It can be hard to know what tracks are worth it, with so many opportunities to get off grid and explore across the country. We’ve picked out a few tracks in New South Wales and Queensland to check out the next time you want to get your rig dirty.
New South Wales
Easy – Corner Country Road
A relatively cruisy drive, Corner Country Road is like stepping into rural Northern Territory without leaving New South Wales. Best travelled from Autumn to Springtime, it roughly follows a journey Charles Sturt took in 1845. Starting 1000km out of the west of Sydney, the road is 469km long and can be done in a few days. The track is rich with Australian history and stunning outback scenery and passes by old timber towns and the dingo fence. Corner Country Road is cruisy enough to bring your caravan, but we would recommend having an off road capable brake controller.
For more information on Corner Country and outback NSW, check out the ExplorOz website.
Moderate – Central West 4WD Park
30km out of Mudgee - a town in the central west of NSW - is one of New South Wales’ few approved 4WD parks. The Central West 4WD Park covers 1500 acres of off-road tracks of varying skill levels. With more than 50 tracks, it doesn’t matter if you’ve got a stock vehicle or a fully kitted out 4WD, there’ll be something for your skill level. As the park is along the Meroo River, you can stay a few days and camp on the riverside.
To learn more about Central West 4WD Park check out their website.
Hard – England Track
With steep, rocky, slippery terrain, England Track is only for the skilled 4WDer. Accessible year round, it’s located a five-minute drive south of Coffs Harbour on the north coast. If you’re looking to tackle England Track, you’ll need not only plenty of 4WD experience but a fully kitted out rig with plenty of recovery gear. Having a mate tag a long is also helpful in case of emergency. Big mud tyres are recommended even when its dry, and if it’s wet, you’ll quickly get to know your recovery gear.
Check out the Club 4x4 website for more information on England Track and other difficult 4WD tracks across Australia.
Queensland
Easy – Condamine Gorge
180km out of Brisbane, Condamine Gorge is located amongst the rugged mountains of the Great Dividing Range and the Scenic Rim. If beautiful natural scenery is what you’re after, Condamine Gorge is the place to go. While it’s not an overly difficult drive, the 21km long track crosses the Condamine river 14 times, this means that you may want a higher clearance vehicle. It also pays to check the weather before you go as heavy rainfall can quickly swell the river until it’s impassable.
For more information on the Condamine Gorge and all its river crossings, check out the Queensland website.
Moderate – Cooloola Recreation Area
If you want to practice your sand driving, Cooloola Recreation Area is the perfect spot to explore. Though it might not seem like the most challenging track, you will need to be a capable sand driver as at least one vehicle is bogged and lost to the tide per week. Because of this, having a high clearance vehicle and airing down your tyres is important. With 54km of beach to explore, Cooloola Recreation Area is famous for its 72 different shades of sand. You’ll also get to practice your river crossings, with 14 crossings along this stretch of beach.
To learn more about the Cooloola Recreation area visit the Queensland Government Parks and Forests website.
Hard – Sundown National Park
If you’re wanting to get out of Brisbane and get into some tough 4WDing, look no further than Sundown National Park. 300km out of Brisbane, these tracks are full of remote rocky terrain, steep gorges and river crossings ready to challenge any experienced 4WDer. You can do the tracks over two days but with the beautiful scenery it’s worth taking a week. You’ll need a high clearance 4WD with low range capabilities and a fully self-sufficient setup as there are no facilities in the national park. Having a reliable dual battery system can make off-grid camping that much more comfortable.
Check out the Southern Downs & Granite Belt website for more information on 4WDing in the Sundown National Park.
If you’re looking to venture a little further from home, have a look at our recommendations for the best 4WDing in South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. To see exactly what gear we use to get off grid, check out our new Toyota Hilux build story.
