Front and centre of our Triton transformation this month is the fitment of a PIAK nudge bar.

Built from robust steel the bar has a 3.5kg carrying capacity making it the ideal platform for fitting driving lights. Maintaining a safe work vehicle is extremely important for tradies, either when driving around the job site or when the family is on board for weekend getaways.

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The PIAK nudge bar allows for retention of the Triton’s OE parking sensors, and these integrate seamlessly into the design. The bar is also compatible with vehicle cameras and sensors, while airbag compatibility reinforces PIAK’s commitment to the well-being of vehicle occupants.

While installing the PIAK nudge bar is relatively straightforward, we had our good friend Gordon from Opposite Lock South Sydney fit it up to the Triton. An experienced fitter like Gordon can have the job done in as little as 15 to 20 minutes as the bar bolts directly to the chassis and there is no interference with the Triton’s OE front-end.

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As well as the safety benefits, we reckon the PIAK nudge bar has also enhanced the Triton’s aesthetics. It doesn’t just add flair; it protects the front-end of the Triton in challenging work environments, especially on sites where every trade might be working at the same time and parking can be tight.

We reckon the PIAK nudge bar is a great option for those four-wheel drivers who want some frontal protection in the urban jungle, as well as somewhere to mount a set of lights, but who don’t need the extra protection that a full bull bar setup provides. It is also much lighter than a bull bar.

RRP: $499

At just 68,000 square kilometres, Tasmania makes up less than one per cent of the landmass of Australia and because it’s so tiny I honestly thought about giving it a miss.

I was fixated on the bigger and more impressive destinations on the mainland, and I figured a little out of the way island wouldn’t have much for me.

For decades Tasmania has been the brunt of many bad jokes on the mainland, but a little research reveals that this little island contains some of the last great wilderness in all of Australia, including mountain ranges blanketed in snow for many months each year, stunning white sand beaches and genuine old growth forests that contain some of the oldest trees on the planet.

Not to mention the number and variety of wild animals crawling, swimming and hopping all over the island. With hundreds of kays of remote tracks to explore and hardly any people around to hamper the views, suddenly this little island caught my attention.

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Into Tasmania

I was full of excitement and nervous energy as I drove into the belly of the enormous Spirit of Tasmania, which would be home for the next 10 hours as we crossed the often menacing Bass Strait from Melbourne to Devonport.

After exploring high and low all over the ship I barely made it back to my seat just as the worst of the rocking and rolling began, and I actually had to push off walls and tables in an attempt to walk in a straight line.

Fearing the worst I downed a couple of motion-sickness tablets which knocked me right out, and I woke just before dawn as we slowly drifted into the mouth of the Mersey River, with the picturesque city of Devonport perched on the far bank.

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Within hours of landing we found ourselves walking alongside a beautiful little creek, and we even spotted a beefy platypus on our first day on the island.

On our second day we spotted another, and by the third day I’d seen more of these strange little creatures in Tasmania than over the course of my entire life.

During our first week we quickly learnt Tasmania is an utter paradise for touring in a 4×4. In stark contrast to Victoria and New South Wales, there are free campsites dotted all around which provide clean toilets and sometimes even showers.

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While I had been expecting the coastline to be formed predominantly of rugged rocks and dramatic cliffs, the famous Bay of Fires on the east coast features dozens of stunning white sand beaches and crystal clear water, absolutely ideal for swimming and surfing.

The ocean was also not nearly as cold as I had been expecting, and with a wetsuit we had no trouble surfing for an hour without feeling the cold.

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Lake Pedder Wilderness

A highly controversial system of hydroelectric dams was constructed in the immense southwest wilderness in the early 1970s, an area that at the time was the poster child for the conservation movement across Tasmania and the rest of Australia, leading to the election of Bob Hawke as Prime Minister in 1983, the first politician to run on a platform of conservation.

The series of dams that were built resulted in the creation of the enormous Lake Pedder, and the damming of the once wild and mighty Gordon River.

Although I feel somewhat conflicted about the enormous impact the dams have had on the region, there is one lasting critical piece of infrastructure that meets my needs: gravel roads deep into the otherwise inaccessible wilderness.

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Before 1970 this enormous expanse was impossible to access by vehicle, and to this day, fly-in hiking and wilderness fishing trips are a daily occurrence due to the vastness of the wilderness.

The few gravel roads used in the dam construction are now open to the public, which allow us to explore literally to the end of the road in multiple stunning locations while rarely seeing another vehicle. We camp, hike and explore the entire area in our Jeep, with nights dropping to almost freezing, even during January, the warmest month of the year.

At more than 140m high the very impressive Gordon River Dam lays claim to being the tallest in Australia, and walking across the wall invokes a very strong feeling of vertigo.

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As with most things in Tasmania, there is no security nor restrictions of any kind, and we were free to wander around as we pleased, up and down staircases and across the dam wall to the far side.

Tasmanians are free to make their own choices about personal safety, and I find it a very refreshing change after the nanny-state mainland with its abundance of warning signs and rules.

Leaving the area I spotted a tiny gravel road that climbs steeply up the side of a mountain, and I knew we were onto a good thing. At the top we found a stunning place to wild camp for the night, with only the full moon to keep us company.

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The Road To Nowhere

Moving north we spent almost a week on the infamous ‘Road to Nowhere’, the one and only road that slices through the Great Western Wilderness of Tasmania.

This gravel road sees very little traffic and requires the use of a tiny cable ferry across the Corinna River, which is considered way too deep to construct a bridge.

Late in the afternoon we found a clearing to make camp with stunning views over an alpine valley to enormous mountains in the distance.

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The weather closed in fast, and soon we had every rope and peg employed to stop our awning and all walls from blowing away in the sudden gusts of wind Tasmania is famous for.

Even in the middle of summer we were soon wearing all our cold-weather gear from Canada, and it was a struggle to stay warm.

I can only imagine this place in winter, and we made a promise to return one day to enjoy the snow-capped peaks.

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Sandy Cape Track

The western coastline of Tasmania is infamous for gigantic ocean swells, and in fact some of the biggest waves ever surfed in the world have been right on this coastline.

Deep in the Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area, the infamous Sandy Cape track is well known for claiming multiple vehicles every year, and while buying an access permit at the ranger station I paid particularly close attention to the wall of shame, covered in dozens of photos of vehicles lost to the raging and unforgiving tides.

The friendly park ranger was all too happy to explain the situation and gave multiple warnings of the very real consequences of bad decisions. Water flowing onto the beach from numerous rivers and creeks causes beach sand to become exceptionally soft and dangerous, and in places it forms literal quicksand.

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Once vehicles become stuck fast in the sopping sand it’s only a matter of minutes before they can be inundated and destroyed by the crashing waves, a fate I’m very keen to avoid in my house-on-wheels Jeep.

Leaving the little town of Arthur River the track starts with a beach drive, and we slowly made our way South towards Sandy Cape. The area is completely deserted, and while enjoying the early morning sunshine we alternated between beach and gravel track driving, elated to have the whole place to ourselves.

After lunch we arrived at the first major obstacle, Brooks Creek. In years past this crossing has not been much to speak of, though recent king tides have dammed the creek, creating a crossing roughly a hundred yards across that is deep enough to require a much closer inspection.

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Unsure of the bottom and depth in the brackish water, I walked all the way across, and was happy to find a mostly firm and rocky base.

Comparing the water line on my shorts to the height of the Jeep, I saw that water shouldn’t come over the bonnet, so I decided to make an attempt.

I always prefer the slow and steady approach, but I was happy to create a good bow wave to help propel me forward and make sure I didn’t stop in the deep water that almost covered the front grill.

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We continued south for another 30 minutes and arrived at the beginning of the final beach run just before dusk, so we decided to make camp in yet another deserted paradise, right between the ocean and the stunning sand dunes.

After agonising over the decision all night I decided not to tackle the beach section alone, wary of quicksand at each river crossing.

With no other vehicles arriving on scene we turned back, happy to have explored this far into the wilderness, and also happy to have made smart decisions that would allow us to explore another day.

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Wild Tasmania

Slowing down to the pace of Tasmania felt like the right thing to do, and we spent a week in the immense wilderness on the west coast, exploring countless mountain tops, lakes and rivers.

Tiny logging and mining exploration roads dot the landscape, providing endless opportunities to roam in the Jeep and camped where we pleased.

With more than 40 per cent of Tasmania reserved as UNESCO World Heritage or National Park, and very few people about, wild critters seem to outnumber humans 10 to one. During our exploring we saw countless wombats, kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas and handful of platypuses.

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I got a shock when I spotted a wild Tasmanian devil running across the gravel road in front of the Jeep. Sadly their numbers are rapidly falling, but there are still a few getting around.

Late one evening an eastern quoll payed a visit to our wild campsite and darted around the swag and Jeep for 10 minutes so we could get a great look at it.

Because there are no introduced foxes in Tasmania, this is one of the last places eastern quolls can be found in all of Australia.

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Tasmania the Terrific

While exploring the far corners of the world I have repeatedly found the most out of the way places are the most beautiful, and the people are often the most quirky and interesting.

While those who live in urban centres around the globe often put on a face every day and pretend to be something they’re not, those who live in out of the way places are unashamedly themselves, warts and all.

In my experience these people are more genuine, more honest and universally much, much happier.

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During our 10 weeks exploring Tassie this once again proved true, with oddball locals leaving a lasting impression.

After experiencing all it has to offer first hand, I can’t help but wonder if Tasmanians themselves came up with some of the rumours and jokes about their island state to keep mainlanders away.

With stunning wilderness, an abundance of wildlife, super friendly and laidback locals and plenty of open spaces to roam free, I’d be protective of this magical little island paradise too.

With the WKND Warrior 270 Awning and WKND Odin rooftop tent combo, your outdoor experiences are about to get even better.

In a world where exploring the great outdoors has become a way of life, these two products have garnered attention for their exceptional design, functionality and versatility.

What distinguishes this WKND Warrior combo is its seamless compatibility, as the awning and rooftop tent are expertly designed to work together. Using the WKND 316 stainless steel brackets allows the awning to securely attach to the side of the rooftop tent.

Additionally, standard installation options are available for securely mounting the awning to your vehicle’s roof rack. There is flexibility when it comes to mounting the rooftop tent, with the choice to mount it directly on to a platform rack, crossbars or canopy.

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“The Warrior 270 Awning and Odin rooftop tent are a dynamic duo, a perfect pairing that turns any camping trip into a well-coordinated outdoor masterpiece. Together, they redefine comfort and convenience in the wilderness,” said Kaedon Thiart, owner of WKND Warriors.

The rooftop Tent boasts a sleek and slim design, standing at only 170mm in height (excluding roof racks and solar panels), it is one of the slimmest rooftop tents available. Using robust 280gsm rip-stop polyester-cotton material with double-stitching and waterproofing, you’re shielded from the elements, ensuring no seepage or mildew, even on rainy nights.

The tent comes equipped with anti-condensation mats at both the top and bottom, along with three access zippers to perfectly accommodate any touring setup. All of these features are encased in a durable honeycomb aluminium hard shell, providing excellent insulation against varying weather conditions.

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Other features include internal USB/USB-C charging points, six roof storage pockets, a 12V red/white LED strip light, and a 70mm high-density foam mattress. Weighing 65kg, this certainly is a lightweight rooftop tent. The internal sleeping space is 2050mm x 1220mm and the closed dimensions are 2100mm x 1340mm x 170mm, not taking into account the included 125W ultra-thin hard solar panel.

The awning is self-standing, with the externally braced design offering an advantage in maximising your usable shade compared to other 270-degree self-standing awnings. It includes a fold-up pole and features extended final arms and improved rear coverage. Made using the same polycotton as the RTT, the awning is lightweight with functional bracing designed to withstand high winds.

The Warrior 270 awning and WKND Odin rooftop tent combo offers an unbeatable combination of quality, functionality and convenience for only $5500.

Getting to Dirk Hartog Island seemed pretty easy on paper, just head out towards Steep Point in the far west of Western Australia, book the barge and spend a few days exploring the island.

But it wasn’t until I started doing proper research that it’s not quite that easy; this needed some proper logistical organisation.

The island has a few rules, and one of the most important is that only 20 vehicles are allowed there at any one time. So with that in mind I found a time slot to suit my exploration of the island for five days, next was fuel and supplies.

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The nearest fuel stop to where the island’s barge departure point is more than 200km away, and the same for the drop-off point, plus I needed to allow travel for at least 100km of the island’s tracks, all with low tyre pressures.

All up I should be good for nearly 500km worth of 4WDing. A fuel drop can be organised on the island, but expect to pay a premium price.

With both fuel tanks chokers and a top-up shop at Denham on the Cape Peron peninsula I headed to Steep Point, and where the Dirk Island barge pick-up point was. Conserving fuel, it was an easy 100km drive to the turn-off point on to Useless Loop Road which is sealed for part of the way.

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It wasn’t long, though, before it was time to drop the tyre pressures for the dirt-road section, and the sand started.

Signposted 39km before Steep Point, Parks WA recommend dropping tyres down to 28psi and switching to low range for the sand-dune section and corrugated roads. It’s a point well taken as the road to Steep Point was extremely rough from recent traffic, and I must admit some of the worst I have come across in 30 years.

With a few hours of daylight left I headed up to the Steep Point sign for the obligatory photo to say ‘been there, done that’, and with the barge pick-up point and camp spots right on the beach.

I soon settled in for the night to wait for the early morning departure to Dirk Hartog Island National Park in the Shark Bay World Heritage Area.

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No argy-bargy here

The barge takes one car across at a time (and brings one back) in a 30-minute turnaround time.

Camper trailers are welcome but must come within a specified length, and 4WDs must have their tyres down to 20psi so they don’t get bogged when backing off the barge.

My reasons for going to Dirk Hartog Island were to explore the remoteness of this island, delve in to its history and see just why it’s now classed as a World Heritage site. The island is roughly 70km long, 20km at its widest point and has only about a dozen tracks that criss-cross its entirety.

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There are eight campsites on the island, seven are remote and the other is near the island’s Eco Lodge. Here you can also enjoy the local bar, grab a coffee or a souvenir, taste their own home-made Inscription Gin and where you can stay in luxury stone cottages.

With five nights on the island, I chose a variety of the remote camps away from the centre to experience the isolation and beauty of the place. All the camps have some sort of water view right on the coastline. On the east, the water was still and calm on the sandy shores, but on the west side, Indian Ocean waves constantly pounded the rough rocky coast.

The island took shape during the last glacial period in the Pleistocene epoch (2.6 million to 11,700 years ago) and during the warmer times since then, sand dunes formed and plants grew on them.

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The vegetation then died in places and the dunes eroded, exposing the calcified remains of vegetation and shells, which can still be seen on the west coast today.

What’s pretty impressive are the shifting dunes in the centre of the island. Ever changing, these dunes are as white as anywhere on the east coast, and the track across the top changes constantly.

My camps varied from the beautiful Notch Point watching the sunrise over dead-still water and watching the flurry of birds when baitfish appeared off the point, to where William Dampier landed in 1699 and be the first person to make the first scientific collection of plants in Australia, then across to the ever-eroding west coast at Quoin Head, watching big sharks cruise the cliffs below.

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Inscription point

One of my aims was to head to the very top of the island to visit where the first European person ever set foot here.

Named Inscription Point, this is where dutch skipper Dirk Hartog left a battered inscribed pewter dish in 1616 declaring he was here. Hartog was looking for a faster way across the globe for trading goods when he saw the island, he had sailed much farther east than any skipper of the time.

Over the next 200 years, more explorers visited the island, such as William de Vlamingh who in 1697 removed Hartog’s dish and left another one with the original inscription with his own details, then in 1818 Freycinet visited the island removing Vlamingh’s dish hoping to take it back to France for safe keeping.

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En route, Freycinet’s vessel was wrecked but the dish was saved and arrived in Paris in 1821. Eventually the island became home to settlers with industries ranging from guano collection, pearling, fishing and then pastoralism.

At Inscription Point, the 123-year-old lighthouse is now solar powered and several other buildings around the historical site have interpretive boards. It was in 1908 that construction of the lighthouse started to improve navigation along this part of the coast and nearby at Turtle Bay, a 70m-long jetty was built and connected to the lighthouse by a tramway.

At Dampier’s Landing, turtles lay their eggs through the dunes between November to April, this significant spot is the largest nesting area for the loggerhed sea turtle in Australia.

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A ‘Return to 1616’ project has been running on the island for many years to eradicate the pests brought to the island ever since Hartog landed.

Anything from goats, sheep, foxes through to cats have now been removed from the island. Grazing also trampled the food and shelter for many of the native species which were in grave danger of extinction.

A feral animal fence divided the island in to sections to control and eliminate the pests and even today it still stands and cuts the island in half. The Return to 1616 project has been a huge success and ten of the native species have been returned to their natural habitat across the island.

Dirk Hartog island is a beautiful yet harsh place to visit, and is now a World Heritage island for the future.

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1. The island can’t be rushed.
2. The roads are corrugated, stony or sandy – I spent a lot of time in either low or high 4WD.
3. You must be totally self sufficient and prepared for isolated camps and roads.
4. While on the island, I knew there were other people, but saw no one in five days.
5. Make sure you spend time to explore the whole island, it can’t be done in one day with nearly 200km worth of tracks to explore.

Dirk Hartog Island is off WA’s west coast adjacent to Steep Point, the most westerly point of mainland Australia.

Now classed as a national park, Dirk Hartog is being returned back to its natural habitat with the eradication of all feral pests. It’s a logistical effort to get to island where only 20 vehicles are allowed on the island at any one time, so it’s peaceful, isolated and a remote place to spend some time.

The Island is part of the UNESCO Shark Bay World Heritage Area. Dirk Hartog is WA’s largest island.

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What to see and do

The most significant thing to see on the island is where the Dutch skipper, Dirk Hartog landed in 1616 and left an inscribed pewter dish.

Cape Inscription has a lighthouse and buildings, there are remote camps and blowholes, and visit where William Dampier landed in 1699. There’s great fishing and snorkelling around the island also.

The impending arrival of an all-new Toyota Prado hasn’t deterred Australians from making the outgoing model the most popular large SUV of 2023.

Prado sales surpassed 20,000 units for the third consecutive year, extending the Toyota 4WD’s run as the country’s most popular large SUV to nine years.

With 20,710 sales for 2023, the Prado saw off its closest challenger despite a slightly smaller total than 2022 and 2021.

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The Ford Everest claimed a hugely respectable second place, overtaking the full-size Toyota LandCruiser wagon just – by 15,071 to 15,035 units thanks to 46 per cent year-on-year growth.

Another two models took the remaining top-five places with strong annual growth – the Isuzu MU-X with 14,139 registrations and the Subaru Outback with 12,903 units.

Toyota’s Prado has been Australia’s most popular large SUV for nearly a decade. It was last beaten in 2014, when the Jeep Grand Cherokee narrowly pipped it to the No.1 spot with 16,582 sales compared to 16,112.

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The Japanese brand will have high hopes for the nameplate in 2024, with a new-generation Prado (above) due mid-year and already the subject of intense buyer interest.

The Prado joins seven other Toyota models – including the RAV4 mid-size SUV and Camry medium sedan – that won their respective vehicle segments.

The results are some consolation after the Ford Ranger ended the HiLux’s seven-year as Australia’s best-selling model.

Nope, you’re not losing your bickies, you’ve definitely seen this Jimny before. Only the last time we caught up with Darren Young to shoot his wild JB74 Suzuki it looked a hell of a lot different.

When we last met it still had all its panels, was running around on 30-inch rubber and was, for all intents and purposes, a completely different rig to what’s on the page in front of you now.

Darren built this Jimny for two reasons: to have fun on the harder tracks around his home in South East Queensland, and for touring with his family.

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What’s that? Touring in a Suzuki?!

Yep, you read it right, but we’ll get to that in a minute. What initially caught our eye was the extent Darren had taken his then-new vehicle to, and how unafraid he was to push it to its limit. He did all the right things when modifying a Zook. Lift, tyres, lockers and gearing. It’s a tried-and-true recipe and for good reason. It works.

However, sometimes having your cake just isn’t enough. Sometimes you just get hungry and feel like eating it too. Which is the position Darren found himself in after one fateful trip to the Glasshouse Mountains. Not one to be hindered by a little speed bump on the modification road, Darren took his already highly modified Jimny and went absolutely bonkers.

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Half-cut

What happened at Glasshouse, you ask? Well, the details are a little thin on the ground but let’s just say that it involved getting a little fast and loose with the vehicle’s centre of gravity, a rock wall, and all of the Jimny’s left-hand rear panels.

The result was some wadded up sheet metal and a crossroads. Down one path lay an uncomfy call to Darren’s insurance agent. Down the other, a date with the plasma torch and mig-welder.

Obviously, Darren went with option B and had DMW Industries slice his Zook’s cab neatly in half, turning it into a one-off ute. It’s easy to say, but a lot harder to do. The conversion also involved a mountain of custom work that we could likely fill this whole mag with.

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Hurdles like having to delete the rear curtain airbags without making the ECU think they’d gone off (solved using a special module from NZ) and incorporating a bunch of rollover protection into the rear bulkhead all had to be tackled in due course.

Then there was the alloy tray, including the trundle drawer, water tank and pump, having to be fabbed up from scratch. Nonetheless, Darren and the team persevered and eventually had a fully engineered and mod-plated ute chop done.

Now he could turn his attention to the rest of the vehicle.

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The mechanical story

The stock (for now at least) engine is fed by a long-range 80L tank, which given the frugal nature of the 1.5L’s drinking tendencies, should be enough range for a quick trip to the moon and back.

Protrack reduction gears have been stuffed into the transfer case, dropping low range gearing by 87 per cent – which provides more than enough torque to comfortably turn the big 33-inch tyres nice and slowly over the rougher sections of track.

The diff ratios were swapped out for those from an auto Jimny, which give a 4.3:1 ratio versus the manual’s 4.1:1. It may not sound like much, but when you’re running big rubber, every little bit counts. Darren reckons the Jimny used to scream on the highway but now runs nicely in the fat part of the torque band.

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Both diffs are twin-locked thanks to Uncle ARB, and with the bigger rubber, provide enough traction and clearance for this thing to glide over ruts that’d have much larger rigs testing their bash plates’ structural rigidity.

For the naysayers that’ll get online and tell everyone you can’t run 33s on a Jimny without breaking stuff, Darren is way ahead of you. Both CVs and axles have had the full chromoly treatment, which, while not completely indestructible, go a hell of a long way towards letting him hit the steeper terrain with more throttle and less stress.

A Hardrace 4-link kit (really a 5-link) has been bolted up to the rear-end to get away from the, frankly, heinous radius arm set-up from the factory.

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Darren reckons that combined with the fatter tyres, the whole vehicle now feels a lot more planted on the off-camber sections of track and is generally just a more stable and nicer vehicle to drive.

When we last saw this rig it was sporting an AFN front bar, which has now been replaced by an Offroad Animal item that was fitted simply because it was a lot lighter than the previous unit. When you’re dealing with a limited amount of available GVM, every kilo counts.

The beaut-looking scrub-bars-into-steel-flares were knocked up by Darren and his mate Josh from JJ Custom Fabrication to keep the panels from any more errant rock walls.

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Combined with the sliders from Legendex, and the bash plates underneath make this one well-wrapped Zook.

All of the lighting is by Hardkorr, and there are twin Carbon winches, front and back which are fed by the hefty 800CCA (more than double the stock cranking amps) battery that required a new cradle to be fabricated to suit.

Interestingly, the rear winch is a chunky 12,000lb unit. It might seem like overkill for the lightweight Jimny, but Darren mentioned that he often heads out with much larger vehicles, so being able to anchor himself with the front winch then pull his mates out with the rear has made his group’s recoveries heaps easier.

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Touring in a Zook

Taking a look at this thing, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was just a play 4×4, built for hitting the hard stuff on the weekends and parked up when Darren, his wife and son want to head out on remote trips. But you’d be dead wrong.

In fact, the Jimny gets used for camping and touring just as much as it does for recreational wheeling. While it gets punted over the hard stuff in trayback form, there’s a fully decked-out canopy with a rooftop tent that gets bolted on for touring duties.

But wait, it’s a two-seater, how do three of them go camping? We’re glad you asked. It turns out Darren’s wife also likes to drive her own Jimny to places like K’gari (the island formerly known as Fraser) and the Sunny Coast hinterland, so she and her son travel in the family’s second Jimny while this one gets to be the pack horse. Why tow a camper when you can drive it eh, mate?

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What’s next?

Given that this already has to be one of the most (if not the most) modified JB74 in the country, you’ll be unsurprised to learn that Darren still has plenty to tick off on the old to-do list.

In fact, by the time you read this the AVO Turboworld kit that’ll see a comfy 50 per cent increase in power at the wheels, will have been installed. If you’re driving up Double Island one weekend and a Jimny that sounds suspiciously like it has some wastegate flutter coming from under the bonnet blows by you, try not to feel too bad, hey?

Also, it’s highly likely by now that Darren will be running 35s and 4.871:1 diffs on this rig, in case you were wondering.

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Oh, and as we were speaking, he had also lined up a comprehensive slimline lithium 12V set-up from HardKorr that was moments from going in too. Just the ticket for those longer trips into the bush with the family.

Jeez, give us a call when it’s all done, mate. Sounds like we’ll need a third revisit soon enough.

Redarc Electronics has launched its all-new Smart Battery Monitor.

The BSEN500 is the most accurate battery monitor on the market with up to five times more accuracy under the most common operating conditions, so you can trust that ‘two hours left’ means two hours left.

The Smart Battery Monitor takes the guesswork out of tracking your battery levels, measuring the state of charge of your battery, time remaining and current flow. This is welcome news as I don’t know a 4WDer who isn’t often checking the state of their auxiliary battery and wondering if what they see is what they are getting.

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The Smart Battery Monitor provides solid connectivity to the RedVision Smartphone App via Bluetooth 5.1, with up to 42m of range and twice the transfer speed of Redarc’s competitors. The simplified user interface features one-touch access, so when you open the RedVision App your battery data appears instantly. The BSEN500 has a compact footprint of only 120mm x 52mm x 45mm, which makes it perfect for mounting in tight spaces for a compact vehicle monitoring system.

Dylan Pinkard, Redarc’s product management team leader, explains, “One of the most common requests from our consumers is a way to monitor auxiliary battery charge levels. The Smart Battery Monitor addresses this request, allowing fast, reliable and accurate battery monitoring.

“We focused heavily on ease of use, with one-touch access and data that doesn’t require an electronics degree to understand. The Redarc Smart Battery Monitor is the perfect addition to any new or existing dual battery system or RedVision installation.”

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The Smart Battery Monitor allows you to step into every adventure with complete confidence, thanks to its unrivalled accuracy, Bluetooth connectivity range and easy monitoring. Compatible with all common chargers and battery types, the Redarc Smart Battery Monitor is here to help you focus more on adventure and stress less on your battery levels.

Installation is as quick as it is easy. With only three connection points and a user-friendly configuration app, you can start monitoring within minutes. A simple addition to any 12-volt power system, the Smart Battery Monitor is the easy choice for keeping track of your batteries.

Redarc puts its products through a rigorous testing procedure to ensure that they will not let you down when the road gets rough. They provide reliable and adventure-ready solutions, and they’re made in Australia for the harshest environments, so you know you can go the distance with more accuracy.

The Redarc Smart Battery Monitor is priced at only $299.

Get your 4×4 plastered on the pages of 4X4 Australia magazine by sending a photo to our Facebook page, and we’ll publish it online and in an upcoming issue.

2006 Hummer H2

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I love taking it to the 4WD parks and beaches around south-east Queensland, and I love being able to tow a full-size triple caravan to amazing places like the Blue Mountains, Carnarvon Gorge and Yeppoon, and then being able to hit the harder stuff once at destinations like Byfield National Park. It has a front ARB air locker, rear factory locker, a smallish lift and 37-inch tyres – Gavin Pratt

2017 Toyota HiLux

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I’ve had a tow tune put in it and DPF-back three-inch exhaust, but mods and accessories are otherwise minimal. They include a two-inch Pedders lift; Method wheels; Maxxis A/T tyres; AFN bullbar; winch; snorkel; UHF; extended breathers; a solar panel on the roof; 200Ah lithium battery; and a canopy to keep the drawers and Engel dry and dust-free. I’ve done Cape York twice in the HiLux and it performed well both times, completing the Old Tele Track trouble-free. It has done the Oodnadatta Track as well – Brett Munday

2019 Isuzu D-MAX

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This beast tows a 22-foot family caravan, and she has done most of WA and the NT. This photo is at the Little Lagoon in Shark Bay, WA. It is fitted with an Isuzu Motorsports Dakar Bar, wheel arches, aerodynamic sports bar and snorkel, plus it has a two-inch lift – Soy Dave Green

2020 Toyota LandCruiser 76

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My 76 LandCruiser has OME BP-51 shocks; 285/75R16 BFGoodrich All-Terrain tyres; ARB front bar with Intensity Solis lights; Kaymar rear bar; rear track correction with an MDT Tru Tracker setup; Safari Armax snorkel; new centre console from Cruiser Consoles; and a GME XRS370C Connect UHF. It has a 3660kg GVM upgrade (2420kg Tare) with an engineering certificate. I added a Drifta drawer setup in the rear and an 80L water tank behind the back seats. It also has a catch can and secondary fuel filter.

The best place I’ve taken it was probably Fraser Island in March 2022. That was an epic seven-day adventure with three other vehicles. I’ve taken it many other places including Port Macquarie, Bago Bluff, Barrington, many times to the Watagans to explore the tracks, and a road trip to Broken Hill with extended family. This photo was taken on Greens Break Road in the Watagans, NSW – Andrew Goodwin

1993 Toyota LandCruiser 80

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It has a three-inch lift, 35s and a roof rack with an awning. The best place I’ve taken it would have to be Broome in northern Western Australia – Zach de Boer

2013 Toyota LandCruiser GXL 79

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I just moved to Victoria from the Northern Territory and a lot of its driving was on a cattle station, but it has crossed the country north-to-south and west-to-east a few times. Crossing the Gunbarrel Highway and the Anne Beadell Highway was one of the best cross country trips I have done with her. On the road she tows a 40-foot caravan, as well as a boat on a lot of the trips through the Top End.

Mods include a three-inch lift with GVM upgrade; re-map; three-inch exhaust; custom-built canopy; Clearview mirrors; Redarc electric brakes; and a Century lithium slimline battery with XTM solar. If I was to list all the mods, the list would be incredibly long – Tony Dusty Grant

Latest Gear Guides

For time immemorial empires have risen and rulers have fallen. Ancient cities once beacons of prosperity for countless generations now lay silent under dirt. While the descendants of king’s so rich they could buy and sell countries now live a life no more extraordinary than any other.

It’s a tale literally as old as time, and it’s something that couldn’t be more relevant when it comes to the once proud king off the road, the mighty 80 Series LandCruiser.

Once the reigning monarch of Australia’s off-road kingdom, it was sidelined by a parade of shiny newcomers, touting touchscreens over torque.

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The 80 Series LandCruiser (yeah, yeah… and the GQ Patrol) was the default 4×4; it drove every track, camped on every beach, was the aspiration for every family with a taste for red dirt and the inspiration for every 17-year old with dreams of rock ledges.

Like so many kings before, the 80 was exiled and forgotten, but it’s now back and ready to reclaim its place on the throne.

Armed with grinders and spanners, keen enthusiasts like Ben Madden are determined to remind people what made these vehicles so good 30 years ago, and how they can still be the stuff of royalty today.

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A king is born

When Ben first got this 80 it’d seen better days; wheeled hard and put away wet, the then 22-year old 1991 Cruiser had ticked over 420,000km on a rebuilt 1HDT and was more homebuilt than hardcore.

Ten years later and while the epoxied-on screwdriver gear shifter is a clue to the Cruiser’s past life, it’s now living a new life and beating with a new heart.

Follow the Raptor-lined Radius Fabrication snorkel down through the 80’s guard, sneak your way past the matching airbox and you’ll find nestled between the rails Toyota’s 1HD-FTE in place of the original 1HDT.

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Pried from the clutches of a later model HDJ100, the newer engine added electronic engine management and a 24-valve head compared to the original 12-valve powerplant.

“Me and one of my best friends Benny Jones were on a Cape York trip by ourselves,” Ben tells us. “As I was coming out the exit of Gunshot, it snapped a crank. It sounded horrific but it still ran. We camped at Gunshot for the night and somehow managed to limp it to Bamaga where we made a plan.

We sent the car on a ferry to Cairns, flew ourselves to Cairns and drove a hire car back to my hometown of Airlie Beach. About a week later the car showed up on a truck and the engine conversion began.”

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Giddy up

The conversion itself was relatively straightforward. Bolting straight in, Ben used the flywheel from the 1HD-FTE engine paired with the 4Terrain clutch from the 1HDT engine.

The factory Toyota CT-26 turbo is still serving duties faithfully and runs a little cooler thanks to a 316-grade mandrel-bent stainless exhaust Ben whipped together himself, while a PWR 55mm radiator helps keep those temperatures in check. For now, the factory five-speed gearbox and transfer case still have a home, but Ben’s converted it from full-time to part-time 4×4 with a Marks 4WD kit and pair of Aisin hubs.

To ensure the new-found power will actually make it to the ground, Ben’s given both front and rear axles a complete top to bottom.

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Both have been rebuilt with ARB’s Air Locker centres, while the rear has copped larger 12mm dowel pins and 12.9 cap head bolts fixing one of the 80’s few weak points.

While Ben was up to his elbows in axle grease the brakes copped a serious working over too. Front and rear are sporting Bendix vented rotors, with the front axle copping larger units off the later model 80, as well as larger pads from a 105 Series Cruiser.

A Marks 4WD hydraulic brake booster and braided brake lines on all four corners round out the stopping power, while a Boosted & Built Garage electric handbrake makes this the first 80 in existence that actually stays where you leave it. Alright, maybe the platform has a few shortcomings.

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Raised well

When it comes to setting the 80’s stance there’s a whole lot of wheel and tyre package, and even more suspension getting it done.

When it’s time to hit the hardcore trails Ben’s got a set of super aggressive Maxxis Trepador tyres punching in at 325/75R16 (a little over a 35-inches) and a set of Mickey Thompson Baja Boss in 317/75R16s for touring duties (a little under a 35-inches).

While the Cruiser is sitting 3-inches higher than stock, it’s a little more complicated than that, so we’ll start at the front. Both the tie-rod and the draglink have been replaced with Superior Engineering items for an upgrade in strength, and there’s an IFP steering damper keeping steering shimmy under control.

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The front axle’s got 3-inch Dobinson coils reined in with Superior Engineering 2.0 remote-res shocks.

There’s also a set of Superior Engineering radius arms correcting castor and adding articulation, a SuperPro 33mm sway bar adding a little handling ability, a Superior Engineering adjustable Panhard rod and extensions on the sway bar, and bump stops.

Moving down the back and things get a little more involved. Sure, there’s 3-inch 400kg constant-load Dobinson springs and more Superior Engineering shocks, but there’s also a full suite of upper and lower adjustable and heavy-duty Superior Engineering trailing arms.

There’s another Superior Engineering Panhard rod, although it ties into a Rampt Customs Panhard relocation kit, raising the roll centre to give a planted, more stable drive. Matching Rampt Custom bump stop extensions also get the nod.

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Fit for a king

With the performance and ride quality on point, it’s no surprise that Ben has put in just as much effort into making the 80 a nice place to be.

On the inside, there’s a pair of seats lifted from an XR6 Falcon with Huracan adaptors bolting them in place. The roof liner and pillar posts have been retrimmed and painted black with a custom centre and overhead console upping the spec.

A full suite of Redarc gauges and a trick stereo ensure Ben’s having a great time while still keeping an eye on things.

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Royal armoury

Moving onto the outside and things only get more serious. The front bar sits high and tight on the 80 now but was originally designed for a GU Patrol before Ben sliced and diced it to perfection.

It’s welded up to a custom winch cradle that houses a Runva XP13 winch, a couple of Road Safe 4WD recovery points, and no less than four forward-facing LED lights from Stedi.

The body was in rough nick when Ben first got it so he had his work cut out there too. A full new front-end has been hung, the cracked and failing body mounts repaired and rebraced, and new body blocks to prevent it happening again. But the real star of the show is a whole bunch of 1.6mm and 2mm zinc steel sheet that’s transformed the 80 from wagon to dual cab.

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“I learned a lot from this chop,” Ben reckons. “I ended up doing every panel two or three times, I made mistakes, and wasn’t really happy with it so I chopped it out and started again.”

Once it met his standards, including the wheel arch toolboxes and 79 Series bonnet scoop, Ben roped in Ash from Prossie Smash Repairs in Prosperine to coat it in Toyota’s 183 Slate Blue.

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Built to the nines

Before Ben could dial in a killer camping setup he’d need a little more room to get the job done.

A 500mm chassis extension was the order of the day, fully braced from radius arms to tow ball on the angry end of Ben’s welder, coated in Raptor liner and powered by a custom driveshaft it was just the ticket to give the Trig Point canopy a little real estate to call home.

The canopy itself has a built-in rack, space for an awning, and a couple of spares swinging off the back, but inside is what makes this a real campsite winner. A full Redarc BMS Manager 30 keeps a 100Ah lithium battery charged up and the fridge running late into the night.

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There’s extensive camp lighting throughout as well as a pull-out kitchen, bulk storage and smart battery monitoring through the Redarc RedVision screen.

Ben’s rig may be built to the nines, but it’s built for a different generation. A simpler time when wheel lifts and campfire cook-ups were more important than keeping up with the Joneses.

It’s a stark reminder that the king hasn’t abdicated, it’s just been in the garage. The resurgence of these iconic LandCruisers proves that true royalty never fades, it simply reinvents itself. Long live the king!

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The Oodnadatta Track isn’t merely a playground for dust-covered 4x4s or a pilgrimage route for adventurers — it’s a heritage-listed travel artery, pulsing with the history of Australia’s past.

Covering 614km from Marree to Marla, this well-worn path has layers of history that date back thousands of years. Ancient aboriginal inhabitants used the natural springs as a connect-the-dots route through the red centre, Mother Nature’s rustic hydration stations that make a desolate world far more forgiving.

Following this exact route helped John McDouall Stuart become the first European to cross Australia’s interior from south to north in 1859.

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The late-1800s was an era marked by the clang of hammers and unique silhouettes of Afghan cameleers and their camels stretching along the Central Australian sands.

The Ghan Railway, a moniker in tribute to the Afghans, followed much of what we now call the Oodnadatta Track. More than a set of carriages rattling along the outback, it was an engineering marvel connecting people and places. Stopping at vital springs for water, the train became a lifeline for much of Central Australia.

While the Ghan Railway was putting down its tracks, another game-changing venture was unspooling alongside it – the Overland Telegraph line. This ambitious project, completed in 1872, was Australia’s version of the Internet 1.0, connecting Adelaide to Darwin and through an underwater line to Java in Indonesia, thereby hooking Australia up to the rest of the world.

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The telegraph line was laid alongside the early Ghan Railway route, and the two shared common stops, usually near mound springs or other water sources.

This line didn’t just transmit messages; it transmitted the dreams and fears of a nation that was rapidly hurtling into the modern age. Several ruins of old telegraph stations can still be seen as you traverse the Oodnadatta Track, testimony to this bygone era of ingenuity and ambition.

When you’re wheeling your way along the Oodnadatta Track, spare a thought for the world you’re passing through. It’s not just red dirt and shrubbery; it’s the canvas upon which the Aboriginal traders, Afghan cameleers, railway engineers and telegraph operators painted a vibrant, albeit rugged, picture of Australia’s indomitable spirit.

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South to north along the track

One hundred and fifty years ago, travelling the Oodnadatta track was literally a life-or-death kind of experience.

These days, you’d be hard pressed to knock the stubby lever into high-range 4×4 along the track’s 614km of corrugations, let alone need low-range. Heck, it’d be weird if you didn’t pass a dodgy old Hiace full of backpackers with some questionable graffiti masquerading as a paint job.

But it’s one hell of a road trip, especially for people new to remote-area travel. Here’s what’s worth seeing along the way?

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Marree

Think of Marree as the gateway to your Oodnadatta adventure. This isn’t just a pitstop, it’s a living history book, the pages full of the Afghan cameleers and the Old Ghan Railway.

It’ll be one of the last places to get any semblance of supplies, but realistically it’ll be a tank full of diesel and a stomach full of counter-feed before heading off into the wilderness.

Like most country towns, it’s a little cooky, in the best of ways, so make sure you head over to the Lake Eyre Yacht Club for a look around. It’s good for a laugh, but after rains, the locals hit the lake in their yachts.

It’s worth poking your head into the Tom Kruse Museum too. The literal link between the heart of Australia and the rest of the world, Tom braved dust storms, soaring temperatures, desert crossings and floods to make sure the mail got through.

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Coward Springs

After polishing off a counter feed at the Marree Hotel you’ll trek north 130km to a little place called Coward Springs.

If you blink you’ll miss it so make sure you plot out your GPS waypoints for this literal desert oasis that’s nestled in the middle of nothing half an hour past nowhere.

The property is a working date farm, many of the plants harking directly back to the old Afghan cameleers, and the original rail siding was built for the Old Ghan back in 1888 when it was probably known as the New Ghan. Even if you’re not camping, it’s worth paying the $2 entry fee to duck in and check out the thermal pools, and the old train driver’s cabin.

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William Creek

Halfway along the track you’ll have another couple hundreds clicks on your dash as you stroll into a little town called William Creek, although to be fair it’s more of a loose collection of buildings and characters than a town.

The William Creek Hotel has the usual outback roadhouse kit, so you can bank on diesel, petrol, basic mechanical repairs and an endless supply of cold beers. It also happens to be on Anna Creek Station, the world’s largest cattle station. John Dutton would be green with envy.

Time it right, and the town is teaming with aviation nutters from every corner of the country for the annual fly-in. Otherwise, take a stroll through the memorial park, have a gander at 100 years of history in the pub, and enjoy all the modern amenities of South Australia’s only 100 per cent solar-powered town. How’s that for progress?

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Oodnadatta

Ah, the end of the Oodnadatta Track. What a coincidence it happens to finish at a place of the same name.

Many travellers take a hard left at William Creek, heading west to Coober Pedy, so for the last leg of the journey you’ll get to experience good and proper isolation like you’ve never seen it before.

Legend has it the town derives its name from the Aboriginal word Coodnadatta, which roughly translates to Dead Man’s Poo, a reference perhaps to an artesian bore near the town responsible for some truly atrocious liquids.

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Regardless, you’ve bloody made it, so treat yourself to a world-famous Oodna-burger at the Pink Roadhouse.

While you’re there grab yourself the must-have Instagram shot and ask behind the counter for a key to the Old Ghan Museum across the road; it’s well worth the price of admission for a peek behind the curtain on days gone by.

So there you have it. The Oodnadatta Track is not just a journey; it’s a near-literal gateway to the outback. It’s where your 4×4 stops being a machine and becomes a companion. Where you stop being a driver and become a pilgrim in the temple of dirt and sky.

Pack your bullbar with enough lights to impersonate a UFO, charge your satphone, and fill your fridge with enough tinnies to survive an apocalypse. The Oodnadatta is calling, and trust us, you want to answer.

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Where to kick out your swag

William Creek Campground

GPS: -28.8944, 136.3319

Facilities: Hot showers, camp kitchen, fire pits.

What makes it special: Alongside its claim to fame as Australia’s smallest town, William Creek has the mystic allure of being near Lake Eyre. During flood years, this dry salt lake fills up and attracts birdwatchers and photographers from around the globe. So, when you’re not ogling the night sky or bantering with locals at the William Creek Hotel, you can take a scenic flight over Lake Eyre to make your friends jealous.

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Algebuckina Waterhole Camp

GPS: -27.87947, 135.83506

Facilities: Basic, meaning you’ll want to bring your own amenities.

What Makes it Special: This site is more than just a waterhole; it’s a refuge for the soul. You’ll find dozens of bird species here, making it perfect for anyone who appreciates our avian friends. Plus, the historic Algebuckina Bridge, one of the longest in South Australia, offers an eerie but captivating backdrop.

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Dalhousie Springs Campsite

GPS: -26.42146, 135.50434

Facilities: Toilets, warm showers and picnic tables.

What Makes it Special: Not only do you get to soak in 38°C natural springs, but you’ll be doing so in an area steeped in indigenous significance. With more than 60 springs in the area, you’re basically at a natural spa. Make sure you also wander around to discover the ruins of the Old Dalhousie Homestead.

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Coward Springs

GPS: -29.39741, 136.81283

Facilities: Toilets, and that’s about it.

What Makes it Special: Coward Springs is an oasis with palm trees, a natural spa, and an old locomotive water softener; it’s like walking into a time machine. Camp here and you can soak in the springs while pondering the site’s rich history, which includes its role as a stopover for the Old Ghan.

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Mount Dare Hotel Bush Camp

GPS: -26.06853, 135.24769

Facilities: Toilets, showers and a fully stocked pub.

What Makes it Special: Push far enough north and Mount Dare is your gateway to the Simpson Desert. It’s your last chance to take a hot shower and fill up your tank before you brave the great sandy expanse. Plus, the Mount Dare Hotel offers a little luxury, whether it’s an ice-cold beer or a hearty steak meal.