Two French friends hitchhiked 5,000km across Australia with cardboard signs; strangers bought them a tent, sleeping bags and food
Two young French travellers have completed an extraordinary 5,000-kilometre hitchhiking journey across Australia, relying on strangers for rides as they crossed the country’s vast outback in search of adventure while keeping travel costs to a minimum.William Pertek and Manek Miquel, both 21, travelled from Queensland to Broome in Western Australia’s far north, carrying little more than a shared tent and backpacks. Rather than paying for flights, buses or rental cars, the pair chose to hitchhike, often spending hours waiting by the roadside with handwritten cardboard signs.
Waited 10 hours for a single ride
The journey was not without challenges. One of their longest waits came in the tiny Queensland town of Camooweal, near the Northern Territory border, where they stood outside a service station for around 10 hours before finally securing a lift.“This famous town, empty town — we waited 10 hours,” Pertek recalled.He admitted hitchhiking was more difficult in Australia than in many other countries.“At the beginning of our adventure, our friend told us, ‘You will not do it, it’s not possible,'” he said.Instead of simply sticking out their thumbs, the duo found that holding up cardboard signs displaying the name of their next destination proved more effective.
Kindness of strangers fuels the journey
Strangers bought them a tent, sleeping bags and food
Despite the uncertainty of travelling with strangers, the friends said the experience restored their faith in people’s generosity.“Almost everyone offered food, drink, or help for something,” Pertek said.One driver even bought them a new tent, while two women gave them 40 Australian dollars to purchase new sleeping bags.The pair said they also took precautions before accepting rides.“Talking to lots of people before you get in the car, you feel safer,” Miquel explained.Among the highlights of their trip were visits to remote communities including Larrimah in the Northern Territory, a town made famous by several true-crime documentaries, and Camooweal.
Social media driving a hitchhiking revival
According to Fang Liu, a marketing expert at the University of Western Australia’s Business School who studies tourism trends, hitchhiking is experiencing a revival among younger travellers.She said social media has played a major role by allowing travellers to share advice, safe pickup locations and real-time experiences.“Because of social media in the last 10 years, I’ve heard a lot about hitchhiking,” Liu said, adding that improved mobile connectivity and location-sharing apps have made the practice appear safer to many travellers.
Police urge travellers not to hitchhike
Despite its growing popularity online, authorities continue to warn about the dangers.Kimberley Police Superintendent John Hutchison said he had noticed more people hitchhiking in Western Australia, where the practice is legal, but advised against it.“Don’t do it,” he said.“You don’t know who the driver is. It could be somebody who’s quite a dangerous person.”The legal status of hitchhiking varies across Australia. It is illegal in Queensland and Victoria, while other states and territories have different rules governing where pedestrians can stand and seek rides.Liu said international visitors should familiarise themselves with local laws before attempting to hitchhike, as rules differ significantly from country to country.
