Trailer or No Trailer

Red, as you say a trailer will give you more space. Also takes some pressure of the car as it is easier to tow excess weight than carry it. I suspect fuel economy will be about the same. A pod will create a fair bit of wind resistance.

For security, there are ways to improve the situation. If it's a lockable trailer that is pretty strong with a good lock, that will slow them down. In terms of protection for the whole trailer, here are some possible solutions that I use:

Get a hitch lock that suits your set up, so it can't just be hooked up and towed away.
Get a hardened steel chain and a hardened padlock (mine are both Lockwood). Feed the chain through a wheel and around the axle of the trailer. Make sure you put the lock behind the wheel to make it more difficult to get at. This will prevent the trailer from being towed away if they defeat the hitch lock, or just hook up the safety chains.
If you have a Hayman Reese type tow bar, get a lockable hitch pin. This will stop someone from simply pulling the pin and taking the trailer along with the removable part of the tow bar.
In the end, there is only so much you can do. Just do what is sensible and have a great trip without worrying about it.

Not sure about problems at camp sites, but we did the Kimberley area of WA last year with a Hilux and camper trailer (see my rig pic). Had no trouble with space at camp areas.
Hope this helps and have a great trip.

Pod for the roof if its for storing things in....or even better a roof rack (basket) that can have something like a racksack - even more room!Plus its flexible - made of canvas...

Never liked towing myself.....2 more tyres to worry about,rego and trying to park the thing!!

Good luck.....hope this helps a little....

Laura

Cheers.
Thanks for your time.
That is a great help.
Really looking forward to it.

_________________Take a trailer, for all of the reasons posted above.

Take a trailer. I have towed them for years and have never had a problem with room. It also gives you alot more space and is easier to pack than a pod. Pods do knock around fuel economy more than a trailer will. Get a camper if possible very easy to put up nowadays.

Accessing your gear from a trailer is a lot easier than anything on the roof.

I've got a great rack sac that is excellent for what it is, but I'd imagine it would be difficult to get stuff in and out on a sedan roof rack, as many 4WD's side steps etc that make it easier to stand on to get stuff off the roof.

I'd agree with the others that have suggested a small camper trailer - this is going to be your home for 12 months; tenting and travelling is fun, for a while....

Tim

For a trip of the time frame your talking about a camper trailer is the way to go so much more versatile with very little extra weigtht as little as 500kg unladen also gives better living conditions specially when its raining have just finished a 6 mth trip and the camper made it so much more enjoyable, nothing worse than camping long term in wet conditions bed wet clothes wet tent wet. u can get some really small campers for 2 wds at reasonable prices Col