EverStonepointModerate
Gibb River Road
Kimberley, WA. A 660 km gravel highway of sharp corrugations, rocky river crossings and gorge detours. Tyres and suspension take the beating, not your driving nerve.
CorrugationsDry season only
When the bitumen ends
4WD touring, the smart way
Air-down numbers that actually work, the iconic tracks worth lowering the pressure for, and the recovery habits that keep you moving. Hard-won advice from people who have dug their way out more than once.
Start here
Touring is about finishing, not flexing
The fastest way to ruin a remote trip is to break the rig a thousand kilometres from a workshop. Good 4WD touring is unglamorous: read the surface, drop the pressures, pick the right line and keep momentum low and steady.
Every section below is built around that idea. Get the basics right and the famous tracks stop being intimidating — they become the best driving days of the whole lap.
Airing down
Tyre pressure reference
A starting point for a loaded touring wagon on light-truck (LT) tyres. Always re-check warm, and air up before sealed roads.
Highway / sealed road36–40 psi
Formed gravel & dirt roads28–32 psi
Heavy corrugations24–28 psi
Soft sand (beach & dunes)15–18 psi
Slow rock & wheel ruts20–24 psi
Deep mud / boggy clay18–22 psi
Bogged & last resort12–14 psi
How to read the table
- Lighter rigs and smaller tyres sit a few psi below these figures; heavily loaded trucks sit above.
- Below about 15 psi, keep steering inputs gentle — a hard turn can roll the tyre off the bead.
- Drop the camper trailer or van tyres too — bouncing axles dig in just as fast as the tow vehicle.
Speed is the silent killer
Low pressure plus speed builds heat in the sidewall. Keep it under 80 km/h aired down, slower still on very soft tyres, and carry a compressor so airing back up is never a reason to skip it.
The big ones
Iconic tracks, rated honestly
Difficulty assumes dry conditions, a capable high-clearance 4WD and basic recovery gear. Rain changes everything — always check closures before you commit.
Hard
Old Telegraph Track
Cape York, QLD. The OTT is a string of legendary creek crossings — Palm, Gunshot, Nolan's. Steep banks, water depth and committed lines. Walk every crossing first.
Deep waterConvoy advised
Hard
Simpson Desert & Big Red
NT/SA/QLD. Over 1,100 parallel dunes between the Birdsville and French Line. Remote, fuel-hungry and soft. A sand flag, low pressures and a desert pass are non-negotiable.
Soft sandVery remote
Moderate
Googs Track
SA. A 200 km introduction to dune driving between Ceduna and the Trans line — hundreds of dunes, but bailout points and a clear single trail make it a confidence builder.
DunesGood first sand trip
Easy–Moderate
K'gari (Fraser Island)
QLD. The world's largest sand island — inland tracks and 75 Mile Beach. Tides, washouts and soft inland sections catch out the unprepared. Time the beach with the tide chart.
Beach drivingTide-dependent
Hard
Victorian High Country
VIC. Steep, rutted climbs, off-camber sidling and notorious hills like Billy Goat Bluff. Low range, good tyres and a head for heights. Seasonal closures lock it down over winter.
Steep & ruttedSeasonal closures
Pack the essentials
Recovery gear that earns its space
You do not need a trailer of kit. You need a small, rated, well-understood set that solves the bog you are actually likely to get. Buy quality on the load-rated items — straps and shackles are not the place to save twenty dollars.
Full gear guides- Recovery boards — the fastest self-recovery in sand and mud.
- Long-handled shovel — clears the tyres and lets the boards do their job.
- Snatch strap & rated shackles — matched to your vehicle's weight, plus a damper blanket.
- Rated recovery points — bolted to the chassis, never a tow ball.
- Air compressor & deflator — to drop pressures and air up after.
- Tyre repair kit & spare valves — a plugged tyre beats a long limp home.
- Leather gloves & a tarp — for the dirty, kneeling work nobody enjoys.
Technique
Sand driving, step by step
Sand rewards momentum and a light touch. Most bogs come from braking, stopping on a crest or turning too sharply.
- Step 01
Air down first
Drop to 15–18 psi before you hit the soft stuff, not after you are stuck. It is the single biggest change you can make.
- Step 02
Build smooth momentum
Pick a higher gear, keep revs steady and let the rig float on top of the sand. Surging and lifting off both dig you in.
- Step 03
Stay in the wheel tracks
Follow the compacted ruts left by others. Fresh sand beside the trail is far softer than it looks.
- Step 04
Crest dunes square & slow
Approach straight, ease off near the top so you do not launch, and never stop on the crest where you cannot see oncoming traffic.
- Step 05
If you stop, reverse out
Don't spin the wheels. Roll back in your own tracks to firmer ground, clear the sand and try a fresh run.
Technique
Reading a creek crossing
Water hides depth, rocks and the firm line. Five minutes on foot saves a drowned engine and a very long wait.
- Step 01
Stop & assess
Pull up well back. Watch anyone else cross and note exactly where they entered and exited.
- Step 02
Walk it if you can
Where it is safe and free of crocs, wade across to feel the bottom and find the shallowest firm line. If it is over your thighs, reconsider.
- Step 03
Know your intake height
Water above the air intake means a hydrolocked engine. If you are not certain, do not cross — fit a snorkel before remote trips.
- Step 04
Fit a water blind, cross steady
A blind across the grille pushes a bow wave that lowers the level around the engine bay. Enter slowly, hold a steady low pace and keep moving.
- Step 05
Dry the brakes after
On the far bank, drive gently with light brake pressure for a minute to dry the pads before you need them.
Before you head bush
Remote travel, real responsibility
Tell someone your plan
Leave a route and an expected check-in time with someone reliable. Stick to the plan — searchers look where you said you would be.
Carry real communications
Mobile coverage vanishes fast out here. A satellite messenger or PLB is the difference between an inconvenience and an emergency.
Water, fuel, then everything else
Plan generous water and a fuel reserve beyond the longest leg. Stay with the vehicle if you break down — it is shelter and far easier to spot.
Common questions
4WD touring FAQ
No. Reach for the deflator on soft sand, sharp corrugations, slow rock and mud. On a smooth, hard-packed gravel road you can run close to highway pressures. The cue is traction and ride comfort, not the surface name.
Keep it under about 80 km/h on lowered pressures and slower still on very soft tyres. Low pressure plus speed builds heat in the sidewall and can roll the tyre off the bead in a hard turn. Air back up before the bitumen.
A long-handled shovel paired with recovery boards. Most bogs are solved by clearing sand from in front of the tyres and giving them something firm to climb onto — no winch or second vehicle required.
On graded tourist tracks like the Gibb in season, solo is common. On the Simpson, Cape York's harder bypasses or anything in the Wet, travel in convoy and carry a satellite communicator. A second vehicle is your real recovery insurance.
For most caravan and beach touring, boards and a shovel cover ninety per cent of recoveries. A winch earns its keep in the High Country and tight bush where there are anchor trees. In open desert there is often nothing to winch against — so it is no substitute for low pressures and good technique.