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We've been writing guidebooks on remote areas of Australia since 1985 and many people consider our Moon Adventure Publication guides the best available for 4WD travellers. More recently we also have a number of guidebooks we've researched and written for Hema Maps. For those who are new to cooking (camping or at home), or who want to spice up their culinary skills and get some great recipes, Viv's cookbooks have been best sellers for over 20 years. |
RON & VIV MOON have spent much of their lives exploring and writing about Australia’s wild and remote areas. In their travels they combine many interests such as 4wd touring, camping, bird watching, diving, hunting, canoeing and fishing, as well as photography, and this is reflected in the many articles that they have written for a wide range of magazines in Australia.
While both Ron and Viv are recognised travel writers specialising in out of the way places, Ron was the long time editor of the 4WD magazine, 4x4 Australia, and now has more of a roving and exciting role as 4x4’s Editor-at-Large. In all Ron & Viv have contributed to or written 13 guide books on Outback Australia, including books for Lonely Planet, Hema Maps and Global Publications.
A WIDE BREADTH OF EXPERIENCES
Born in Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory in 1949, Ron grew up in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia where at a very young age he spent his time trapping rabbits and hunting with a single shot .22 rifle.
Moving to the southern coast of South Australia his teenage years were spent spearfishing, scuba diving, and when the water was dirty or too rough, surfing and rabbit shooting. These are passions that continue to this day.
Gaining his love of travel from his widely travelled father, Ron was travelling far and wide as soon as he got his driving licence. A stint in the Army as an electronic technician added to his travels in the Outback and overseas, while his skill as a photographer earned him a place on a number of expeditions. These were as diverse as:
* Diving the remote southern Maldives in the Indian Ocean as chief photographer with a British scientific expedition;
* Rafting the Franklin River in Tasmania on the first commercial recce trip down that wild river as photographer,
* Acting as a guide and photographer with a National Museum of Victoria expedition to the desert country of South Australia;
* Leading the first trekking group across the Big Desert Wilderness in western Victoria, and a host more.
With his wife, Viv, they founded the magazine, Action Outdoor Australia, in 1984 and were editor/assistant editor for a number of years. In that time they also travelled the world and Australia as freelance adventure travel writers and photographers. These adventures included:
Overlooking gorge in Northern Greece.
Diving the Coral Sea.
* Canoe trips on the Zambezi River in Africa;
* High altitude walking jaunts on Mt Kilamanjaro and Mt Kenya in Africa;
* Diving expeditions into the Red Sea, Coral Sea and Mediterranean;
* Trekking in New Zealand and Greece;
* Along with a range of minor adventures in other places of the world.Canoeing on the Zambezi River.
THE 4X4 WORLD
Between 1987 and 2001 Ron was the editor of Australia’s leading 4WD magazine, 4X4 Australia, and in that time he gained an enviable reputation as one of the most travelled and ‘hands on’ 4WD experts in the country. Today he is now their Editor-at-Large which allows both him and Viv to travel more frequently and more widely.
A range of wilderness canoe trips in the late 1980s and early 1990s resulted in a number of ‘first descents’ on remote crocodile infested rivers in northern Australia; most of these expeditions were sponsored by Australian Geographic magazine.
Their knowledge on the history of exploration in Australia has seen them lead a number of 4WD trips following the footsteps of the early explorers. They have hunted and scuba dived all around the country and have also fished extensively in the wilder, more remote areas, but Ron admits he only chases fish when there is a very good chance of catching some!
While they are not whitewater canoeists, they have paddled many remote rivers in the far north as well as along the east coast and rafted some of the wildest, remotest rivers in Australia.
The last 25 years have seen nine trips to southern Africa where they spend most of their time in national parks or in remote safari camps. Four of those trips included hunting trips in Botswana, Zimbabwe and in a number of places throughout South Africa.
In 2007 they spent 8 1/2 months overlanding through 15 countries from Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of Africa, to the northernmost extremity of the African continent in Tunisia.
https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/africa-africa-overland/
Botswana - Namibia:
https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/africa-africa-overland/Ethiopia: https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/ethiopia-genius-guide/
In 2008 they continued on their overland driving adventure for 6 months travelling from the UK to Norway to North Cape, then across Russia, Kazakhastan and Mongolia to finish in Vladivostok!
Mongolia:
https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/mongolia/Siberia:
https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/siberia/England:
https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/uk/
During 2009 and 2010 they kept closer to home and did some extensive travelling back in Oz, but with a couple of trips back to Southern Africa and one to New Guinea.
In 2011 they continued on their overland driving adventure for 9 months travelling through South and Central America, followed in 2012 with a 6 month sojourn through the west of North America.
Bolivia:
https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/bolivia-south-america/
2013 saw a trip back to Canada and Whitehorse to drive the Ice Road, (https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/americas-ice-roads/) then back to Australia to spend a few months travelling through the Pilbara in WA, across to northwestern Queensland to Cape York.
Australia: Montebello Islands, WA:
https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/australia/montebello-islands-wa/2014 they headed back to the USA, this time to buy a Dodge Ram, fitted with a Four Wheel Drive Slideon Camper, spending 3 months touring Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Texas. (https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/north-america-part-1/) Back in Australia, they spent the next few months travelling around Central Australia 0 O'Grady Well - (https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/australia/australia-ogrady-well/).
North America Part 1:
https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/north-america-part-1/2015 they once again returned to the USA; picked up the Dodge Ram and spent the next 4 months travelling through . Ron also ticked off one of his bucket list wishes and rafted the Grand Canyon.Mexico, Cuba, eastern USA and Canada
2016 was a big year. First a month back in Africa exploring Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. Then returned to Northeast Canada and picked up the truck from storage and spent the next 3 months driving Newfoundland, Labrador, Quebec, Ontorio and then south into the USA and Minnesota. From there they travelled to the west coast, then back east before heading south once more back into Arizona where they finished this trip and the truck was stored. https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/africa-desert-sojourn/
2017 was just a short trip of 7 weeks. A chance to see a little snow in the Grand Canyon, then down to Texas to the Big Bend National Park and time spent wandering through New Mexico, Oklahoma Kansas, Colorado, Utah and back to Arizona - where the truck is all wrapped up and stored, waiting for next year's trip. https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/americas/
As well, Ron and Viv have been lucky enough to have spent time in the bush driving 4WD vehicles in a range of spectacular offroad environments in the Ukraine, UK, Thailand, Spain, Malaysia, Japan, Canada, Africa, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and the USA. Some of their most memorable times being in Africa, and on the Rubicon Trail and in the ‘Canyon Lands’ of Moab in the US.
Their travels in Australia have covered every remote corner of the continent resulting in a flood of articles that have appeared in nearly every magazine from Australian Post to Penthouse, as well as newspapers around the country. Their love of diving and hunting has meant that every diving and hunting magazine in the country has featured their work at one time or another.
Viv, on the other hand, is a first class bush cook who can whip up a feast for a king from a camp oven. Her regular cooking column in 4X4 Australia magazine ran for nearly 30 years.
Viv has also published two very successful and popular Viv Moon's Outdoor Cookbook and Viv Moon's Travellers Cookbook.
She has combined both of her much loved and successful cookbooks (OUTDOOR Cookbook and TRAVELLERS Cookbook), into ONE COMPLETE, ALL-INCLUSIVE AND EXPANDED 533 PAGE COOKBOOK.
Adding an additional 149 recipes and the new eCookbook now has 513 recipes, along with lots more colour photographs.
GUIDEBOOKS & TV WORK
Ron and Viv wrote and produced their first guidebook in 1986 and now, as well as producing their own very successful adventure guide books on Cape York, the Kimberley, the Flinders Ranges, Across the Bight & Nullarbor, and Victorian 4WD tracks. They have also written, or are the major writer/consultant editors for a number of other guides published by Global Publication, Hema Maps, Lonely Planet, Focus Publishing, Australian Gazetteer and See Australia. In all they have written or contributed to thirteen guidebooks on remote areas in Australia.
For five years Ron was the 4WD consultant, presenting his own segments, for the very successful Rex Hunt TV fishing show on Ch 7.
Over previous years he has also acted as guide, consultant and co-presenter for the eight successful adventure 4WD TV 1-hour documentaries produced and presented by Glenn Ridge on Channel 9’s ‘World Around Us’. These documentaries are not only sold around the world on Cable TV, but are repackaged and sold into the home video market, here and overseas.
As well, as part of his commitment to 4X4 Australia magazine, he produced a range of 4WD instructional videos on 4WD skills and techniques, and travel destination videos to such places as Cape York, the Kimberley, Simpson Desert and the Australian High Country. These have been broadcast in recent times on Cable TV in Australia and elsewhere around the world.
During the last few years Ron has also acted as a consultant to and presenter for a range of 4WD instructional videos for Nissan Australia, the Ford Motor Company and Mitsubishi Motors Australia.
THE LATEST EXPERIENCES
While Ron was editor of the Australian national four wheel drive magazine '4x4 Australia' for 15 years, he has now taken up a role as Editor-at-Large, giving him and Viv more time to travel and research and write articles and guidebooks.
Together, with their combined knowledge and comprehensive experiences, amongst other things they have written ten successful guidebooks on Australia as well as producing numerous travel documentaries for TV and 4WD training videos.
In 2004 they established, in partnership with Red Desert Tours, Legendary Outback Expeditions, leading exclusive expeditions into the remote areas of Australia's outback.
2007 - Africa Overland
February to October
Africa Overland: https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/africa-africa-overland/
In 2007 they overlanded in their own vehicle across Africa from south to north.
To read all about their Africa adventure, check out their web site at:
www.guidebooks.com.au/Africa Overland/index.htmlBotswana - Namibia:
https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/africa-africa-overland/Ethiopia: https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/ethiopia-genius-guide/
2008 - Overland Russia May to October
In 2008, with their vehicle left in the UK after their Africa Overland trip, they began the next part of their journey, spending some time exploring the UK, then crossing to Norway and up to North Cape, then across Russia, Kazakhastan and Mongolia to finish in Vladivostok!
To read all about this adventure, check out their web site at:
www.guidebooks.com.au/Russia Mongolia Overland/index russiaoverland.htmMongolia:
https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/mongolia/Siberia:
https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/siberia/
2011 - Overland South & Central
America January to October
In 2008, with their vehicle left in the UK after their Africa Overland trip, they began the next part of their journey, spending some time exploring the UK, then crossing to Norway and up to North Cape, then across Russia, Kazakhastan and Mongolia to finish in Vladivostok!
To read all about this adventure, check out their web site at:
www.guidebooks.com.au/Russia Mongolia Overland/index russiaoverland.htmBolivia:
https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/bolivia-south-america/
2012 - Overland North America
May to September
Returning to LA to pick up their vehicle the following year in 2012, they had a 6 month sojourn through the west of North America. Their journey took them to California through Colorado, South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana before crossing into Canada and following the Rocky Mountains north to Dawson City, the one time boom town of the Klondike Goldfields. From there they headed to Inuvik along the Dempster Highway before crossing the border into Alaska and travelling the Dalton Highway to Prudhoe Bay, which is as far north as you can drive on the American continents. Their return journey was via the ferries along the Inside Passage to Vancouver Island where they then crossed back into Washington State and followed the coast south back to LA.
To read all about this adventure, check out their web page at:
http://www.guidebooks.com.au/South America Overland/tripdiary part 4 Nth America.htm
2013 - ICE ROADS - Canada
https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/americas-ice-roads/
2013 - AUSTRALIA - Pilbara, Kimberley,
Gulf country, Cape YorkLater that year they spent three months exploring the back roads of the Pilbara before heading through the Kimberley and across north western Queensland to Cape York. They returned home via the Sandover Highway and Ayers Rock.
Australia: Montebello Islands, WA:
https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/australia/montebello-islands-wa/
2014 - US - Arizona, Nevada, Utah,
New Mexico & Texas
In 2014 they were back in the US this time buying a Dodge Ram and fitting it with a Four Wheel Camper and spending 3 months touring Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Texas.
North America Part 1:
https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/north-america-part-1/
2014 - AUSTRALIA - Flinders Ranges SA, Central Australia, Murray River Vic
2015 - USA: Arizona, Mexico, Cuba, Texas, Louisanna, Tennessee,
Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont,
New Hampshire, Maine
CANADA: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia
2015 they once again returned to the USA; picked up the Dodge Ram and spent the next 4 months travelling through Mexico, Cuba, eastern USA and Canada. Ron also ticked off one of his bucket list wishes and rafted the Grand Canyon.
2016 - AFRICA, Northeast CANADA, USA
2016 was a big year. First a month back in Africa exploring Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. Then returned to Northeast Canada and picked up the truck from storage and spent the next 3 months driving Newfoundland, Labrador, Quebec, Ontorio and then south into the USA and Minnesota. From there they travelled to the west coast, then back east before heading south once more back into Arizona where they finished this trip and the truck was stored.
Botswana & Namibia:
https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/tripdiaries/africa-desert-sojourn/
2017 - USA: Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado,
Utah, Arizona
2017 - AUSTRALIA: Madigan Line Simpson Desert Trip, SA/Qld;
Papua New Guinea Boat Trip;
Following Bourke & Wills - Victoria, NSW, Queensland
https://dirtroaddiaries.com.au/australia/following-burke-wills-expedition/
Check out our latest web page on
Dirt Road Diaries
Welcome to our travels in Australia and around the world on dirt tracks, ice roads and gravel highways. We hope you enjoy them and they inspire you to get out and see more of this wonderful planet, we call 'Earth'.
As always though there are plenty of travels and adventures in Australia!
Today, when he and Viv are not in front of a computer screen they can generally be found travelling somewhere in a four wheel drive, and if it isn’t work related, you can bet there will be diving and hunting on the list of things to do!
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