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From Wikitravel

The Outback is a large region covering most of the centre of Australia, including inland areas of New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

[edit] Regions

• Far West (New South Wales)
• Red Centre
• Simpson Desert
• Tanami Desert
• Outback (South Australia)
• Nullarbor Plain
• Kimberley
• Mid West (Western Australia)
• Pilbara

[edit] Cities

• Alice Springs
• Broken Hill

[edit] Other destinations

• Coober Pedy
• Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

[edit] Understand

The Outback is a place of Australian folklore, both prior to and after European settlement.

[edit] Get in

[edit] Get around

[edit][add listing] See

[edit] Itineraries

• Gibb River Road
• Gunbarrel Highway
• Oodnadatta Track
• Stuart Highway: crossing Australia north-south

[edit][add listing] Do

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Stay safe

There are two very important facts to keep in mind about travel in the Outback: it has very few inhabitants and very little water. You should observe standard safety precautions for desolate regions:

• get good quality maps and plan your route
• tell someone where you're going and when and where you should arrive; they should have instructions to raise the alarm if you do not appear soon after your intended arrival time;
• carry least 10 litres of water (in several small containers) per person per day, including an allowance for any days you may be delayed or broken down.
• take food and any prescribed medication needed to last at least several days
• take matches or a lighter, which can be used in an emergency to provide warmth and indicate your whereabouts
• travel in a recently serviced, reliable, sturdy vehicle that has good gound clearance; and
• have clothes that can protect against cold, as well as clothes suitable for extremely hot weather.

Keep in mind also that the Outback is very large, much larger than desert regions in most other western countries. You could easily end up twenty hours' drive away from emergency help, or isolated entirely in the case of rain.

In the event of an accident or mechanical problems, do not leave your vehicle, as it is easier to locate from the air than a person or people on foot. If you leave your vehicle you are likely to be the subject of a sad news story about the rescue services finding your car and not you. In any case, your vehicle is where you're storing your immense amounts of water.

You should also think about carrying a satellite phone or other means of contacting emergency services.

You should talk to the police in each town about your journey and the condition of the roads and your vehicle. Be careful - even locals die out there.