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6 December, 2023
Little ‘Blueberry’ Mazda3 tackles the great Outback
TWO full-time travellers have successfully completed a 28,000km road trip throughout Australia in an 18-year-old Mazda.
YouTube duo Tia and Cheveyo (surnames not provided) from One Pack Wanderers arrived in Perth earlier this year and embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime driving adventure.
The pair chose a 2005 Mazda3 sedan – dubbed Blueberry – for their journey, forgoing a 4x4 dual-cab ute or campervan.
Starting in Perth, the adventurous couple drove down to Albany and then across the Nullarbor Plain on to Adelaide and then Melbourne, where they announced a major decision.
“We are going to attempt to circumnavigate the entire continent, which Australians call ‘The Big Lap’,” said Tia.
Cheveyo prepared the duo’s ‘winning blue’ Mazda3 with an oil and filter change and a thorough inspection before departing.
Their extended journey took them to Sydney and Brisbane and then on to Cairns. The couple then headed west to Darwin before heavy rains stopped their progress.
The Great Northern Highway at the Fitzroy Crossing was closed due to flooding, and no nearby detour was available.
“After months on the road, having covered thousands of miles in trusty little Blueberry, the thing that stopped us was Mother Nature,” said Cheveyo.
“The only available detour back to Perth that was doable with Blueberry had us cutting through the centre of the continent.”
The couple then drove down to Alice Springs, Uluru and Coober Pedy before making a right-turn across the Nullarbor again and back to their starting point in Perth.
“This place is a wild land that demands adaptability and patience,” said Tia.
“You can’t come here and plan for everything because Australia will surprise you. I think that is a huge part of what made this trip so special.
“It was just the two of us, and little Blueberry, accepting what came.”
The Arizona couple’s 18-year-old Mazda3 completed more than 28,000 kilometres of long-distance driving without a single technical issue during their months-long adventure in Australia.
“She never missed a beat, which I think is quite the feat considering Australia’s often difficult climate,” said Cheveyo.
They sold their ever-dependable Mazda3 sedan to a family in Perth before continuing their travels in New Zealand.
Tia and Cheveyo from One Pack Wanderers have explored more than 30 countries since they started travelling full-time in mid-2020.
Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoU41ZAw5z8 to discover more about their Australian travel adventures with Blueberry the Mazda3.
