Adventure Reviews

Often overlooked, understated and uncommercialised, beautiful Mt Baw Baw is the family ski resort.It's an easy 2.5-hour drive from Melbourne, but there is more to see in this hidden corner of Gippsland than the ski-slopes of Mt Baw Baw. So, why not extend the adventure and, before hitting the snow, take the family deep into the temperate rain forests sitting below the snow-line for some off-the-track exploring?Best of all, even in winter you don't need a low-range 4WD to get a long way into these mountains.A little light-duty SUV, such as the Toyota's AWD C-HR Koba we're driving, is easily up to the task. You just need a bit of extra ground clearance (tick), a bit of caution on narrow bush roads (tick), and a bit of pre-planning – like checking the status of the roads for temporary closures (tick).We chose a family-friendly three-day adventure, heading first to the historic gold-mining town of Walhalla; taking another day to explore the back roads around the Thomson Dam, before overnighting at Mt Baw Baw for our third day in the snow.

Matt Campbell (off)road tests the 2018 Nissan Navara ST-X where every dual-cab ute worth its weight should be driven: in the outback

One of Australia's most hotly-anticipated utes of the year - the Ford Ranger Raptor - will arrive in showrooms soon. We drove it in the Northern Territory.

Jeep has anointed the Grand Cherokee with its most hallowed symbol, the Trailhawk badge. But has the brand's flagship wagon earned it on merit?

Campervans and motorhomes are more popular than ever before - and custom fit-outs are a way of making these touring-friendly vehicles even better. But are they really all they're cracked up to be?

Just a short ferry ride from outside Brisbane, this is the world's second largest sand island after the famed Fraser Island further north. And while it can be a busy summer holiday spot with tonnes of reasons to visit, this long and skinny North Stradbroke forever retains a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere.It's all about traditional getaways over here on Straddle – a bit old-school, fish-and-chips by the seaside, in many respects.There's camping, fishing, swimming, surfing and beach driving. There are whales to be watched between May and November. Turtles and dolphins to spot splashing about close by in blue waters while kangaroos and koalas meander through the island's bushlands. Manta Rays and Dugongs hang out here too.Straddie offers a range of accommodation options, from beachside camping out under canvas or caravan roof to upmarket holiday homes. Once traditional territory for the Quandamooka people, today there are three main settlements, more like small villages, including Dunwich, Amity Point and Point Lookout (the most easterly part of Queensland) for food, fuel and supplies. Eating and drinking spots, including the famed Point Lookout pub, are scattered over the top half of the island that's roughly 40 kilometre long and 11 kilometres wide.So it's off to Adventure Island for a weekend, hanging about in a camp by the beach with a quiet cold drink when not off exploring the sands of Straddie in the four-wheel drive.Time to tidy up the Triton and head for the ferry.

Want one of the best value-for-money 4WD dual-cab utes on the market? The Triton Exceed makes a strong case for buyer attention, especially with even sharper-priced drive-away deals now available.

The Mitsubishi Triton ute is one of the original one-tonne workhorses with a storied history in Australia, but does the latest-gen dual-cab GLX Plus hold up against increasingly sophisticated rivals?

Seven-seater SUVs that rarely get their boots dirty are all the rage these days, and Skoda is trying to get in on some of Mazda's action with its Kodiaq. We're driving the 4x4 Sportline variant, with its sporty looks and nifty features, to see if it's worth the $60,000 sticker.

Ford's top-selling Ranger is stuck in a back-and-forth tussle with the Toyota HiLux for the number one sales spot . But in mid-spec XLS guise, is this dual-cab ute really all it's cracked up to be?