Key points
- Jervis Bay on the NSW South Coast is where we officially started filming the Great Lap, heading south from Sydney with a strict route. Before that we'd spent more than a year travelling around Australia in Ron, including driving him up the east coast, and Paul's road trip with us came back down to Sydney.
- Ten years ago we travelled the East Coast together from Melbourne to Cairns, so this time we went the other way, to explore the Australia we didn't get to see.
- So far we've gone south down the coast to Victoria, across to Tasmania, along the Great Ocean Road into South Australia, then north up the Stuart Highway through the Outback to Darwin, and west into WA.
- Our plan was always to go from South Australia across to WA, but not everything works the way you first plan it. After working in Bendigo, we'd missed the good weather on the southern West Coast, so we went up through the middle to the Top End instead, and then down the West Coast.
- Our biggest lessons: avoid driving at night when you can, respect the sun, camp in designated spots, and allow more time than you think.
It really takes coming to Australia to appreciate just how big it is, and how much there is to do here. Coming from the UK, a country you can drive from south to north in a day, Australia's vastness really hit home when we first arrived. We'd put somewhere we thought was just down the road into Google Maps, only to be faced with hours of driving.
We've grown to love those long drives, and we can't wait to explore new places, chasing the sun and finding new favourite spots along the way.
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.
- NSW South Coast & CanberraFrom Sydney to Jervis Bay, Tuross Head, Canberra, a couple of months working in Merimbula, Kosciuszko, Eden
- VictoriaLakes Entrance, Wilsons Prom, Melbourne
- TasmaniaThree weeks round the island on the Spirit of Tasmania
- Great Ocean Road to AdelaideThe Great Ocean Road with Paul, Mount Gambier, Adelaide, then back to Victoria to work in Bendigo
- Into the OutbackNorth from Adelaide to Lake Hart and Coober Pedy
- The Red CentreUluru, Kings Canyon, Alice Springs, the West MacDonnell Ranges
- Up to the Top EndThe Stuart Highway to Katherine, Litchfield, Darwin and Kakadu
- Western AustraliaLake Argyle, Broome, Karijini, Mount Bruce, Hamersley Gorge
- 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.
Jervis Bay is where we officially started filming the Great Lap, with a strict route from here on. Before that we'd driven Ron up the east coast, and Paul's road trip with us had come back down to Sydney. 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. Our Sydney to Melbourne coastal drive guide goes through it stop by stop.
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. Our Tasmania road trip guide goes through it stop by stop.
- 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. There's more in our guide to taking a campervan on the Spirit of Tasmania.
- 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 for his second visit. 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. Our Great Ocean Road guide goes through it stop by stop, from both times we drove it.
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.
We've put the whole Red Centre loop, 2WD-friendly roads included, into our Uluru and the Red Centre in a 2WD guide.
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 3 to 4 weeks. We've written it all up, 2WD-friendly detours included, in our Adelaide to Darwin in a 2WD guide. 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. Our Darwin and Kakadu guide covers the Top End in a 2WD.
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. Our Karijini in a 2WD guide covers the sealed and gravel roads, Dales camping and gorge safety. Our Darwin to Broome guide covers the border, Lake Argyle and Broome.
Crossing the border into WA
Just like Tasmania, we checked what we could and couldn't take into WA before we got there. At the quarantine checkpoint near Kununurra, the officers did a quick search of the van and we were on our way. The staff were really friendly, and they even warned us about the time difference.
- The official rules: WA runs 24-hour road checkpoints on the NT border (Kununurra, Victoria Highway) and the SA border (Eucla, Eyre Highway). Many fresh fruit and vegetables can't come in, honey is prohibited unless it's certified, and quarantine risk material must be declared to an inspector. Check the current list before you go, because it changes (DPIRD: what can I bring into WA?).
- Check the time zone. Clocks go back when you cross into WA, so check the time change before you plan anything for that day, like a booking or a ferry.
Two fellow Brits we met at Hancock Gorge told us to climb Mount Bruce (Punurrunha), WA's second-highest peak at 1,234 m, and we're so glad they did. It's a proper hike, with chains on some exposed sections and narrow ledges with big drops, and it took us 2 hours 20 minutes up and 1 hour 45 minutes down. Our Karijini guide's Mount Bruce section covers the trail, the weather and the rough road in for a 2WD. The next day we soothed our tired legs with a freezing cold dip in the famous Spa Pool at Hamersley Gorge.
What the lap has taught us so far
- We try not to drive at night. Kangaroos are the big reason, but finishing in daylight also means we're set up in camp before dark, with no stress. If we do end up on the road late, we slow right down and watch for wildlife.
- 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 and how we find free camps.
- 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. Up north it's the opposite: the wet season brings heavy rain and flooding, and roads can close at short notice. Check Road Report NT before you drive, because driving on a road marked closed is an offence in the NT.
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.
Fees, rules and opening hours were correct as of 02/11/2026 — always double-check before you go.