The Campfire

Most 4WDers opt to carry a dry powder unit. It’s the go-to: cheap, light, readily available at every parts store and BCF, and fair enough—it ticks most of the boxes — but I reckon there’s better options out there.

So, it’s time to let your current 4X4 go. Maybe the family’s grown, maybe you’re upgrading, or maybe the old girl’s just not getting the love she used to. Whatever the reason, you’re ready to sell, and you want to do it properly.

Once you’re off the bitumen, hundreds of kilometres from the nearest roadhouse, and well outside phone range, everything changes.

Before you dive headlong into the deep end, there are a few things every beginner 4X4er should understand. Consider this your glovebox guide to getting started in the world of low-range and high-adventure.

You don’t need to be a jack of all trades on day one, but having a rough idea and the basics of each terrain will limit the shock factor on your off-road adventure.

After covering everything from bitumen to beach highways, rainforest tracks and water crossings, the Amarok's came away with nothing but respect from the Club 4X4 team.

Beach driving and coastal camping bring a special kind of magic… and a special kind of mess. Salt, sand, moisture, and mud can wreak havoc on everything from your underbody to your camp chairs if you don’t give things a proper clean-up and check-over post-trip.

A solid second-hand 4X4 will take you to places most people only ever dream of and with the right checks, it won’t leave you stranded halfway up a track with a detonated diff and an empty wallet.

Before you get too excited about Eli Creek or Champagne Pools, there are a few must-knows for a safe and successful K’gari camping trip:

When done correctly and sensibly, there really is no reason to have the fear of God surging through your veins when tackling a water crossing.

Supporting the K’gari Clean Up is one of the most meaningful ways we can give back to the community that built and drives us, while helping to preserve the landscape that makes Aussie 4WDing unlike anywhere else in the world.

So which pubs are worth calling into on your adventure around Australia? Here are 5 of the classics you must add to your bucket list.