Cairns is a city with a population of above 150,000 in Queensland, Australia, eastward of the coastal area that is simply known as FNQ for short; the northernmost part of the state of Queensland. It is also the largest city in the FNQ area, the 5th in the state of Queensland while in Australia as a whole, it is the 14th largest.
Cairns is a popular destination for tourists who enjoy its tropical climate. This city attracts a lot of people for a number of reasons including the fact that it is a gateway to two of the greatest natural attractions on earth – the wet tropical forest and the Great Barrier Reef which is one of the 7 natural wonders in the world. In addition to this, a World Heritage-listed treasure can be found there.
Cairns is located on the Cape York Peninsula, a long and narrow coastal strip covering more than 1670 square kilometers. It abounds with beaches, mountains, lakes mudflats, bays, rivers, mangrove swamps, and rich coastal plains. Wherever you go in Cairns, you will always find experiences to savor and create memories to cherish.
Whether as a resident or as a tourist, enjoying the beauty of Cairns requires driving around and taking in what nature has to offer. For this, you need a tough, capable vehicle and a 4WD is the vehicle of choice. It is not uncommon to see folks driving around in one of these and also for businesses to have 4WD vehicles for hire.
What is a 4WD?
Powertrains and drivetrains are two terms used to describe how vehicles move. While the powertrain is all about what makes a vehicle move, and this includes the engine and drivetrain, drivetrain talks about what makes the wheels move minus the engine. Common drivetrains include front-wheel, rear-wheel, and four-wheel/all-wheel drivetrains.
4WD is an acronym for Four Wheel Drive which can also be referred to as 4×4 (four by four). This is a two-axled drivetrain vehicle that is capable of transferring engine power to its four wheels.
4WDs provide torque to all four wheels simultaneously and were designed to function in rugged terrains where standard 2-wheel-drives, usually called 2WD, will normally get stuck. It is mostly seen on trucks and SUVS and it can either be full time or “on-demand” (part-time).
Why You Need A 4WD
Driving to the Australian outback and through the Cape York Peninsula for most people is a trip of a lifetime which at the same time can be really treacherous if it is undertaken without being properly equipped. The Peninsula consists of a vast and diverse landscape and you have to be prepared for any scenario.
Due to the terrain of Cairns, driving around can be challenging. 4WDs can easily be used in terrains that are muddy, rocky, filled with snow, lakes, and other kinds of features that can constitute difficult driving conditions.
These kinds of vehicles can withstand any kind of road or challenge without getting stuck. They are designed and optimized for extreme off-road driving situations that a person might easily encounter in Cairns and surrounding areas around the Cape York Peninsula. These can include climbing steep hills with low traction surfaces, climbing over boulders and fording deep waters.
You can learn more about four wheel drives here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-wheel_drive
Features of a 4WD Hire
Hiring a 4×4 allows you to easily progress along the beaten tracks of the Cape York Peninsula and provides you with options for taking multiple detours. You can adapt your trip in a way that allows you enjoy the full experience of the Queensland tropics.
Asides its driving principle, these vehicles also offer you style and comfort as it can come with many features and amenities. This is especially useful for people who want to spend time or camp at the outback. It can come with features and amenities such as:
- GVM suspensions
- Roof racks
- Twin compressors
- Wing awning
- Pantry
- Camp table and chairs
- First aid kits
- Solar panels
- Navigation systems
- Hot water shower
- Gas bottle
- Winch
- LED spotlights
- Toilets
- Television and stereo system
- Basic kitchen
- Mattress.
There is also the option of attaching camper trailers and caravans to the 4×4 if you need more features or need it to be bigger and more spacious. Also, the vehicle can come with options such as:
- Recovery gears
- Bull or brush bars
- Side steps
- Off roads rims and mud-terrain tires etc.
- Diff locks and diff breathers for when you need to cross water.
All of these make your journey to the Australian outback comfortable and a delight. Looking to drive into the tropics to explore the Cape York Peninsula, you should book now so you can start the process to experiencing the time of your life.
What to Know When Hiring a 4WD
We know that four-wheel drives make it easy for you to go up and down difficult paths and terrains such as mountain roads and they offer great traction control when in slippery conditions. Added to this:
- Their fuel consumption is slightly higher.
- They have high capacity and long-range fuel tanks to cater for driving around in the outback.
- Standard 4WDs are designed for general road use and not for off-road driving and may neither have all the features mentioned above nor be suitable for driving to the outback.
The complexity and weight of the 4WD can result in a complicated breakdown situation. If you find yourself in this kind of scenario, you will need to reach the rental company you hired the vehicle from. While some may offer free roadside breakdown assistance with the rental package, with some others, you may have to pay.
Conclusion
Roaming the Australian outback of the Cape York Peninsula with all its beauty and attractions can be rewarding and sensational. It can however be very challenging if you do not have the right tools. Your first course of action should be getting a 4WD to utilize along the path. Thankfully, we have shown here that you will find many outlets from which you can hire a suitable vehicle for your period there.
Hiring allows you to roam and enjoy your time out as everything is already taken care of for you including the necessary information you need for the vehicles and your destination. All you have to do is start up and go have fun.
Take advantage of this offer right away.