Big Lap Australia: 9 essential tips for distance around

Planning a Lap of Australia? This is the most rewarding road trip that most people will ever take on. But to do it properly requires a lot of planning and preparation.

Our 9 tips for tackling the Big Lap of Australia will save you time and worry by explaining everything you need to know when getting your journey in order. Our camping experts answer all your burning questions and even detail how you can make back some of the money that you’ll spend on your epic adventure!

9 tips for the Big Lap of Australia

1. What is the distance of a road trip around Australia?

If you follow the Highway 1 ring road all around Australia, you’ll travel a distance of about 14,500km. Add at least another 1,000km for detours to Darwin and other destinations off the highway and in total your road trip around Australia will cover a minimum distance of 15,500km.

2. How long to road trip around Australia?

Some people complete the Big Lap of Australia in as little as six weeks to two months. However, when travelling at this pace, you can only spend a maximum of 1 -2 days at any given destination. In this case, you might be better off doing a half lap of Australia.

At a minimum, we suggest a three month road trip around Australia. This will save you from having to drive long distances each and every day. If you wanted to really take your time, however, you could spend a year or more on a road trip around Australia.

3. What to include on the Big Lap itinerary

It’s important to plan the Big Lap of Australia carefully so that you don’t miss the best bits. Use our lap of Australia itinerary to find all the best sights and destinations in one place.

Every Big Lap itinerary should include these top ten highlights:

• The Blue Mountains (NSW) - UNESCO World Heritage site famous for the Three Sisters, Katoomba Falls and the world’s steepest railway.

• Kosciuszko National Park (NSW) - Alpine region famous for the Snowy River, ski resorts and Australia’s highest peak.

• Sunshine Coast (QLD) - Glass House Mountains, Noosa National Park, World Heritage-listed Fraser Island.

• Cairns (QLD) - Adventure capital of Australia and gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest.

• Kakadu National Park (NT) - UNESCO World Heritage site famous for Katherine Gorge, Yellow Water wetlands and Ubirr Aboriginal rock art.

• Broome (WA) - Australia’s pearling capital famous for sunset camel rides on the beach.

• Coral Coast (WA) - Famous for Ningaloo Reef, Shark Bay World-Heritage Site and Kalbarri National Park.

• South Western Australia (WA) - Famous for the Margaret River, Valley of the Giants and beachside towns like Denmark and Albany.

• Nullarbor Plain (SA) - Longest stretch of straight road in Australia with cliff top views over the Great Australian Bight.

• Great Ocean Road (VIC) - Historic road with world-famous attractions such as the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge and London Bridge.

4. How much does the Big Lap cost?

How much does a road trip around Australia cost? The answer depends on a number of variables, including: the number of people travelling, the campsites you stay at, the attractions you visit, the food you eat, the fuel consumption of your vehicle and the length of your trip.

For a couple on a three-month road trip, the cost to travel Australia is between $15,000 - $30,000. Families on a three-month Big Lap around Australia should expect to spend between $25,000 - $35,000.

If you are on a tight budget, you can reduce costs by staying at free or low-fee campsites, cooking your own meals and limiting the number of paid attractions you visit. Make the most of low-cost attractions like National Parks and other nature-based activities.

5. What is the best time to do the Big Lap?

Most of the Australian continent is subject to four seasons: summer (December - February), autumn (March - May), winter (June - August) and spring (September - November).

However, the tropical north of Australia is subject to two seasons: the wet season (November - April) and the dry season (May - October). The wet season is hot and humid and roads often become impassable due to heavy rainfall.

As such, the best time to travel around the top of Australia is between June and September (well within the dry season). This means that you can then travel around the rest of Australia between September and February (spring and summer) and make the most of the cool coastal climate during the warmer months.

6. Which direction to do the Big Lap in

The Big Lap of Australia can be done in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction. The direction you take will depend on what time of year you are travelling. Remember that you want to be in the tropical north of Australia during the dry season (May - October) and the south of Australia during spring and summer (September - February).

If you’re leaving in winter, head north and make the most of the dry season. If you are leaving in summer, head south and make the most of the cooler coastal climate.

Some people also suggest that driving the Big Lap of Australia in an anticlockwise direction allows you to make the most tailwinds and improve fuel efficiency.

7. What is the best vehicle for the Big Lap of Australia?

Which vehicle you choose for the Big Lap of Australia will depend on a number of considerations: budget, number of people travelling, age of people travelling, comfort, fuel consumption, towing and off-road capability.

Most people do a road trip around Australia in a campervan, motorhome, caravan, camper trailer or tow vehicle. Given that Highway 1 is fully tarred and well-maintained, any of these vehicles are capable of making the trip. However, if you want to go off-road and venture down unsealed routes, you may be better off in a 4WD tow vehicle with a caravan or camper trailer.

Couples on a budget may prefer travelling around Australia in a campervan because they are more affordable and tend to have better fuel efficiency. Families or couples with a larger budget might prefer to travel in a motorhome or caravan because they provide extra space and comfort.

Before you purchase a vehicle, we recommend that you try-before-you-buy - you’ll be in it for a while, after all. Use Camplify to search through hundreds of privately-owned campervans, caravans and motorhome rentals. Then hire one that takes your fancy and try it out to see whether it meets your needs and expectations before investing in your own!

Planning to create a unique home on wheels for your lap? Check out our guide to taking on a DIY van conversion in Australia.

8. How to plan your Big Lap road trip route

Once you’ve decided on a route, plot each stop using our guide on how to plan a road trip with Google Maps. The method used in this guide allows you to add more than the usual limit of 10 destinations. Plus, we also show you how to customise the map, add location descriptions and images from your travels.

In addition to Google Maps, you may also find these apps useful:

• WikiCamps: A paid app that helps you find campsites, caravan parks, rest stops and more. Read user-reviews and filter by options.

• Maps.me: A free app that allows you to download maps for offline use.

• Petrol Spy or Fuel Map Australia: Free apps that help you find the cheapest fuel prices.

9. Any tips for travelling with kids?

A family road trip around Australia comes with the added challenge of keeping the kids happy.

Try to hit the road as early as possible so that you don’t spend all day in the car. The whole family will enjoy the Big Lap a lot more if afternoons can be spent appreciating your destination.

Keep the kids informed about each day's drive. Give them a map, point out your destination and highlight all the fun things that you’re going to do once you arrive. Every now and then, give the kids a chance to choose a sight or attraction that they really want to see as well.

Keep the kids entertained on long drives by playing games, chatting and listening to music that everybody likes. And don’t forget to have a heap of healthy snacks on hand, like fruit and nuts.

Perhaps most importantly, take a break every couple of hours, stretch your legs and revive.

For some money-saving advice, check out our budgeting tips for travelling with kids.

Hire out your van after a Big Lap of Australia

Once you’ve finished the Big Lap of Australia, you’ll be left with a heap of wonderful memories. But you may also be left with an unused campervan, caravan or motorhome sitting idly in your driveway…

Why not earn a return on your investment by renting it out? Right now, holidaymakers all around Australia are wanting to hire a vehicle like yours for their next road trip!

Why Camplify?

We are proud to be Australia’s largest private caravan, campervan and motorhome sharing community. When you hire a van through our platform, it comes with lots of advantages:

• Comprehensive hire insurance

• NRMA roadside assistance

• 24/7 customer support

• All members are verified

By hiring with Camplify, you are also helping local families who share their van on our platform and supporting many local companies across Australia in addition to ours. So we are very grateful to you.

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