James Bendon built Dinkum largely on his own, KRAFTON published it, and the Australian island sim left Early Access in April 2025 after nearly three years. Fletch sells the licences that legally permit you to swing a pickaxe, chop a tree or plant a crop, and you pay for them with Permit Points earned from milestones. Crocos, Bush Devils and Alpha Jackaroos will flatten an under equipped player long before the weather does.
Dinkum features distinct areas with increasing difficulty. This guide covers every major location in progression order: what to do, what to get, and when to move on. For the step-by-step path, see our walkthrough.
Area Progression Order
| Order | Location | Difficulty | Key Rewards | Recommended Build |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bushlands | Day 1 onward | Timber, common bugs, early foraging materials | Logger |
| 2 | Tropics | Early to mid game | Bananas and coconuts, tropical bugs, Mu for the farm | Logger |
| 3 | Desert | Mid game with a weapon in hand | Buried finds, desert specific spawns, open building space | Miner |
| 4 | Pine Forest | Mid game | Pine timber, apples, cooler weather crops and bugs | Miner |
| 5 | Deep Mine | Late game, iron tools and a weapon | Quartz Crystal, Ruby, ores, glowing mushrooms, treasure room loot | Miner |
Bushlands: Starting Area
The eastern half of the map and the default starting ground, holding Jackaroo, Alpha Jackaroo, Diggo and Cockatoo, plus Gum Trees, Bush Lime Trees, Yellow Wattle Bushes and Billy Buttons.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Day 1 onward |
| Key Rewards | Timber, common bugs, early foraging materials |
| Recommended Build | Logger |
| Key Equipment | Axe |
What to Do Here
- Learn the basics of Permit Points earned from milestones. This is where you practice without heavy punishment.
- Collect starting resources and your first equipment upgrade.
- Clear all main content before moving to Tropics.
- If you're struggling, read our beginner's guide.
Tropics: Early Game
The northern strip, with Palm Trees, Banana Trees, ferns and the Royal Bluebell, plus Wary Mu and Scrub Turkeys and a set of bugs that appear nowhere else.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Early to mid game |
| Key Rewards | Bananas and coconuts, tropical bugs, Mu for the farm |
| Recommended Build | Logger |
| Key Equipment | Axe |
What to Do Here
- Focus on mastering Licences bought from Fletch. It's critical from this point on.
- Farm for Axe if you don't have it yet.
- Complete all objectives for maximum rewards.
- Prepare for the difficulty spike in Desert.
Desert: Mid Game
The dry centre of the island. Open ground makes it good detector territory and poor cover, so anything hostile sees you coming a long way off.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Mid game with a weapon in hand |
| Key Rewards | Buried finds, desert specific spawns, open building space |
| Recommended Build | Miner |
| Key Equipment | Axe |
What to Do Here
- This is the main skill check. Bring an optimized build.
- Pickaxe becomes accessible here. Prioritize getting it.
- Master Deeds that place town buildings for the boss encounters.
- Check our boss guide if you get stuck.
Pine Forest: Late Game
The cold south west, with high cliffs, pine trees and apple trees. The elevated islands off that coast carry the same flora.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Mid game |
| Key Rewards | Pine timber, apples, cooler weather crops and bugs |
| Recommended Build | Miner |
| Key Equipment | Pickaxe |
What to Do Here
- Full build optimization is expected by this point.
- Pickaxe should be your primary, fully upgraded.
- Seasons and daily weather mastery starts mattering here.
- Farm resources for the push into Deep Mine.
Deep Mine: Endgame
The underground layer reached through the Mine after the 3,500 point Deep Mining Licence. Cave Bats, Glowing Crocos, Glow Bugs and Bush Devils all live down here, along with the Bat Shrine and treasure rooms.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Late game, iron tools and a weapon |
| Key Rewards | Quartz Crystal, Ruby, ores, glowing mushrooms, treasure room loot |
| Recommended Build | Miner |
| Key Equipment | Pickaxe |
What to Do Here
- This is endgame. Best-in-slot gear and a perfected build are mandatory.
- See our boss guide for endgame fight strategies.
- The reward loop: clear content → upgrade → push harder content.
- Experiment with Fisher for variety once you've mastered the meta.
Exploration Tips
- Clear areas in order: Bushlands → Tropics → Desert → Pine Forest → Deep Mine. Skipping areas means missing resources you'll need later.
- Check every corner: Hidden caches and secrets are often in non-obvious locations.
- Match your equipment: Some areas favor different equipment types.
- Read the walkthrough: Our walkthrough provides exact progression milestones for each area.
- Don't rush: Clearing an area fully gives more resources than speedrunning two areas.
More Dinkum Guides
- Dinkum Dinkum Overview
- Dinkum Best Builds
- Dinkum Tier List
- Dinkum Walkthrough
- Dinkum Beginner's Guide
- Dinkum Tips & Tricks
- Dinkum Weapons Guide
- Dinkum Combat Guide
- Dinkum Boss Guide
- Dinkum Crafting Guide
- Dinkum Classes & Characters
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