Dan "Dusty" Whitlock
4WD & Tracks Editor
Based in Cairns, QLD
Dusty spent 20 years with his head under bonnets before he started writing about the tracks he'd been fixing rigs to get across. He's blunt about what will and won't survive a river crossing, and he's recovered enough bogged vans to have opinions.
8 published articles · most recent August 2, 2026
Dusty spent 20 years with his head under bonnets before he started writing about the tracks he'd been fixing rigs to get across. He's blunt about what will and won't survive a river crossing, and he's recovered enough bogged vans to have opinions.
Articles by Dan "Dusty" Whitlock
- The pre-trip caravan brake check most tourers skipElectric brakes fail quietly until they don't. Here's the pre-trip brake check I do on every van before a big trip, and what actually goes wrong.
- Weight distribution hitches: when you need one and when you don'tWeight distribution hitches get bolted on out of habit more than need. Here's how they actually work, when they earn their keep, and when they're solving a problem you don't have.
- Why your 12V fridge keeps tripping out (and it's probably not the fridge)A compressor fridge that cycles off on corrugations or after a hot day usually isn't faulty. Here's how to actually diagnose 12V fridge dropouts.
- The Cape York run without the Tele Track: a softer way northYou don't need to smash your rig through the Old Telegraph Track to say you've done Cape York. Here's the bypass route that still gets you to the tip.
- The Kimberley's back roads: beyond the Gibb River RoadThe Gibb gets all the attention, but the Kimberley's lesser-known tracks are where the real country opens up. Here's what's worth your time — and your tyres.
- How to Choose an Off-Road Caravan (Without Getting Burned)An ex-mechanic on picking a real off-road caravan: chassis, suspension, clearance, water, couplings and the payload that gets people fined.
- Must-See Off-Road Destinations for Serious TourersMust-see off-road destinations for serious tourers, from the Tip of Cape York to Mitchell Falls and the Canning, with what breaks on each.
- Five Challenging Off-Road Drives Every Tourer Should TackleFive challenging off-road drives that test any tourer, from the Simpson Desert to the Gibb River Road, plus how to prep your rig to survive them.
