Driving in Australia’s outback

The Australian outback is big. It’s a place with cattle stations the size of countries, open pit mines, gaping skies, massive wedge-tailed eagles out the sunroof. There are no traffic lights or roundabouts and very few turns in the road, but plenty of ’roos on the verge.

It’s here that you’ll find some of the world’s longest straight roads. Some are so quiet, like the famous Eyre Highway (the only sealed road between South Australia and Western Australia) that they can be used by the Royal Flying Doctor Service as an emergency landing strip. Running alongside the road are some of the world’s longest fences and some of the world’s most idiosyncratic road signs, telling you that there’s no fuel for 500km, to watch out for kangaroos and camels, or asking you facts about the state; trivia questions and answers are written on consecutive signs to keep drivers awake on long journeys.

Speaking of long, these roads are populated by the world’s longest lorries, too: road trains, which are trucks with multiple trailers and that stop for no one. Our own Jo Cooke from Responsible Travel took a mammoth road trip through the outback from Perth. “In your wing mirror you spot the sparkle of sunlight reflecting off chrome as the truck approaches, then the cab, then coach after coach of vehicle roars past, leaving orange dust and a distant rumble.”

The distances are long, the landscape is vast – settle in for the ride.

You’re never going that fast: speed limits aren’t just there for your safety, they also protect wildlife and livestock, which also sometimes use Australia’s roads, especially in the interior.

You’re always driving in the day. Our trips are designed so that you don’t drive at night – in the outback, this is the time when you’re most likely to encounter wildlife and it can be hard to avoid collisions. “We only drove at night once, and never again,” says Jo. “We were on constant alert for roos, whose gigantic frames would suddenly appear, lit up by our headlights at the side of the road. Frankly, we were very lucky!"

You might not make many turns. The Mitchell Highway between Queensland and New South Wales and the Eyre Highway between Western and Southern Australia are two famous examples of Australia’s rod-straight roads. Sometimes, there isn’t all that much to see out of the window, either.

You can wave at other road users – as there are so few of you. In Western Australia, the recorded traffic volumes on roads are just a few hundred cars a day – London’s M25 orbital motorway gets 200,000.

You’ll make more stops than you expect. In the outback, the general rule is that if you see a servo (fuel station) you should probably stop and fill up, even if you’ve got plenty of fuel. “Fuel stops were few and far between,” says Jo. “But each one was had its own character - each petrol station stocked souvenirs, but the star of the stop was always the 'servo pie', or service station pie, much tastier than it sounds!"

You may need to adjust your tyre pressure. If you’re going off road you will change your tyre pressure depending on the terrain – once you get to the Red Centre you may be driving over sand, and will need to let out a bit of air, or have your tyres changed.

Not all outback road trips go off road, and you can explore in a camper van or an ordinary car: for example, all roads are sealed in Ulu?u-Kata Tju?a National Park.

“Our playlist for the drive north out of Perth was a compilation my Aussie uncle had put together that he had named 'country music for city slickers',” says Jo. “It was the perfect accompaniment for two urbanites on their first outback journey!”

Whilst a playlist is near top of the list of essentials for long stretches of outback driving – downloaded or in physical media because there might not be any signal – you’ll need a jack, not the Jackson 5, for emergencies.

Drivers planning to go into remote areas usually go fully kitted out – think a Toyota Landcruiser, fitted with a roo bar and a fridge, carrying a first aid kit featuring a snake bite kit. Cars often carry a compressor, additional oil, and additional proper tyres to replace any tyres on the road (you don’t want to rely on a temporary spare tyre to drive long distances to the next garage). With no mobile signal, carry paper maps, and consider taking a communications devices like an EPIRB (emergency position-indicating radio beacon, more often used on boats), long range radio tuned to the Royal Flying Doctor Service, or satellite phone. Some drivers swear by Starlink (a satellite internet service).

If you’re sticking to familiar tourist routes and not doing any off road driving you can scale this down somewhat – but wherever you go, you should always carry plenty of spare water and non-perishable snacks and an extra jerry can of fuel in case the service station you were banking on happens to be closed.

Going with a responsible holiday company can ensure that you are safe and travelling with the right kit. “We give you the most appropriate vehicle for you and your journey,” says Kate Tyler, from our partner Journey in Style. That might be a 4x4 vehicle, if your trip includes driving on unsealed roads, and you will call up a number provided to get your tyres switched as you approach more sandy terrain. “In Australia you can drive for four hours and not see anyone else,” adds Kate. “It’s vital to plan and pack well with plenty of water onboard and emergency kits in your car and your phones fully charged. Journeys can be very long – so it’s about really preparing before you go.”

Always tell someone where you’re going before you head anywhere remote. If you’re travelling with a holiday company, they will keep track of you, or may ask you to check in. Check road conditions before you go. Heavy rain can flood roads, especially in areas like Top End. Wildfires can close areas. States and parks publish access reports on the state of their roads online. Never go down private or closed roads: not only could you face a heavy fine, but you could find yourself in trouble if a road has been closed because of bad conditions. Aboriginal land is often private and requires permits to enter. Keep well out of the way of road trains – which can take you up to a kilometre to overtake, and which need plenty of room. Pull onto the hard shoulder if needed and never force one to slow down or change direction. Dial 000 for emergency services, but don’t assume that you’ll have mobile signal. Many drivers carry alternative means of communication. Always fuel up when you have an opportunity – even if you’ve got plenty in the tank. Never leave your vehicle if you break down: you are far more likely to be found if you stay by your car. Australians will regale you of tales of unfortunate people who thought they could walk to find help. Look out for camels. There are one million in the outback, brought here as beasts of burden and now roaming free. In general, look out for wildlife and avoid driving at dusk, dawn or night, when wildlife is more active and harder to see.

It’s safe to drive in the outback, but take it seriously – these distances are massive. One cattle farm in South Australia is the size of Belgium. One road doesn’t have fuel for hundreds of kilometres.

It’s driving that’s dangerous, not necessarily driving in the outback. Like anywhere in the world, the vast majority of the very small number of tourist deaths in Australia are from road accidents, not heat or dangerous snakes.