Sand kingdom (Tourism New South Wales)

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Yet another sand dune—taller, steeper, and seemingly softer than anything we had crossed before—raised its rippled crest in front of us. The heavily loaded SUV, weighed down with three weeks' worth of gear and supplies, seemed to groan in resignation of what was in store for it. I slammed the gear lever back to third low and planted the foot; the engine roared in anger and we hurtled our way over the washboard worn track at the red wall of sand.

Travel the Canning Stock Route and you'll have to cross countless such dunes between the tiny townships of Wiluna in the south and Halls Creek in the north. It's a 1,000-mile journey—and there's only one place to refuel on the entire route, a fuel dump close to the halfway mark.

This is a trip you will certainly remember for the challenge of the journey—on this longest and most remote of Australia's desert tracks, you'll need to bring 50 gallons of fuel, 20 gallons of water, camping gear, food, and supplies, not to mention spare parts for the vehicle. But you'll also remember the delightfully varying desert landscapes, the palpable sense of history, and the peacefulness and tranquility of a remote, untouched country.