Stretching over 1,800 km through some of the most remote desert in the world, the Canning Stock Route (CSR) is more than just a track — it’s a rite of passage for 4WD travellers in Australia.

Originally built to move cattle, today it’s tackled by well-prepped adventurers chasing the ultimate off-road challenge. It’s long. It’s rough. It’s remote. And it will absolutely punish your vehicle (and your patience) if you're not prepared.

So what makes it so special?

• No fuel or supplies for up to 1,000 km

• Over 900 sand dunes to cross

• Deep corrugations, bulldust, salt pans, rocks, and washouts

• Zero mechanical support — if you break down, you’re on your own

• True isolation — no phone signal, few fellow travellers, and long stretches where your only company is spinifex and camels

There’s something deeply rewarding about being completely self-reliant, moving through ancient landscapes with deep Indigenous history, and knowing you’ve completed one of the toughest 4WD tracks in the world — whether you’re in a decked-out Nissan Patrol…or a little Suzuki Jimny with two determined travellers on board.

Full disclosure: The picture is from our crossing of the Nullabor, not from the CSR.

Let’s put this into perspective.

The Canning Stock Route is about 1,850 kilometres long. That number doesn’t mean much until you try to picture it.

For my European friends — imagine driving from Amsterdam to Rome, or from Madrid all the way to Berlin. You’d cross countries, languages, food, and weather… and pass about five hundred service stations along the way.

Now strip all that away. No fuel stops. No villages. No croissants. Just sand, spinifex, and silence. That’s the CSR.

For those in the U.S., think Seattle to San Diego — the full length of the west coast — but instead of ocean views and roadside diners, you get red dunes and a tyre gauge that’s suddenly your best friend.

It crosses three deserts (yes, plural) the Gibson, the Little Sandy, and the Great Sandy Desert, crossing some of the most isolated terrain on Earth, roughly 1.5 million square kilometres of empty. In fact, in some stretches, you're closer to orbiting satellites than the nearest human being.

No phone reception. No roadside cafés. No "quick detours" to grab snacks. If you didn’t bring it, you’re not getting it. It's you, your gear, and the red dirt for a long time — the longest stretch between fuel (between Kunawarritji and Wiluna) is over 1,000 km of deep sand and corrugations — without resupply.

It’s not just long. It’s not just remote. It’s Australia remote. Which is a whole different level of “Are we seriously doing this?”

And that’s exactly why we love it.

Picture from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canning_Stock_Route

One of the most important questions about the Canning Stock Route (CSR) is: “Where can I actually get water?”
The answer changes over time, but as of now these wells are known to have water:

• Well 3 – Wakunpu

• Well 5

• Well 6 – Milyinyiri (Pierre Springs)

• Well 12

• Well 15 – Manjanka

• Well 18 – Wanykuju

• Well 23 – Georgia Bore

• Well 26 – Tiwa

• Well 33 – Kunawarritji

• Well 42 – Kulyayi

• Well 46 – Kuduarra

• Well 49 – Lampa

(source: https://www.canningstockroute.net.au/water)

As always: treat water sources with respect. Don’t assume they’ll always be flowing, don’t waste it, and carry enough reserves to get yourself out of trouble. Wells are part of the heritage of the track, and looking after them is looking after the route for the next people coming through.

Oh, and if you’re actually planning on doing the Canning (not just daydreaming on YouTube), you’ll need a permit. Grab one here