Australia On The Road

If your vehicle breaks down, it’s generally best to stay with it. It’s likely you’ll eventually be discovered by a passerby (although this doesn’t necessarily pertain to especially isolated regions). Putting up your car bonnet (hood) is a universal signal of distress. If you decide to stop for other reasons, give passing cars a thumbs-up to let them know you’re okay, and if you pass a stopped car, slow down and look for the thumbs-up sign before continuing.

Don’t drive at night, while tired, or after drinking (Australia has strict drunk-driving laws; see Essentials). Road conditions can change quickly, especially on 4WD-only tracks. For your safety and the safety of others, it’s best to use your headlights at all times while driving.

Australia has a surprising number of unsealed (unpaved) roads, often covered with gravel and fallen branches. This virtually guarantees that you’ll have at least one blown tire on longer trips. Petrol stations are often hundreds of miles apart, so tire-changing know-how is important.

Maintenance. The best defense against tire problems is good maintenance. To ascertain the pressure to which your tires should be inflated, look on the tires, on the inside of your driver’s side door, or in your vehicle’s owner’s manual. You can use a tire pressure gauge to determine the actual pressure of your tires. Both overinflation and underinflation are dangerous and can contribute to tire failure; you should check the pressure periodically throughout your trip. Since hot temperatures will give you inaccurate readings, readings should be taken when your tires have cooled down after driving.

Ruptures. The first sign of a tire rupture will probably involve a significant change in the way the vehicle handles. You might notice that the car doesn’t turn as easily or that it feels a bit more wobbly than usual. Pull over to a safe place at the first sign of trouble. Make sure that you stop somewhere off the road, away from blind corners, and on level ground. If your car sustains a tire blowout (or tread separation), you’ll probably know right away. The car will suddenly become much more difficult to steer, especially through turns, and you may be tugged forcefully in a particular direction.

To handle a tire blowout, do not slam on the brakes, even though this may be your first instinct. A blown tire (especially a blown front tire) will reduce your braking capability, and slamming on the brakes will just send you into an uncontrollable skid. Grip the wheel firmly while you take your foot off of the gas pedal, steering only enough to keep the vehicle in a straight line or away from obstructions. Let the vehicle gradually come to a complete stop.

Overheating

Precautions. Always carry several liters of clean water. Impure stream or lake water can be used to top off your radiator, though you’ll need to have the radiator flushed afterward. You should also carry additional coolant, which must be mixed with water after it’s added to the radiator. On a cool day, you can prevent overheating by turning off your air conditioning. If your vehicle has a temperature gauge, check it frequently. If not, stop periodically and check for signs of overheating, such as odd noises coming from under your hood.

Solutions. If your car overheats, pull off the road and turn the heater on full force to cool the engine. If the radiator fluid is steaming or bubbling, turn off the car for at least 30min. If not, run the car in neutral at about 1500 rpm for a few minutes, allowing the coolant to circulate. Never pour water over the engine, and never try to lift a hot car bonnet. If you need to open your radiator cap, always wait at least 45min. while the coolant loses its heat—otherwise, you may be splashed with boiling coolant. Even after waiting, you may still be spattered with warm coolant, so stand to the side. Remember that “topping off” your radiator does not mean filling it completely. Pour in a small amount of water and coolant (equal amounts) and wait for it to work its way into the system, and then add more. Continue to do so until the radiator is filled to the level indicated by the reservoir or your vehicle’s manual. Coolant leaks are sometimes just the product of overheating pressure, which forces coolant out of the gaps between the hoses and their connections to the radiator. If this happens to you, allowing the vehicle and coolant to dump their heat may prove to be enough. If not, or if there are other holes in the hose, it helps to have hose sealant on hand. Treat sealant only as a short-term solution, and get the vehicle to a service station as soon as possible.

Oil

There is dust everywhere in Australia. This means you’ll need to change your oil and your filter more frequently than in most other parts of the world. Many service stations offer oil changes, but the price rises in remote areas. Check your oil level every few days by taking your vehicle’s dipstick and sliding it into the engine’s oil level test tube. To get an accurate measurement, wipe it off first and then slide it in and pull it out of the tube, checking the actual level against the level recommended on the dipstick or in your vehicle’s manual. Test the level only after your vehicle has been at rest for several minutes. If your level is low, add more oil. The owner’s manual will list appropriate grades of motor oil for your particular vehicle. Check these against the oil you pour into your engine—the grade is usually indicated on its packaging.

Hoses And Belts

Hoses and belts are important to monitor for wear and tear. Even small problems with vacuum hoses, for instance, will prevent your vehicle from starting. Fan belts are notorious for snapping in the most out-of-the-way locations. It’s worthwhile to carry a few extra fan belts, but it’s most convenient to get failing belts replaced before setting out. Replace the fan belt if it looks loose, split, glazed, or shiny (all signs that your belt is dangerously close to cracking). In an emergency, pantyhose can serve as a very temporary substitute, allowing you to hobble back to a garage at low speed.

Australian Road Hazards

The road signs come in all shapes and sizes, but they mostly mean one thing: pay attention. Signs often refer to possible driving or visibility obstructions.

Getting Bogged. Getting stuck in soft ground (or “bogged,” as Australians say) is a common occurrence when off-roading or exploring unsealed roads. More often than not, the best way to extract your vehicle is to winch your car to a tree or rock. Unfortunately, some rental cars don’t have winches, and travelers are left hoping that someone with a winch will stop to help. However, most rental companies will provide a snatch strap and D-shackles (used in tandem to de-bog vehicles) for a fee. If driving in particularly remote areas, be sure to bring a shovel and some boards. Use the shovel to dig mud or sand away from your tires. Place boards under each tire, which should give you enough traction to extract your car. If boards fail, you may want to try the “kanga-jack” method: with a large-enough jack and sufficient upper body strength, you can get one end of your car far off the ground, then push it forward so it lands a bit closer to where you want to be. Repeat the hopping motion until you are unstuck. A last resort method is to let almost all the air out of your tires (get down to 15-50psi), and then take advantage of the added traction flat tires provide to drive out of the sand. Do not attempt to drive far on a set of flat tires.

Kangaroos. Kangaroos are a surprisingly common, quite serious hazard on Australian roads. Signs alerting you to their presence are common along highways but are less frequent on small roads. Dusk and dawn are particularly dangerous times, since kangaroos can jump in front of or into the side of cars, causing significant damage. Never assume that an animal will get out of your way. Many Australian drivers outfit their cars with metal bull bars or ’roo bars, which attach to bumpers and protect cars from kangaroo collisions.

Unsealed Roads. Unsealed roads are common in rural Australia and are made from varying substances, from smooth, hard-packed sand to a mixture of mud and stones. Locals are a good source of information about road conditions. When driving on unsealed roads, call regional tourist boards ahead of time for road conditions, especially in the north, as the Wet sometimes makes roads impassable even after the rains stop. When driving on unsealed roads, allow at least twice as much time as you would for travel on paved roads. Keep in mind that it’s easy to skid on gravel. Loose gravel may feel comfortable at high speeds if you are traveling in a straight line, but as soon as you attempt to turn or brake, you’ll realize that it’s unwise to take things too quickly.

Road Trains. “Road train” refers to any truck with three or more trailers; some are over 150ft. long and have nearly 100 wheels. Keep a distance at least as long as the road train between you and the last trailer. They can kick up large clouds of debris which can damage cars or cause drivers to swerve. It’s a good idea to roll up your window if you’re heading toward one (even on sealed roads) so that your vehicle’s cabin is not flooded by a cloud of dust.

Stream Crossings. On some northern roads, stream crossings are not bridged, meaning you will need to ford them. Before attempting this, scout the area as extensively as you can. Wade into the water and check the conditions of the bottom, removing any logs. Do not wade in if there is a risk of crocodiles in the area; storms during the Wet season bring salties far inland to even the most innocuous-looking streams. If crocs aren’t a concern, feel for silt that could catch your wheels. Look for sharp, protruding rocks and entangling weeds. Choose your exit point on the other side of the stream and inspect the area. Use a stick to gauge how deep the deepest part of the crossing is. Compare this to your vehicle, and if it rises above the undercarriage, or if the water is especially violent, you may want to turn around. Be especially cautious during or after rain.

If you decide to ford the stream, do it relatively quickly to avoid becoming stuck in the streambed. Start driving toward the stream from a few dozen meters down the road and enter it in full motion, not stopping until you’re across. If you are stuck in the middle of a stream during or after rain, remember that the water levels may rise very quickly and that it doesn’t take much depth to lift your vehicle and send it downriver. If you experience a punctured tire while fording a stream, your best option is to keep on driving until you can get to flat, level ground on the other side. Throwing it into reverse might be all right if you’ve just entered the stream, but under most circumstances, it will just bog you down for good.