ExplorOz Forum Latest

ID:152459 - Silverton to Merty Merty

Peter A34 — Fri, 01 May 2026 23:44:00 GMT

Hi all, am hoping to run through from Silverton, via the corner store and through to the Strezlecki track via Merty Merty. Spoke to the corner store and they couldn't help me much regarding off road travel. Can anyone help me with current road conditions along this route as I can't trust the road conditions maps. In particular getting through from the store to Merty Merty. Can't beat local knowledge!
Replies: 2 FollowUps: 4 Views: 318

ID:152457 - Problem creating routes

Member - TroyR — Fri, 01 May 2026 12:02:00 GMT

Hi all, im creating a new route for a group trip, im finding when I try to enter a nav point it isn't routing to the point I want via a known track or road, it goes back and I get a grey line pointing directly through the bush to the the point I want, I can't seem to get this thing to go straight along a track. I've tried to set shorter way points but that's really time consuming and I'd need dozens of them to work around this.

Ive attached a screen shot of what im getting once I set the waypoint

[gi]242791[/gi]
Replies: 2 FollowUps: 1 Views: 184

ID:152455 - Kumanjayi Little Baby,

Bricky — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 22:10:00 GMT

Condolences to family and friends of this little girl who was found today.
What a crap world we live in sometimes.
Replies: 1 FollowUps: 0 Views: 308

ID:152448 - SmartWorld Adapter

Member - irose_57 — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 08:32:00 GMT

We use the SmartWorld adapter in our 25 Ranger for ExplorOz. We were having problems with it continually rebooting. Eventually tracked the problem down to the USB-C in th car not providing sufficient power. Our solution was to purchase a 3 -way USB-C splitter. One port goes to a USB-C cigarette plug, one to the SmartWorld adapter and the other to the car's USB-C for Android Auto. All works well and have not had it reboot once since installing. May help someone else with a similar problem.
Replies: 1 FollowUps: 0 Views: 474

ID:152415 - Lithium battery in a caravan

Member - William B — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:25:00 GMT

Hello very knowledgeable people on this forum.
I have recently changed over to 2 lithium batteries in our caravan.
The question is regarding fitting them in a container and venting them externally.
Is the current rules on this applicable from a certain time or is it retrospective?
Any advise appreciated.
William
Replies: 9 FollowUps: 39 Views: 1488

ID:152408 - Clarification: EOTopo 2023 and the new 4-Year Access "Expiry" Policy

Member - Stefan F2 — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 09:41:00 GMT

Hi everyone,
I wanted to start a discussion about the recent changes to EOTopo licensing (introduced in April 2026) and how it's impacting long-term users.
I have the EOTopo 2023 maps and a current Membership. To be honest, I only use ExplorOz occasionally because I’ve found it quite unreliable over the last three years. On both my iPad and Android devices, I constantly deal with the "blue screen" bug that requires a restart, and tracking that often just shows a straight line. I don’t have these issues with Memory Maps on the same devices, so it’s definitely an app-specific stability problem.
Now, on top of the $49.95/year Membership, I see that the maps I already paid for are being given a "use-by date" of 2027, and the new 2026 mapset has jumped to $79.99 with a 4-year limit.
For those of us who have documented years of technical issues, being asked to pay more for maps that eventually "expire" feels wrong. When I bought the 2023 maps, they were a one-time purchase. Under Australian Consumer Law, you can't really change the rules and "turn off" a product after the sale.
Is anyone else frustrated by the "double-dipping" of Membership + Map fees, especially given the ongoing stability issues? I’d love to hear from the admin team on why these limits are being applied to legacy purchases.
Cheers, Stefan
Replies: 11 FollowUps: 29 Views: 1103

ID:152406 - GPS Navigator purchase

Cuppa — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:20:00 GMT

Recently our 3rd Hema HX1 got hot in the cab, whilst not in use, & the battery bulged so much it split the cases apart. This is my second HX1 to do this. The cab was hot but the HX1 wasn't in direct sunlight. Our first one had the screen delaminate in similar conditions.

Although the now taped together HX1 still works we decided a replacement navigator was probably a good idea whilst we are still somewhere with an address we can get it sent to, & where we have access to a workshop to use when installing it into the OKA.

I was not interested in getting a mapping system on a tablet - we already have that - Exploroz Traveller on a 10" ipad mounted in front of the passenger seat.

What I wanted was a 7" (or close) GPS Navigator which would fill the space that the HX1 takes. Of course it needs to be suitable for both on & off road as the HX1 was. Although not fantastic Hema maps have been 'good enough', particularly when used in conjunction with the 'navigator's' more detailed Exploroz maps.

Ozi Explorer would have been a contender, I know a number of folk who love it, but really I just didn't want the learning curve which appears to go with it. I know any new navigator/mapping system will have a learning curve, but Ozi Explorer just seemed bigger. I expect some Ozi Explorer die hards will tell me different.... but the decision was made & the purchase completed.

Mostly the EOTopo maps have been more detailed than the Hema, but last year we found one instance where the tracks shown on EOTopo were incorrect & the smudgy dotted line on the Hema correct. Mostly such differences over the years have been the other way around.

What the experience has taught me is that no mapping system is 100% accurate all of the time & that running more than one system is worthwhile for when there are these occasional discrepancies.

I ruled out another Hema navigator as although I have grown to like using the HX1 - I am not a fan of their hardware, & have always considered the software to be a bit clunky - even though long term familiarity had made this less of an issue.

Didn't leave much choice & only time will tell whether my choice, purchased online today has been a good choice or not. It certainly wasn't a cheap option. I've gone with the Garmin Tread 2 - Overland Edition. Took a while to get my head around several different Garmin off road navigators with similar names causing unnecesary confusion. I had hoped that as well as the the Garmin TOPO maps that it might be possible to load Exploroz Traveller onto the Garmin's Android system - but it isn't.

Instead I bought the Garmin from GPS OZ together with their latest version of their vector based OzTopo maps. Some examples of those maps did look a little 'busy' to me, but it is possible to turn layers (waterways & contours) at the press of a button on the screen to simplify the map when it is useful to do so.

The off road Garmin TOPO maps were a bit lacking in a few places I had screenshots of familiar places sent to me, but I expect them to be good on road & in towns.

It will be a month or so before we reach our friends in Kununurra & get our hands on the Garmin, but I am quite looking forward to it.
Replies: 0 FollowUps: 0 Views: 374

ID:152402 - Lest we forget.

Peter_n_Margaret — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:40:00 GMT

My father enlisted in the RAAF in WW2, but served with the RAF as an Astro Navigator in Beauforts and Beaufighters. The Beaufighters were one of the first squadrons to be fitted with rockets. They also carried torpedoes.
I cannot comprehend navigating a moving aircraft to a target over the ocean at night using just the stars, and then finding your way back to a tiny island in an enormous ocean.
Amasingly, he carried a personal camera for most of the war and we still have many photographs he took all over the world, including Pearl Harbour, USA, UK, Egypt, Iraq, Ceylon and Malta.
He lost many mates in Malta.

Bristol Beaufighter Mk X1
[gi]242597[/gi]

Beaufort Bomber.
[gi]242601[/gi]

Accommodation in Egypt.
[gi]242598[/gi]

In more recent years, Margaret and I visited Gallipoli.
This is Lone Pine.
[gi]242596[/gi]

As we walked down the hill from Lone Pine, there was a woman somewhere in the valley singing Amasing Grace.
Some things are etched into your brain, forever.

Lest we forget.

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome
Replies: 5 FollowUps: 2 Views: 652

ID:152401 - Issue with accessing helpdesk- Admin request

Cuppa — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:02:00 GMT

I have deleted the original post as I finally realised what I was doing wrong & have rectified the the EOTopo web app issue I was having.

Somehow it has also also resolved my ability to post to the Helpdesk.

I have now sent a request to the helpdesk (on an unrelated matter) without getting an error message about validating credentials.
Replies: 1 FollowUps: 0 Views: 388

ID:152394 - Fuel Availability & Prices

ExplorOz - David & Michelle — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 02:22:00 GMT

Fuel is on everyone’s mind right now - and this is one area where we can help each other.

ExplorOz Places has been built on real traveller updates for 26 years, especially for remote stops where info is hardest to find.

If you’re passing through a roadhouse, remote region, small town, or aboriginal community take a moment to:

* check the place provided for fuel is current (add/update any changes)
* update the price of fuels b posting a review
* confirm availability
* note anything useful

Every review is date-stamped, so even a quick note helps the next traveller plan with confidence.

It only takes seconds while you’re filling up - but it makes a real difference out bush.
Replies: 3 FollowUps: 6 Views: 980