You could add the lack of water, the long hard grind of some of the world's most isolated country, up to 150 kilograms of equipment (including 35 kilograms of camera equipment) and 180 litres of water being lugged in a purpose-built cart, to name a few.

But in leaving no stone unturned in preparing to retrace the steps of explorers Burke and Wills' 1860 expedition, French architects Sebastien Guesney and Lara Jaillon paid a visit to the Toolern Vale Dingo Discovery Centre to learn a few tips on dealing with Australia's largest land predator.

The centre's owner and managers, Lyn and Peter Watson, gave the travellers a crash course in dingo handling last week with the help of the centre's "family".

Mr Guesney and Ms Jaillon expect the expedition to take about 280 days.

From Toolern Vale, the intrepid pair will spend a couple of days in Bacchus Marsh before following the Lerderderg Gorge past Blackwood and rejoining the original Burke and Wills trail at Castlemaine.

"Our goal is neither to establish a record nor perform a sport performance. We simply aim to experience Australia's outback with humility and meet its population," Mr Guesney said.

They hope to see first-hand how Australia is being affected by climate change and how people cope with limited water supplies.

Along the way they'll produce a book including texts, photographs and sketches. They will film their adventures and encounters to produce a documentary.

"Our walk will allow us to meet and interview locals all along our path. The most important is to be well prepared, physically, logistically, medically and, most important, mentally," Mr Guesney said.

Keep up with the trekkers' progress at: www.terraincognitatrek.com