Driving a Lap of Australia is one of the most epic adventures you can ever do. I would know – I did it myself! But a journey of this magnitude means doing a lot of research, planning, and preparation beforehand. From how you’ll travel, what your setup will be, and where to go (and when!), there’s a lot of logistics to consider for this kind of road trip. If you’re planning to do a Lap of Australia, here are my top tips to make it happen and transform your dreams into a realistic plan.

Plan your route around seasons/weather

First things first: decide where you’ll start, and when (what month of the year). Once that’s decided, plan your route to chase the good weather. You do NOT want to be visiting Uluru or the northern part of the country in the middle of the summer heat; you also likely want to avoid traveling to Tasmania in winter.

There are plenty of month-by-month ideas for traveling Australia. But it’ll all depend on where you’re starting, what time of the year you’ll be setting off, and how much time you’ll have!

I spent half of April, May, June, July, and August traveling from Sydney up the East Coast to Cairns and Cooktown. I spent September traveling through the NT to Broome. October was spent in northwest WA and Perth; November was spent on the West Coast. I traveled from Perth to South Australia in December, and spent the second half of January in SA and Victoria. All of February was spent in Tasmania. My final leg of my Lap, Melbourne to Sydney, was done in the first half of March. In hindsight, I definitely would have done things differently for my Lap – mainly spending less time traveling the East Coast, and avoiding the heat/flies in October that were nearly unbearable in the NT/WA. But I never planned on driving a Lap when I left Sydney, so I don’t regret what I did.

Due to previous flooding wiping out the bridge at Fitzroy Crossing, I was very stressed – borderline paranoid – about crossing the river before the wet season started. I breathed a huge sigh of relief as I crossed the temporary bridge over the river at the beginning of October. All of my plans hinged on this road being open! The new bridge has been operational since December 2023, but keep this type of situation in mind as you research your Lap.

Planning your route around the seasons is the number one most important part of planning a successful and enjoyable Lap. Don’t underestimate just how much this will impact your travels!

Know that this is a rough estimate, your plans WILL change at some point

As much as you should plan your route, remember that things will change. You might find somewhere you love, and want to stay longer. You might visit somewhere and not enjoy the vibe, and want to move on. Natural disasters could occur, you might get stuck needing vehicle/mechanical repairs, or any other untold unexpected event could happen. Think of your plans as a guideline, and prepare accordingly.

Research your must-see destinations

If there are any major bucket-list places for you on your Lap of Australia, do your research to ensure you visit at the right time of year. Book special tours or activities in advance, if there’s a risk of them selling out. There are truly so many incredible places to visit in Australia, it can be hard to know where to start. Look into the areas you want to visit the most, find inspiration on travel blogs or social media or traditional guidebooks or recommendations from friends, and have a short list of dream destinations that you really want to see. Prioritize these as you create your route and budget!

Plan your budget – with a hefty emergency fund for unexpected expenses

If you’re setting off an adventure like driving a Lap of Australia, it means you’ve got some money. Whether you’re planning to work remotely on the way, stop and pick up work as you drive, or you have a savings fund you’ll be managing as you go – you need to plan your budget. Accommodation, fuel, food/drinks, sightseeing/activities, vehicle maintenance, mobile phone bills, laundry, showers… there are truly so many expenses to consider when budgeting your Lap. Work out a rough estimate of how much you think you’ll spend in a month on the road – how much fuel you’ll be paying for, what accommodation and groceries will cost you – and use that to help calculate an overall budget.

I highly recommend you have a large emergency fund for unexpected expenses. I never would have thought that I’d roll my car and end up homeless halfway through my Lap of Australia – but it happened! My saving grace was that I had a big chunk of savings and was able to buy a new car outright, before my insurance payments came in. You truly never know what will happen; the only way to be prepared for this, is to plan for extra money in your budget.

Get your setup ready and have your vehicle serviced (or checked out) before you set off

Your setup doesn’t need to be perfect – God knows mine wasn’t! I literally threw an Ikea mattress in the back of my car and just started driving. You’ll adjust and change things over the course of your trip, but having your setup ready to go means you can start soon. And don’t forget your vehicle itself! Get it serviced or have a trusted mechanic check important areas before you leave. If you’re fitting any modifications, have these scheduled far in advance of your leaving date – in case something goes wrong, you’ll have time to get it fixed before you set off. Read my guide if you’re planning on buying a car as a backpacker in Oz.

Download the apps, especially Wikicamps and PetrolSpy

There are a lot of good apps for road tripping Australia. But the two most important (in my opinion) are Wikicamps and PetrolSpy (or FuelMap). Wikicamps was my Bible – I used this app constantly, every single day, to find campsites and free camps on my Lap of Australia. It was also really helpful in finding drinking water and showers on the road, too. PetrolSpy is the most popular app for finding the cheapest fuel prices – although I actually prefer the layout of FuelMap myself. But as PetrolSpy is more popular, I found the prices listed there are more accurate.

ALWAYS DOWNLOAD GOOGLEMAPS OFFLINE

Do not think you will be able to rely on mobile phone signal to use GoogleMaps on the road. Download your maps offline!!! This is important, because…

Don’t assume you’ll have mobile reception driving a Lap of Australia

Even if you have Telstra, there will still be a lot of places where there is no phone signal. It’s just too remote. I had an Optus network during my Lap of Australia – good luck if you’re planning your Lap with Optus, lol. Most of the East Coast was fine, but when I went through the NT and WA I really struggled to find places with mobile reception. Regardless of what network you have, know this: Australia is HUGE, and you will be without phone signal at times. Plan and prepare for this in advance.

Plan out your fuel stops on long outback drives

There are limited gas stations and a LOT of open road. When you’re preparing for the long drives through the outback (crossing the Nullarbor, or driving to/from the NT or the Kimberley), it’s vital to plan out where you’ll get fuel. There may be only one gas station in 300km of road, and you will need to fill up there. I recommend planning your fuel stops to fill up at half a tank where you can.

When I crossed the Nullarbor, I filled up at the first roadhouse on my stretch for that day – the next was about 100km down the road. It was a good thing I did, as the next gas station didn’t have any petrol, only diesel!! Had I have not filled up, I’m not sure if I’d have made it to the roadhouse after that next one (that only had diesel) – or I might have just coasted in on fumes. Don’t risk it, don’t take your chances. Plan your fuel stops and fill your tank all the way up. You can also buy a jerry can and fill it up with fuel, if you think you’ll be going off-road with no roadhouses or gas stations!

I did half of my Lap of Australia without a working fuel gauge in my car. If I can plan my fuel stops, you can, too.

Remote Australia is something else – be prepared at all times with extra drinking water and food

The landscape is overwhelmingly vast, and it’s a beautiful thing to see and experience. But it can be dangerous, and deadly, in the wrong circumstances. Always, ALWAYS, have extra drinking water and food when you’re traveling long distances in-between towns. Always carry extra drinking water on long outback drives. Always pack a few non-perishable food items. You never know what will happen. If worse comes to worse, this could literally save your life.

Be prepared for wildlife at all times

And of course, the most dangerous thing about driving a Lap of Australia? The wildlife. Kangaroos will literally jump right in front of your car. Unfenced stations mean herds of cows can be sunbathing on major highways. Stingers, sharks, and crocs make certain waters deadly. Avoid driving at night at all costs – I barely drove in the dark during my 338 days of my Lap. Be aware of animals crossing the road. Pay attention to local signage when exploring new areas. The wildlife might be unique, but Australia is their country, too – respect the wildlife and the environment.

You are truly at the mercy of Mother Nature – accept it

Nothing will humble you like driving a Lap of Australia. You are, absolutely, at the mercy of Mother Nature. Bushfires, floods, cyclones, earthquakes – all of these can have an enormous impact on your travel plans and experience driving a Lap. There’s no point fighting it, it’s best to just accept the situation for what it is and make new plans.

Leave no trace and protect Australia’s environment for future generations

Above all else, when planning your Lap of Australia, be sure to leave no trace. This is an amazing country, full of phenomenal natural wonders and insanely special wildlife. Do your part to conserve this place for others to come by leaving no trace. If you’re camping, take all your rubbish away with you (yes, this means used toilet paper ladies!). Dispose of grey waste at proper facilities, not just onto the ground somewhere you think no one will notice. If you light a fire, be sure to extinguish it properly. Respect local wildlife. Leave campsites as you’d like to find them.

I travel in a way so that generations of travelers can follow in my footsteps, and have the same amazing experience I did. While larger issues of climate change aren’t necessarily in our control, small actions on the road can make a difference to the travelers to come.

Driving a Lap of Australia is a huge undertaking. Weeks, months, or even years of planning and research can go into this. While it’s not an easy adventure, particularly if you go off-grid and live with the basics for months on end, it’s absolutely the best way to see and experience Australia. I hope this post is useful and helps you if you’re planning on driving a Lap of Australia!

Would you ever drive a Lap of Australia someday? If you already have, what would your top tips be?

You might also like my posts:

My Top Solo Road Trip Safety Tips

What I Learned About Life Living Out of My Car

A Backpacker’s Guide to Buying a Used Car in Australia

I Drove a Lap of Australia – Solo!

All of my Australia posts!

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