American Reacts to Driving The Australian Outback

[@vinsgraphics]

Driving the Nullarbor is quite an experience. We did it twice back in the 70s before it was paved. Absolute hell. Theory is that’s what AC/DC was referring to as “Highway to Hell.” Hundreds of miles of bone-jarring washboard corrugations, bull dust pockets (super-fine red dust that gets into everything), the old man swearing his lungs out the entire way. We had a Holden station wagon, five of us, I was the oldest at 8. To save on fuel costs (especially on the Nullabor), we carried a 44-gallon drum on top. The new paved road was so much nicer, closer to the coastline. Memories!

[@andrewstrongman305]

I was 6 when my family crossed it in a Kombi in 1974. I'll never forget the dust.

[@shaneannandale457]

That’s crazy😂😂44 on top too

[@Alunticstalkedme4072]

Highway to hell is supposedly about Canning Highway in Perth leading down to Fremantle Port.

[@robertgolding]

@@Alunticstalkedme4072 Yeah, before the Narrows Bridge was built.

[@Alunticstalkedme4072]

@@robertgolding Yeah I've heard there was a hotel on canning highway and people used to get really drunk and walk out the front door and get hit by cars. I have also heard it was the sun setting on the Nullarbor when they were driving across once.

[@optimusmaximus9646]

This video was shot in Western Australia. Great stuff. You and I are kindred spirits as I also love the desert scenery. Believe me, Ian, you can be really isolated in these regions. I worked as a geophysicist in mining and exploration (which I left for ethical reasons) many years ago and got to travel to places most people never see - even most Australians would never get the chance to visit these areas. Ian, you have to understand that places in Western Australia, especially up north and in the desert regions in the interior are so remote that you could drive literally for days and not come across another soul, except on occasion you might come across a group of indigenous men out hunting game. Going out on a geophysical survey, and camping out in the edge of the desert in the North West, knowing that the nearest civilisation was 500 km (300 mi) away, was the attraction for me. You wouldn't believe how bright the stars are at night, and the amount of wildlife. There is also plenty of water far inland, too - you just have to know how to find it. We had a water bore at our camp but once our submersible pump got stuck when we were lowering it down. Fortunately we got it out and successfully lowered it to the bottom on the second attempt. We certainly would have been in a right pickle if we hadn't 😜On one particular trip to the Pilbara I actually got lost whilst driving out to an old survey line. As I was making my way back to camp with my trusty map and compass, I stood high up on a rocky outcrop and when I looked out I could hear the calls of people beckoning me. Perhaps it was the heat of the midday sun but I swear it was real. Later on I found out that the year before we arrived two teenage boys, who had been working on a station (Aussie term for ranch) not far away from where we were, got lost when they passed through the desert further inland, and sadly perished. It wasn't too far from where I got lost actually. The memory of that experience still haunts me today. The outback can be dangerous but it is absolutely beautiful. On our trips we drove Toyota Hilux 4WDs. These vehicles are especially rugged, reliable and almost unbreakable. If you ever have to travel on the dusty tracks out back, you have to hit them at full speed to minimise the amount to vibration from corrugations caused by other vehicles. Otherwise your kidneys will suffer for it after hours of driving. You also need to hit sand dunes at full speed in order to get over them as they can be humungous. The North West is the hottest region of Australia in summer, which is the season when the Dutch first arrived on Australia's shores in the early 1600s. Suffice to say they didn't stay long. If they had come during winter, they probably would have stayed and explored the country.

[@ducquessa4618]

Thanks 👍 for sharing your experience

[@IWrocker]

Was a joy reading this.. Thank You 🙏 you conveyed the beauty and power of the outback so well with your words.

[@jamiechippett1566]

Howdy if you get satellite map of Australia and then turn map upside down then look far right near coastal township of Karratha western Australia and look closely and use your perevial vision and you'll see two huge eyes on head with a bird beak type snout with wings spanning across continent and tail feathers ending up near Adelaide South Australia (red parts) if you zoom down near Queensland northern territory border you'll see feather striations on the landscape.a flying winged Phoenix thunderbird creature spanning two thirds of the nation and taking out dragon (NSW SA Victoria border) the story of the earth's beginnings literally written declared on the landscape. Amazing incredible awesome gotta check this out guys! I discovered this the other day while on g maps! 👍🇦🇺 Adelaide.

[@perthfalcon]

Great yarn mate nothing like inland wa esp up north for getting truly remote

[@optimusmaximus9646]

@@ducquessa4618 You're welcome.

[@Reneesillycar74]

There should be an element of fear when travelling through the outback or any remote area. It’s the healthy fear that makes you cautious & well prepared before venturing out. It’s an absolute must to do your research first & use commonsense. These things don’t limit the experiences you have, they enhance them & better still, make sure you survive them. Great video ✌🏼

[@helmuthschultes9243]

4:04 Commonly called 'Bottle Brush' for obvious reasons. Botanically a Banksia if I am not mistaken. Many will only release seeds after a fire, otherwise hold the seeds long time in woody nodule remains after flowering. Seen just off centre bottom near flower.

[@toddavis8151]

A phobia generally defines an irrational fear. The fear of being stranded out there is quite legitimate

[@Jus7aguy]

We call the fear of being stranded in the outback "A healthy respect for the dangers of the land and a desire to live." :P

[@robmadaffari6270]

Its the ambiance of the Pilbara and Kimberley that will leave you gob smacked. There is nothing like it on earth.

[@BWNSPTV]

Water more water food water shade/shelter for some more water and more you can hire EPIRB bugger all absolute must in opinion that phones are very cheap these days as well to hire and you never know what the future I was already talking to a doctor and maybe the difference between someone life, death or permanent paralysis spinal injury and 2 sec chat with a quack, may have made all the difference.

[@omaopa6923]

Lived in Karratha ( Pilbara) for 10 years loved it

[@samueladams9237]

try a bike ride through Mongolia. Every land has its own special places

[@AFox-qc4kh]

You're talking like you've been to every place on earth. Pretty ignorant.

[@anjehouse9507]

We are currently travelling around Australia....11 months in 🙂 we have been to all of these places and yes they are all absolutely breathtaking...Cape York and the Kimberley my favourites. I feel very grateful and privileged to live in Australia 🇦🇺

[@IWrocker]

I can’t imagine how fulfilling all that traveling has been, good onya 🎉😎 I bet Cape York and the Kimberley are just jaw dropping in person

[@melalbert5865]

You see and experience much more crossing the Nullarbor by travelling slower. Have crossed multiple times on bicycle. Strap some camping gear to the bike and camp out along the way. Definitely an unforgettable experience. Each time I cross, I find things I missed previously. Only a few months before I cross again.

[@Pillock25]

"The serenity" was that a nod to "The Castle"? A great Aussie comedy.

[@DartFrog815]

I'm currently packing my life up in Alice Springs and moving to Perth in the next 2-3 weeks and so excited after 20 years in the Red Centre. Born and bred in the Alice and lived in Tasmania during my teenage years this is a new and exciting journey for me, it's also my first time ever in Western Australia ( and the final state and territory to visit). I love your channel and your enthusiasm towards the land down under, as we in Aus love the US too. Wish you and your family all the best and hope that you'll be able see Australia for yourself sometime in the near future.

[@Adam-ik4wf]

Yeah similar with myself and older brother we was born and grew up in Tasmania my brother moved and lived in the Alice in the early 90s and then to Vic and for myself I moved to Mt Isa and now living on the coast of Qld I've never been to WA but my great grandfather was from Broome I would like to go there one day

[@burney7418]

Welcome to WA

[@micheledix2616]

Best wishes on your change of address. Perth is lovely

[@Notric]

I hiked that gorge in Kalbarri national Park when I was in high school as part of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. We took 5 days to trek the 45km and ended at Nature's Window which you saw in the video. A great video showing many beautiful images from my home state. Thanks mate!

[@shoresaresandy]

The pink birds are Galahs and the plant is called a Banksia!

[@taoistauditor1483]

Nah. A Galah is a drunk Aunty.

[@Gordon_L]

10:54 There are a variety of monitor lizards ( goannas ) in Australia , that one I believe is an Australian Water Monitor . The most common one in my area Wide Bay Qld is the Lace Monitor . Water Monitors can run fast on land and launch out into water and swim fast too , using their tail for propulsion like a crocodile .

[@indiathylane2158]

I remember as a kid walking up to Lace Monitors that were bin-picking at picnic areas. A pair once, a solo lizard another time. I got quite close, say under 3 metres, until my parents called me away. They weren't interested in me, just the easy food in the bins.

[@thatpanamahatlife1497]

Just love the vastness of the sky and landscape out there. You can breathe.

[@bobturtlefrog2846]

This vid was from the West side of Oz, some amazing landscape there. You definitely don't go Outback with out the correct preparation and equipment. Get stuck with no water and you're as good as dead. One phobia for breaking down in the middle of nowhere in the Outback would be UncleMickaphobia (aka Wolf Creek) 😀

[@luscus9754]

At 4:06 that is a plant called a 'Banksia'. I worked in the Pilbara, Western Australia (where all of this is filmed) for 9 years driving dump trucks mostly. Beautiful scenery and country.

[@swiftkaos3]

How's the serenity, so much serenity. Darryl Kerrigan.

[@666t]

13:22 those red plants are carnivorous. The movie Red Dog is worth a look for that area

[@trish8406]

I live in the Pilbara, Port Hedland, Western Australia, and every time I travel in the Pilbara there is always something new to discover.

[@peterhoz]

13:00 A lot of the water, both the swimming and the dam/lake, are in northern Australia. Remember that the northern 30% of AUS is within the tropics, so can often be refreshed with water in the wet season (summer). We don't call them monsoons but that's what they are for an international audience.

[@williamhardes8081]

and in the northern tropical regions, 30% of the waters have crocs. fresh water crocs bite to see if your worth it. salties just grab you and your f'ked. lol.

[@firebrand2619]

When traveling in really remote areas it’s always good to tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to be back and always stay with the car.

[@FlipzPlayz]

and take a satellite phone this is essential

[@firebrand2619]

Or renter satellite phone.

[@gregorturner9421]

sadly as of this morning a gentleman has been lost in the pilbara. he was 4wd driving up north when he disappeared. his vehicle was found yesterday with two flat tyres in the bush but of him they haven't been able to find a sign. General rule is if you break down stay with your car as you have a better than even chance of being found. also EPIRBs are a good idea. they are emergency distress beacons that when activated can be located anywhere on earth. (in the blue mountains for example the local council hires them out to hikers in case they get into trouble) trigger one and it won't be long until your rescued.

[@aussiegirl1166]

We travelled from the west to the east and back and it is something I highly recommend doing. I have lived here all my life but was amazed at just how big the country is. We had extra water and supplies packed with us but luckily there were always a lot of cars and trucks around and we would make regular stops at the petrol stations on the way. The coastline is beautiful, and you see so many unusual and interesting things. We haven't been up to Broome yet but will do one day, have done a lot of travelling down south in WA though and again beautiful views and landscapes.

[@JaneDoe-se8ku]

The comment I've heard mostly from visitors from overseas, is how vast the country is, how blue & clear our skies are. How beautiful our beaches are, all true of course!

[@kaindog100]

Hey Ian you should check out the Gloucester Tree in Western Australia. It’s a fire lookout that you climb around the outside of on steel pegs in the trunk until you get to the top. The fun part is passing other people on the way up or down. Definitely not for the faint hearted. It’s 58 metres high or 190 feet.

[@MrStredders]

I had a crack at the Diamond tree in Manjimup, and made it about a third of the way up before I lost heart. Then an eight year old girl who’d climbed all the way to the top passed me on her way back down 😂 That’s 53m…

[@davidhunter1538]

I remember back in WW2 an American B17 got lost approaching the northern coast of Australia and the crew survived the crash but they didn't know where they were so they split up left and right along the coast and started walking. The ones who went left walked for weeks before encountering a settlement. The ones who went right walked for three months starving to death one after the other. They were too scared to contact the local aborigines fearing they were hostile. The last survivor was spotted by a tracker and rescued. The Americans had starved surrounded by native foods they couldn't recognize. I have a book about it somewhere in my collection.

[@mikeythehat6693]

The plants you were wondering about at 4:05 were Banksias , named for (by ?) the botanist Joseph Banks , who voyaged around the North American continent circa 1766 (Newfoundland and Labrador ) and , most notably on Cooks Endeavor voyage in 1770 to the Southern Ocean and east coast of Australia .

[@kimnovak8985]

I’ve travelled through outback Queensland . Basically from the Gold Coast to Darwin did it in the mid nineties.Travelled up the coast to Townsville then hung a left from there to Darwin. The general rule out there is carry extra fuel and water. Don’t leave the car if it breaks down. Stay and wait for someone to drive by- it may be hours but if you stick to the roads and don’t go off track you should be safe. The danger happens when people drive off the roads in isolated areas and get stranded with car trouble and they walk away from the car. You let someone know your destination and expected ETA then if your late they know roughly where to look. You also stop to check if you see people on the side of the road. They may be having a pit stop or they may have a breakdown, you carry extra tow ropes and we carried a rifle. We had to declare it when we left one state to visit the next- had the license and registered it in the other state. Never used it but worse case scenario my father used to be a kangaroo shooter so we would have found meat as well as used it for safety if there was a Croc.

[@jeremyfraser976]

Boab trees also in Africa too proves they were joined at one stage

[@gezzac100]

What you are looking at at the Ord River dam is in the tropics, that is why there is a lot of water. Monsoon season dumps a lot of rain. Other parts in the interior get very little rain.

[@LittlewingsTravels]

I can't lie I was expecting a bit of the crocodile Dundee cheese but I loved this. I live in Western Australia and have spent my life travelling the world and this reminded me of my childhood. My dad was a pioneering scuba diver in the 1960s so I spent my early years being dragged all over W.A when roads were only gravel just a few hundred kms from Perth. We lived in a tent shadowed by those red rocks for weeks at a time and there were times we were stuck out there - once when the Murchison river overflowed and washed the newly laid road away. But people heading out there knew they had to be prepared and self sufficient. There is a lot of water up north because of monsoons south of the state is drier and interior is true desert. I did try running up wave rock and so have my kids but it's impossible. Thanks for doing my home justice and your appreciation of what I take for granted.

[@jessbellis9510]

Crossing the Nullarbor is a must do for the true Australian trip. Boab tree nuts are similar in shape and great for carving intricate designs onto them. Don't worry, us Aussies don't get tired of our beautiful landscapes either.

[@indiathylane2158]

Sorry, but the Nullarbor lost its sense of mystery, adventure, allure, etc years ago. I crossed it there and back last August and September and the traffic was near non-stop. The motels were booked out, queues at the eateries....it's no more "outback", more a very long tourist attraction. Too many people to enjoy solitude. I crossed in the 70s as a kid when you had to carry fuel to get to the next servo and parts of it were dirt. Then again in the 80s. Back then it _was_ dangerous, often an hour gone past before you see another vehicle. Back then it _did_ have an air of mystery & danger. Now it's just a steady stream of 4WDs, caravans and Retravision trucks. No feeling of isolation or intrigue.

[@miniveedub]

This is in WA. I lived there 15 years and on my travels all around the state I saw a lot of these places. Not far from where Wave Rock and the scrap metal sculptures at Hyden is the Tin Horse Highway, along stretch of road where farms along the way have made scrap metal horses, mostly using old metal drums, and posed them doing various activities. Nature’s Window in Kalbarri is not as easy to look through as this video suggests. It’s an easy enough walk along a bush track to get to where it is but to look through the window you have to climb down and along steep rocks. I had visions of a newspaper headline saying “woman plunges to her death in Kalbarri”. Western Australia has more than 12,000 types of wildflowers listed in its flora catalogue. People come from around the world to do wildflower tours. July to October is peak season. Seeing a vast field of everlastings rippling in the wind like a pink sea is a sight to behold. In the northern part of the state it’s best to check whether there are crocodiles in the area before swimming. Best rule to follow is if you don’t know for certain then don’t enter the water unless you can see the tiles on the bottom. 😂

[@mikeparkes7922]

Gotta love how many times you said "WOW" in this video! Cheers from Oz!

[@IWrocker]

Haha right!? I couldn’t help myself 🎉

[@mikeparkes7922]

@@IWrocker We love it, mate. You have fans all across Oz, both city and country.

[@SueNicholls-95]

I spent nearly 5 years driving in and around Australia on the blacktop and dessert tracks on my own. I never feared for my safety. I had my camping gear, always carried plenty of food , water, fuel and the odd spare parts fitted my 4x4. I also carried an EPIRB, but never needed it. Loved every minute ❤❤

[@IcanBePsycho]

7:30 A word for phobia 🧐, the only one I can think of is “Tropo”. People go tropo (crazy) because of the heat (tropical heat), that might cross over to being alone for to long in the outback.

[@lillibitjohnson7293]

Thanks for showing this, WA is the on,y state I didn’t visit when I lived in my bus, because it would have taken me at least 3-4 years to do

[@patelk3648]

We lived in Norseman for yrs....and crossed the Nullabor 4 times when it was just a dirt road..... Youd have camels running alongside the car.....swarms of locusts....great times. Living in the southern hemisphere we have majestic starry skies at night.....

[@BoldRam]

Beautiful. I miss the Pilbara so much. Huge skies, amazing landscape.

[@haydengoodall6767]

"flamin galahs!". - Alf Stewart.

[@mickhughes6327]

Those "weird plants" are carnivorous Droseras, and are known as sundews. The tree you were wondering about is a Banksia. The Noongar people whose country this is had a few uses for them, including steeping the flowers in water to make a cordial or mildly alcoholic drink. I was born, raised and still live in W.A. a nd have been to pretty much all those places and m8 you'd love it. And yeah, you definitely need to be prepared when you head into desert country. Our deserts have killed many people. The skies at night though definitely make the trip worthwhile. Billions of stars from horizon to horizon.

[@jonsant7232]

I've lived in Sydney most of my life and sadly I've never travelled to the out back just the east coast I'm pretty sure you're correct about the Monitor lizard 🦎, the west coast looks amazing and would love to see it one day. Sadly people have broken down driving in the out back and have passed away without been found you need to take lots of water and a satellite phone. Fantastic video Ian 👍

[@Tom-ed-w]

More than 40 percent of Australia, an area the size of India, remains untouched by humans, making the country as critical to the world's environment as the Amazon rainforests

[@muzza1967]

Ian is really turning into Darryl Kerrigan (the Castle Movie) quoting ahh the serenity and into the pool room. 🤣 Lake Argyle is man-made.

[@Mechknight73]

I've done 28 Nullarbor crossings, and yes they have a different sense of humour (they have to amuse themselves somehow) here's a few examples: The Nullarbor Nymph: in 1968, Perth newspaper the Sunday times ran a story about a white woman that "went wild," living off the land the way the indigenous folks used to. The photo they ran was a suspiciously pale blue eyed blonde in a kangaroo skin outfit. She was holding a spear, as if she was concentrating on hunting. Eucla is a town 8 miles from the WA/SA border. A week after that story was published, the locals said "APRIL FOOL!" However, the story went international before that information got out, and tourists came from around the world, asking if anyone has seen her. The locals have been having fun with the legend ever since Balladonia: in 1974, Skylab crashed to earth near to the town of Balladonia, about 200 miles east of Norseman. The local shire fined NASA $400 for littering. It was meant as a joke, but they paid the fine. I have travelled a complete lap of my home state from Eucla in the south to Kununurra in the north and beyond. the terrain will vary widely, but if ever you come to Australia on a holiday, I'd recommend a road trip. Start in Adelaide, cross the Nullarbor, and drive to Kununurra. Along the way you'll encounter ghost towns, all sorts of museums and quirky towns, and the desert landscape up close. If your holiday is around August to October, you get the added bonus of the wildlfower season. In places it will literally look like someone put a firecracker under a box of watercolour paints. Some of the towns on Great Northern Highway wear their history on their sleeves. Cue and Mount Magnet both have interesting museums and ghost towns nearby. Go inlaand from Mount Magnet and you'll find out about the ghost town of Gwalia. The place is so complete that houses still have cutlery and crockery in the drawers. The whole town is a museum now, but not very far from the town of Leinster, which today is part of the accommodation for a local nickel mine. Gwalia lived and died by a gold mine, but the area still has both nickel and gold mines. About 320 miles to the south is Kalgoorlie. It was built on gold and is still mining gold today, 129 years later. Norseman is another gold and nickel town. It was named after a horse. Why? a group of prospectors were on their way to somewhere else when they stopped to make camp near to where the town stands today. Norseman was bored, and he started pawing the ground with his hoof, unearthing a fist sized nugget.

[@utha2665]

Ian, you could spend years traveling the outback and only see a fraction of what's to offer. Some of the rock formations your were wowing over are just a few hours drive from Perth in Kalbarri (pronounced Kal-barry, with a short 'a'). Some of it can be quite touristy but you can get away from the crowds without too much effort, just make sure you are well prepared.

[@-sandman4605]

Absolutely love my Western Australia there is know place like it and the fishing doesn't get any better than the West Coast.

[@suerobinson844]

We have travelled through this area in a caravan. Took 6 months going through W.A. The Boab tree stores water.

[@allanhindmarch7323]

The view from the top of wave rock is awesome. On the way to wave rock you can find an old Holden Ute sticking out of the ground. The whole front end is burried and the tray is in the air.

[@Gazza300]

The Pilbara and Karijini nat park are just amazing, im glad i lived there for 12 years and working in Karatha have been highlights,. Definately its worth visiting Karatha,Dampier. and Broome.

[@julzhunt7790]

Gotta love my home State WA. Been here 40 years and it still amazes me with her stunning beauty.❤️🇦🇺

[@Adam-ik4wf]

There's a lot of space in the outback I've driven for hours and hundreds of kilometres before I've seen anyone or any towns in the Queensland outback

[@psychedelicprawncrumpets9479]

It puts into perspective how huge WA is when you consider Qld is pretty fkn big as well

[@richardcrowell284]

Those pink and grey birds are Galah's, the secret to cooking a Galah is when you boil the pot with the Galah in it you put a couple of pebbles in the pot. When the pebbles are soft you know the galah is cooked. I was heading to a town in northern NSW (Lightning Ridge) and went to down change the gear, I tore the clutch plate apart on my Ford Falcon. Fortunately I was a member of the NRMA (national roads and motorists association) a guy came out and flat towed me about forty Km's into town. It was a long week end(Queens Birthday) and when I went back to the servo (Service Station) the owner stated his mechanic was on holiday and he could not fix the car for a week. I had only four days off work and had to get back to my Auto Electrical workshop's. I asked him if I could hire his workshop and tools ? He said Ok, so I had to try ang get a clutch kit. I rang the nearest Ford dealer a few hundred Km's away and they put a kit on a bus travelling to the Ridge. I remember it cost me $351 au for the kit. It arrived Tuesday morning, as the Monday was the holiday. We pushed the car onto the hoist, and I drove it off twenty minuets later. The owner of the servo asked me if I wanted a job ? I laughed and paid him for the use of his workshop and headed back to sort out six employees and two workshops. My cousin rang me from a place called Mudgee in NSW, a fairly large country town about 150 miles from Sydney. She and her husband were towing a caravan and were about 20 km from Mudgee and destroyed the clutch on their old Falcon (early seventies) so I grabbed a clutch kit in Penrith( an outer Sydney suburb) and went out too find them. It was a dirt track in the middle of know where. But a trolley jack some stand and tools I had it going in a couple of hours.

[@stewartwaterman7837]

I have crossed the Nullarbor 17 times on a motorbike and still haven't found any short cuts! I have also never struck pleasant weather, it was either cold and wet or stinking hot and always windy. Most people I know won't do it because of the sheer distance, but it is worth it, you just have to be well prepared.

[@chris77777777ify]

I do love watching these, he’s like my tour guide & companion whilst I watch KZbin alone

[@Alunticstalkedme4072]

The water of the Kimberly is where the desert meets the tropics. Wet season in the regoin is brutally hot with dry and humid ststems colliding and it rains in huge quantities.

[@gusdrivinginaustralia6168]

This is north west of Western Australia, the Kimberly region, very rugged and not very populated at all it has water but is very dry away from the immediate areas of water. Too rugged and too wet in the wet season to build any big population centres and far from food growing areas so costs are huge for transport of goods. You can stay at some awesome resorts in nice areas up there.

[@helmuthschultes9243]

Lake Argyle is a huge man made water storage originally established for developing far north WA as a cotton growing region. It receives huge water volume from the heavy Monsoon rains of our 'Wet Season', our summer time in far north areas. The rain can dump many inches of rain each day and particularly overnight for months from November to March/April. The huge rainfall amount is typical in tropics nearing equator . Southern US and northern Mexico are very dry more like central Australia most of the year. But admittedly those areas do also get heavy rain at times, as probably do the southern US and near parts of Mexico. Just your areas have recently severe drought. Lake Argyle has many years of water stored, and would not likely run low even in decade long no rain, but currently is too full to store more. Located at Kununurra on one of the huge rivers draining the enormous wet season rainfall. It covers an area probably larger than some US states. The river gorge below the dam has Salt Water Crocodiles, so probably not advisable to swim in. The river also has good fishing for the ever popular Barramundi fish. Sadly the cotton industry failed due to insect pests. As for many regions of motocross, they become target of massive insect infestation. These days the area around Kununurra is a major fruit and vegetable growing area, irrigated by plentiful water from this lake Argyle. The Argyle name has also become world renown for the large diamond mine, sadly now I understand effectively exhausted, that lies not far from Kununurra. At its peak this mine was yielding as much gem diamond as all South African mines together. Especially great was the supply of pink diamonds. Also among the hardest diamonds in the world. I realise few recognise that diamonds have a huge range of hardness depending how deep they formed in the magma before ejecting in the volcanic pipes leaving them at near surface. The hardness of the Australian diamonds is such that cutting the diamonds needs to use other Australian diamond, the Afrucan diamonds is too soft and dies not scratch the Australian. Some Russian diamonds can work but on the whole also softer. Much of this volcanic deposit has actually eroded long ago, likely washing diamonds down rivers into the Timor Sea off the northern coast, and maybe even some buried ancient river deposits. There are hopes that other such volcanic pipes will be found in the area and be mined. Note worthy is that the region is known as "The Kimberlys" because the region looked so similar to the Kimberly area in South Africa. Well not really surprising as before separated by plate tectonic shifts, both were once together on one giant landmass. Thus also not surprising both areas have diamond deposits. Other major tourist attraction included the famous Bungle Bungle 'Beehive mounds'

[@RickyisSwan]

Not so much a phobia but some apprehension when about to drive across the Nullarbor. That 146 km straight stretch is something else. Driving that long monotonous straight road has a hypnotising affect. Older people say that in the days when the road was unmade, semi trailers could be found driving in the scrub because the road and the surrounding dirt all looked the same and was even more hypnotising. Even today, you need to take a deep breath before driving that stretch as it is mentally taxing as is the entire journey. I once drove the entire 1200 k’s of the Nullarbor non-stop except for short breaks here and there. It took me three days to recover.

[@mariagrant2072]

When my husband and I traveled across the Nullarbor back in early 1974, it was just a dirt road, not paved as it is today- back then it took a few days to cross because it was so rutted- at the most, just 40 kilometres per hour- you would pass the grader that went across each week to level it out- you had to call in at each pit stop along the Nullarbor Highway in case something happened to you - no mobile phones back then - also one would come across occasionally aboriginal people who would sit by the road to sell their wares for cans of soft drinks (I think you call them soda cans in the USA) it was a different era back then - it was an experience I’ll never forget 🥰👍🏻🇦🇺

[@mort8143]

Thanks Ian. I've lived around SE Australia all my life. Never been to these places. You've perked my interest. The quiet serenity beckons.

[@darrengray2309]

I'm 54 and grew up in Melbourne and only recently moved to country Victoria and for the last 18 months have done 3 trips into the outback and it is the most amazing place. I just love the vastness and the feeling of isolation

[@thompsonfamilyhuntingadven4036]

Planning is EVERYTHING out there, I used to live & work in the outback near Birdsville. Simple rules to follow 1, if your going for 3 days, pack 5 days food. 2, water 2 litres per person per day MINIMUM, and ALWAYS take double planned required ration. 3, fuel, plan fuel stops and economy. ALWAYS carry a minimum of 20additional litres. 4, communication, mobile (cell) reception even satellite phone won’t work in most areas. UHF (2way radio) repeaters are in use, each region has tourist information on which channel is the local repeater service. 5, if stranded or broken down, NEVER EVER EVER leave the vehicle. I have been involved in searches for lost tourists whilst out there. 2 searches did not end well, both broke the rules when it came to both water and staying with the vehicle. A vehicle can be seen from many many kilometres, a person or a body can be missed from just meters away.

[@top40researcher31]

as you can see how diverse australia is from snow alpine areas to deserts

[@heathergarnham9555]

It's currently 34 degrees where I live in QLD and it snowing in Victoria/Tasmania

[@Jimbo58]

We worked and lived on the Nullarbor ...firstly at the Nullarbor Roadhouse for six years and then moved over to Cocklebiddy for a couple of years managing the Roadhouse.

[@johnfogarty4588]

At cape leveque, you can watch the sun rise on the east side and catch the sunset on the west side. Truly amazing sights.

[@ironside210]

Remote? In Western Australia, I once started a trip at 0430 and saw my first vehicle on the road at 0825. And that was mostly on a bitumen road! There are some dirt roads where you DO NOT leave one town unless you check in with the local police, and check out at the other end. Every year, we have people who die because they break down and do not have sufficient water or a means of communication. Satphones and EPIRBs are great "last resort" survival devices.

[@helmuthschultes9243]

We do not have as large gorge as the Great Canyon, but we have very MANY large canyons in this huge ancient land, some are very long and even hard to reach and enter. Lots include permanent water pools and even waterfalls. During 'Wet season', our summer, some can be deeply flooded .

[@runnynose8341]

I used to work in Balgo, we would drive from Alice the back way, would take 16 hours. always had to report to the police station before leaving and arriving, and vice versa.

[@alanwerner8563]

At 03:05 that “Sandstone Breaker (Wave) frozen in Time” would have the Most Amazing Acoustics of any natural landform on Earth. I REALLY want to go there with my sax (or just Singing with my Wife)

[@ChrisJones-hv7mo]

There are a variety of videos you might enjoy on the "Anne Beadell 'Highway'" which runs from Laverton in WA to Coober Pedy in SA, a total distance of 1,325 km (823 mi). There are no settlements between Coober Pedy and Laverton. A roadhouse named Ilkurlka in Western Australia, opened in 2003, 167 km (104 mi) west of the Western Australia - South Australian state border. The roadhouse caters mainly for local Aboriginal communities and may be the most isolated roadhouse in Australia. There are still no provisions for the 780 km (480 mi) between Ilkurlka and Coober Pedy. I understand on the SA side of the border, there has been not been much in the way of roadworks for a LONG time (i.e. graders as it is unsealed), so it is sketchy for even prepared travelers.

[@RobB-vz2vo]

I flew a light aircraft around Australia especially around the outback. If I wanted to see something or spend a few days somewhere I would land where I could hire a car or book a tour bus then fly off to somewhere else. Driving is a time consuming, hot, exhausting, hell on wheels experience. At the time of year I went when it wasn't so hot or humid I noticed that my sweat didn't have a chance to soak into my shirt, it just evaporated off my skin. I avoided being stung or bitten by wildlife but didn't manage to avoid the spines of the thorny seeds that whichever side they landed on they had a long spike that pointed to the sky which pierced my hiking boots on a number of occasions. I setup my tent on a patch of these things (didn't see them as they were buried under a layer of bulldust) and they came through the bottom of the canvas floor right into my knee, hand and butt as I traversed the minefield to get out of the tent.

[@briangill4000]

That was cool. I have been to every place on that clip. Lived in The Pilbara for 35 years. That was very brief though. You would need hours of tape and still just scratch the surface. Here is a bit of Pilbara trivia for you. East Pilbara Shire Council has a total population roughly 30 thousand people in a couple of towns, yet it is 5 times bigger than Tasmania. I think it is the largest council (local government area) in the world.

[@zanezwangobani2067]

I'm from Australia, but the USA also has spectacular locations as well - Grand Canyon. Bryce Canyon, The Wave Arizona, Devils Tower Wyoming, Kashe-Ketuwe Tent Rocks New Mexico, Monumental Valley, just to name some!

[@aussiebattler6737]

Drove from Perth to el questro last year....was wild man Greatest country on earth

[@matthewcullen1298]

As an Australian I'd like to see country Utah . The scenery I've seen on KZbin looks spectacular and the people friendly enough and easy going

[@Pomdownuder]

Even with the best filters in you car vents you end up with red dust in the most intimate of places. Yep you can be on your own for weeks or months without seeing anyone (dependant on location) The boab can be used as a water source (if you know what your doing) some have been fitted with taps so you can taste boab water, most parts are edible, and or medicines. 4x4 is a must for anything more than the paved roads, the graded dirt roads can disappear into a quagmire with a rain storm, especially if trucks have been ploughing through.

[@thejam69]

I lived in port hedland as a young boy roughly 40 years ago. I remember there was a salt mountain right next to the main road between port hedland and south hedland. It was not always white though, sometimes it was a rust colour, due to the iron ore crushing plant close by. ❤️🇦🇺

[@planetdisco4821]

Well, if your not actually my cousin posting this, you probably went to school with them mate lol

[@thejam69]

@@planetdisco4821 i left in about 1985 as a 10 year old. Edit: if they same era see if they remember Jimmy at south hedland primary who cut his hand really badly

[@planetdisco4821]

@@thejam69 I’ll ask em over Xmas mate. They both actually grew up in South Hedland around then lol

[@thejam69]

@@planetdisco4821 lol, crazy…… get back to me when you know…… 👍

[@nathanvanlieshout7834]

Only in my home state of Western Australia. I work "in" the Karijini National Park at a mine site, 30 minutes away from the gorge video at 6:00.

[@lotsacirclework]

This video proves it, west is best. I've travelled all over this state and still don't want to leave. As for breakdowns, if your on the blacktop there will be help driving past soon. If you're going deep, ie Connie Sue Hwy take a plb and satphone, and all the spares you can. When I go to get the digital detox it's 40l of water 200l of Diesel, two weeks worth of food (frozen and fresh) and two blocks of beer

[@barriehull7076]

Adansonia is a genus made up of eight species of medium-to-large deciduous trees known as baobabs. They are native to Madagascar, mainland Africa, including South Africa and Namibia, which are the ones I have seen, and Australia. The Australian species represents a long-distance trans-oceanic dispersal event from Africa. In South Africa, baobabs can be found growing in Limpopo near the Zoutpansberg range. The town of Messina in Limpopo is said to be a 'baobab town'. This tree is widely distributed in belts across the African continent, but can also be found in Madagascar, Ceylon, India and Australia.

[@brionykathryne6716]

I'd love for you to do a video checking out australian native plants and trees. The crazy cone shaped flowers you saw were Banksia flowers. Interesting fact about those is that the seeds require a bushfire to germinate in the wild. Their shell casing reacts to heat and releases the seeds. They come in lots of different colours i feel like in the wild the yellow and red are the hardiest.

[@heatherfruin5050]

My husband and I are going to The Kimberley next year doing a 4,000 km glamping tour Broome to Broome. We're so looking forward to seeing The Bungle Bungles, Horizontal Falls, the Ord River and the Mitchell Falls.

[@caltravels9454]

You could do an entire video on the Ord River WA, it's flow rate is averaged at about 120 cubic metres of water per second, yet the state wont tap into it for one reason or another, it can easily and sustainably be our permanent water supply to the entire state regions that need it. Most of what was shown here was still coastal, not the true 'Outback'.

[@ronprince1478]

There is not a great deal of water in the outback, which is why it photographed so much. To get an idea of how much space is here get an Australian map and overlay it on an American map (same scale). I have driven (on formed roads) for three days without seeing another vehicle.

[@Darryl_Frost]

Driving from Perth to Sydney once and about 100mile out of the Nulabour Homestead I stripped my timing gear on my 6 cly SL Torana, I have to walk about 5k to an emergency phone and a few hours later I got a rope tow into the Homestead, a couple of days to get a gear sent in and replaced and I was on my way again.

[@top40researcher31]

the australian outback is one of the greatest wonders of the world

[@IWrocker]

I truly believe that.. it has this “unique factor” to it that’s hard to describe. But I’m always drawn to it in videos and books.. it never ceases to leave me amazed

[@tomwareham7944]

The west is definitely beautiful the camel ride at sunset on Cable Beach Broome is something you never forget nor is the red Rocks aquamarine seas and the big skies . A truly spectacular place just one of many in my magical country Australia . This is the Australia that people imagine when thinking about visiting and it's just the tip of the iceberg , come see for yourself .

[@simonb5343]

9.34..."Ah the serenity" you know you're turning Aussie when you reference The Castle lol

[@seannorgren5752]

Absolutely gorgeous scenery throughout the Pilbara. However, beware when hiking of SPINIFEX, a very tough stiff spiny spiked grass tuft - truly painful to the ankles...

[@darrell3975]

I've been in the situation where I've broken down out in the south east corner of Qld, was in an old Bedford truck that had air getting in the fuel line, took me 3 days to get just under 100km (60 miles) and never seen another car

[@kazz3956]

Welcome to the biggest state of Western Australia, my home state. There is much to see. What has been shown here involves a lot of travel.......so much variation from the south to the north (this video has places to see in the Wheatbelt (Wave Rock and Hyden etc out East of the State) and then travelled up North. There are a lot of beautiful sites in the South as well). The pink and grey bird shown in your video at around 4 minutes was a Pink and Grey Galah. We had one as a pet . Normally I think birds belong in the wild but he was from a previous home and we looked after him until he ventured out into the big world (his door was left ajar hehe). He loved to eat fresh food and especially loved native plants including bottle brush. The plant immediately after the Galah was a Banksia. They come in a lot of colours. We have a wild flower season in WA and it is a thing for people just to head out in search of the wild flowers. Absolutely beautiful to behold. So I have been to many of the places shown, including Wave Rock, Hyden, Kalbarri, and Lake Argyle which is near Kununnura. Kununarra have farms that grow fresh fruit including watermelon, rock melons and papaya. Did you know that Lake Argyle is close to Argyle Diamond mine. They have pink Diamonds, which are spectacular. In 2000 we did a tour from Kununarra. I was with my husband and child of 1 year. We took a bus to get to Lake Argyle, then caught a sea plane which took off from and landed back on Lake Argyle, and then did a boat cruise as well on the water too. It really is a full day trip. The plane was not allowed to go over the diamond mine for security, but you could see it in the distance... Lake Argyle is an inland sea, and the second biggest in Australia I believe. Broome (where the camels were) is a favourite destination for a lot of tourists, They also have dinosaur footprints too. My memories of Derby, where they showed the Boab Prison Tree, include the best feed of Barramundi (fish) that I have ever tasted. My goodness it was yummy. The Boab tree use to have links where they would chain the prisoners on the inside of the tree. If you really want to get a feel for the Kimberly Region, consider watching the Australian movie called Red Dog. It depicts a town near Karratha, WA in the 1970s. Brilliant movie. Another animal not mentioned in the video known to Western Australia is the Quokka. They live on an island called Rottnest a short ferry ride from Fremantle just south of our capital in Perth. We also have Bilbys which are a type of Arid Bandicoots. PS - if you are heading on a long distant journey and going outback you can get an "Epirb". It is an emergency position indicating radio beacon which you can activate if you have any issues. That being said, if you had a breakdown along the coast, although it can be a long time between seeing cars, you would generally be closer to help. Travelling in desert country through definitely requires plenty of water and supplies in case of trouble. If you grow up with having to travel, you really just adjust. Thanks for your reaction Ian.

[@IWrocker]

Thank you for this excellent information and explanation of everything. WA is just so massive, & seems to be filled with wonder throughout

[@kazz3956]

@@IWrocker you are welcome. I really enjoy your channel and your content. You have a beautiful family. Keep up the fantastic journey to learn about our country. Keep smiling😊

[@lillibitjohnson7293]

I’ve broken down in outback QLD , got to have good road side assistance in place for the times you can’t fix it yourself

[@johnmacey2375]

there is a huge flood happening now in northern west australia, these huge trucks are currently stranded miles from anywhere, bridges are down, a friend of my wife husband is in one of those big trucks, he is stranded like many more in a big line up of trucks, the water is over 4 feet deep around the truck and he has lived in the cabin for 14 days, Trucks carry 2 weeks food supply in them for such emergencies he cannot leave the truck because of the crocodiles swimming around in the flood waters, the australian army is providing more food but he has no idea how long he will be in the truck

[@arjovenzia]

You'll travel a long distance between some of those water courses, of course thats where you want to go as a tourist. Theres alot of dry in between ;-). but there are a few hidden gems and springs out there. My folks lived in Newman in the early 80's, when it was still a closed mining town. they had a yacht club that only used boats for a month a year, cos that was the only time the lake had water in it. once the lake bed dried out, they used 3 wheel sail gokart things. anyway, they took us there for a holiday, and to some of their old favourite hidden campsites. they're not hidden any more, but you still have to be keen to drive 2 hours on rough tracks to get to some permanent water. The most impressive was a super deep, very narrow gorge, just a fissure in the red dirt, with a permanent spring at one end. Red desert as far as you can see up top, but lush tropical rainforest at the bottom, a good 10 degrees colder, and all sorts of plants ive never seen before, probably from the last ice age. its quite a trip.

[@bowriverblues8445]

I recommend an Australian movie ”the proposition” …it has great landscape imagery, it’s an Aussie western…this is the best way to describe it to an American…it stars guy pearce…

[@Jules-zi5qf]

native fauna has adapted to survival by flowering in winter. then they can rest in the extreme heat of summer

[@listayngeorge6929]

My partner kayaks the Murchison River when it's in flood..Kalbarri is gorgeous and I have photos of Natures window .. The offer to take you beach fishing is still open whenever you get here lol

[@gammaraygem]

Even on the well tarmaced roads in the outback, you can camp beside the road, set up breakfast on the tarmac, and not worry any car will come by and ruin a perfect morning. I traveled in a rental , 10 y.o. toyota camry station car, with compulsary extra insurance for the windshield. This vid was not much about driving though. When a Roadtrain approaches you on a gravel track, it can be pretty terrifying. Rocks and dust flying everywhere. And I never saw as much roadkill as on outback tarmac roads. Mostly dingos and kangaroos. You can not drive at night for the risk of hitting a big animal. I thought I´d ignore it and nearly hit a wild HORSE, somewhere between Brisbane and Mt Isa. Sleeping in the car , the howling of dingos in the distance...

[@plaidshirt9955]

Yeah, I noticed in this season of Andor, they had a boquet of Australian flowers that had clearly been put there because they would look so bizzare and alien to an international Audience. Our flora is just as unique and special as our fauna and landscapes.

[@TheRubeeRose]

LOL, I kept hearing you talking about going for a swim ... beware of the crocodiles! And the look you keep talking about is the "light" ... Sunlight here seems to be very different in Australia. Look up some of these artists (they capture the outback and the light) Tom Roberts, Arthur Streeton, Russell Drysdale & Frederick McCubbin to name but a few! The further north you go, the more water you get as you are going into tropical zones where they get monsoonal rain and they talk of two seasons - the dry and the wet!

[@Blanchy10]

Pink and Grey birds are Gullahs a type of parrot.