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Planning your first big lap, one stage at a time
How to break a trip around Australia into stages you can plan, budget and actually enjoy.
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The big lap feels impossible when you look at the whole map. It gets easier when you stop planning a lap and start planning stages.
Plan by season, not by distance
Australia's weather decides your route. The north is best in the dry season, roughly May to October. The south is best in summer. Most families travel north in autumn and south in spring.
Break it into four-week stages
Plan one stage in detail and the rest loosely. A stage might be a coastline, a state, or a run between two big towns where you restock and service the car.
Budget per week
Fuel, food and campsites make up most of the cost. Track them weekly, not daily; some weeks you'll free camp and some you'll stay in a park with a pool.
Build in rest days
Aim for at least two nights everywhere you stop. Kids, and adults, need days without driving.
Service before you go
Get the car and van checked, including wheel bearings, brakes and tyres. Carry spares for the things that strand people: fan belts, fuses, a tyre repair kit and a tyre pressure gauge.
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