Setup when we left; difference: a stoneguard and dual gas cylinder setup in Brisbane
2005 Toyota Prado, Personalised NSW Rego "LOVE OZ"
features: 5 Speed auto; Charcoal grey, GXL spec; Airconditioning; Towbar; Upgraded ARB suspension; ARB steel winchbar (colour coded); ARB (Warn) 9,000lb electric winch (unused); IPF lights; Dual batteries; Snorkel; Outback drawer system and cargo barrier; MaxAir air compressor fitted under the bonnet; 4 new Cooper S/T light truck tyres; 2 spares (on alloy GXL rims) with Cooper S/T tyres LT245/80/R17; Rhino roof rack (incl sparewheel mount and roofbag); Prado headlight and bonnet guards; Window tint; Interior protection; Sparewheel cover; Nokia carkit; Laptop/map stand (passenger side); Grill flyscreen (stainless steel mesh); UHF Radio; Teconsha Electric brake controller, Staun tire deflators.
Spares required for longer trips (genuine Toyota spares) incl:
Timing belt; Radiator hoses (top and bottom); Fuel filter and K&N spare air filter.
We carried: Toolkit; ARB tyre repair kit (unused); Saw, Shovel; extra 6 person tent "ROUGH IT"; small one burner portable gasstove; 4 air mattresses; Tomtom Australia; Lenovo T61 laptop with Hema maps (did not use a lot) and bluetooth GPS receiver; EPIRB, Iridium Satellite phone with 500 minutes prepaid card.
2007 Jayco Outback Swan
Features: slide out Queen and double size beds (max 6/7 berths); 4 burner stainless steel kitchen including oven/grill; 3-Way fridge; 12V system with battery charger; Microwave; 15” Alloy wheels with Light truck tyres (unused spare); ALKO off-road electric brakes; Bed flies; Full awning incl. side walls; Vantec interior protection; Treg hitch; Custom stone guard; 2x9kg gas cylinders and 20L Jerry upfront; Slide out Jayco BBQ; Dual water tanks (180 liters); Innerspring mattress (Queen bed); 105Ah Deep cycle battery system with Anderson plug.
We carried: Hotwater camping shower (Primus); Both beds have reversible lambs wool underlays, 4 single doona’s + 1 King bed doona (used as extra cover during winter); Portapotti; Shower/Dunny tent; 2 adult and 2 kids camping chairs; Pots, pans, cupcake tray; 240V water boiler; Stainless steel 3 Cup coffee plunger; EasiYo Yoghurt maker; Tub for the kids (over spare wheel under the XL spare wheelcover); Fiama levelers; rubber protection mats in all cupboards and drawers; fabric dividers in storage compartments.
Iridium Satelite Phone
The one thing you should not forget to rent or purchase. We bought as the rent for such an extended trip would be huge and these things (if you buy a good one) retains its value. Buy a prepaid card (we bought ours in the US, as the USD was very low at that point, so were using the phone for around AUD 1 /minute when necessary and also to call to The Netherlands (same rate); try calling to The Netherlands by Telstra payphone, and you get charged a lot more.......... So in the end, this investment paid off big time.
We never had to use it for emergency. Only once to find out whether a farmer was home (and he wasn't) to see whether we could camp at his property..
Breadmachine
Breadmachine to cater for Quentin's gluten free bread requirements. You will be amazed how many times you can use these things, also in the outback. Outback baking is mainly during the day, as most power is solar generated (if not generated by one of those noisy generators). Most commercial campground however do have powered sites.
We would only go on a powered site if really necessary, e.g. when wanting to charge the Deep Cycle battery or when wanting to bake a bread. All other situations, power is not really necessary, as you have the deep cycle to run the lights. The rest does not use a lot of power anyways.
Entertainment for the kids
DVD drive is not very reliable, but good quality picture 400x600.
Recommend something like this when travelling with kids. Just make sure you switch them off when you travel rough surfaces. A static harddrive would probably be the way I would go if I would do it again.
UHF handheld
UHF handheld is recommended on these type of trips. Next time I wouild go for a more expensive unit or better battery pack, as the batteries in ours were crap!
Handheld is also great to communicate with the built in UHF unit in the car when giving directions. Keeps your hands relatively free and no loose UHF units in the car when driving off road.
Our 2005 Toyota Prado
Our 2007 Jayco Outback Swan
Iridium satellite phone with 500 minute prepaid card
Breadmaker Breville for Quentin's Gluten free bread
Kids entertainment system - Next Base portable DVD-player
UHF handheld Uniden (don't buy cheap ones)