Our Great Lap of Australia so far

Our route so far

People call it the Big Lap or the Great Lap: driving all the way round Australia. We call ours the Great Lap, and we're filming every leg of it. This is the order we've done it in, not a map to scale.

1. NSW South Coast & CanberraFrom Sydney to Jervis Bay, Tuross Head, Canberra, a couple of months working in Merimbula, Kosciuszko, Eden
2. VictoriaLakes Entrance, Wilsons Prom, Melbourne
3. TasmaniaThree weeks round the island on the Spirit of Tasmania
4. Great Ocean Road to AdelaideThe Great Ocean Road with Paul, Mount Gambier, Adelaide, then back to Victoria to work in Bendigo
5. Into the OutbackNorth from Adelaide to Lake Hart and Coober Pedy
6. The Red CentreUluru, Kings Canyon, Alice Springs, the West MacDonnell Ranges
7. Up to the Top EndThe Stuart Highway to Katherine, Litchfield, Darwin and Kakadu
8. Western AustraliaLake Argyle, Broome, Karijini
9. What's nextThe adventure continues

1. NSW South Coast & Canberra

We set off from Sydney and headed south. Ten years ago we travelled the East Coast together, from Melbourne to Cairns, so this time we wanted to start our lap from Sydney and go the other way, exploring the Australia we didn't get to see.

Our first stop, and episode one, was Jervis Bay, where we watched kangaroos go into the sea at Honeymoon Bay and saw dolphins, then explored Callala Beach, Huskisson and Hyams Beach. From there we worked our way south: whales off Dalmeny, Tuross Head, Central Tilba and Bermagui, and a detour inland to Canberra.

Next we spent a couple of months working in Merimbula on the Sapphire Coast, through Christmas and New Year 2025 (our first Christmas living in the van). It was a fantastic spot for the holidays, working there meant we got to explore the surrounding area more, and it let us top up our savings for the next leg of our travels, down the coast and over to Tasmania.

At the start of summer we took a trip from Merimbula up into the Snowy Mountains for Kosciuszko and Thredbo. Thredbo is worth the detour if you're driving down the coast. When our time in Merimbula was up, we carried on down the coast via Eden.

2. Victoria

Crossing into Victoria, we went koala spotting at Lakes Entrance and Raymond Island (we couldn't believe how many we saw), spent a packed day at Wilsons Promontory, and went back to Melbourne to try the places our viewers recommended.

3. Tasmania

We took Ron over on the Spirit of Tasmania and spent three weeks going round the island: the penguins at Stanley, the Tarkine, Strahan and the West Coast Wilderness Railway, Nelson Falls, Mount Field, kunanyi/Mt Wellington, Bruny Island, Hobart, the Tasman Peninsula, wombats on Maria Island, Mt Amos at Freycinet, the Bay of Fires, Launceston and Cradle Mountain.

• The overnight ferry: you can't get back to your vehicle during the crossing, so pack an overnight bag. We booked recliner seats rather than a cabin.
• Biosecurity: there are strict rules about what you can take into Tasmania. We had to hand over a plant and some homemade honey.
• Fuel up before the Tarkine. We hit a sign saying there was no fuel for a long way and had to turn back.
• Stanley penguins: the viewing platform gets busy, so get there a little early.
• Allow extra time. Every journey in Tasmania took us longer than expected: the roads are winding and sometimes steep, and you'll want to stop for the scenery.
• kunanyi/Mt Wellington: the road is narrow and steep but fine in a van, and there was plenty of parking at the top.
• Bruny Island ferry: we didn't need to book. It was turn up, first come, first served.
• Maria Island: the ferry goes from Triabunna. Book ahead, especially in peak season.

4. Great Ocean Road to Adelaide

Straight after Tasmania, Ashleigh's dad, Paul, flew over from England. We picked him up in Melbourne, and he hired his own van to follow us along the Great Ocean Road: Split Point Lighthouse, Kennet River, waterfalls in the Otways, the Twelve Apostles and Tower Hill.

We crossed into South Australia at Mount Gambier, one of our favourite stops of the whole lap, with Umpherston Sinkhole, the Blue Lake and a swim in Little Blue Lake. After that came Hahndorf and kangaroos in Belair National Park, then Adelaide, where we said a temporary goodbye to the sea.

A detour back to Victoria

From Adelaide we backtracked to Victoria to work in Bendigo. It meant we got to explore some amazing places nearby, like Castlemaine, and we saw our first AFL game at the MCG with our friend Lachie. Then we drove back to South Australia to pick up our lap.

5. Into the Outback

Our original plan was to head from South Australia across to WA, but not everything works the way you first plan it in your head. After working in Bendigo to save for our next leg, we'd missed the good weather on the southern West Coast, and we would have been stood shivering on the beaches instead of enjoying them. So it made sense to go up through the middle instead, seeing parts of Australia we'd dreamed about, right up to the Top End, and then come down the West Coast.

Back in South Australia, we stocked up and drove north out of Adelaide onto the Stuart Highway: first red dirt, Spud's Roadhouse and the salt flats at Lake Hart. We arrived in Coober Pedy in the Australian winter and saw how people live underground there.

6. The Red Centre

We carried on north into the Red Centre. We also visited Uluru. We can't share that video just yet, but we still hope to get our permit and post it at some point on our journey.

We did the Kings Canyon Rim Walk in winter, and it was still scorching at the top: in the hotter months rangers close it early on very hot days. In Alice Springs, everyone had told us not to bother, and we had a genuinely great day. Then we explored the West MacDonnell Ranges.

7. Up to the Top End

We kept heading north up the Stuart Highway past Karlu Karlu (the Devils Marbles), Tennant Creek and the famous pub at Daly Waters. Next were the thermal pools at Mataranka and Bitter Springs, then Katherine and its hot springs. Litchfield National Park became one of our favourite places in Australia so far.

Driving from Adelaide to Darwin via the Stuart Highway took us four weeks. From Darwin we did a croc cruise on the Adelaide River, then went to Kakadu: Cahills Crossing, sunset at Ubirr, rock art at Nanguluwurr and Yellow Water.

8. Western Australia

We crossed into WA via Lake Argyle and rolled into Broome: Town Beach, Chinatown, Sun Pictures and a sunset with the camels on Cable Beach. We got the tide completely wrong at Coconut Well, and there was no water to swim in, so check the tides first. Next we drove deep inland to Karijini National Park, which had been on our bucket list since we arrived in Australia. We camped at Dales, walked the gorges and waded to Kermit's Pool.

What the lap has taught us so far

• Don't drive at night. It's our number one rule, because of kangaroos.
• Free camping isn't "anywhere". Touristy areas have no-camping signs and fines. We stay in designated spots we find on WikiCamps. See the apps we use.
• The distances are huge. A two-hour drive starts to feel like nothing, and roads can be long, straight and quiet.
• Mobile data is limited once you're away from towns, so Starlink has made a big difference for us. See how we stay connected.
• Respect the sun: slip, slop, slap, and wear a hat.
• Expect flies, even where it's cold.
• Allow more time than you think. Detours and scenery stops add up.
• Plan around the seasons. Working in Bendigo meant we'd missed the good weather on the southern West Coast, so we changed our route rather than shiver on the beaches.

Life on the road depends on the van too. See how our power works off-grid, the everyday kit we rely on and everything we use in Ron.

The adventure continues

We're still going, and we'll add each new leg here as the videos go up. To follow along week by week, subscribe on YouTube.

Want to see the van in more detail?

An updated van tour is coming soon.

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