Trips and trails

There is so much outback in Australia. Basically, the only place it isn't is along the eastern seaboard and around to Adelaide – everywhere else, pretty much, the red dirt continues all the way to the ocean and with it, all the splendour. As such, choosing an introduction to outback travel can be as simple as just driving somewhere in the west or north, or as hard as picking a favourite style of Mexican food – they're basically all the same, right?For my money, though, a trip through New South Wales' Corner Country makes a lot of sense. It starts in Cobar, about the closest bit of real red dirt west of Sydney, it travels through spectacular country, takes in a few wonderful pubs and has great camping all along the way, whether you want to pay for it or not.Best of all, the distances between settlements are not large, fuel is never too hard to get and, although the roads can be rough in parts, the trip is completely accessible for any well-prepared SUV with a bit of ground clearance and an understanding of the need to take things easy.Note: This trip is a mix of outback bitumen and gibber roads with occasional patches of bull-dust and it is dry-weather travel only.

Snow's a funny old thing... it looks so lovely and firm and supportive, and really, it's just not that at all for the most part. It's cold and slippery and wet and treacherous and I'm not a fan, really.

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.

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.

We finally slither to an agonising, ignominious halt half way up the slope in the ankle-deep clay, steam billowing from mud-packed tyres. We're not stuck, exactly... but we're not going forward any time soon, either.

I haven't seen so much fear in a set of faces since... well, ever.

Beach-driving is a shedload of fun and, lucky for us, there are a fair few beaches in Australia that you are legally allowed to drive. Problem is, if you live in Sydney you're somewhat limited in your options for a decent weekend break that includes a stack of driving on the coastal sandy stuff.