Off-road racing has always been popular in Australia, with people often following trails in national parks to reach camping sites or simply enjoying the ride.
But you don’t have to stay on the mainland if you have a good car. We’ve been lucky enough to have the opportunity to drive four-wheel-drives and SUVs on some of Australia’s vast beaches, a privilege that comes with major responsibilities.
You can’t do this everywhere, but there are some beautiful locations around the country that allow this.
Queensland is possibly the best place to go for a beach drive, with places like K’gari, Rainbow Beach and of course the North Shore of Noosa.
Last week we were invited to Noosa to test Bridgestone’s new Dueler A/T 002 all-terrain tyre, with part of the drive including a 100km round trip from Noosa’s North Shore to Double Island Cape – all on the beach.
If you’re like me and have never driven on the beach (but want to try), here’s everything I learned before and during my day of driving.
We had the luxury of driving a fleet of new cars of all types. Isuzu D-Max And MU-X models are all capable of performing the task better.
We were fortunate to have Australian Offroad Academy Lead guide and director Dave Darmody was on hand to guide our 10-car convoy, so much of this article stems from his beach driving advice.
Preparation is key
While it’s important to have a capable, well-prepared vehicle with four-wheel drive and suitable tyres, Mr Darmody said the first step is to check the tides.
Tide predictions are published online up to three years in advance, meaning you have plenty of time to choose the right time of year and day for your beach adventure.
As Mr Darmody says, “you can have the best prepared car, you can check the tyre pressures, but if the tide is high it’s going to be bad.”
“The first step is to choose the best week if you are planning a beach holiday to ensure the tides are in and out… the success of a beach holiday depends on the right timing,” he said.
Once you’ve sorted out your time, it’s time to worry about preparing your car. One of the main things to remember is that it’s always best to keep your car as light as possible, as adding unnecessary weight can make it more likely that you’ll get into trouble – like getting stuck in the sand.
It is also important to ensure correct tire pressure, as tires are the only part connecting your vehicle to the sand.
The general rule of thumb is to reduce tire pressure by about 30 percent below the pressure listed on the vehicle’s placard, Darmody said.
This means that if your car requires you to inflate your tires to 35psi, for example, you should reduce it to around 25psi. Also remember that you will need to inflate your tires again after driving on sand.
Lower tire pressure means you will have a larger contact patch with the sand, meaning the weight of the vehicle is distributed over a larger area and you are less likely to get stuck. It is important to note that the contact patch does not become wider, but instead becomes longer in the direction of rotation of the tire.
Many beaches will have an area where you can deflate your tires before you hit the beach. Note that you can deflate your tires with something as simple as a small branch, but for accurate results you will need to use a pressure gauge.
You can buy a cheap tire pressure gauge from most auto parts stores, or if you know someone who has an air compressor, you can borrow the nozzle separately to control how much air you release. Better yet, you can install a portable air compressor for later use.
“It’s important to know the beach terrain and tire pressure, and to understand what you’re really aiming for when measuring tire pressure, rather than just aiming for a number some guy gave you on Facebook,” says Darmody.
“You can’t underestimate the value of local knowledge. If you join a local group [who know and talk about the current conditions]It’s best to ask some reasonable questions, and those people will be more than happy to help you.”
Otherwise, you should always carry the right rescue equipment on board, such as a tow rope, some sort of winch, an emergency radio, a survival board, an air pump and any other necessary tools. Darmody recommends brands like Maxtrax, which sells survival boards, tire pressure gauges and a range of four-wheel drive equipment.
How to approach driving on sand
The beach is one of the most variable environments you can drive in. Between the wind, the water, and the driving surface, there are a lot of things to keep in mind when you’re driving.
Your first step is to select high-range four-wheel drive and completely disable traction control. Most cars do this differently, but in the case of the D-Max, you just turn a large dial and hold the traction control button for about five seconds.
Perhaps the most challenging aspect is the start of the journey, as the driving beaches are often only accessible by narrow paths through dense bush.
In the case of Noosa North Shore, beach access at most points is via such cut-outs, which are narrow and filled with soft, dry sand. Conveniently, these areas tend to have more beachgoers, which means there will be more eyes (and potentially cameras) watching you if something goes wrong.
The key to getting onto the beach is to keep your momentum and avoid turning too hard. If you keep a steady foot on the gas and maintain your speed, you should have no problem driving straight across and out onto the beach.
Unlike regular off-roading, there isn’t much benefit to choosing a route early. Since the sand is extremely soft and pliable, the vehicle will likely find the path of least resistance and steer itself through it.
Once you’re on the beach, the same general rules apply. While driving is often easier due to the moist, packed sand, you should still be alert to hazards and take note of where to avoid parking.
Beaches are often eroded by water in places, which means you need to be on the lookout for short but sudden ledges and dips. Depending on their size, they can either give you a little surprise and a short amount of flying time, or potentially damage your car if you hit them too quickly.
It’s usually better to stick closer to the water, as the sand is generally harder and any bumps will be flattened by the waves as they break on the sand. Just be careful not to get too close to the water, as a small wave rolling across the sand can hide an unexpected hole.
You’ll often come across pieces of lost sea life and driftwood, so be careful of anything sticking out of the sand.
If you like, you can drive closer to the dunes, but it is best to avoid driving too far inland. The beach is still wildlife habitat, so driving further than the first blade of grass puts plants and animals at risk.
Driving near sand dunes often results in softer sand, so just like when you first hit the beach, you should keep your momentum and let the car guide you. It is important to have confidence in the car and know that it will continue to move forward as long as your foot is on the accelerator.
Just avoid sudden braking or acceleration, as sudden changes in wheel speed can get you into trouble.
Also, be aware that steering effort doesn’t respond well when driving on soft sand, so try to keep the steering wheel straight and avoid locking the steering wheel too much when driving fast.
You can change your outfit while on the beach and you should do so if you feel uncomfortable, says Mr Darmody.
“If you’re having trouble on the beach, if you feel like you’re bogged down or like you’re fighting the car all the way, it doesn’t hurt to stop and let a little air out of your tires,” he says.
“Conditions may have changed since the last report, it could have just been a windy day and the sand dried out really quickly, so you could see getting more air in made a difference. What went from being a bit difficult then became an easy ride.”
When it is time to leave the beach, take the same sand. It is important to keep your speed and make sure the turns are as wide and smooth as possible.
“There’s nothing wrong with just driving past a beach so you can have a look,” said Darmody. “You can see a better line, and you can spot that, calmly turn around, and line up and give yourself a better chance of success.”
Being stuck is not the end of the world
It is possible to get your car stuck in soft sand, but know that there are ways to help yourself out if necessary.
Your first move should be to stop and back up. “The deeper you dig the hole, the more trouble you’re in,” says Darmody, so sometimes taking the time to stop, select low range and try to back out may be all it takes to get started.
If that doesn’t work right away, your next step is to put the car in park and turn it off. Diesel engines in particular can cause the car to sink deeper into the sand if it’s idling, plus it’s burning fuel.
You can then go around each tire and let more air out, because if you’re not completely stuck, you’ll just need to find more traction to back up in your tire tracks.
“If you get stuck, let’s say you shot it and you buried the car a little, your best friend is [recovery boards]. With reasonable use [recovery boards]“You can get out by yourself,” said Mr. Darmody.
“It’s always better to heal yourself than to wait for someone else to show up, because then you’re at the mercy of how crazy that person might be.
“You’re getting yourself into something random and it can be bad, so self-healing is always a better option if you can.”
The beach is not a place to drive.
Although you are allowed to use the beach as a highway, you need to remember that it is still a habitat for plants and animals.
Also, they are still public places and there will be people walking around. Many areas are designated for camping, fishing or families just out enjoying the sunshine, so you need to be mindful of people around you to make sure you don’t put people at risk.
Two ways to stay safe are to stay on wide, flat beaches that are safe to drive on, and to pay attention to speed limit signs. The speed limit on many beaches is 80km/h, although there are 50km/h and 40km/h zones where people camp, fish and relax.
Traffic laws still apply and you can be fined if you are caught doing anything that could endanger you, beachgoers or other drivers.
“I think some people are so focused on the speed limit that they don’t pay attention to what’s going on around them,” said Mr Darmody.
“Finally, driving on the beach is probably the most changing terrain you can drive on because there are no medians and the edge of the beach is constantly changing.
“Sometimes you need to pay a little more attention to the act of driving and understand that some days 80km/h might not be possible, and some days 40km/h might actually be the maximum safe speed in any given place. Just show a little respect for the act of driving in such a changing place.”
Once you’re done on the beach, you still need to make sure you’ve prepared your car for the road. The first step is to select high-range 2WD, re-engage the traction control system, and re-inflate your tires to their proper pressure. This last step can be done with your car’s air compressor or a regular air pump.
Additionally, not far from the beach there are also undercarriage washing stations, which help keep the roads clean and reduce the risk of corrosion of metal parts under the vehicle in the long run.
With all that said, it’s important to enjoy yourself. Australians are lucky enough to be able to drive on the beach with its clear blue skies and vast open seas, so it’s important to be careful and respectful if you choose to do so.
If you take care to keep yourself and others safe while following the relevant rules, you can ensure that everyone can continue to enjoy their cars on the beach in the future.
