08/10/2026
Unpopular opinion: We don't watch travel channels on YouTube.
Yep, that's right. We don't follow travel influencers for inspiration, ideas or entertainment.
So how do we find all these amazing places we visit?
We discover them as we go. Truly. We rarely have an itinerary.
Our approach is simple. Choose a region, then explore it.
We often start the day with a general direction in mind, but leave plenty of time to investigate whatever catches our interest. The weather, terrain and conditions on the day all influence where we go and what we do.
After nearly 30 years travelling Australia, we've developed a pretty good instinct for where the crowds will be, and more importantly, where they won't.
We compare Place markers in ExplorOz Traveller with WikiCamps and other travel apps to identify the popular spots, then look for alternatives. Sometimes the most intriguing marker is the one with no photos, reviews or description. Why is it there? Let's investigate!
But the real skill is learning to read the map and landscape for clues.
Whilst we definitely prefer a 4WD track over the main road, we've learnt to distinguish between random station tracks, a fisho's track, a 4WD vehicle test track and a promising track that might lead somewhere wonderful.
And we certainly haven't always got it right! We've had to reverse out, turn around and occasionally dig ourselves out of trouble.
That's how experience is gained. Every decision teaches you something, including when to turn back. Over time, you develop the judgement and confidence to explore more independently, which is especially important when, like us, you usually travel solo.
We love mountains, lookouts, wildlife and big open views. Sometimes a side track leads to a riverbank worth exploring for an hour. Other times we discover a beautiful bush camp where we can watch the sunset and wake up to the sunrise.
It's not always about reaching a destination. It's about noticing what's around you and allowing time to enjoy it.
And that's what we think is being lost in the age of travel influencers and must-see bucket lists.
The joy of discovering something for yourself.
We're not suggesting everyone should tackle difficult 4WD tracks or head into remote country unprepared. Start with what suits your experience and setup. Be curious, take your time, assess the conditions and be willing to change your plans.
You don't have to know exactly what's at the end of every road before deciding to explore it.
After all these years, we still marvel at how we can simply amble through a region and find something wonderful almost every day.
So if you want to call us travel influencers, there's really only one thing we'd like to influence you to do:
Learn to use a map to understand the country around you, not just navigate to a destination somebody else recommended.
That's the thinking behind ExplorOz Traveller. Maps, terrain information, tracks and Places to help you make your own decisions and discover Australia your own way.
Because quite often, the best place on the whole trip is the one you never planned to visit.
What about you? Do you enjoy leaving room for the unexpected, or do you feel more comfortable planning every stop before you leave?
