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ElecTrekking Australia

⚡ Charging Around Australia 🔌
Travelling the "big lap" with an all
electric vehicle & solar-camper

16/12/2024

🎉 We made it! Our all-electric big lap of Australia is complete! ⚡🚗🦘

Over 37,000 kilometres, from the red dirt of the outback to breath taking coastlines, we journeyed around the country powered only by electrons—and honestly, it wasn’t difficult (and will only get easier!) 🌏✨

📅 Days: 266
🏞️ Route: Clockwise Perth to Perth
🚗 Total Distance: 37,132 km
💸 Total Charger Costs: $2,442

A huge thank you to everyone who cheered us on along the way. We are incredibly grateful for the privilege of having this amazing experience together exploring our beautiful country.

While we’ve been fortunate to be early adopters, the next step is clear: we need to make electrification of homes and vehicles accessible to all Australians. It’s an essential part of cutting our emissions and tackling climate change. 🌱💪 Not only that, electrification also addresses the cost of living crisis by saving the average household ~$5,000 per year on energy costs.

Together, we can drive real change for a cleaner, greener future. Let’s electrify Australia! ⚡💚

Horizon Power Synergy Rewiring Australia The NRMA RAC WA AEVA Australian Electric Vehicle Association Parents for Climate

14/12/2024

So many incredible places to Electrek—the possibilities are endless! 🚗⚡🌏

Kia Australia AEVA Australian Electric Vehicle Association Horizon Power The NRMA RAC WA Rewiring Australia

09/12/2024

Formed over a billion years ago, the Porongurups are one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world, holding deep cultural significance for the Menang Noongar people. Known as Borrongup, meaning "totem", this sacred site was where young people discovered their second totem during a rite of passage.

What started as a "quick stop" to visit the Granite Skywalk en route to Albany turned into a three hour trek! Misreading the signage and thinking the Skywalk was only a couple of hundred meters from the carpark, we instead found ourselves on a longer and more challenging uphill trail leading to Castle Rock followed by the final 200m Grade 5 scramble up to the Granite Skywalk, a suspended walkway that spirals around the huge granite outcrop of Castle Rock to the summit.

Ellie retreated to the car upon the discovery of our error, but the rest of us carried on and enjoyed the hike with Xavier practicising his parkour skills along the ascending rocky trail. Our effort was rewarded with fabulous views over the surrounding countryside from an impressive height. Little Xavier loved it so much he took Renée back up the ladder to the skywalk a second time once the other walkers had all disappeared. While happily walking back down hill holding his Mum's hand he summed it up: "𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘬𝘺𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵."

So glad that this trip is helping to instil a deeper appreciation of nature and our environment. 🌏✨

09/12/2024

We spent a couple of days soaking up the spectacular beauty of the Bremer Bay area — everywhere along the south coast the scenery is so impressive! 💙

A highlight was exploring West Mount Barren (Queelup) and Point Ann in Fitzgerald River National Park. The journey there was an adventure in itself— over 40 km of extremely corrugated gravel track - but the rough road seemed to keep the crowds away as we didn't have to share these breathtaking spots with anyone else!

The climb up West Mount Barren was a bit of a challenge—especially for Tim, who tackled it like a champion considering his splints and incomplete paraplegia. The kids got a real workout battling the strong winds at the top and we regretted not wearing long pants to avoid the interesting but scratchy plants along the narrow path! But those panoramic views from the top made it all worthwhile.

Point Ann was absolutely stunning and gave a real sense of freedom and connection with nature. It inspired Tim to fully embrace the moment as well as the ‘remote and secluded’ vibe of the bay! The crystal-clear water and the serene surroundings made it all too tempting for him not to take the most refreshing kind of dip 😏🌊

We’re already dreaming of returning to Point Ann between July and October, when the Southern Right Whales come into the shallow waters of the sheltered bays to calve close to shore. 🐋 The famous Bremer Bay Canyon is also staying on our bucket list for now. The boat tour out to the deepwater rifts running up to the edge of the continental shelf sounds absolutely incredible, but at over $1,400 for the family, it’ll have to be one for the future. 🌊

09/12/2024

En route to Bremer Bay from Hyden, we made a quick pit stop at the 150kW fast charger in Jerramungup to give our EV9 the extra range we needed to make the distance. As usual, it was pulling 105kW from the WA EV Highway charger—steady and reliable.

Then, a fellow EV driver heading to Hopetoun arrived and plugged their Tesla into the second port, and things went a little haywire. Instead of splitting the charge evenly, our rate dropped to 38kW, while the Tesla greedily soaked up nearly 100kW. It was no big deal— we just had a good chat together and waited the ten minutes until they were done — only to then have our charge rate drop even further, down to a snail-paced 3kW!

A disconnect and reconnect quickly solved the issue, but it was definitely odd behavior from the charger. Not sure if it was a software quirk with the vehicle or the charger? Anyone have any thoughts or theories?

09/12/2024

After travelling over 35,000 km around Australia, what’s another 200 km detour? 🌏

Wave Rock had always been one of those “should we, shouldn’t we?” destinations— never really sure if it was worth the drive from Perth. But since we were already out this way, we decided it was time to see this natural wonder for ourselves. Combined with visiting Magic Lake, Mulka Cave and some other rock features, we all thought it was worth the extra effort!

We took the opportunity to take a dip in Magic Lake, WA’s version of the Dead Sea. With salt levels so high you can’t sink, effortlessly floating was a surreal - although somewhat slimy - experience.

On the way to Hyden, we made a quick stop at the Ravensthorpe fast charger to power up the battery enough to get us out to the rock - it took just enough time for us to pick up the groceries we needed. Having this kind of infrastruture in place really makes an EV road trip simple and convenient ⚡🚗

08/12/2024

🌊 Esperance / Kepa Kurl is that bit too far from home for a quick long weekend escape, so we were grateful to get the chance to explore its breathtaking beauty after it initially looking doubtful following our kangaroo strike.

We started gingerly, checking out the 40 km Great Ocean Drive coast circuit, soaking up the beauty of the many postcard worthy beaches, sheltered lagoons and the Pink Lake (which wasn’t pink!). When it was obvious that the car was perfectly happy again, we ventured further out to the magnificent Cape Le Grand National Park.

While Lucky Bay gets most of the attention (and the kangaroos!), our pick was Thistle Cove. It had everything: sheltered turquoise waters, pristine white sand, whistling rocks, a stream perfect for the kids to play in—and almost no one else around 💙

Our next stop was just 130 km up the road at a fantastic off-grid campsite nestled behind the dunes at Munglinup - and we had the pristine beach all to ourselves! The sheltered lagoon was a perfect place for snorkelling, with interesting fish and large cone shells to discover. It also provided some pretty spectacular star gazing. We made good use of the extra sunlight stored in our camper batteries to give the car and extra boost when we were ready to get on our way again.

Charging our EV in Esperance was a breeze with Horizon Power’s 150 kW fast charger in the town centre for quick top-ups before heading off to a beach side camp as well as plenty of powered site options closer to town for overnight trickle charging. Esperance’s hybrid power station opened in 2022 (replacing an old gas turbine), combining solar, wind, battery storage, and high-efficiency gas. It’s ready to scale up with even more green energy in the coming years 🌱

06/12/2024

After the kangaroo🦘 incident, we discovered damage to the car's cooling system. Several punctures in the radiator meant we needed a replacement - but a lengthy, undefined wait time for parts was far too long when we only have two weeks and a few hundred kilometers left to home.

So, we put our bush mechanic skills to the test with a temporary epoxy patch to get us moving again 🚗⚡️ Hopefully it’s enough to complete our big lap and get us home!

Big thanks to Darren and the rest of the team at Kia Esperance for helping diagnose the problem, testing our fix, and even making an additional patch we’d missed to get us back on the road. Amazing service and generosity with their time and expertise!

30/11/2024

Close encounters of the kangaroo kind! 🦘
Just out of Esperance, we had an unwanted wildlife interaction, when a pair of roos decided to cross our path. The first one darted out of the roadside scrub and, thankfully, we managed to brake in time to avoid it. But its mate followed close behind and collided with the bumper.

Fortunately, the kangaroo bounced straight back up and hopped off into the bush seemingly unscathed. At first, it looked like we’d gotten off lightly too—just minor cosmetic dents and some plastics out of place that we snapped back in before continuing on our way.

But we later noticed the battery cooling system start working overtime and the car wouldn’t receive charge. A warning light came on and we detected a coolant leak. It seems the impact with the kangaroo did some hidden damage to the radiator system.

Looks like we are grounded in Esperance for now. Grateful that it wasn't worse and that it happened here rather than somewhere on the Nullarbor!

Next step: finding someone with a hoist to be able to take a closer look at the damage. Until then, it’s forced downtime and a pause in our journey. Fingers crossed we can get things sorted quickly and back on the road to finish the last little bit of our trip home! 🚗⚡️

29/11/2024

Crossing the Nullarbor is an iconic Australian outback journey. It is already very manageable when towing with an EV, but still requires some planning, patience and adaptability. Here’s how we tackled the treeless plain, windswept roads, and charging stops.

Although originally planning for it to be a two day trip, we ended up spreading the ~1,500km journey from Streaky Bay to Esperance over three days with two overnight camp stops.

Leaving Streaky, strong headwinds (50km/h with 70km/h gusts) immediately made their presence felt, really reducing our vehicle's efficiency and dropping our range to 200 km. Not ideal, but manageable with some recalculations and adjusted charge times.

𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟭
While picking up supplies for the road in Ceduna, we got a quick top-up at the RAA 150kW charger powered from net 100% renewables. Ceduna is the most westerly point of the NEM grid.
200 km down the road we took a quick rest stop at Yalata’s 50kW charger to ensure we’d have enough in the battery to reach the Nullarbor Roadhouse’s newly installed and currently free 75kW solar charger.
Along the way, the cliffs of the Great Australian Bight were magnificent. The sheer, windswept edges of the continent are home to the Great Australian Bight Marine Park covering over 2 million square kilometers, one of the most biologically diverse areas on Earth. We had hoped to camp at Bunda Cliffs, but they are now closed to camping due to instability and strong winds making it too risky. Instead, we had to be content with enjoying the official lookouts, which offered spectacular views without the danger.
Things were going perfectly until Border Village, where we hit a hiccup. We had planned to get a full charge overnight while we camped, but the 3-phase outlet had lost a phase, leaving us with only 40% charge by morning (power included in the $30 charge for our campsite). This necessitated some recalculation and a change of plans for Day 2.

𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟮
We set off early and after surrendering all of our fruit & vegetables at the border and some confusion around what time zone we were actually in we crossed into WA.
The new plan now included a stop at Mundrabilla, to make up for the failed three phase charger at Border Village. The roadhouse allows charging from their solar array during daylight hours for a flat fee of $30, but it is slow and resulted in five hours of unscheduled downtime which we turned into an impromptu camper lunch and streaming session - the kids were delighted at the extended treat of watching their favourite shows thanks to the free wifi.
Once on the road again, we next topped up during an hour long stop where we had a snack and leg stretch at Madura Pass (charging the absolute minimum needed given the price of $2/kWh).
We camped the night at Cocklebiddy Roadhouse which gave us 2%-100% while we slept overnight ($30 charge).

𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟯
We said goodbye to Samantha & Bruce the two resident Wedge Tailed Eagles at Cocklebiddy and headed off with a full charge towards Caiguna.
Caiguna provided a fascinating stop with its free biofuel charger running on waste vegetable oil from the road house deep fryers!
Next stop was Balladonia, and with its $2/kWh rate for a relatively slow 22kW was the most expensive charge of our entire trip! As soon as the planned WAEV Network charger is installed, there will be a much faster and cheaper option. The interesting little museum at the Balladonia Roadhouse was a great way to occupy everyone during the stop.
Between Balladonia and Esperance, Norseman’s 150kW charger gave us the fast boost we need to reach our destination and wrap up the final leg of the trip.

Despite a lot of driving, no one was 𝘕𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 on the journey and enjoyed the outback scenery, the wildlife and the challenge!
As the remaining sections of the WA EV Network go in, the journey is only going to be quicker, cheaper and easier.

26/11/2024

A FAQ during our electric trip:
"𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒈𝒐 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒃𝒐𝒓???"

Well, we are about to find out... 😉

25/11/2024

The Eyre Peninsula is a breathtaking and wild place, celebrated for its dramatic cliffs, secluded bays, and pristine beaches. The area also has abundant marine life, with over 65% of Australia's seafood coming from this relatively small area!

Despite the commercial fishing focus, the Eyre Peninsula also has a strong emphasis on conservation and providing safe havens for wildlife. With a network of marine parks and sanctuaries dedicated to conservation, the region protects important breeding grounds for creatures like giant cuttlefish, Australian sea lions, leafy sea dragons, southern right whales, and dolphins.

While we loved the idea of swimming with sea lions, the eye watering price tag of over $1,000 for the family put it out of reach. That didn’t stop us from having incredible free wildlife encounters, though! From paddling alongside dolphins and spotting sea lions in their natural breeding grounds to snorkelling in crystal-clear rock pools teeming with fish and being joined by curious emus as we 4WDed through the sand dunes, there were lots of magical moments to connect with nature.

The Eyre Peninsula also offers plenty of amazing, budget-friendly campgrounds along its coastline. Our favourite? Lincoln National Park, where we camped atop rugged cliffs with uninterrupted views of the bay—just us, the sound of the waves, and the endless sky.

The South Australian Government continues to inspire with their leadership on sustainability. Even their official tourism website has a dedicated section on sustainable travel, offering tips to nurture their nature and explore this stunning region responsibly, with minimal impact. https://southaustralia.com/plan-a-trip/sustainability

23/11/2024

Who says you need diesel to dominate the dunes? Electric motors pack a punch with full torque from zero RPM, taking on the sand with ease ⚡Off-roading reimagined ⚡

21/11/2024

Whyalla had an unexpected surprise for us at the start of our Eyre Penninsula exploration! The wild dolphins follow fishing boats returning to the marina, riding their bow waves & hoping for a share of the forbidden fish that they have just caught 🐬

17/11/2024

A heavy rain and flash flooding caused all three roads to Wilpena Pound, the star attraction of the Ikara-Flinders Ranges, to be closed leading to an unexpected overnight stay in the historic town of Quorn

The following afternoon the water had subsided enough to make the drive to Wilpena Pound, or Ikara (meaning "meeting place" in the language of the Adnyamathanha people), which is a natural amphitheatre formed by ancient mountain ranges. For the traditional custodians, it’s a place of extraordinary spiritual significance. Their creation story speaks of two giant, interlocking serpents, Akurra, whose bodies form the mountain walls, with the highest peak believed to be one of their heads.

This region is not only steeped in culture but is also home to the oldest known fossils of complex animal life on Earth. It holds important lessons about the delicate balance of our ecosystems today as, distressingly, many of our modern day native animals also only exist as fossils here now. More than half the mammals of the region have gone extinct since the arrival of colonial settlers. But thanks to the Bounceback program, which has been restoring habitats for 30 years, species like the yellow-footed rock wallaby, western quoll, and brushtail possum have been successfully reintroduced and are now making a comeback.

Wilpena Pound is as forward-thinking as it is historic. Running entirely off-grid since 1998, it has led the way with renewable energy. We were even able to charge our EV at our campsite, right in the national park, powered by their solar installation.

09/11/2024

In the heart of Australia at Uluru, the site where Aboriginal people gathered from all points of the southern sky, to create the Uluru Statement of the Heart – it’s a place where history and culture are deeply woven into the land.

Uluru has been sacred to the Anangu people for tens of thousands of years, and while it was once common for tourists to climb it, this site was never meant to be summited under traditional law. As a child, Tim visited "Ayers Rock" with his family during their own big lap around Australia. Back then, climbing Uluru was the main draw, and many tourists sought the challenge of reaching the summit, with souvenirs proudly proclaiming "I’ve Climbed Ayers Rock." There was little understanding of the deep cultural significance of the site to the Yankunytjatjara and Pitjantjatjara (Anangu) people.

But the Anangu people fought for decades to have their traditional lands returned, and in 1985, the government handed back the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park to the Anangu. Signs were erected urging visitors to respect the site and not climb. Over the years, fewer and fewer people chose to climb, and by 2019, when the anniversary of the "Hand Back" was celebrated, the climb officially closed.

Fast forward to today, and the transformation is significant. Uluru is now a destination for cultural learning, spiritual experiences, and a deep connection to Country.

Uluru is also opening up to more sustainable travel too. While there’s still no fast charging infrastructure at Yulara, there are two locations with free 3-phase sockets dedicated to EVs and two Tesla destination chargers, so you can easily recharge your car overnight while staying at the campgrounds or resort. Ark Energy has also installed the 1.8MW Yulara off-grid solar power project to supply the tourist hub with renewable energy.

With our remaining travel time ticking away, we only had three days to explore this incredible place. The November heat (and the incessant flies!) had us sticking to early mornings and evenings for our adventures, but there’s so much more here to explore that there may need to be a future visit at a cooler time of the year.

We did see the sign pointing homeward toward WA via the “Outback Way”… tempting, but we’re not quite ready for that adventure yet!

08/11/2024

"𝘙𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘦𝘯𝘥"* in the Red Centre 🪃🦘⚡

* https://tinyurl.com/ruthcm7y

06/11/2024

We weren’t fully convinced about making the long drive to Uluru in the November heat, but this morning the whole family was feeling up for the adventure, so we packed up and headed north along the Stuart Highway!

Our first stop was Marla, where we grabbed a cold drink in the roadhouse while waiting to top up the battery. Marla’s charger isn’t the fastest, so we carefully calculated just enough charge (with a buffer!) needed to get us to the next stop at Erldunda and then hit the road again.

But before setting off we gave the NRMA a call to confirm that the charger at Erldunda was operational. The charging station wasn't showing up on the NRMA App and although it was visible on PlugShare its status wasn't available. Initially they couldn't see the charger in the system but after some back and forth told us that, as far as they could see, there was a charger online.

As we crossed into the Northern Territory, the earth turned a deeper red, and the heat intensified welcoming us to the Outback. Before jumping in the pool at Erldunda we plugged in at the (free) 50 kW charger, which was indeed operational. However instead of the supposed 50 kW it was only delivering 35 and then rapidly decreased down to 10kW... hardly fast charging. Fortunately it made no difference as we were planning on staying the night at Erldunda before continuing on to Uluru in the morning. Instead of using the charging station, we swapped over to the (free) AEVA three phase outlet which delivers 22kW*. Fantastic to have two dedicated charging options in such a remote location!

But the real treat was still to come. As night fell, we were gifted a breath taking electrical storm, with lightning flashing across the dark desert sky and rain pouring down. It was one of those awe-inspiring moments where you see the full power and beauty of nature and one that we’ll remember forever!

*𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘝9 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵 11𝘬𝘞 𝘈𝘊

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So many incredible places to Electrek—the possibilities are endless! 🚗⚡🌏 Kia Australia AEVA Australian Electric Vehicle Association Horizon Power The NRMA RAC WA Rewiring Australia #AllElectricBigLap #ClimateAction #electrifyeverything #FutureIsElectric

Who says you need diesel to dominate the dunes? Electric motors pack a punch with full torque from zero RPM, taking on the sand with ease ⚡Off-roading reimagined ⚡

On our way to the Gums campground, Little Dip Conservation Park

Kosciuszko National Park

We were very lucky to catch some of the last of the snow in Perisher Valley and at the top of Thredbo before spring really kicked in on Mt Kosciuszko ❄️⛄️🌨 It was the first time the kids had really experienced snow and although it wasn't fresh and powdery, it was a novel experience for us to share together. An old "YES" corflute that has travelled the country with us in the camper's boot made a great makeshift toboggan until we were kindly gifted two proper ones from the caretaker of our campground. Without waterproof boots or gloves the fingers and toes did find the slope sliding adventures a bit chilly, but we didn't let it ruin the fun. Of course there was also the obligatory snow ball fights and snowman building. Ellie & Renée also tried out Thredbo's new Alpine Coaster and both gave it the thumbs up. We were mindful of the impact (on the EV's battery) of the sub zero temperatures and the steep ascent to get up to the snow, but knowing that there were free chargers up at Thredbo meant that there were no issues, and the regenerative braking coming back down the mountain meant we had gained even more battery charge by the time we descended back down to Jindabyne.

Kiama blow holes (this is the small one on a calm day)

The world heritage listed Blue Mountains were spectacular with amazing scenery including the famous Three Sisters. Riding on the world's steepest railway, a flood lit night walk to Katoomba Falls, spotting wild Lyrebirds and watching flocks of Sulphur Crested Cockatoos spiral diving through the valleys were among the magical experiences. Spending time with the Badman family was also a special highlight. The blue hue of the mountains comes from the eucalyptus oil vapour (from the Blue Gums) creating a haze. The further in the distance the mountain, the bluer it appears due to viewing it through a larger quantity of vapor. The impressive botanical gardens included Wollemi Pines, one of the world's oldest and rarest tree species belonging to a 200 million-year-old plant family. It was known from fossil records but presumed extinct until it was discovered in 1994 by a bushwalker in the Blue Mountains. The location of the small population of trees in the wild is a closely guarded secret. The site is the first declared Asset of Intergenerational Significance in NSW, recognising the significance of the Wollemi Pines. 📽️ Ellie made a short video of her highlights

New Bathurst Lap Record: Fastest EV Towing a Camper 🏁⚡🏎️🏆🤣

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