Independent Day: 4X4 Australia remains unbiased!

So many people tell me I have the best job in the world because I get to drive all these flash 4x4 vehicles and visit so many amazing places.

They’re probably right, as it’s not a bad gig at all. One thing I truly enjoy, and one that many folks don’t see, is the amount of clever and innovate products we get to play with.

Gear for 4x4s, kit for camping, outdoor clothing, technology, the list goes on. It’s amazing just how much of it is designed and made right here in Australia.

Here at 4x4 Australia we’re pretty proud of the fact that our magazine, the one you’re reading right now, is produced in Melbourne and printed in Sydney; keeping Australians in jobs and allowing us to deliver the best product possible. You might be surprised how many supposedly Australian magazines and newspapers are not wholly produced here.

Yes, we often bring you off-road trips from other countries because many people like to broaden their horizon and travels by exploring other places and cultures.

Sure, we use and review some products that are not made here, but at the end of the day we’d always recommend a locally made piece of gear over anything else; so long as it’s as good if not better than the overseas stuff.

That’s one of the best things about working on an independent 4x4 magazine. We don’t try and sell you anything but our magazine. We don’t import cheap products and try to sell them up against the superior Australian engineered and/or made stuff. We don’t have to bow to the will of any sponsors or owners. 4x4 Australia is its own thing – independent, unbiased and proudly Australian produced.

If you dig into the world of publishing you’d find that 4x4 Australia is owned by Bauer, a huge German family-owned media company. But that doesn’t really effect what we do here at the coal face. We can still call things as we see them and say what we think about vehicles, places, products, whatever. If something is crap or not up to spec, we’ll say it is so long as we can justify our comments. If that costs us an advertiser then so be it. If the product doesn’t deliver what it should or claims to, then they need to lift their game.

Likewise we’ll look at products we like from companies or manufacturers that don’t advertise in our magazine. If it’s good stuff, does what it should and we like it, then we’ll say as much.

That’s the beauty of being truly independent; the people that write the words you read on these pages, or on our website, don’t kowtow to anyone. It’s something few publications can honestly do today and we appreciate that freedom. I hope you appreciate what it allows us to give you.