it as possible for those that don’t come in that size.

JUMP AHEAD

All-Terrain

• Falken Wildpeak AT3W
• Maxxis RAZR AT811
• Cooper Discoverer S/T MAXX
• Mickey Thompson Baja Boss
• Toyo Open Country ATII
• Dick Cepek Fun Country
• Federal Couragia
• Pirelli Scorpion ATR
• Continental CrossContact

Mud-Terrain

• BFGoodrich T/A KM3
• Kenda Klever KR29
• Kumho Road Venture KL71
• Hankook Dynapro MT2

Highway-Terrain

• Bridgestone Dueler 689

Hybrid-Terrain

• Goodyear Wrangler MTR
• Nitto Ridge Grappler
• Yokohama Geolandar X-AT

Rugged-Terrain

• Cooper Rugged Trek

Falken Wildpeak AT3W

One of the most technology-filled tyres on this list, the Wildpeak has proven to be a top choice for a lot of 4WDers over the past few years.

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It has nifty inclusions like heat-diffusing lower sidewalls to make it an excellent tyre for towing, and stepped tread blocks, which are offset to protect the sidewall for extra rigidity when finding off-road traction. Continuing the aggressive tread pattern, the upper sidewall is designed to mould over sharp rocks and aid traction in soft sand.

They’re also an extreme weather-rated tyre, so you’re ready for the next ice-age to kick off, or even if you’re a driver who needs to venture out in the rain. 3D Canyon sipe technology is also onboard, which essentially interlocks the sipes, providing excellent wet-weather grip without sacrificing tread lug deterioration in high torque applications.

Maxxis AT811 RAZR

Carrying on the aggressive tradition of the RAZR MT, the AT version looks just as gnarly and, if appearance equalled performance, these would be the tyre of choice for everybody.

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And frankly, “everybody” could do a lot worse. The Maxxis team threw a bunch of R&D at this tyre, and if things like three-ply sidewalls, high tensile fibres interwoven into the cap and 3D wave siping sounds like a bit of you, then you’ve found your tyre. With excellent on-road manners and off-road behaviour that’d rival a lot of well-known muddies in the soft stuff, this is a seriously top contender and should be on almost every 4WDer’s shortlist. Muddy looks with all-terrain performance and Maxxis reliability? Yes please.

Cooper Discoverer S/T MAXX

A tyre truly designed for Australian conditions – Cooper went into the Outback and spent three years testing this tyre to the absolute limit, the result being one undeniably tough piece of AT rubber… well, heavy-duty rubber and silica compound.

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The S/T MAXX features stone-ejector ribs and an enhanced buttress design on the sidewall for increased grip at low pressures, and they feature Micro Gauge siping for extra on-road grip in inclement weather. Underneath the Y-block treads with optimised draft angles sits the proprietary Armor-Tek 3 ply construction, which sees the third top ply laid down on an eight-degree angle, which provides a 250 per cent strength increase over the standard two-ply construction. Think of the old-school bias-ply strength and puncture resistance, but without any of the downsides. If you’re looking for a no-nonsense and ultra-tough AT tyre, don’t go past the Cooper S/T MAXX.

Mickey Thompson Baja Boss

The Baja Boss AT has a legions of fans. That’s probably due to things like the asymmetrical tread design that straddles the line between aggressive off- and on-road manners excellently.

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Mickey Thompson reckon it offers fantastic road-holding while minimising noise, which is pretty much the gold-standard for an AT tyre. The Extreme Sidebiters on the sidewall are 150 per cent deeper than on the previous Baja ATZ P3 tyres and guarantee low-pressure traction in the soft stuff, while the toughness department is managed by the PowerPly XD feature – essentially a 50 per cent increase in denier cord used in the plies, to provide a mammoth amount of puncture resistance. Also worth noting is the silica-infused compound for greater wear characteristics and longer life, rounding out what has to be a shortlist tyre for just about any serious 4WD owner.

Toyo Open Country ATII

The Toyo ATII is well and truly proven as a solid performer in Australian conditions. They’re built to last, with Toyo claiming they’re able to do five full laps of Australia on a single set of rubber.

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Off-road capabilities are enhanced with two cap plies that are built for puncture resistance, and the carcass incorporates sidewall protection for when you’re bagged out on the rocks. On-road performance is beefed-up with tie bars between the tread blocks have been added to offer better braking and corner stability – features not commonly seen in off-road rubber, but welcome additions nonetheless.

While they don’t necessarily have the sex appeal of some of the more aggressive tyres on this list, if you’re after a no-nonsense, long-lasting, reliable tyre that’ll go the distance and hold its own in a fistfight with nature, give the ATIIs a once over. There are a lot of good reasons so many folks are running them.

Dick Cepek Fun Country

One of the original crossover AT tyres that’s been around since before some of our readers were born, the Fun Country has been reinvented into a tough AT contender, and we are into it.

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The sidewall is made up of three plies that are angled to increase puncture-resistance, and the offset, siped sidewall tread is designed to resist lug-tearing by spreading the load across a greater section of the tyre instead of just the lug, further aided by the 360° scalloped rib section. The shoulder of the tyre is notched to decrease damage from rocks, while the Offset Circumferential Grooves ramp up water dispersion and traction, making this a solid choice for those chasing some functional and well-priced rubber.

Federal Couragia

At the budget end of town we find the Federal Couragia AT. It’s not aggressive nor does it provoke lust in the eye of the beholder, and there are precious few sizes available, but considering the price there’s quite a bit to like about this tyre.

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The compound features chemically coupled silica to the rubber, which should promote a decent lifespan from these things, and the wide-angle shoulder grooves and multi-directional siping should mean they offer adequate handling in the wet. It is worth mentioning that there have been a few instances of the tread lifting after a short amount of time on the vehicle, but most reports seem to be on heavier vehicles.

Lighter 4WD and SUV owners have largely reported great things from their Couragias. So if you’re looking to re-shoe your F-250, these may not be for you, but it you punt your Sierra to work every day and over the dirt for a camping weekend a few times a year, these could be perfect.

Pirelli Scorpion ATR

The Scorpion is designated as an AT tyre but its super-sleek tread design is way more slanted towards highway driving. And that’s not a bad thing at all.

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If you’re doing a lot of Outback touring where you’ll be spending 80-90 per cent of your journey on the black top or dirt roads, then these tyres start making more and more sense. The tread features all the usual HT acumen – low noise, excellent wet weather grip, long-life – however it also is somewhat good off-road, at least until you start getting into the deep bogholes or boulder gardens.

However, it’s not designed or advertised at excelling in those arenas. It’s a touring tyre, plain and simple. It really is hard to hate on an all-round performer like the Pirellis, and if you’re only an occasional off-road driver and spend a bunch of time on the bitumen, these really could be your next set of rubber.

Continental CrossContact AT

Another AT that’s really an HT, the Continental ticks all the usual boxes for this type of tyre. It’s excellent in both the wet and dry, it offers great treadwear, the noise levels may as well be non-existent, and when it comes to off-road ability they’re punching at the flyweight end of the spectrum.

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Except on sand that is, it’s not an overly well-known fact but once aired down, HT tyres absolutely dominate on the sand over the more aggressive MTs or ATs. If you’re a beach comber with little interest in driving mud or rocks, then these are actually a very good choice.

Designed for SUVs and light trucks, the sidewall, carcass and plies are all fairly strong and puncture-resistant. Sure, they’re not going to win any mud-bogging competitions; but when considered within the realms of what they’re designed for, there are impeccable reasons to lay down your cash on a set of these.

BFGoodrich T/A KM3

The previous iteration, the KM2, was a massive hit with the mud-driving public, so when the KM3 hit the market, it had some big shoes to fill. And fill them they did.

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The KM3 offers five-per-cent better mud traction than its predecessor thanks to the “mud-phobic bars” on the shoulder of the tyre that are designed to aid in self-clearing, allowing the rubber to bite deeper into the slop. The sidewalls have also been beefed up to the tune of 27 per cent more toughness, mainly due to the CoreGard Max technology, which is a special mix of compound and thicker rubber in the sidewall plies.

Kenda Klever KR29

Taiwan-based Kenda have been around for 60 years now, so it’d be fair to say they have the know-how.

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While they’re a fairly basic construction – double steel belts with three-ply sidewalls – they fit the budget mould perfectly and by all reports are pretty darn impressive off-road, making them a top contender in the bang-for-buck stakes. Noise is an issue, more so when they have a few kays on them, but a little bit of howling is to be expected. The Kendas could be a great entry-level mud-terrain for those who aren’t willing to cough up the coin for a more well-known brand. Even with the lack of refinement in some areas, they’re difficult to ignore and can’t be written off.

Kumho Road Venture KL71 MT

The KL71 has been around for a long time now, and the Korean-built tyre is a solid and capable performer on- and off-road.

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Despite the angry tread design, the KL71 is surprisingly quiet on-road and grippy in the wet, which comes down to the tightly packed centre lugs, which were developed using fluid mechanics to keep the noise levels on the lower and of the scale and resistant to any aqua-planing.

Off-road, the beefy shoulder lugs keep the traction on mud and rocks plentiful; although, we’d like to see some more sidewall tread on an updated tyre, which hopefully is not too far away. The Kumho is getting a little long in the tooth now, having been on the market since fuel was under a buck a litre, but its consistent performance, good looks and competitive pricing still make it a great choice for those looking for something a little different.

Hankook Dynapro MT2

The Dynapro MT2 has one of the strongest tyre carcasses we’ve see, featuring a reinforced under tread gauge, nylon reinforced belts, a high-tensile steel belt and jointless bead wire.

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It’s simply a beast of a tyre that’s nigh-on bulletproof when it comes to puncture resistance. The tread pattern is very much like an old-school mud-terrain, with chunky centre lugs and uneven shoulder blocks for fast and effective self-cleaning. However, they suffer from the same things of the muddies of yesteryear.

Wet-road driving and long-trip noisiness have to be taken into consideration, but if you’re confident in your abilities to deal with aquaplaning and are happy to just turn the stereo up to drown out the road noise, then these are right up your alley. A super-solid construction with fantastic off-road capabilities without any of the frills or fanciness? Sign right here.

Bridgestone Dueler 689 HT

When we get right down to it, HT tyres really only need to be measured by a few criteria: How they handle the wet, how long they last and how well they bag out in the sand, and the 689 HT is no exception.

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To be fair, based on those criteria alone, it’s really a pretty good tyre. While you wouldn’t buy these to do a run down the Gibb River Road, for a tow vehicle that’s only ever going to see an occasional dirt road and maybe do some beach camping a couple times next summer, you could do a lot worse.

The tread pattern is computer designed, the tread blocks are surprisingly deep at 11mm and the rounded shoulders ensure a smooth, long-wearing and practically noiseless driving experience. It’ll get you there and back, and at the end of the day, you have to chalk that up as a win.

Goodyear Wrangler MTR

Contrary to popular belief, the MTR stands for Maximum Traction Reinforced, not Mud Terrain, and the Goodyears are one of the originators (and still one of the best) of the hybrid tyre.

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Featuring Kevlar reinforcement and a silica-infused rubber compound, these are the tyres for you if you’re looking for more off-road performance while giving a decent account of themselves on the blacktop. The asymmetric tread design reportedly self-cleans incredibly well, while the stepped shoulder blocks and wraparound sidewall tread maximise traction on pretty much every surface you care to point your rig at.

Internally, the tyre has twin steel belts and the sidewalls are reinforced with Dupont Kevlar, a material that’s pound for pound stronger than steel – making them incredibly resistant to cuts and punctures; specifically, 35 per cent tougher than the previous MT/Rs, which were long a favourite of off-road drivers everywhere.

Nitto Ridge Grappler

The Ridge Grappler is a true one-tyre-does-it-all. Available in a huge range of sizes and well-suited to both heavy and light vehicles, it can handle the rigours of the daily commute as well as the weekend camping missions deep into the scrub.

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In fact, it’s even available in a two- or three-ply construction (although let’s be honest, there are few circumstances where two-ply would be the choice). Nitto calls the thread a “various pitch” design, which essentially means it has tighter lugs in the centre of the tyre for low noise and good handling on-road, while the alternating shoulder lugs and stepped tread blocks are designed to dig deep into slick surfaces and give you the grip you need. The sidewall patterns are different on each side of the tyre, one having a traditional look while the other features larger lugs for more grip off-road, which is pretty nifty in our opinion.

Yokohama Geolandar X-AT

The X-ATs are like the equivalent of your grandad’s axe – solid, dependable, great at what they’re designed for but won’t win any awards for being tough-looking.

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With that said, we know people who are on the third and fourth sets, so they’re hardly underwhelming in the performance categories. Built with a triple-polymer compound and a host of clever tread pattern design features, they’re aimed at people who spend a solid amount of time off the beaten track but are also meant to be able to hold the road as well as, or better than, a traditional AT tyre, so it really is a fantastic tyre for those looking for off-road capability and on-road manners. Dual sidewall treads and a wide flat profile mean that not only will the X-ATs get you there and back, you can expect some big kilometres out of them before you’ll need to swapping them out too.

Cooper Rugged Trek

The Cooper Rugged Trek is a 4×4 tyre designed for drivers who frequently tackle rough terrain.

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The tyres are built to provide superior traction on both wet and dry surfaces, and have a unique tread pattern that allows them to grip onto rocks, sand and mud. They’re also designed to provide a comfortable ride, with reduced road noise and vibrations. The Rugged Trek range is available in a variety of sizes to suit different vehicles, and comes with a mileage warranty for added peace of mind.

A buyer’s guide to 4×4 tyres

How we review products

The Ford Ranger has continued where it left off in 2023, remaining the best-selling overall vehicle in Australia in January 2024.

The just-released VFACTs report lists the Ford Ranger as Australia’s most sought-after vehicle with a total of 4747 sales. Of those sales, 4334 were registered for 4×4 variants.

Highlighting Australia’s relentless appetite for bigger SUVs and utes, the next best-selling vehicles in January 2024 on the overall charts were the Toyota HiLux (4092), Toyota LandCruiser (2541) and Isuzu D-MAX (2541).

Looking specifically at the 4×4 charts, and the Ranger remains king, defending its crown with the aforementioned 4334 sales. The HiLux (3478) and D-MAX (2118) round out the podium. The Prado was the best-selling 4×4 SUV in January, posting a total of 1746 sales, positioning it ahead of the 300 Series (1463), Isuzu MU-X (1217) and Ford Everest (1176).

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The LDV T60 had a solid month, with its 950 sales sneaking it into the Top 10. As a budget alternative, it remains more popular than both the GWM Ute (643) and SsangYong Musso (242). At the other end of the price spectrum, the RAM 1500 (290) outsold both the Silverado (264) and F-150 (123).

Surprising absentees from the 10 best-selling 4x4s include the Mazda BT-50 (937), VW Amarok (650) and Nissan Navara (424).

Taking a deeper dive into the numbers reveals that LCV sales are up from 18,546 (January 2023) to 20,601 (January 2024), with the PU/CC 4×4 market in particular strengthening compared to the same time last year (15,966 sales versus 14,144), representing a 17.8 per cent share of the total new sales market. LCVs accounted for 22.9 per cent of total sales – and SUVs 55.5 per cent – in January 2024.

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However, according to FCAI Chief Executive Tony Weber, this represents the challenges the industry is currently facing.

“The continuing preference for SUVs and utes demonstrates the challenges the Commonwealth Government is facing as it works to introduce a New Vehicle Emissions Standard (NVES),” he said. “Industry wants an emissions standard that is ambitious without limiting the choice and increasing the cost of the vehicles Australians need and want.

“Even with the current incentives offered by the Commonwealth and State and Territory Governments, sales of battery electric vehicles appear to have plateaued during recent months.”

In particular, total diesel sales have increased from 26,589 to 28,923 compared to the same time last year – while petrol-powered variants still accounted for a total of 42,247 sales despite declining compared to January 2023 (44,831).

When Toyota launched its all-new 70 Series toward the end of 2023, the legendary off-roader landed with a 1GD 2.8-litre four-cylinder 150kW/500Nm turbo-diesel engine for the first time.

The inline-four joined Toyota’s venerable 1VD 4.5-litre V8 turbo-diesel, with many purists holding reservations about the I4’s towing ability. Following a test run in both vehicles towing a 3100kg Kedron off-road caravan, it’s safe to say those reservations are completely unwarranted.

Not only is the four-cylinder better on the open road, but the I4/auto combo is easier and more pleasant to drive around town, when towing and even off-road. Other than the soundtrack, it does everything better than the V8.

Towing specs

The four-cylinder engine feels lively compared to the V8. It’s more willing to get up and go, while the V8 likes to lope along and take its time to build speed when you put your foot down. The auto transmission not only has an extra ratio that benefits acceleration, but the final drive is a lower at 4.3:1 compared to the V8 model’s 3.09:1.

Nowhere is this performance difference more evident than when towing with the two powertrains. The drive loop included gravel and some sealed roads, and the four-cylinder/auto was far more spritely in its pick up when towing the van, while manually shifting the auto was easy when it came time to brush off speed for descents or when approaching washouts.

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By comparison the V8 picked up speed more lazily when rowing through the gears but it cruised just as nicely once up to speed. But it was significantly slower than the four-cylinder vehicle when accelerating out of washouts – we first tried third gear but acceleration was lacking compared to the four-cylinder vehicle, and while using second gear created more noise from the engine, there was very little if any improvement in performance.

For many years we’ve heard buyers asking for an auto transmission for towing with a 70 Series and we have seen aftermarket auto conversions costing north of $20,000. Toyota has answered this call with the six-speed automatic transmission and potential buyers needn’t been concerned about the performance of the four-cylinder engine.

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The Kedron van used on the towing loop was said to be putting around 290kg on the tow ball and again, the suspension was unfussed by this extra weight on the back of both the I4 and V8 Cruisers.

The inclusion of an automatic transmission will entice those who want to tow but convincing them that the four-cylinder engine is up to the job might be a hard task, while the auto will also appeal to fleet owners who need all-road ability but can’t trust their employees with a manual gearbox. The four-cylinder option also opens up the 70 to buyers not allowed to own or drive a V8-powered vehicle.

The four-cylinder will be a hard-sell to enthusiasts who don’t trust the smaller-capacity engine in a large heavy-duty 4×4, and they will continue to queue up to order a V8 model… if and when they eventually can. Any uncertainty as to the future of the V8 engine option will only promote the desire for that driveline further, and there’s no doubt they will remain in demand.

However, the automatic transmission make the 70 easier to drive, and the 1GD engine is more enthusiastic than the V8. Plus, with less weight over the front-end it feels a touch more nimble in the handling department. That lighter weight also adds around 55kg to the vehicle’s payload capacity.

Specs

Everything in Judbarra National Park is big: the landscape, the history, the animals, the four-wheel driving challenges and the weather that passes through it each year. And the park itself is big, covering just over 13,000km², making it the second biggest in the Territory after Kakadu NP.

Judbarra was once named Gregory National Park, after Augustus Charles Gregory, who in 1855 led several exploratory parties up the Victoria River and penetrated nearly 500km south towards the Great Sandy Desert on what would become one of the longest overland rides in Australian exploration.

The park was renamed Judbarra in 2021 to recognise the traditional owners.

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Just off the Victoria Highway is the famous Gregory’s Tree, an age-old boab that is an aboriginal sacred site as well as a marker for Gregory’s travels.

Setting up camp near the huge boab, Gregory instructed artist and storekeeper J Baines to carve the dates of their arrival and departure from the area into the tree. It is now a registered heritage site, and there is a boardwalk and signage to inform modern-day explorers about the travels of the early explorers.

Further down the road at Timber Creek is the last stop for any supplies for those entering Judbarra from the north; make sure you have all the fuel you can carry as it’s more than 400km through the park and down to the nearest fuel stop if you decide to drive along the longer 4×4 tracks.

Technically the park has two sections – the east and the west precincts. The east takes in the Victoria River Roadhouse and the Sullivan Creek campground, but the western sector is where the real adventures lie.

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Journey into Judbarra

My journey into Judbarra began about 20km from Timber Creek on the northern side of the park at Gregory’s Tree, a great start point where you’ll find absolutely all the information you’ll need on Judbarra, including on the flora, fauna, history, track directions and more, as well as details on park or track closures.

I have always had Judbarra on my must-visit list, and I had heard some of the tracks were pretty rough across the Black Range. Also, being an isolated and remote park, Judbarra is only open a few short months of the year.

During summer it is closed due to the extreme heat, while during the wet season it’s closed due to the intense flooding. Even in times (as I found out) it can be closed due to either fires or damage from recent rain.

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Before heading into the park, you need to be absolutely confident with remote travel and ensure you have enough supplies for at least a few days.

Thankfully, planning a trip through the park is pretty simple due to Parks NT naming all the tracks and providing decent signage at all the turn-offs.

Heading east out of Timber Creek, I soon found the Bullita Access road that heads south into the park. Some of the 4×4 tracks in Judbarra loop back to the main road, and these are a great way to explore all the features in the park.

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One-way ticket

My first track was the Bullita Stock Route that heads one way from Bullita Homestead. Around the turn of the century two massive cattle stations dominated this area; the Bullita and Humbert River stations.

The stock route was used by the stations when they sent cattle further northwest to Wyndham in WA for export and slaughter. Today some of the buildings have been restored and there’s a great camping area on the bank of the East Baines River. Relics, detailed sign boards and the old cattle yards are fun to explore while reflecting on the good and bad times of days gone past.

The Stock Route track really only has two obstacles, one being the Baines River when in flood, and the jump-up, midway along. With spectacular scenery around this rocky track it’s a great way to settle into the park.

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Interestingly the stock route track was also called the donkey track, as donkeys were used to help move freight through the area, and yes, I saw dozens of them along the way. It takes around eight hours to cover the 95km because of the rough terrain and the many sights to see along the way.

Halfway back to the Bullita Homestead I was hoping to check out an unusual limestone gorge, but with the roads still under repair after a massive dump of rain all I could do was to find the Tufa dams.

These unusual walls in the creek have been formed by a combination of a limestone deposit and algae growth where water spills over rocks, creating a calcium buildup over time. These Tufa dam walls are estimated to be 1600 years old.

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Heading back down past the Homestead (remember it is a one-way track), I jumped onto the Humbert Track to head south crossing the Humbert River which surprisingly still had some flow in it late in the dry season.

I was tempted to go in for a dip, but croc signs had me thinking otherwise. Across the river the Humert becomes the Wickham Track for the next 30km to the intersection of the Broadarrow and Gibbie Tracks. Just near this major intersection another track leads to some old stone cattle yards, but again with the unusual rain, this too was closed.

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Broadarrow Track

My aim was to explore the very remote Broadarrow Track that had recently reopened after the unusual wet this area had early in the season.

With a total of around 230km to cover, it’s best to allow a good two days for this track. The Broadarrow Track was also used by packhorses and donkeys, to bring supplies up from Victoria River Downs Station in the south.

Word around was that the track was notorious for staking tyres due to sharp sticks in the long grass and the unseen rocky surface. In the scale of things, the Broadarrow Track isn’t overly challenging, but the remoteness and isolation can make it difficult for new travellers.

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There are plenty of camping opportunities along the way, whether to catch a stunning sunset or sunrise along the escarpment section or maybe a riverside camp on Depot Creek, the headwaters of the Baines River, or the new Wilingarri remote river camp.

I set up at Camel Point Campground, giving me a high point to spot camels, of which I spotted several herds late in the afternoon. My other camp choice was at the Escarpment Lookout Campground where I had absolute stunning views to the east, deep into a valley I would explore the next day.

The Broadarrow Track is similar to many tracks around the Kimberly area – very stoney and rough terrain, with scattered timber and magnificent boab trees throughout. There are several large jump-ups on the track but driving in low-range they aren’t anything to worry about. Finding your way along the tracks is as easy as following the blue boab markers positioned every 10km, and blue arrows to help guide you through the park.

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Final fling

I drove most of the tracks in high-range 4WD, which provided better traction and a little bit more control on the rougher sections.

The section across to the Black Range is the last (or first depending on what way you’re heading) area where the boab trees grow. The track crosses the headwaters of the Wickham River and Depot Creek, which really shouldn’t cause any issue as the water flows north towards Victoria River and into the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf.

The last 40km section of the Broadarrow Track heads pretty much south in a straight line following fence lines all the way down to the Buntine Highway.

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From here Wave Hill is 70km to the east and Halls Creek nearly 300km to the west, so keep these distances in mind when doing your fuel calculations.

I thoroughly enjoyed exploring Judbarra NP, learning about its early pastoral history, spotting wild camels, donkeys and horses, and seeing the magnificent old boabs in this stunning landscape. This is one National Park I can’t wait to get back to.