While the number of truly primitive Outback toilets are definitely in decline, most grey nomads still have a love-hate relations with the iconic drop dunny.
When you’re out in the bush and you’ve really got to go, they are an awfully welcome sight but, on the other hand, they are often associated with unsvaoury smells, lurking insects, and a general ill-at-ease feeling.
Of course, modern technology has helped reduce some of the ‘issues’ associated with those truly ‘authentic’ drop dunnies of times gone by … but rogue loos are very much still out there.
Back in April, a traveller at the NT’s Henbury Meteorites Conservation Reserve lived the ultimate toilet nightmare when a rusty floor gave way beneath her and she plunged into a two-metre-deep sewage pit.
Newer drop toilets have come a long way ... but they can still be slightly intimidating. PIC: Cizza
As there was no phone signal in the area and her family were unable to call for help, she spent three hours waist deep in human waste before she was rescued by a passing tradie.
She suffered only minor cuts but, presumably, she will not be heading to an Outback toilet any time soon.
Following that incident, trucking publication, Big Rigs, asked drivers to identify drop toilets that they tried to avoid.
Among those identified as being ‘on the nose’ were ones at the Baxter Creek Rest Area along the Eyre Highway in WA; the Thackaringa Hills rest area beside the Barrier Highway in NSW, the Dolo Hills rest area also on the Barrier Highway; and at Fishery Falls just south of Cairns.
The NT drop toilet drama earlier this year adds to a growing list of similar incidents.
In 2024, Country Fire Authority crews had to rescue a man who got stuck in a loo near Wodonga in Victoria.
And overseas, a Swedish man got stuck in a toilet for a prolonged period after making the bizarre decision to climb into it in search of a dropped mobile phone.
But falling in isn’t apparently the worst thing that can happen in a wilderness ‘facility’.
Several years ago in Canada, a camper was lucky to escape with his life after a bear attacked him while he was sitting on the loo and dragged 15 metres or so. The bear was shot dead by a fellow camper.
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Out back toilets need to be serviced regularly. The floors need to be of concrete. The walls of corrugated iron, or other washable material. They need to be washed out and re-stocked weekly. They need to look “inviting”, well lit, workable and secure, right from when first seen.
We were camp hosts servicing outback old school toilets and the new style ones as well
Cleaned twice a day, the secret is treat the toilet the same as at home at every clean we finished with nill-oder around the shed and under the toilet seat (we supplied it our self) and our other checks treated each toilet 2-3 extra times again
The older toilets never had fan systems
Used to get comments how come the long drops don’t smell disgusting like elsewhere
But the worst thing was some clown dumping cassette contents down them with or with out chemicals, there not made for bulk shit in one hit