Travelling the South Australian Outback – Lessons from life without a composting toilet

I’ve just come back from an incredible trip through the South Australian outback with a group from my local 4x4 club. Wide open skies, red dirt tracks, and some of the best free camps you could imagine. But there was one thing that shaped our entire journey more than the weather, the roads or even the beer supply…… toilets.

Most of the crew either had chemical toilets or no toilet at all. That meant every decision about where to stop or stay wasn’t about the scenery, the peace and quiet, or the adventure, it was about where the nearest dump point or toilet was.

And let me tell you, that changes the whole experience. We’d drive past stunning, empty campsites that would’ve been perfect for a night under the stars, only to end up in a crowded caravan park with hundreds of others, all for the sake of having a toilet nearby.

For me, it was a bit of a lightbulb moment. I’ve always known the freedom a composting toilet gives you, but this trip really highlighted just how restrictive it can be without one. Instead of planning around the best camps, we were planning around toilets. And while it was good to experience that firsthand, it was honestly a little disappointing to miss out on those incredible free camps just because we had to be near facilities.

It’s one of those things you don’t really think about until you’re in it, how much freedom you lose when your travel is dictated by where you can empty or find a toilet. For me, it just reinforced how valuable it is to travel with a Cuddy™.