Trip Reports

Stories from the road less travelled

  • The Map Patrol in the Simpson Desert

    Posted on: 05/09/14

    The Map Patrol spent over a week mapping and exploring the Simpson Desert and the surrounding Australian Outback.

    A team of six Map Patrol explorers spent a week exploring the Simpson Desert to gather information for Hema’s mapping database, testing more advanced data capture techniques and the new technologies for doing so in the process.

  • South East Queensland 2014

    Posted on: 13/05/14

    The sight of Cape Moreton Lighthouse from the beach below.

    The Map Patrol explored South East Queensland in a whirlwind month that was filled with twenty distinct 4WD trips close to Brisbane.

  • Discovering Utah by 4WD - Australian Explorers in the USA

    Posted on: 05/05/14

    Monument Valley in Utah is one of the USA's most iconic scenes.

    A couple of Australian four-wheel drivers recently headed off to the USA to discover one of the country’s most iconic off-road destinations: Utah.

  • Four-wheel driving in Africa

    Posted on: 06/11/13

    Gareth and Kirsty are the Aussie Overlanders, a couple of explorers who are about to embark on an overland expedition throughout Africa.

    After finishing the Australian leg of their trans-continental expedition, Aussie Overlanders Kirsty and Gareth are about to experience the wiles of Africa in their trusty Troop Carrier. 

  • Taking on the Tanami Track

    Posted on: 21/10/13

    The Tanami Track links the Kimberley with Alice Springs through the Tanami Desert, and is one of the most brutal 4WD tracks in Australia.

    Lynda from Hema Maps completed an epic trip from Western Australia back to Brisbane through the centre of Australia and one of its most challenging routes: the Tanami Track.

  • Exploring the Kimberley

    Posted on: 04/10/13

    The Map Patrol crossing the Pentecost River in the Kimberley.

    Heading west to explore the iconic Gibb River Road and greater Kimberley region, Lynda from Hema Maps embarked on an adventure she wouldn’t soon forget.

  • The Hema Maps Girls in Cape York

    Posted on: 29/06/13

    The two Hema Maps explorers at the Lions Den, the spiritual start of the majority of adventures to the Tip of Australia, Cape York.

    A couple of Hema Maps explorers headed up to Cape York to talk to retailers in the region while exploring the iconic tip of Australia.

  • Map Patrol in Cape York Pt. 1: Cooktown to Vrilya Point

    Posted on: 13/06/13

    Words and photos by Carlisle Rogers, Publisher & Editor of 4WD Touring Australia
    The Hema Map Patrol crossing a creek in Cape York

    Heading up to the Cape in May was always going to be an interesting experience. While the wet season this year was relatively dry, recent downpours ensured that the tracks would be slippery, and in some places, impassable.

  • Cape York Pt. 1: Cooktown to Vrilya Point

    Posted on: 13/06/13

    Words and photos by Carlisle Rogers, Publisher & Editor of 4WD Touring Australia

    The Hema Map Patrol crossing a creek in Cape York

    Heading up to the Cape in May was always going to be an interesting experience. While the wet season this year was relatively dry, recent downpours ensured that the tracks would be slippery, and in some places, impassable.

  • The Aussie Overlanders

    Posted on: 17/05/13

    Aussie Overlanders horo stack

    What kind of person do you have to be to both plan and undertake a transcontinental overland adventure? Many would say it’s simply a matter of being rich or crazy (or both), though respectfully disagreeing are a lively couple from Sydney who are doing just that.