I live in the US, so I'm in a different position from you. Still, I'll offer that you definitely need paperwork which indicates you own the vehicle or are using it with the owner's permission. That's an absolute in Canada and the US because any authority (police or other) will demand to see it. In Central and South America you won't be able to bring your vehicle across borders without it.
The International Driver's Permit is something else again. I always get one, but it's rarely needed (and even then more often than not the request to see it is merely a pretext for demanding a bribe). Every so often it's been really necessary, and it never hurts. But for the US and Canada your license is already in English, so the permit--really just a translation--isn't necessary at all AFAIK (and the question of bribes is totally irrelevant).
Hope that's helpful.
Mark
Edit to add: I assumed your license is in English because you're listed as living in Alice Springs. If you're German or have a license which is in another language, get the International Permit.
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