If there’s one weekend where a dangerously large percentage of your 4X4 wish list can suddenly become a lot more expensive, this might be it. The National 4×4 Outdoors Show is returning to Melbourne Showgrounds from 21–23 August 2026, bringing together the rigs, gear, personalities and ideas that make up Australia’s 4X4 and outdoor scene.
This year, Pat will be right in the thick of it, appearing at the show and taking to the Outback Stage alongside some familiar faces from across the 4X4 world. For anyone who has followed Pat’s adventures around Australia over the years, it’s a chance to catch him away from the tracks, hear some of the stories behind the adventures and hopefully pick up a few ideas for your own.
But Pat is only part of what’s happening across the weekend. Hundreds of brands and thousands of products are expected to fill the Melbourne Showgrounds, covering everything from 4X4 accessories and touring equipment to campers, caravans, rooftop tents, power systems and the latest gear designed to make travelling Australia that little bit easier.
Whether you’re halfway through building a tourer, planning your first proper trip or simply looking for an excuse to spend a day surrounded by four-wheel drives, there should be plenty to see.
Catch Pat on the Outback Stage
One of the big attractions this year will be the Outback Stage, where some of Australia’s best-known 4X4 personalities will swap the driver’s seat for the microphone.
Pat will be joining the guys from 4WD 24/7, All4Adventure, Australia ReDiscovered, and more. Rather than simply putting the familiar faces of the industry on display, the stage is designed to dig into their experiences, stories and knowledge, with opportunities for showgoers to hear what they’ve learned from years spent travelling and 4X4ing around Australia.
That’s arguably one of the best reasons to visit a show like this. You can spend hours researching gear online, but there’s something completely different about being able to speak with the people who actually use it, see products fitted to real vehicles and learn from people who have made plenty of mistakes along the way.
The same thinking carries across to Tracks N Trips, with five daily sessions focusing on different off-road destinations and tracks. Led by experienced travellers and experts, the smaller discussions are aimed at getting beyond the glossy destination photos and into the useful stuff: what to expect, how to prepare and what you need to know before pointing the bonnet towards some of Australia’s best 4X4 country.
More than rows of shiny 4X4 gear
Of course, there’ll still be plenty of shiny gear to tempt the wallet. The Melbourne show remains one of the easiest ways to see a huge cross-section of the Australian 4X4 and outdoor industry under one roof, particularly if you’re researching a major purchase or planning the next stage of a build.
For 2026, though, there are several new additions designed to make the show more interactive. Gear Up & Go is a new educational stage focused on practical, real-world knowledge, bringing brands and industry experts together to cover topics including vehicle setup, recovery, communications, touring equipment and choosing the right products for the job.
The popular Show N Shine is back too, with a new Show Pony category joining Vintage Classics, Rough N Tumble and Terrific Tourer. Whether your idea of the perfect 4X4 is an immaculate build polished within an inch of its life or a battle-scarred tourer with half of Australia stuck underneath it, there should be something worth stopping for.
And for families, the wildlife encounters return with opportunities to get up close with Australian native animals, reptiles and snakes, alongside educational reptile awareness demonstrations.
You could leave with $13K worth of adventure gear
Walking into a 4X4 show tends to result in leaving with at least a few new ideas. One visitor this year, however, could leave significantly better equipped than when they arrived.
The $13K Adventure Upgrade will give one lucky winner a package of premium adventure gear valued at $13,000, with equipment from brands including ARB, Goodyear, 12 Volt Direct, Stonegate, Carbon Offroad and Alu-Cab.
It’s a solid bonus for what is already shaping up to be a packed three days at Melbourne Showgrounds.
More importantly, though, the real appeal of the National 4×4 Outdoors Show is having so much of the industry in one place. If you’re comparing equipment, planning a build or trying to work out what you actually need before a big trip, being able to physically look at different options and talk directly with the people behind them can save a lot of guesswork.
Between the latest builds, new products, touring ideas, personalities, Show N Shine rigs and enough camping equipment to make your current setup suddenly look hopelessly inadequate, there’s every chance you’ll go home planning something.
Melbourne, we’ll see you in August
The National 4×4 Outdoors Show runs from 21–23 August 2026 at Melbourne Showgrounds, and if you want to catch Pat while you’re there, keep an eye on the show schedule for his Outback Stage appearances and other opportunities across the weekend.
Second-release tickets are currently $29, saving $5 on the $34 full-price ticket. Numbers in the release are limited, so once they’re gone, the next ticket release kicks in.
For the Mr 4X4 crew, it’s shaping up as one of the biggest 4X4 weekends on the calendar. Come and catch up with Pat, check out what’s new, talk to the people behind the gear and start collecting ideas for wherever the tracks take you next.
Just maybe don’t tell the bank manager we sent you.
