About 5yrs ago , while we were still poking around in 'old Inter' .

Ran into a bloke in an old Inter Aacco 4X4 , he was telling me ,

got  to th end of a road he would turn here , turn there , just to

see where it took him. I'm a bit like that . Ok I might be going

from a to b , but I like to Enjoy th journey .

Richo

Cruising Granny wrote:

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The only itinerary you probably should have is a rough idea of departure date, and in which direction you will point the bonnet as you leave the driveway.
As everyone else has said it's then a matter of a day to day thing. The features and sights you want to see and experience. How long you want to spend there will depend on what you are enjoying - or not.
You may have some idea of the geographical features, beaches, regions, points of interest. There's a lot more to this travel gig than sitting in the driver's seat watching the countryside slide by. It really is an experience.
Then there's the chat time. Always allow chat time. Whether it be happy hour, coffee, lunch or just a chat at the bowser while refuelling. Someone somewhere, anywhere will want to know about you and your travels. It can take hours and days to explain it.
It's all part of the fun.
Will you be free camping or van parks? Or even friend's driveways and backyards?
As far as RV's go there are so many options. From motorhomes - petrol/diesel/gas. Camper vans, caravan & tug, all personal choice.
There are no rules to this except the road rules of course.
So many options - so little time.

you are right cruisin granny, so true, so true. rocket n strop

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I figured just drive out of town and keep going, no set itenery, no set time to stay in one particular place, no hurry no nothing, got plenty time to see the place

Welcome. Secondly because this is such an old thread. I would start a new thread. When people see 2012 at the top they will more than likely ignore it.

Being primarily a free-camper I choose a destination then roughly work out a route to get there. I then choose the next destination and do the same. No time limits though because all depends upon what there is to do and see along the way. Works for me.

Framptonxx wrote:

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Hi eveyone, I agree with what everyone says, it's not possible to plan an itinerary for something like the Big Lap. We're from Canada and plan on arriving in Sydney somewhere around july 2024 to do the big lap over the next 12 months.

 

Doing the Big Lap, starting in July would you recommend going south and clokcwise or north and counter clockwise? 

 

Thanks!

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 Hi.  Our first lap (a figure 8) with a 2wd bus based motorhome took us 18 months & circa 45,000kms.  We could very easily have taken longer & travelled further. However 12 months is a pretty reasonable timeframe. Many folk from overseas often think they can manage a lap in much less.  I consider 12 months to be a sensible minimum, but if you don't need to book a return flight I'd still suggest that you leave it open if you can to allow for an 'extension' if you find that you want to. 

If you plan to take a look at some of the 90+% of Australia that  having a 4wd allows you to experience you will want longer! That said there is still more than enough to see & experience in 12 months without leaving sealed roads.  A vehicle which you are comfortable to take just a few kms along rough or dusty roads (not necessarily 4wd) will open far more camping spots up for you if you think you might enjoy nature & peace as an alternative to caravan parks. It will need to have the means to stay off grid if you do. At a minimum power for overnight (or longer) & onboard water & toilet, sleeping & cooking facilities.  If prepared to go to caravan parks every few days your off grid requirements will be less than if you want to stay off grid for more than a couple of nights at a time.  Camping off grid is, in my view, the only way to experience natural Australia. Waking with the dawn chorus of the birds looking out onto beaches, deserts or forests without another person in sight is hard to beat! It is, I think something that Australia probably does better than just about anywhere else in the world. 

I don't think direction makes a huge difference despite some commentary which may suggest one direction over another. Driving into the wind can be a pain, but whichever way you go, you'll experience it at some point. 

The key is in the timing to be where you want to be when the weather is best. Hard to pick as weather patterns change, but 'following the sun' is what most folk 'doing a lap' try to do. Of course because this is what most try to do if you follow suit everywhere you go will be relatively busy. If you are prepared to experience hotter & more humid conditions (for example) then campsites will be less crowded & you will have a completely different experience. 

As someone who lives in the southern half of Australia, I am most attracted to the year round warmth & the many differences of the Top End tropics when we travel, & unlike many I have come to love the tropical wet seasons, but if on a fixed timeframe the possibility of being unable to proceed because of flooded rivers etc is not ideal, even though it is exciting, dynamic & adventurous. However there are stunning places right around the country.  Anyone who has been around will have a list of 'don't miss' places in their heads, but do try to save yourself some surprises rather than reading up on everything. I can guarantee that your very best memories will be from the 'unexpected'. 

FWIW, if you are arriving in July (winter in the south) I would be heading north from Sydney. Bear in mind that whilst there is heaps of wonderful coastline between Sydney & Cairns the eastern coastal strip is also the busiest & most expensive part of Australia. However the rest of Australia has as much & more to offer, with less traffic & population density.  I prefer beaches to ourselves & having enjoyed the east coast once am now happy to give it a miss in favour of the rest of the country. :)   

Tasmania is worth a month or two if you can fit it in. Lovely place & quite different to the rest of Australia. 

Horses for courses - depends on your personal preferences. 

Any chance of starting earlier than July? The roads are packed with vans travelling north from Sydney in May and June, and back the other way 5-6 months later. My preference would be to spend winter in the north and summer in the south, with that goal taking precendence over prevailing winds. Is your plan mainly around the outside or through the Red Centre? Unless you do a figure 8, or a lot of backtracking, there is a huge area you miss out on.

I think what would be better is to come up with a list of places you want to include and note when is good to be there and when not. And a lot of that depends on your personal interests. Are you happy in tourist season or prefer to sacrifice "best time" for less busy. Which of these appeal more ..... beaches, fishing, outback, mountains, snow, red centre, isolation, nightlife, aboriginal culture, heritage and more. With some key goals, and some places in mind. go the Bureau of Meterology (BOM) and get some climate statistics for those areas. There is a huge amount of climate data available. Then you can work out a tentative time plan.

BOM Climate Statistics

As you are from Canada you may find the colder climates fine, but maybe have some difficulty acclimatising to the hot north. Also you probably want to avoid the northern wet season ... strongest in mid summer. You also have the risk of cyclones.

Framptonxx wrote:

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 My original thought was to be somewhere between Sydney and the Gold Coast for winter and then go back south to Victoria and Tasmania for spring.

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 As I said 'Horses for Courses'.

 That's certainly not how I would spend July/August/September.  To me it sounds like a 'waste' of your limited time, the best months of the year .... if you intend to drive a 'lap'. 

Best months to visit Tassie weather-wise are Nov -March. 

I'm in Victoria at the moment (home) - Overnight temps down to around +2 to minus 4 deg.c (so far). Daytime temps 7-13 & often grey & wet.  Late September/early October is spring. (getting a bit warmer, but often wet & windy).  September/October in Tassie will still be predominantly wet, windy & at risk of snow & frosts. In short not the most appealing weathers to be camping in. 

Spending those 3 months or more where you suggest is a big chunk out of a 12 month trip & if you want to experience the country's natural & wild 'jewels in the crown' 'predominantly in the north & the central deserts). I'm guessing that at some point you would wish you had done things differently. 

Top End overnight  temps between 11-20 & Daytime temps 25 -30 currently

By early October Top End (Cairns to Broome)  that changes to 25-30 overnight & 35-40 daytime with humidity rising to 100% & constantly wet clothes. The Wet season/cylcone season can begin anytime from as early as November or as late as January & continues through late May/early June. 

At this time of the year the central deserts will also be experiencing minus overnight temperatures, but T shirt weather during the day. 

You will struggle to be everywhere at the optimum times, so picking a couple of places which are the biggest attraction to you & aiming to be there at best time, & then fitting everything else in around those is likely the best you can do. 

An example. Kakadu National park is predominantly about Aboriginal culture & wildlife. The optimum wildlife experience really requires that you are there early in the dry season.  Whilst there is still plenty of water in the many billabongs - the reward is wall to wall birdlife as far as the eye can see. When the water is sufficiently low to attract huge numbers of different wading birds. And waterfalls still flowing.  Too early the experience is driving from cultural site (rock art) to cultural site -with little to see between them as mostly the roads have forest right to their edge. (You'll still see crocs etc at some sites & birdlife on Yellow Waters). Too late - the magnificently huge numbers of birds have dwindled away & waterfalls have dried up. 

If nature is your thing, for a 12 month trip I suggest that buying a 4wd is almost mandatory. A good option would be a Toyota Troop carrier with a pop top roof camper conversion. This will provide you with the greatest flexibility in regard to where you can camp & to visit places with best natural attractions & wildlife.

FWIW my 'top picks' are probably (in no particular order) the Kimberley, Cape York, the East Pilbara, the South west corner of WA, the Red centre & the West coast of Tasmania. (Plus Kakadu if there at the right time). My all-time favourite locations are the Dampier peninsula pindan cliff coastlines north of Broome, all of the north Kimberley, the gorges of Karijini NP, the Bungle bungles, The Iron Range rainforest, the magnificently scenic white beaches among one of the planet's top biodiversity hotspots in the SW corner of Western Australia & our best ever two camp spots  [drum roll] - 'Running Waters' in the east Pilbara & Cape Domett on the East Kimberley coast. 

You may find flicking though our blog(s) useful to provide a bit of inspiration? 

-- Edited by Cuppa on Friday 18th of August 2023 11:05:57 AM

A vehicle something like this.

https://www.caravancampingsales.com.au/items/details/2007-toyota-troopcarrier/SSE-AD-15690701/?Cr=0&gts=SSE-AD-15690701&gtsSaleId=SSE-AD-15690701&gtsViewType=showcase&rankingType=showcase

You would be able to sell it for a similar price after 12 months .... or may find a dealer prepared to offer a buy back deal. 

Toyotas are more expensive than other brands, but do hold their price well. 

The reason we're thinking of starting in Sydney is the plane ticket price and it's about the only way to get to Australia from Eastern Canada, without doing 3 or 4 layovers. This being said depending on where we wind up, I agree, we'll go north or inland for a few months and try and slowly make our way south. I realize it's not possible to be at the right place at the right time of year all the time.

The Toyota Troop carrier is an interesting vehicle, it's definitely something we'll look for. It really depends on what's available when are ready to purchase.

Cuppa, very nice blog!

If any of you ever want to come to Canada, don't hesitate to contact me. Canada is as big and spectacular as Australia but without the snakes, spiders and crocs :))

Many thanks!