2023 VW Amarok fights nasty weather en route to the Big Red Bash

Epic fantasy novelist Terry Goodkind once said “If the road is easy, you’re likely going the wrong way” and after a week in the desert with the new Volkswagen Amarok I’m convinced the author was not only referring to our trip, but we were somehow the subject of one of his extraordinary books.

Before the fleet of 2023 Volkswagen Amaroks had even turned a wheel, this outback adventure had already changed course several times. An unseasonable weather pattern had dumped months worth of rain in parts of Australia that, from one year to the next, mightn’t see any at all, and over the weeks leading up to departure, it had been a game of chess with the elements.

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The original plan had been to set out from Coober Pedy, head north to Dalhousie Springs before crossing the Simpson Desert from west to east via the Erabena Track and then on to Birdsville. Unfortunately, the weather had other ideas and, with extensive flooding across three states, plans A through E were abandoned in quick succession.

As we departed Broken Hill in early July, Plan F was still very much a work in progress and relied on conditions to change for the better as we went. What could possibly go wrong? Further changes to the plan therefore were expected but what was absolutely non negotiable was our destination – 3000km away, the 10th Big Red Bash was waiting to provide the perfect reward of rock music and cold beer to a convoy of weary travellers.

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It would be the very first morning that the first of many route adjustments were necessary. The evening had been spent 200km outside Broken Hill in the small town of Yunta. How small? Just three children attend the school which will soon close because the teacher’s commute is 80km and, when the publican of the Yunta Hotel saw a fleet of 12 Amaroks arrive in town, an extra cook was drafted in from a nearby sheep station.

After a schnitzel as good as any you’ll find in Vienna, the inevitable tsunami of good cold country beer was probably the main cause of a few dampened spirits the following morning, not just the news we needed to backtrack to Broken Hill.

Our planned route through Arkaroola was flooded and the Flinders Ranges would have to wait. Instead we would head north out of Broken Hill along the Silver City Highway stopping in at the Packsaddle roadhouse on the way. With sealed roads all the way, there were no significant challenges to throw at the fleet of Amaroks although one important test was possible.

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The fleet consisted of a mix of Aventura, Panamericana and Style variants all powered by the TDI600 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6. However, each had been customised with a selection of Volkswagen’s broad range of original-equipment accessories.

In the case of our Aventura, it had a set of 18-inch Amadora wheels and BFGoodrich AT rubber in place of the standard 21-inch fitment, a two-person rooftop tent, a canopy with electric-popping rear and side glass, and a tailored drawer system. The extra kit added about another $14,000 to the $79,990 base price but more importantly extra weight.

On top of our supplies, extra fuel, water and some additional camping gear, our impressive rig was nearing its GVM of 3190kg. However, the Amarok’s graceful manners that we’ve already experienced unloaded are almost completely uncompromised when loaded up.

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Minimal rear-axle sag preserves the pleasant on-road ride and while there’s still a little shudder through the ladder-frame chassis, the ride quality is excellent. The extra mass over the rear axle is immediately apparent in the Amarok’s handling but sharp steering makes it easy to adjust for the rearward-shifted weight distribution.

Finally, the turbocharged V6’s torque shines when working hard with the full 600Nm delivering good performance and a stoic nature for the Amarok despite its hefty cargo. As expected, fuel consumption is impacted but with the extra weight and additional drag from the rooftop tent, a figure of 13L/100km was respectable.

With the weather persisting with its damp and cold theme, the decision was made to end the day slightly earlier than planned in Tibooburra and make use of the Family Hotel’s accommodation. Compared with another evening under the stars (we were actually yet to see any), the warm pub, grub and showers were a relative luxury. The condition for our palatial digs was a very early start the next day to make up time and the longest day of the trip.

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It was still dark when the asphalt came to an end at the Queensland border and the reality dawned on what had happened to the ordinarily dry and dusty trails. Endless slicks of mud made the convoy of Amaroks slither through the twilight like a docile serpent and after one example performed a complete 360 before being expertly reined in without stopping, it was decided that 4-high and ‘slippery’ selected in the drive mode was the safest course of action.

Given the abysmal conditions and ice-like surface, it was surprising not one vehicle needed recovering, but there were more than a few moments when the fringes of absolute traction loomed and more than one bogged ’Rok was narrowly avoided.

Lunch was courtesy of the Eromanga Royal Hotel, allowing time to consider the town’s many claims to fame including the site of Australia’s largest dinosaur fossil discovery – a 30-metre long Titanosaur – while the NT town of Papunya might have something to say about Eromanga’s claim to be the furthest from the sea in Australia.

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There’s no time to argue the point and we’re bidding ‘Opalopolis’ farewell and heading another 200km north to Windorah and hoping the weather holds off long enough to pitch camp. On arrival it becomes clear from the number of campers calling the tiny town home for the night that bad news would be confirmed. This is the end of the line for now with all routes west closed.

The only surefire way to Birdsville is to continue north, loop through Mt Isa and head back south along route 83 – a 1650km detour taking two days we simply didn’t have. It’s decided over a couple of XXXXs (when in Rome…) and a world-class barbecue to sleep on it and hope for better news in the morning. It doesn’t come. Overnight the rain had continued and the 7am deadline to decide access revisions passed, with no word from the ranger.

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There’s nothing for it but to head to the only open cafe in town. Make the mistake of asking for a double shot oat latte here and the staff will politely inform you the options are “instant, instant, or if you’re lucky, instant”. But just as we’re stooping to the level of a Moccona flat white, a rumour circulates that the track is about to open. The ranger arrives to a hero’s welcome and switches the red ‘closed’ boards to yellow ‘4x4 only’. At 8am it’s all on again.

But just because we can proceed without copping a hefty fine, an open track certainly isn’t a guarantee of plain sailing. For the first 100km the going is easy with perfectly maintained tarmac under tyre, but at the junction to Bedourie we meet a trio travelling in two equally unsuitable vehicles – a three-axle coach and a front-wheel drive Renault Traffic.

It’s a miracle they’ve made it this far but they report the way ahead as a little too adventurous and they’ll see us at the Bash when the track dries out. They wouldn’t have long to wait with the powerful Queensland sun finally burning through the cloud leaving nothing but blue skies, balmy temperatures and lifted spirits all round.

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The challenges are not over yet, though. It’s surprising how quickly a thick layer of almost impassable clay reconstitutes into a hard-packed road that’s smoother than some Melbourne freeways, but the sections of perfect trail are still punctuated with torturous mud baths and water crossings that add layers to the shade of Outback Brown that every Amarok is now uniformly painted in.

An obligatory visit to Betoota sees the last of the deep mud and the chassis-battering rough surfaces – maybe we took a wrong turn but we didn’t find the French Quarter or Betoota Heights.

The final kilometres click by enjoyably and I swear there’s a new lightness in the Amarok’s gait. Birdsville is bypassed albeit for a quick refuel with Big Red almost in sight on the horizon. Over the previous four days, communication with the advance party at the Big Red Bash has been light but the crowd has learned about the convoy of ’dubs trying to conquer the elements and the moments after arrival can only be described as surreal.

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With the Amaroks bearing the war paint that only an angry outback can apply, people want answers: “Which way did you come?” they ask. “How did you get through?” “You made it!” For a moment we feel proud but I’m not about to ruin the moment and admit just how easy it was.

Remarkably, despite the challenges and adversity along the way, we rolled into camp at 3.30 – the exact time and day scheduled in the original plan that had rapidly gone south as the heavens opened a week ago.

If that’s not a testament to good planning, the right support and the right vehicle then I’m yet to see a better example. We’ll BRB.

Welcome to Bashville

For three nights each year, a patch of Simpson Desert at the foot of the 40m sand dune Big Red becomes the most remote music festival in the world.

Now in its 10th year, the Big Red Bash hosts some similarly big-name acts along with a crowd of 10,000. This year it once again hosted an attempt to break the world record for the most people simultaneously dancing the Nutbush and, with 5838 participants, succeeded.

Perhaps more impressively, once the festivities are over, the site is returned to unspoilt wilderness with not one piece of infrastructure or waste left behind as evidence.

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Customs and traditions

In response to Australia’s army of ute customisation enthusiasts, Volkswagen developed a wide range of accessories for the 2023 Amarok.

With more than 30 OEM options to choose from (circa 70 if you include variants), owners can create the perfect camping machine with Amarok-branded two-person rooftop tent by ARB, drawer system, auxiliary battery kit and solar panel blanket for example.

Alternatively, hardcore off-roaders can enhance the all-terrain ability with 40mm lift kit, snorkel, nudge bar and auxiliary switch bank for added electrical accessories to name just a few. Some accessories were even developed by the Australian design team including the electric roller tray cover.