Getting Off The Beaten Track at Brisbane's 4x4 & Outdoors Show - 96five Family Radio

Getting Off The Beaten Track at Brisbane’s 4×4 & Outdoors Show

Over 25,000 outdoors enthusiasts flocked to the National 4x4 Outdoors Show at the Showgrounds over the weekend. 96five's Joe Murray went along to check it all out.

By 96five NetworkMonday 18 Mar 2024TrendingReading Time: 2 minutes

By Joe Murray.  Main Image: The instructional test track was a popular attraction at the National 4×4 Outdoors Show at the Brisbane Showgrounds over the weekend (Joe Murray).

In an age of endless screens and comfy couches, many people are escaping the city, hitting the tracks and going camping.

But when you’ve never slept in a tent before (or haven’t in a while), breaking into the world of the great outdoors can be daunting. 

One of the best places to start is to head to an expo where the experts are brought to you. The National 4×4 Outdoors Show has been bringing four wheel drive, caravanning and camping enthusiasts together over for twenty years.

Held over the weekend at the Brisbane Showgrounds, the event saw exhibitors like ARB, Ironman 4×4, Opposite Lock, Austrack Campers, Opus Campers and plenty more showing off their wares to around 25,000 event goers.

Jon Perry is the Event Director, and has been part of The National 4×4 Outdoors Show since 2020.  With each year attracting thousands more than the last, he’s put extra emphasis on educational stalls and safety demonstrations for those who are new to four wheel driving.

“We’ve put in an area called Mount Maxxis which is an educational facility on driving safely on 4WD tracks.  It shows you the correct way to get up steep terrain both by staying safe and by not breaking the vehicle.”

Jon Perry is the Event Director of the National 4×4 Outdoors Show (Joe Murray).

“There’s also a tracks and trips stage with 4WD Queensland has talks about where you can take your 4WD across the state; from Cape York to the Simpson Desert or K’gari Fraser Island.

“That stage will let people know what to expect, how to experience those areas and how to kit yourself and your vehicle out.”

Aside from 4WDs and accessories, there were also plenty of caravans and camper trailers on display.  Being the more affordable alternative to a caravan, camper trailers are becoming increasingly popular to new campers and families.

Testing out approach and departure angles at the Isuzu ramp (Joe Murray).

They’re cheaper, lighter and easier to travel with over the tough terrains of the Aussie outback. New innovations in camping gear making it easy for newbies to get out, give it a go and have camp setup before the kids can cause any mischief.

Opus Campers are even using air inflatable tech to make setup at campsite even easier as Josh from Opus Campers explained.

“Opus have been using air inflatable tech for a little while; we use air beams – there’s no traditional tent poles, all you do is put in the valves and push a button on a high volume pump and up it goes.  It takes about three to five minutes for an inflatable to go up!”