Trips and trails

More and more Australians are choosing holidays that give back to the planet, visiting businesses and places working hard to minimise their environmental footprint. So join us as we visit three South Australia businesses doing incredible things in the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Plug-in Hybrid.

A three-day trip exploring some of Australia's most overlooked and challenging 4x4 spots.

As news broke of Holden's woes in Australia, our writer landed in Thailand to drive Holden Colorados in the jungle.

In the grand hierarchy of off-road adventures, few reach a pinnacle quite like the Big Red Bash.It’s the “worlds most remote music festival” according to the event organisers, and you'd better believe it. The town of Birdsville, a last pit stop before the expansive Simpson Desert, is more than 1500km from Brisbane to the east, and more than 1800km from Adelaide in the south.Yet an increasing number of off-road enthusiasts make the pilgrimage to the famed 40-metre-tall dune, the Simpson Desert's tallest dune.How many days this trip will take you depends on where you’re coming from and how many drivers you have to work in shifts. The festival is three main days, and you’ll need to tack on at least an extra two days if travelling from Brisbane, three days from Adelaide, and four days from Sydney.

Unraveling Tasmania's mysteries via a series of off-road tracks and stunning vistas.

Located hundreds of kilometres from the nearest city, it's almost fitting that this idyllic 4x4 spot is in the heart of diesel country.

From sand to snow and back again, the Mazda CX-8 Asaki takes on a family road trip.

The Margaret River region is known for fine wine and dining, a great weekend spot for locals to escape the hustle and bustle of Perth - but it's also a destination in its own right, somewhere that people from all over Australia, and all over the world, put on their must-see list.And if you love adventure, there are plenty of choice spots to check out when you're in this neck of the woods.The quaint town of Margaret River is about three hours south of Perth, and it's an area known for its breathtaking natural beauty - a place where the visitors often outnumber the locals. While Margey itself isn't on the beach, the water isn't far away - and in these parts there are literally hundreds of spots you can stop, park, and take in a glorious view of the Indian Ocean.

For a hint at what a high country trip is like, Brindabella National Park offers fantastic scenery, plentiful wildlife and some real challenges for 4WDers.

The South Island of New Zealand, especially its tourism capital, Queenstown, is renowned for its myriad action and outdoor sports: bungy jumping, jet-boating, skiing, snowboarding, kite-skiing, tramping (hiking) and much more. There are also a stack of 4WD tracks – ranging in difficulty from suitable for a light-duty AWD through to hard-core trips that require a 4WD with an experienced driver, recovery gear, spares and preferably travelling with one or more other vehicles.Any getaway here can be as adrenalin-fuelled an experience as you want it to be.We opted for two day-trip loops out of Queenstown, a nice balance of light off-roading, local-area history and plenty of culture.