Description
📖 Simpson Desert Travel Guide — Over 260 pages, two years in the making. Detailed maps, locations, and knowledge that applies to any remote outback travel. $59.95
🔗 https://simpsondesertguide.com.au
00:00 - Start
01:31 - ExplorOz Issues
02:20 - Entering the Brindabellas
02:49 - Airing Down with 4 tyres at once with MorrFlate
10:53 - Coolamine Homestead
12:54 - OnTap Roam
17:15 - Night Drive with Lazer Glide Elite
20:53 - Around the Camp Fire
21:38 - Outro
After months of hospital visits with my daughter Summer during her cancer treatment, I managed to sneak away for three days during a break in chemo. And what a three days it turned out to be.
In this first episode, Dan and I head into the Brindabellas west of Canberra, exploring lesser-used tracks, navigating questionable shortcuts, and ending up at one of the most special river campgrounds I've come across. The drive includes some easy to moderate 4WD terrain through 18,500 hectares of alpine and sub-alpine bush — nothing extreme, but plenty of sticks, side angles, and that satisfying feeling of not knowing exactly where you'll end up.
We visit the historic Coolamine Homestead, including the remarkable 1889 Cheese Hut with its original thatched roof hidden beneath corrugated iron — a rare piece of high country heritage. I share some of the early pastoral history of these plains, dating back to the 1830s.
Gear tested in this episode:
🔹 MorrFlate Hub — Air down (and up) all four tyres simultaneously. Already running one on the Hilux, now fitted to the 79 Series as well. A genuine time saver, especially for rigs that need regular setup and pack-down.
🔹 Lazer Glide Elite Light Bar — The replacement for the Linear Elite Plus. Lighter (680g vs 1kg+), narrower beam (66° vs 84°), slightly more throw (624m vs 576m at 1 lux), but loses the yellow LED mode, mode memory, and momentary switch. Best suited for modern vehicles without bull bars. At $825 it's cheaper than the Linear Elite Plus ($1,075), but doesn't include wiring kit or anti-theft mounts. I share my honest first impressions and beam comparison.
🔹 OnTap Roam — First field test of this running water solution. Early concern: the turning mechanism may be vulnerable to dust ingress. More testing to come.
🔹 Campers' Pantry — Cheesy chive mash and tabouli lentil salad paired with beef rump steak. The mash held heat impressively well.
🔹 ExplorOz — And yes, it lost all map data again after the iPad went to sleep. Again. Memory Map, for comparison, works instantly every time.
Coming in Part 2: A closer look at Coolamine Homestead at sunrise, the full history, and the Clark Gorge walk — rated hard, and your feet will get wet.
Kilos Chair Affiliate link
https://www.kilosgear.com/alloffroadau
Affiliate links for the gear I use.
https://www.amazon.com.au/shop/alloffroad4x4adventurestv
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GEAR AFFILIATE LINKS:
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Coffee & Cooking
Pyrolux Pan https://amzn.to/44g7uDv
Radix Dehydrated Food www.radixnutrition.com.au/ALLOFFROAD10
AUD 10 off entire order - Minimum purchase of AUD40 required
Campers Pantry camperspantry.com.au/alloffroad10% off entire order
OnTrackMeals: Core Pack https://ontrackmeals.com/wqqs58
Use Code “ALLOFFROAD” for a one off 10% discount
Underkover Canvas Bags: https://underkover.com.au?sca_ref=9182085.fDDTVW9siHXAXn
Use Coupon Code ALLOFFROAD to get a discount
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Mapping GPS Navigation
Memory Map Hema 4wd Map Pack ($10 off)
https://w2.memory-map.com/cgi-bin/licuser.cgi?buy_e_package=1&package=3000074&adref=3001
MMFA Topo maps for QLD, NSW, and TAS at 20% off ($47+GST)
https://w2.memory-map.com/cgi-bin/licuser.cgi?buy_e_package=1&package=3000089&adref=3001
https://w2.memory-map.com/cgi-bin/licuser.cgi?buy_e_package=1&package=3000090&adref=3001
https://w2.memory-map.com/cgi-bin/licuser.cgi?buy_e_package=1&package=5000060&adref=3001
VIC 25k Topo 2025 at 10% off ($89+GST)
https://w2.memory-map.com/cgi-bin/licuser.cgi?buy_e_package=1&package=3000074&adref=3001
Gaia GPS
https://alnk.to/esYNckz
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Electrical, UHF & Safety
GME MT610G PLB: https://amzn.to/41UdXDN
GME TX610 YTP: https://amzn.to/3P2fJws
GME TX61060 5W: https://amzn.to/3uHr1gF
Garmin InReach Mini 2 https://amzn.to/4nmajNT
Survival First Aid Home Work Kit: www.survivalfirstaidkits.net.au/ALLOFFROAD (10% off selected products)
Snake Bit Kit: https://amzn.to/3XlAJRq
Ecoflow Delta 2 https://au.ecoflow.com/discount/alloffroad?redirect=%2Fcollections%2Fdelta-2-solar-generators
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Camping Gear
Kilos Chair Affiliate link
https://www.kilosgear.com/alloffroadau
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Lights & Torches
Nebo Luxtreme SL100
https://amzn.to/3KYnhPx
Olight Perun 3 Mini https://amzn.to/44ur4Ol
OLIGHT Olantern Classic 2
https://amzn.to/3H4XMec
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Camera Gear:
https://amzn.to/3QWOeqU