It’s easy to get caught up in the fast paced, high urgency lifestyle of living in one of the many major cities and satellite cities across the country, however, this pace can be detrimental to your health in the long term. Every now and again, to recharge your batteries and to put life in perspective it is a good idea to escape the everyday conveniences of the big city life and head out into the vast and unrelenting desert of Australia.

A journey into the unknown can be exciting and one of the most liberating things you can do, but it is important to not go unprepared into the vast expanse of land, as if you are caught off-guard the result could be catastrophic. This is a quick reference guide for what to bring and how to pack it, for your next spiritual journey into the vast Australian outback desert!

Communications
With modern society placing a heavy importance on being constantly in touch with everyone else at all times, being in remote areas can come as a shock, with limited mobile phone reception, and next to no 4G coverage, staying in touch can be difficult when visiting the arid regions.

But it is still important to stay connected regardless of the telecommunications grid for information on the track conditions ahead, and in case of emergencies. This is why it is critical to install a 4WD mounted UHF radio like the Oricom UHF380PK. A handy 5W unit like this coupled with a handy 6.5dBi Antenna (included in the installation kit), allows you to contact anyone using a UHF radio that is within 25km of your vehicle, with 80 channels of communication and a handful of dedicated emergency channels to keep you in communication with emergency services when mobile phone reception towers are nowhere in sight!

First aid

Next to being able to make clear communication in an emergency, bringing a fully equipped first aid kit with you into the vast outback is a very wise idea. But just like any piece of equipment you should know how to use it, taking a day course in first aid is a great idea and will equip you with knowledge and skills to be able to handle anything from cuts and bruises to full trauma.

When you are in the heat of the moment it is easy to forget your training, so an Australian based company called Rescue Swag has built an innovative, new feature into their Adventurer Rescue Swag, each internal compartment of their comprehensive remote area first aid kit, has QR codes which can be scanned in to a purpose made First Aid Assistance App that works offline, and prompts you with easy to follow instructions for undergoing first aid assistance on a patient, whilst not being a complete substitute for real first aid training, it helps trained individuals to recall the steps in helping someone out.

Supplies

Without the ability to simply drop by the local, to pick up something for dinner, it is important that you provide yourself with all the essentials required for living out of the back of your 4WD.

Packing enough fresh food and drinking water to last you a few days in the desert is important, with the requirement for between 2-6L per person per day, you should have at least 3 days emergency supply of water, this should only be touched as a last resort and should also be supplemented by an alternative source of water including drinking bottles and camelback hydration systems.

Along with water, you should also bring enough fuel (or ability to carry fuel) to travel a couple of hundred(3-400) kilometers without relying on the next servo having the type of fuel you need or being open. It is important to fill up wherever possible, as “waiting till the next one” could result in running your fuel dry, and ending up being stranded in the middle of nowhere!

Enough food is another important thing to bring with you, by fitting a dual battery system and an Adventure Kings 60L refrigerator you can keep your water chilled to icy cold and all your meats fresh no matter where the next ice is (hard to find good ice in the outback).

Organisation

No matter how organized you may be, your vehicle can end up being a grubby mess in the space of a few days of desert travel. By fitting a set of drawers in the back of your vehicle, you can secure all of your bulky gear without fear of cargo bouncing all around, Titan rear drawers start at just $199 and compared to the competition on the market represent unbeatable value for money!

another popular way to carry your cargo through the desert and to be able to bring more accessories with you into the outback is with a solid steel roof rack like the range available at 4WD Supacentre. Easy to fit and extremely good value this is one accessory you shouldn’t leave home without!
Camping setup

A fast and easy to erect camping setup is crucial for camping in the outback, with dozens of different setups, one of the most easy to setup would be the combination of a swag, like the Adventure Kings Big Daddy Deluxe and a Kings Awning. This represents an insane value setup that can be had for just a couple of hundred dollars and offers protection from the morning dew and the scorching sun when stopping for a lunch break, and the comfort offered by the big daddy deluxe swag is next to unbeatable.

one of the best things about a swag is the ability to open up the waterproof canvas flaps whilst leaving the fly-screen shut, on a clear night in the desert this will let you stargaze until your heart is content!

With these tips and tricks you can discover what It means to be remote and isolated without getting caught unprepared for the harsh and unforgiving Australian Outback, enjoy the wide open skies, and the peace and solitude of being camped up in one of the most picturesque locations in the world!