My American friend Elli spends at least 6 months every year in Australia - paddling a sea kayak in the Summer months, and driving round most parts of Australia in the Winter months. These driving trips have so far been done in a small sedan fitted with a cartop tent, a 12 volt fridge, a hot shower, solar panels and many other necessities for easy camping. The shower works through a heat exchanger under the bonnet - if you are next to a stream or a lake then you have unlimited hot water (while the engine is running). There is also a self priming pump under the bonnet. (The house we built in Tasmania, from the ground, up is also equipped with the same type of pump - the house is not connected to the power grid.)

The main excuse for these driving trips is that I have been playing hockey since I was in grade 5 (for north American readers that is field hockey - not ice hockey). Every year now there is an interstate veterans mens hockey championships played in a different state each year - where states can enter teams in different age categories (over 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 ,65 and up if there enough oldies still playing). I still enjoy having a bit of a run around the field so have been going to these for many years with one of the Tasmanian teams. This means either flying to and from the other state, and paying for accommodation - an expensive business just for a two week event, or taking your own transport. So I usually take my car on the ferry to the mainland, and either before or after the championships spend about 2 months driving around. So I have my accommodation on top of the vehicle where ever I go, and usually manage to find free camping in most parts of Australia.

  Hockey (over 55) in Wollongong  - New South Wales.

These are just a very few sample pictures of our trips. Later on this year I hope to find time to post a map showing the considerable distances we have covered (in every state in Australia), as well as far more interesting photos. We tend to avoid the big cities when ever possible, and also the man-made tourist attractions. We prefer the natural wonders of this continent.

   A comparison map, and a rough map showing the 2002, and the 2003 trip route.

The cartop tent before leaving Tasmania. You sleep on a normal mattress on top of the car. Side curtains can be zipped on to make an extra room.

   Flywire all round for sleeping in hot climates (brackets for carrying the ladder).

Showing the top of the vehicle, and testing the shower before leaving home.

   The OTHER use for a roof rack - who needs a truck???

   Free camping at the edge of the world (West coast of Tasmania).

   Camped at Bald Rock National Park in New South Wales - 2005. The next 5 shots are on Bald Rock.

Outback roads can be hard on tyres. We carry 2 spares, and self-repair them at the next campsite.

   A  free river camp site in New South Wales.

   A bush campsite but we're not saying where, or which posts we pulled out of the ground to get through the carpark boundary.

Putting out the fire before leaving. Camped along the Barry Way, running alongside the Snowy River -Victoria.

   Elli doing her Dr Doolittle thing and talking to a giraffe - Western Plains Zoo, NSW.

   More fauna, native this time.

Of course the little Nissan Pulsar sedan is limited to where it can go - even so we have done the Oodnadata Track, and the coast road down from Cooktown.
But now Elli has bought herself a 4WD (a Hilux, dual cab, dual fuel - petrol and LPG) which we are rapidly fitting out with all the stuff out of the Pulsar. So next trip we hope to get a bit more off the beaten track.
We  found the vehicle (in Melbourne) on the Internet, and had it delivered to Devonport via the Spirit of Tasmania ferry. Went for a short drive to try it out, then home for a major fitting out.

Some photos of the Outback