Outback Trips usually run
for anything from two to four weeks and can cover up to six thousand
kilometres. Australia’s Outback is so vast that no matter how
many trips I go on, I always see something different and unique. We
had a trip to Lake Eyre in central Australia when it was nearly full
of water, a fairly rare occurrence only happening every 50 years or
so. We 
took
an aerial flight over the lake, the different colours of the lake
were amazing. There was also a trip across the Simpson Desert a couple
of years ago, this was such an usual trip as it had rained in the
desert about a week before we got there and everything was so green.
At both the western and eastern edges of the desert there are large
salt pans which turn to sticky mud when it rains, we had some great
moments trying not to get stuck (It’s a long walk home from
there 
!).
The Club has also ventured to the tip of Cape York, definitely a trip
of a lifetime. In the early days of the Club these outback trips were
fairly rare, only every 4 or 5 years. But, as these longer trips have
become more popular, they are now an annual event.
There is always a lot of
preparation and planning done by the trip leader before any of 
these
trips are started. Safety is our main concern, too many people come
to grief in the Outback . It can be a dangerous place. On trips to
remote areas, like the Simpson Desert, the group would normally carry
a satellite phone in case of emergency. There is always ample fuel
and water carried in case of any unforeseen circumstances. While all
vehicles must be in top condition to go on an Outback Trip, most of
the Jeeps that do go, are fairly standard. Some just have better quality
tyres fitted with everything else standard.
