If you are considering driving the big lap of Australia, you are in the right place. Having done the big lap of Oz myself and many Australian road trips I know you will have many questions you want answered about undertaking this bucket list road trip. Questions like What is the Big Lap of Australia? When is the best time to go around Australia? Which direction should you go in? How long does it take to drive Australia? What vehicle is best to drive? Where will you stay or will you take your own accommodation with you? How much money might it cost to travel around Australia? What about food, water, fuel and internet – can I find it everywhere? Wow, these are just some of the questions I bet are swirling around in your head. Well, keep on reading and I will do my best to answer your driving the big lap of Australia questions.

Australia is a large and diverse country, but I’m sure you know that! There are different ways to travel around Australia including flying, catching a bus or train. But without a doubt, the best way to see the country in all its glory is to jump in a vehicle and hit the road. And this is what this post is all about – driving the big lap of Australia. Before you do, a bit of planning should be done if you want to drive around Australia. Here are my suggestions to help you plan for driving the big lap of Australia.

What is the Big Lap of Australia?

Highway 1 takes you around Australia

When we talk about the big lap of Australia we are talking about the journey of driving around it. Highway 1, also called the ‘National Highway’ skirts the entire way around Australia. It is made up of major highways like the Princes Highway, Eyre Highway, Great Northern Highway, Bruce Highway and the Pacific Highway and connects major cities of Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. And takes you to many iconic Australian sights. Together these highways make up around 14,500 kilometres of road.

Of course, to see some iconic Australian places such as the Outback, you will need to back track and deviate off Highway 1. So your big lap of Oz can look more like a figure 8! But you definitely wouldn’t want to miss visiting some places such as Uluru that you will find off the Stuart Highway that joins Darwin to Adelaide. Or hopping a ferry to Tasmania.

Who does the Big Lap of Australia?

Anyone and everyone can and does the big lap of Australia. From international and local backpackers to families with children to empty nesters, grey nomads and not so grey nomads.

How Long will the Big Lap take?

The coach left Alice Springs on time at 8.30pm but soon the traveller sitting next to me enquired whether I knew how much longer it was until we’d e there? Her jaw dropped to the floor when I told her we weren’t due in Darwin until 3.30pm tomorrow afternoon. She looked at her watch and counted around its face. “But that’s another 17 hours” she exclaimed. “I know” I responded. All up the trip from Alice Springs to Darwin took 19 hours. Nine-teen very long hours!

As I recovered from my trip by the hostel’s pool, another girl joined me and soon revealed that she had just arrived in Darwin after a 33-hour bus journey from Cairns. Another backpacker then advised he had spent 56 hours on the bus coming from  Perth to Darwin. I could go on with more stories like this, but I think you get the gist that Australia is a big country and there are long distances to travel.

To work out how long it might take you to travel around Australia you will need to consider what you want to see (see my map earlier) and how long you will stay at the place. Then consider the distances you will need to travel to be able to see them. Have a look at the example of distances following. If you are worried you may run out of money then pick up work along the way. Check out my Work Types page for some inspiration.

Example distances in kilometres

You can roughly work out in hours how long it will take to drive. If on average you drive 100km per hour then for example, Perth to Sydney is 4057km therefore, it can take around 41 hours to drive – that doesn’t include breaks.

Adelaide (SA)
1540  Alice Springs (NT)
2103  3111  Brisbane (QLD)
5170. 2630. 4712  Broome (WA)
3545  2370  1703  4020  Cairns (QLD)
1198  2638  1347  5518  3050  Canberra (ACT)
2947  1407  3489  1865  2845  4295  3854  Darwin (NT)
2626  1086  3168  1544  2524  3895  3533. 321. Katherine (NT)
741   2181  1702  5649  3116   670    4125  3836  3373  Melbourne (VIC)
2770  3535  4492  2248  5905  3798  6914  4113  3792  3472  Perth (WA)
1394  2766  1019  5502  2722  328   3731  3967  3563   998   4057  Sydney (NSW)

Which Direction Should You Travel?

Which way should you go on your Aussie big lap. Clockwise or anti-clockwise? Honestly, It doesn’t matter. The Big Lap of Australia can be done in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction. There is no right or wrong answer, but where you are might be influenced by the weather and where you are coming from. If you travel clockwise you do travel more kilometres as you are driving on the closest part of the road to the coast. This makes it longer than driving on the inside side and more expensive in petrol as you need more. This is one reason many travellers prefer to travel anti-clockwise because they travel less kilometres and it costs less. But honestly, it is up to you.

Best Time to do the Big Lap

Anytime is a good time to begin your travels in Australia however, the weather can be a big influence. Someone once said to me “I come from a country that has some of the coldest winters in the world – if I can follow the sun and avoid a winter, then I will”. It is possible to have year-round summer if that’s what you want. Simply stay in the southern states during the summer months (December, January, February) then head north during the winter months (June, July, August).

A big influence on the northern half of Australia is the Tropic of Capricorn, which runs through it. This gives the top half of Australia two seasons: wet and dry. During the wet season (November to April) days are hot and humid with a lot of rain and usually a cyclone or two which could lead to flooded roads and interfere with your journey. The best time to visit the northern half is usually during the winter months. So if you want to spend time in the Outback and the Great Barrier Reef, this is usually the best time to go.

Travelling the southern half is fine anytime but most spend the summer months doing this part of the country. This is because the southern states can be very cold during the winter months with snow on the mountains. If you like the snow you will enjoy the many ski centres in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania during this time.

Overall though, it is your choice when you hit the road.

What Kind of vehicle will you undertake the Big Lap in

There are many different vehicles in which you can undertake your big lap. If you are wondering what the best vehicle to drive the big lap in is, well, there isn’t a ‘best vehicle’, it will boil down to your preferences and choices. Your options can include, but are not limited to, buying or renting a vehicle which could be a car, camper van and you can find out about renting one of these through DiscoverCars. Many choose taking a tent and camping, car camping. tow a caravan or live in a campervan. If you don’t want to drive yourself then consider a bus tour such as with Contiki, a bus pass with Greyhound Australia or check out the train routes. I recently did the Overland train from Melbourne to Adelaide – and loved it.

Where will you sleep during your Big Lap

The type of accommodation you will stay in will depend on your transport. If you have your accommodation with you, you are set however, if you need to find some each night there is a wide choice available from campsites to hostels to budget hotels to apartments to resorts. To find accommodation such as a bed in a hostel, check out HostelWorld. To stay in caravan parks check out Big4 and WikiCamps. For all other sorts of accommodation check out Booking.com. Another option to consider is house and pet sitting through TrustedHousesitters.

What About Practical Stuff? Food, Water, Fuel & Internet

A big concern about travelling around Australia is where to get fuel, food and water. There are plenty of fuel stations in Australia however, if you intend to go off-road during your travels, fuel stations are fewer and further between and then you will need to travel with a jerry can with extra fuel. Same with food and water, there are towns with supermarkets, cafes and bakeries where you can get supplies.

Another concern is communication and will you have phone and internet coverage. Well yes, mostly. Even though providers say they cover Australia there are areas that are not. Many are option to use Starlink nowadays.

Will You Sell Up?

A big question often asked by those planning their big lap often have to make the decision of whether to sell up their home or not. Some people do sell up to fund their travels and then live in their caravans full-time as they travel while others may rent their property out. Renting your property means you have somewhere to come home to. That is if you want to come home! Some plan to be travelling Australia for 12 months and find it isn’t long enough and end up travelling for years. While others may return early because it’s not for them.

How Much will a big lap of Australia Cost?

There are a lot of variables when it comes to budgeting for your big lap of Australia. To work out a rough calculation consider putting together a spreadsheet listing items that could include the purchase or rental of a vehicle, fuel, supplies like camping gear, cooking utensils and bedding. Then you might include accommodation costs like camping fees or hostel costs, food and entrance fees to sights. And maybe add incidentals like clothes and souvenirs. Throw in a column for takeaway coffees and the odd trip to a coffee shop or restaurant and you could guesstimate how much it might all cost. If it scares you the amount you calculated remember you could pick up work along the way to keep you travelling. Visit my work page for some inspiration.

What to See and Do on Your Big Lap of Australia

map reproduced from my travel guide – Live Work and Play in Australia

There is so much to see and do in Australia, just have a look at my map. It shows some of the iconic highlights you should include while driving the big lap of Australia and suggests how long to stay at each. This is just a taste though! The luxury about driving around Australia is that you can deviate at any time and can discover many other memorable things. Here is some inspiration.

My Top Things to Do and See While in Australia

1. Walk around Sydney Harbour, NSW
2. Visit Parliament House in Canberra, ACT
3. Go wine tasting in the Yarra Valley, VIC
4. See the Apostles of the Great Ocean Road, VIC
5. Spend a week on the Gold Coast, QLD
6. Dive or snorkel the Great Barrier Reef at Green Island, QLD
7. See the Crocodiles and Aboriginal Art in Kakadu
8. Visit the red Centre and see Uluru, NT
9. Meet the Quokkas on Rottnest Island, WA
10. Go wine tasting in the Barrosa Valley, SA
11. Try opal mining in Coober Pedy and stay underground, SA
12. Enjoy the Hobart Waterfront, TAS
13. Visit the dolphins of Monkey Mia, WA
14. See Wave Rock, WA
15. Whale Watch in Hervey Bay, QLD

These are my top 15 things to see and do while travelling around Australia. But there are many more just waiting for you to discover them while doing you drive the big lap of Australia.

Don’t forget Travel Insurance, Vehicle Insurance and Roadside Assistance

If you are Australian you are covered by Medicare for medical issues in Australia, and it is up to you if you take out private medical Insurance. If from overseas a regular travel insurance policy will cover you while you travel around Australia. World Nomads offers some great general travel insurance policies. If you are a long-term traveler or digital nomad you may want to consider SafetyWing. And don’t forget insurance for your vehicle – you just don’t know if something might happen. CIL Insurance specialise in caravan / campervan insurance in Australia. Each state also has an automobile club that offers car insurance including RACV, NRMA, etc. Plus there are other organisations such as AAMI.

My Best Tips for Planning and Driving the Big Lap of Australia

1. Do some research of places you want to see. Make of list of these places and plot a map of where they are.
2. Choose the direction – clockwise or anticlockwise?
3. Decide on the right vehicle and what accommodation you need.
4. Always do car checks before you head off driving.
5. Consider the weather and the best time to be in a certain place.
6. Set your budget and time frame. If you want to make money while travelling, get a job such as in a caravan park or work online.
7. Take out necessary insurance and roadside assistance.
8. Don’t be afraid to change your plans.

Are You Ready for Driving the Big Lap of Australia?

I hope this blog has helped you begin your big lap around Australia. Whether you have a few months or a couple of years, If you can’t do the big lap all at once consider smaller road trips. But wherever you decide to go and which ever way you decide how to do it and how ever long you decide to take to do it, please enjoy your big lap of Australia.