The world felt a little unstable when this trip began.
War in Iran was dominating global headlines, oil markets were rattled, and fuel prices were climbing. For anyone planning a long road trip across Australia, it wasn’t exactly reassuring news.
But the Tinny Rally was coming whether the world behaved itself or not. So the mission remained simple: get from Mackay to Mildura, nearly 3,000 kilometres away, with two aluminium tinnies and enough gear to survive whatever the road threw at us.
Of course, nothing about the journey ended up being simple.
Plan A… B… C… D… and Eventually E
The original plan was straightforward: hook up the diesel ute, strap one tinny on the roof, tow another behind, and cruise south through Queensland and New South Wales.
Then the weather arrived.
Heavy rain triggered through central QLD had flooding and road closures across large parts of the original route. Fuel prices were climbing again amid global tension, and in some regional towns there were even reports of service stations running dry.
Suddenly the diesel option didn’t seem quite as reliable as it once had.So the diesel stayed home, and the Ford F-150 Lightning rolled out instead.
After removing the windscreen from the support boat and doing some creative packing, the two tinnies were stacked and secured. The result looked slightly ridiculous—but undeniably capable.
The route was mapped carefully:
• Brisbane for new tyres
• Sydney to collect a replacement propeller
• Then the long inland run toward Mildura
This wasn’t my first long-distance EV towing trip, so the realities were familiar. Towing cuts range, and charging stops become part of the rhythm of the drive.
What I didn’t expect was how quickly the journey would begin throwing curveballs.
Trouble on the Bruce Highway
Leaving Mackay, the weather was wet but manageable. The plan was simple: reach Carmila for the first charge and continue to Rockhampton for a break.
An hour into the drive something felt off. Hardly any vehicles were heading north.
A quick check explained why.
A truck rollover about 70 kilometres south of Carmila had closed the highway in both directions.
It was an early reminder that on a trip like this, flexibility matters.
For route planning I relied on the ABRP (A Better Route Planner) app. Previously I’d been sceptical—one Christmas trip had it convinced I’d never reach the next charger—but once the trailer consumption figures were properly configured and the system began learning from the vehicle in real time, the predictions became surprisingly accurate.
With consumption set at roughly 470 Wh/km, the Lightning could comfortably manage around 200 kilometres between charging stops while towing.
With the route recalculated, the trip settled into a rhythm. Charging stops, snacks, highway kilometres, repeat.
At 1:20 am, the Lightning quietly rolled into Brisbane.
Tyres, Traffic and a Change of Plans
Friday morning began with new tyres for the truck before continuing south toward Sydney.
The biggest challenge of the day turned out not to be charging or range—but traffic.
Leaving Brisbane quickly turned into a reminder of how congested the coastal corridor can be. It took nearly two and a half hours just to reach Coolangatta, forcing a rethink of the plan to overnight near Gosford.
Taree became the new destination.
A few phone calls secured accommodation, and a convenient stop at Moonee Beach Tavern allowed both driver and vehicle to recharge—the Lightning at a nearby Tesla Supercharger, and me with dinner.
Arrival in Taree brought another surprise.
The hotel room appeared oddly dark and lifeless, but after a long day on the road it barely registered. At 4 am, however, every light and appliance suddenly came roaring back to life.
The town had been in the middle of a full power blackout.
Sydney For a Rolling Stop
The following morning’s run into Sydney was refreshingly straightforward.
A couple of quick top-ups at Evie and Tesla fast chargers kept the battery comfortable before heading to Good Times Marine to collect the replacement prop.
Then the navigation system decided to provide a complete sightseeing tour of Sydney before finally depositing the truck on the M5 near Bankstown for the long run west.
Weather, Wildlife and the Long Run West
The next stretch from Sydney toward Hay delivered the full Australian highway experience: sunshine, sudden rain, bursts of hail, kangaroos near the roadside, and the occasional driver cruising along at 50 km/h in a 110 zone.
By the time Hay appeared on the horizon, the overnight stop was very welcome.
The hotel proved comfortable, Tesla chargers were conveniently located next door, and—discovered only the following morning—the hotel itself apparently offered EV charging as well.
The Lightning stayed plugged in overnight, reaching 100 percent before sunrise.
A Small Moment of Panic
Saturday morning should have been the easiest leg of the trip.
The plan was a quick charging stop at Euston before rolling into Mildura.
That would have worked perfectly—if I’d driven conservatively.Instead, the Lightning arrived running on a mixture of electrons and optimism.
Opening the NRMA charging app produced a large red error message.There was… a moment. Then the solution appeared: Chargefox also supports NRMA chargers. A quick switch of apps and the charger started immediately. Fifteen minutes later the truck had enough range to comfortably finish the trip, leaving time to stroll down to the Murray River and enjoy a few minutes of calm before the final leg.
Arrival
At 10:30 Sunday morning, the Lightning rolled into Mildura. A quick run through Bunnings, Supercheap Auto and BCF took care of last-minute supplies before collecting the rest of the crew from the airport.
With the boats ready and the team assembled, there was only one thing left to do. Head to the Tinny Rally.
Charging Reality
Electric vehicle charging still attracts its share of criticism when it comes to long-distance travel. On this journey, however, it proved remarkably easy.
Across the full 3,000-kilometre trip, every charging stop used high-speed chargers capable of delivering power along the Lightning’s 180 kW charging curve.
The numbers were simple:
- Average electricity cost: about 49 cents per kWh
- Typical charging stop: around 20 minutes
In practice, that’s just enough time for a toilet break and a drink. Most of the time, the vehicle was ready to go before the driver.