29 Feb, 2024

Lessons from a solo traveller with a caravan in tow

by Melissa Scott

Ever wondered how a 52-year-old self-confessed ‘city chick’ could tow a small caravan to every corner of Queensland, tackle 4WD tracks in the night rain and mud, drive 11,000km in two months and still not know how to change a spare tyre? It turns out a lot is possible if you just say “yes” and work it out later. If you’ve ever held yourself from heading out on a new adventure because you’re on your own, then read on!

For most of my adult life, I’ve loved camping. We took our blended family of five kids and two dogs away every school holiday in our camper trailer and swags and loved every minute of it. Camping was family connection time and, because I was lucky enough to be married to a man who worked in the camping industry, we even got to do it together without kids and call it work.

But, in April 2017, my husband Steve Robson unexpectedly passed away from a massive heart attack. He was a popular figure in the camping industry and was setting up at the Rosehill Camping Show in Sydney when it happened. He was 48 and I was 45. My whole life was turned upside down in that moment, and for a while it felt like my camping days were gone for good as I couldn’t imagine doing it without him.

Fast forward to summer of 2023, I was back on my feet, our kids were all grown up and I was longing to visit the outback again. It had been seven years since we’d last been to the Big Red Bash in Birdsville, and even though every year I vowed I would go, I never did, because I felt that it was just too intimidating being on my own.

So, imagine my delight when my younger sister casually mentioned that she and her family were going to the Big Red Bash in July, and that I should meet up with them.

I bought my ticket, organised a caravan, loosely planned out my trip itinerary, organised internet coverage so I could run my business on the road, dusted off my self-confidence and my cowboy boots and set off from Sydney with no clue what to expect.

Ever heard of the expression “just say yes and then work out how later”? Well, that was definitely how I was feeling.

I had seen many media reports and Facebook groups issue warnings to travellers that the outback was not as safe as it used to be, and as a solo woman I was feeling vulnerable.

I was also unsure how I’d go driving thousands of kilometres on the lonely outback roads by myself. I questioned how I would go reversing my caravan into camp spots. I wondered if my business would suffer if I couldn’t get internet reception, and as a self-confessed extrovert, I was concerned that I might be so miserable and lonely once I left my convoy after the Big Red Bash, that I’d just want to come home.

So much self-doubt and negative thoughts were racing around my brain, but sometimes we just have to face the fear and do it anyway. And I’m so glad I did.

Melissa visited every corner of Queensland during her solo adventure

Hands-on experience

What I learned about myself and life from that two-month solo trip was phenomenal. And the first thing was that most people are terrified to be alone — men and women alike — particularly when it comes to travelling. So that is the first limiting belief I would like to blow out of the water.

You can do anything you set your mind to, because the only person who is holding you back from experiencing a solo adventure is yourself. Fear plays a major role in all our life decisions, and if you can master your fears or find solutions to them, then you can pretty much tackle anything life throws at you.

And after all, if I can do it, anyone can do it. I am a self-confessed city chick and yet I managed to safely tow a van all around Queensland and have an absolute ball.

Early on in the trip I was travelling with a convoy, and we got stuck in Innamincka, SA, and had to get out that night or risk behind flooded in with road closures and miss the start of the Big Red Bash. I found myself driving up 4WD tracks in the dark, through unrelenting rain and treacherous mud, towing my caravan with my car still in 2WD mode with city tyres, doing things that I had no idea I was capable, because I had to, and I didn’t give in to the fear and put a halt to the trip or let someone else take over.

At the top of Big Red at the Big Red Bash in Birdsville

When you challenge your thinking and flip your mindset from “I can’t” to “I will give it a red-hot go”, you will be shocked at what you can achieve and the lessons you learn along the way. And with those lessons comes practical experience so that you can do it even better the next time around.

Every day on that trip I was challenging myself to get out of my comfort zone. Most Queensland outback roads are single lane dirt and gravel roads, with unforgiving sharp stones that spray all over your windscreen and vehicle when you pass a road train or another vehicle. It can be dangerous and quite daunting.

I had to learn very quickly how to slow down and pull over safely, how to overtake enormous road trains, all while radioing other drivers over the two-way radio for safety, plan out my trips so that I could do it at my own pace and not drive at night or run out of fuel, dodge the wildlife, and somehow still manage to take in the beautiful scenery and vastness between tiny outback towns and lonely stations.

And the only way you can do this, particularly when you’re only just starting to get practical experience under your towing belt, is to flip your mindset and just tackle it.

The second thing I learned on my trip was the importance of trusting your gut. There were several times when I was travelling on my own after Birdsville, when I headed up the lonely roads to Karumba in the Gulf Country, and then across the Savannah Way to Cape York, where I found myself in locations or situations that I didn’t feel comfortable in as a solo traveller, so I quickly moved on. Trust those feelings. The same goes for towing circumstances when you don’t feel safe or solid behind the wheel. While gaining hands-on experience is key gaining confidence as a solo traveller, you’ve got to do it safely. Sometimes this might mean a change in plans but remember — it’s better to arrive late in one piece, than not at all.

Melissa and camping buddies John, Gayle, Mandy and Rolly at the sign for the Old Telegraph Track

Likewise, if a place gave me a great vibe and had inviting energy, I stayed longer. When I started out on my solo trip, I thought I would be doing Cape York by myself. But early on in the journey I met up with two friends, Rolly and Mandy, and they invited me to drive in convoy with them to Cape York. Initially I hesitated, because it meant changing my plans. But the next day when I got a screw in my tyre and Rolly helped fix it, I realised I was crazy to not go with them. I quickly adjusted my plans to match up with theirs, and that leg of the journey (as well as their company) turned out to be my favourite part of the whole trip.

So, lesson number three is don’t be afraid to change your plans if it makes sense and add another element of safety to your journey. Being spontaneous and flexible is a great thing when you are travelling because it opens you up to experiences you never dreamed of.

Reaching the Tip

Solo travel tips

One of the things I did to ensure I felt as safe and secure as possible while I was travelling alone was staying in caravan parks versus free camping. I love camping in national parks and in remote places, but when you’re on your own, it’s not always ideal. So, I pre-booked into caravan parks and exercised basic safety measures such as keeping everything locked up and carrying specific items such as my laptop (my ‘business in a backpack’) with me to keep it safe.

Another tip is that it’s smart to get into camp well before dark. There are three reasons for this. Firstly, if the campground is dodgy, you have time to make other plans. Secondly, it means you’re well and truly off the roads at sunset when animals are moving, so the likelihood of hitting one is minimised. At last, but by no means least, turning up before everyone has bunked down for the night means there’s a much higher chance of a friendly neighbour who will spot you as you reverse your caravan into your spot — trying to do this at night and on your own is not a pleasant way to end a long drive.

Let me be honest here. I picked up my van the day before I left for the trip, and never learned how to reverse with confidence. Nothing to brag about, but the fourth wonderful thing I learned on this trip is that people will always go out of their way to help you in the camping world, all you have to do is ask.

The final thing to talk about regarding security, is something that really surprised me, but I had to quickly learn to accept it. It is a novelty to a lot of people that you are a solo female travelling alone, and quite often they will question you about it, draw it loudly to everybody’s attention, and some may even want to start telling you stories about Wolf Creek (please don’t let them do that).

I cannot tell you how many times I was questioned when I checked into a caravan park, a tourist destination, filling up my car with fuel, buying myself dinner, or just sitting by myself near the van. I was continually questioned about being alone.

Even sitting in the middle of the Savannah Highway with 1000 head of Brahman cattle around me in between Karumba and the Atherton Tablelands, I had a bewildered stockman ride over to me on his horse, peer down into my vehicle and ask, “Where are you headed love?”

When I told him, he asked incredulously “By yourself?”

“Yes. By myself.” It was a question I was asked several times a day, so you need to not be bothered by it.

Roadblock on the Savannah Highway

If it made me uncomfortable sometimes, I would say that I was meeting my convoy just up the road, even if I wasn’t. I also kept my plans and future locations very vague, and I adopted this approach with my social media posts. If I was posting in real time, I woudn’t tag where I was staying or show any obvious landmarks that would give it away.

I also had one person who I regularly touched base with every day either by phone or text, to let them know where I was staying, where I was headed, and what road I was on. In your initial planning, consider how you’re going to keep in contact with family or friends back home, as phone reception in the outback can be shockingly poor.

I made the massive error of keeping my phone plan with Optus, and rarely did I have reception, even when I got into towns. But let’s face it, it doesn’t matter what mobile phone service you have when you’re in the middle of nowhere — nothing works reliably. I had the safety net of my Starlink internet service with me, and it did give me peace of mind when I was in remote areas. Depending on where you’re going, a satellite phone might be recommended so you can always send messages home or get help if needed.

Sunset from the Sunset Tavern in Karumba

Final thoughts

I found that by sticking to the basic security rules of not travelling late in the afternoon, filling up with fuel at every petrol station so I was never at risk of running out of fuel (it nearly happened to me on my first day out of Brisbane, which was a quick but well-learned lesson). Checking my wheel nuts every morning after I drove on dirt (you won’t believe how much they loosened up) and checking in with somebody from home every afternoon/evening, gave me so much peace of mind on my solo trip. And when you have peace of mind, you naturally feel more confident and capable tackling any bumps in the road that come your way.

This trip reignited my belief that life is such a wonderful adventure, and just because we might be in a solo phase, it doesn’t mean we should miss out on experiencing more of this beautiful country. Set your goals, start planning how you’re going to make it happen, what practical knowledge you want under your belt to help expel solo travel fears, set clear intentions of the outcomes you want, and throw in a bit of trust in the friendly Aussies you’ll meet along the way that will be happy to help when you need it. When you take the right action steps forward, you’ll be amazed how far you can go.

And yes, it was exhilarating and intimidating at times as a solo female traveller, but don’t let that stop you. I wore it like a badge of honour and cannot wait for the next adventure to begin. This time however, I will stop tempting fate and learn how to change a spare tyre and reverse that caravan like a pro. And if you see me out on the roads, please stop and say hello! I love a good chat.

Sunset from the marina in Port Douglas