If your preferred mode of transport is with feet very firmly on terra firma, I thought it would be fun to look at what it takes to keep that modern beast of burden - the car - purring along. But this isn't about dropping your vehicle off at the local garage while you Do Lunch. I'm referring to Bush Mechanics.

A Bush Mechanic, according to the official website, "is a person who fixes his own car by using wood and anything that he can find to replace the certain part that is broken. He can get himself out of trouble and drive to the nearest place to find the right parts for his car."

The Bush Mechanics are members of the Jupururrla skin group and they call themselves the Jupururrla Gang. In 1998, Kumanjayi (Tom) Kantor and Francis Jupurulla Kelly came up with the idea of making a television documentary about their modification of the craft of car maintenance in the Outback.

They highlight many of the adaptive qualities desert people have utilised over the last seventy years to keep their cars (vital for survival in the harsh conditions) in some sort of working order. With minimum distances of over 100 kms to be travelled between different communities, cars are a necessity, not a luxury.

As an example of the ingenuity shown by the bush mechanics, the Boys were on a trip to Broome (on the north-west coast of Western Australia, when their radiator developed a leak ...

Undaunted, they scoured the surrounding countryside for an abandoned car (there always seem to be plenty of these around ... and you'll understand why when you see how cars are driven here).

Removing the battery from the aforementioned wreck, they pulled it apart and removed the lead. It didn't take long to gather some wood, light a fire, locate a spare hubcap, add the lead and melt it over the fire. This was then poured into the radiator, allowed to harden and Hey Presto! No more leaky radiator!

The car in the photo below started out as a station wagon but had become a convertible by the time they reached their destination - to achieve this, all you need is an axe and determination!

Look at the rear of the car and you'll see how the roof has been transformed into a trailer to transport the musical equipment that caused it to collapse in the first place.

Instant convertible

So, if you ever get stuck in remote places - in any country - here are a few mechanical tips to get you moving again:

Flat tyre?

Not a problem. Steven illustrates how to use spinifex to re-inflate a falt tyre Take the inner tube out of the spare, look around the bush for some spinifex grass, gather the grass into a pile and then stuff the grass into the tire.

No jack?

Hardly a challenge. Just dig some space under the wheel for more room in which to work, and you'll eventually get the tyre on.

NB If you don't have spinifex in your part of the world - any dried grass that has a bit of body will suffice!

Brakes not working?

Got some detergent, an old tin can and some water?

Problem solved!

Make your own brake fluid! Mix the water and detergent and use to replace the brake fluid.

Sure enough, when tested out, the brakes work better!

Clutch pads worn?

Whittle a set of clutch pads while you wait. If you're at all handy with a knife, you can whittle a set out of any old mulga (or other wood) lying around, as Jakamarra shows in the photo.

The Bush Mechanics documentary was produced by Warlpiri Media Association, a remote community video and radio facility in Yuendumu, Central Australia in 1998.

Travel to Australia

Bush Mechanics