Jake Rast – The Ultimate Australian Road Trip

Those lucky enough to live in or visit Australia know just how large the country actually is, especially when you decide to drive between capital cities or even to rural towns. In some parts of the world, the distance that you cover between Melbourne and Sydney would take you through multiple countries! That’s why when Jake Rast, his partner and their beloved dog decided to do an amazing 4WD road trip around the country they knew they would need a bit of time to do it.

They set off on the 18^th February 2019 from Melbourne and at time of writing were about a week away from getting home – with a total of just over 8 months on the road. They decided to go clockwise around Australia, heading across the south coast to Adelaide, then across the Nullarbor to Perth. From Perth their journey took them through the red centre up to the Gulf then over to Cape York before heading home to Melbourne via the East Coast.

Their ‘weapon of choice’ to tackle the vast amounts of road – made up of almost every surface you can drive on – was a 2004 GU Nissan Patrol. It was purposely purchased for the trip and took a year to plan, prepare and test before heading off. The back seats were removed to make way for a full drawer system to include storage, a fridge and a water tank along with all other essentials. Their dog even received its own spot to sit and sleep during their time on the road and at night.

One of the many modifications to the GU Patrol was the installation of Narva 225 Spotlights, mounted to the front bull bar. “They are absolutely fantastic lights” says Jake. “There were odd times where we were setting up camp at night and they provided plenty of light for us to set up safely. We tried to limit our night driving because of the large risk of wildlife and unpredictable terrain, but when we had to drive at night the 225’s meant we could keep pushing through knowing we would have enough time to avoid any oncoming danger.”

Jake also mentioned that he was very surprised with the durability and strength of the 225 Spotlights. “We certainly put them through their paces up at the Cape. There were half a dozen steep crossings where there was literally 4 tonnes of car smashing them into the mud. Not to mention the countless water crossings where they were fully submerged – with no issues at all. In fact, I think they are the only thing on the car I haven’t had to touch apart from the odd realignment!”

Speaking of issues, Jake was pleased to report that the GU has handled the whole trip very well without any major problems. Before leaving Jake also installed a Dual Battery set up including a Projecta Isolator which has been faultless. Both batteries were completely charged while driving which means there is plenty of power when camping. The only inconvenience was a mishap with the A/C system during one of the Cape crossings, which meant that the three of them were left without crisp and cold air between the Cape and Cairns.

“Travelling and living out of the car is a bit challenging with the three of us, with unpacking and packing to cook twice a day being the most frustrating. But that is a small price to pay for an experience that has been unbelievable. My advice to anyone who is thinking of doing it is to just get out there and do it! You will always find an excuse to not do it, but if you really want to – just make it happen. And if you do decide to do it, keep your set up simple and don’t overpack. We have also met many friends and families on the trip whose kids are learning plenty while out on the road.”

Out of the whole trip, their favourite place of them all was the Kimberley area. It was so beautiful and breathtaking that they have already started planning their next holiday there.