That's what a road trip around Australia is called, "The Big Lap," and more and more people are doing it.
I've not done the "lap" in one single trip, that would take 12-18 months were I to spend the right sort of time to see the good stuff - I'm not into rushing it - and places are different across the seasons so one almost has to go back to each place (some of them) twice or more, I've seen much of the country on many trips though. I'm planning my big lap although it'll not be a one way lap, I'll go this way and that depending on the season and the commitments I have back home and elsewhere although when I do the big lap I'll no longer be working so I should be able to stay away for extended periods of time so with no really timeframe issues it's sure to be pretty awesome.
With the Big Lap comes big cost and that's what I'm working on at the moment; I think many people think it's as easy as getting into the truck and buggering off, but nope, it's not. I thought I'd share some of my numbers - all numbers are in Australian dollars.
The below figures assume a person has a truck already set up for off-roading and touring (these are generally two very different set-ups but a balance can be found between the two) like my truck and also a caravan or camper trailer like or similar to mine (both are above) plus all the bits and pieces one needs to comfortably and safely do the lap. Combined, these run up to (conservatively) $200,000 in cost but like I always say, fun isn't cheap. So, the rig is all sorted, let's look at what the ongoing costs are going to be. It's also based on two people over twelve months.
Fuel
These numbers are based on between $2.00 - $2.50/L average price for fuel and on fuel consumption of around 20L/100km (towing a caravan). I use 19-22L/100 in my truck depending on speed and terrain. I'm also only basing it on 10,000km of travel per year which would be what I would call a slow traveller. If a person was to stay at each place for shorter periods (doing more kilometres between) it would ramp up the fuel as they'd travel father.
Just so you know, if a person was to stick to Highway 1 and associated connector roads it's about 14,500km to circumnavigate Australia by road however it's highly likely there would be detours so it's probably much more than that; then one would want to drive here and there to see other things along the way as well so the kilometres would rack up...10,000 is conservative.
- Cost: About $7,500-$8,000 or so
Obviously this number depends on how a person drives, what they drive, type of tyres, the terrain, weight/aerodynamics of the caravan and other factors. My numbers are a little more than than the above due to the type of vehicle I have and I've factored $11,000 of fuel for my year.
Accommodation
I've based this on a combination of "free" camping that can range from $0 - $20/night, caravan parks at $40 - $60/night and luxury holiday/resort parks at $70 - $80/night. I'm going to do three figures based on the three different options:
- 70% free camping cost $175/month = $2,100/year
- 50/50 mix of free and caravan parks $950/month = $11,400/year
- Only caravan parks and powered sites $1,600/month = $19,200/year
I'm set up for "off-grid" which means I'll be able to take advantage of more of the free camps and very low-cost options like National Parks and smalltown showgrounds which offer up to 3 days of camping for next to nothing, or totally nothing, (with facilities) and other options as well like beaches and such places I'm able to get to because I have a 4x4. Using caravan parks and powered sites is the most costly way to do it.
Food and groceries
Again there's options here. Cooking for oneself in or at the caravan/campsite, cooking for oneself with a mix of dining out or dining out often. So I'll put in three figures again.
- Cooking for oneself $200/week = $10,400
- Cooking for oneself with 3-4 meals out $375/week = $19,500/year
- Dining out mostly $550/week = $28,600
This is a difficult one to calculate as an average because everyone eats differently but I've based it on myself. If I was dining out for lunches and dinner seven days a week (two people) I think I'd struggle to work with $550/week ($78.50/day) however there's places where that would be possible now and then. I'm more of a home-cooker usually so would probably prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner myself around 85% of the time with only the occasional meal out. It's still a lot of money though.
Vehicle/caravan maintenance
A service costs me $1,200 on my truck and then there's tyres and other consumable parts like filters to replace on top of that. One also needs to add in unexpected repairs and maintenance as well. On this item I tend to over-budget because without my vehicle in top shape I'm going nowhere.
- Basic truck/caravan maintenance $3,500/year
- Unexpected maintenance budget $3,500/year
- Total vehicle maintenance cost $7,000/year
This may sound like a lot but considering the tyres I use on my truck are $550 each, the air filter I use is $350 and a service on my caravan is $650 plus most parts being right up there in cost (and that I like to keep my shit wired tight) it's about right for me. If I get home and I've not spent the budget then fine but I'd be pissed off if I didn't budget enough and got stuck. An older vehicle may be much more, or could even be less due to being easier to work on (lack of computers etc.) I carry basic spares and am a national member for roadside assistance, not that it'll help me when I'm remote but it may save some cost, plus I know how to do a thing or two mechanically.
Communications
This is a critically important aspect for obvious reasons in a country where one may not see another soul for days. I have my mobile phone and a SAT phone also, plus UHF radio (car-mounted and hand held) and a GPS emergency beacon/locator. I'm not really into having Starlink internet but that's something most will do so I'll price up the lot.
- Mobile service $80/month = $960/year
- UHF radios $1200 (once off)
- Sat phone $2,300 (Iridium) + plan $99/month = $3,488/year
- Emergency beacon $400 (one-time use only)
- Starlink "roam" internet Kit $550 = plan $80/month = $1,510/year
It's important to remember that Starlink needs to be powered, which would happen from my caravan but not everyone is adequately set up to do that so there'd be additional cost. I'd just go without the internet though as I'd be moving and would just use data from my mobile phone plan when I had phone service in and around civilisation. There's also some really cool options for off-grid communications such as the Zoleo system.
Activities and entertainment
This is very difficult to calculate so I worked it out based on what I've done in the past. I'm not a budget traveller, I want to see and do stuff, but I'm not exactly a luxury traveller either, so somewhere in between those two is where I sit and leaning closer to mid-range is where I reckon I am.
- Budget $400/month = $4,800/year
- Mid-range $1,250/month = $15,000/year
- Premium $1,600/month $19,200/year
I think I'd probably spend less than that but I'm not the sort of person who goes somewhere and doesn't pay to get into what I want to see or do just because it's too costly - life is too short for that shit.
So where does that leave my year of travelling around Australia from a cost perspective?
Keep in mind that these are not my exact figures and they don't cover every single aspect of the trip. I have a spreadsheet which is far more accurate but I've only sort of averaged things out here and based it on different types of travelling people may do.
So how much?
I've broken it down and for me feel confident I'm in the middle bracket, but I know many people that do this way cheaper and also way more costly than I would.
Low: $37,848 - Middle: $66,948 - Premium: $89,558
These are big numbers and considering these are based on only $10,000km of travel and the more kilometres travelled the more fuel, maintenance, entertainment/activities and pretty much more of everything...well, the numbers go upwards. If a person was to throw on the cost of getting the vehicle/set up and the caravan, say $200,000 in all...doing the Big Lap comes at a big cost.
Fortunately for me I've got the right set up, I've been doing this stuff for decades and I know a thing or two, a few tricks...plus I love remote places so would pay less for accommodation as it's generally free...but even so these are huge numbers especially considering that one may not have an income at the time, or may be paying for their house back home still, insurances and other expense and all (none of which I've added to the numbers.)
Anyway, that's a little glimpse into what it takes to do a lap of this country in a road trip.
Design and create your ideal life, tomorrow isn't promised - galenkp
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Image(s) in this post are my own
Whoa! 12-18 months? Now that's a road trip! Imagine all the sights you'll see and people you'll meet. That's a once in a lifetime trip for sure...and it beats Around the World in 80 Days all to hell. For something as monumental as this trip would be, I'm not surprised by the numbers. The stars...the stars in that photo..I love them!
I've donw so much travelling but have always been on a time frame, the need to get back to work usually, so I'm really looking forward to being able to leave and return at my leisure and stay as long as I like. I think people are slaves to work these days, mostly that's how society is geared and we are often much to blame ourselves...I want to be free and have worked hard my whole life to make it that way...I'll die eventually, but not before I live well.
That's as it should be. The keeping of time has stolen the idea of living in the moment, the moment being now, oh wait....I've got to get to work.
It will be a whole new travelling mind frame when you don't have to watch the time, and hurry to get to the next destination.
I'll be retiring well before the government imposed "retirement age" (67 and seven months for my birth year) and will be self funded, something I've worked hard for. I'm looking forward to that life is my own time feeling. I'll travel a lot and do some other things, hobbies and all. Maybe I'll even work out how to take a decent photo.
The only road trips I've ever done were in the back of a pantechnicon stuffed with instruments, roadies, liggers, musicians (with a very small m), and a lot of drugs. It was enough to put me off for life. With your 5-star set-up though, I might consider it.
My road trips are nothing like that...no drugs for sure, it's not my thing. Not everyone likes road trips I guess though and that's ok. Me? Well, I think they're awesome.
Very interesting plan and planning, I love this budgeting sort of stuff so much.
Of course the numbers don't tell too much to myself, as I live in a completely different economical world, but it still surprised me on how big the gaps on Low and Medium qualities were in the budget.
Definitely try to find free camping places, seems to be the biggest way to save money :D
It's a lot of money and probably out of reach of many Australians also...I guess I've done a lot of hard work since the age of 13 when I started work, and made some really good decisions which places we well to be able to afford my lifestyle. I guess I've got myself to thank for that.
I love that trio of photos at the end and the fact that you want to hit all the remote places, I'd be the same.
I was lucky enought to spend 6 weeks doing part of the lap and you guys have a diverse, beautiful and amazing country with the perfect climate for such a trip.
You've all the hard work done already with the Yute and trailer, happy days man. It'll be the adventure of a lifetime when you do, but although expensive, worth every penny in my opinion. This is the sort of thing we should spend our money on.
When you're sitting contemplating life at 85 (hopefully) will you think, Christ I'm glad I owned a Rolex or will you think back warmly on the people, photographs, experiences and laughs you had on your big lap???
I like my Rolex, other watches and all the things I buy, but the most important things to me are the experi nces I have, and will have; I'm fortunate to have been around th place, the world and Australia, and those memories and experiences are the most valuable I have.
I'm pretty well set up and am looking forward to extended periods away travelling this amazing land...can't happen soon enough!
A few years ago, I wondered how many days it would take to drive through almost every country in Europe. And guess what? It’s actually possible!You can visit 44 countries, drive about 45,000 km, and spend around €8,000 for fuel. If you stop for two days in each country, the whole trip would take about 90 days.So yeah… it’s totally doable! 44 countries in one trip! 😂😂 Oh wow, Europe is tiny! 😂
Yeah, the countries there are very small indeed but that's good for travellers on tight time frames I guess, they can see a lot. Here in Australia a month-long holiday will mean a person seems only a small fraction of the country which is why 12-18 month road trips are done.
Being on the road for more than a year is a fantastic adventure, but it is now impossible. Maybe when I retired 😂
Someday then.
When I am old and gray and with a lot of money to pay someone that will drive a car 😂
Although expensive, it should be an adventure that you and your partner would enjoy no doubt. Love the comms package. I am sure you have a very redundant medical package.
When, or if, I am allowed to drive again, the plan is to take some adventurous road trips around my own country. Sometimes think I have seen more of the rest of the world than my own country.
I love road trips and taking them with no need to watch the clock, being able to go wherever, whenever...it seems pretty good to me.
I love trips where you start out with no partcular destination in mind. We have done that a couple times and it makes it more of an adventure. We would just pull out the map and head in a direction. Not being on the clock would make it even better.
This post makes me glad that I live in Lithuania. It may not be as safe from war as Australia but at least living here is cheaper. Damn some countries are expensive to live... But the photos looks great so I am sure that you will enjoy your time in the nature.
Yeah, it can be costly to live in Australia.
Sometimes I watch australian cooking show My Kitchen Rules. The prize for winners were is 100k(?). For me that seems like a ton of money but it seems like australians would need a bit bigger prize for it to be really impactful.
Yeah, I've not seen the show but I know if it. As for the $100,000 prize, you're right that amount of money wouldn't make much of an impact on a person's life...it's not much more than a single year's salary really.
Well said.
I would just like to stay home.
Do you think you will really do this? As we age especially into our golden years as we both are now. Things and desires change. Juss Sayin'
It's in planning phase now mate, not long left in my working life and then I'm fucken outta here!
On My bucket list to meet ya'll somewhere along your journey.
But I only won a couple free tickets on the lottery this week so bucket it for another week. I will waste a few more dollars and cash in those freebies this coming week. 👍
I wish I'd started really foslcissing on my end-of-work financial planning in my twenties but it was a little later than that. I've got it under control but I'd not be working now had I done it earlier. Of course, having my business partner strip me of a million bucks in 2013 didn't help but I've recovered now and am on track for retirement well ahead of the government retirement age.
In the meantime I live life the best I can but I'm really looking forward to life without work.
It's going to be great when you do that great ride in your caravan...yes the costs are high but I think it will be worth it, this dream is worth it and I hope you enjoy it very much when you do it. You will prepare this for a long time, so everything will be great!
In the meantime I'll do shorter trips and enjoy those too. Seems like a pretty good strategy to me.
It's a smart and beautiful strategy!
Wow, those are some big numbers, but it is a big trip after all. We have some smaller style things where I live called the "circle tours". They have one for each of the great lakes, so you can do the Lake Michigan circle tour or the Lake Huron circle tour. I've done the Lake Superior tour with my parents when I was younger. I've found the main reason I like to have Internet while I am camping these days is for the weather. When you are basically in a tin can, it's nice being able to see the radar to know what is coming your way. A weather person on the radio can't always given you an accurate idea of that.
We have an app (Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology) that feeds straight off the government data with maps, warnings, radar, sunrise and set, tides etc. and all up to the minute. Keeps things simple. You're right though, knowing the weather is important.
That is cool. We have NOAA. They make weather radios that at least give you some kind of an alert and are a little more off-grid. I used to sell them when I worked at radio shack. I'm not even sure how widely used they are now with the Internet and stuff.
I am really fond of such “bog laps”. Although this costs alot infact enormously alot but the excitement,thrill,satisfaction and pleasure is indescribable. To arrange such a trip atleast once in my life is my dream as with hand to mouth pocket such dreams don’t come true often but arranging them for once is atleast possible if one spare from his expenditures.
I also want visit australia and western europe with my towed truck.
Yep, it costs a lot but life is short...and I've worked hard to put myself in a good position financially and so I think it'll be money well spent.
At those costs, would it be worth considering a different vehicle entirely? A transit van with highway tires and a self-contained solar setup might be more efficient, but I can also see benefits to a well-equipped off-roaders separate from a travel trailer as a base camp.
The problem with a camper is that everywhere I go I have to take the camper...and most are not suitable for the off-road stuff I do. With a caravan I can unhook and do the rough stuff. (The base camp scenario you point out.)
People do it with campers though, it's not my style, but people do.
Besides, a camper is not what I need for all the other things I do so I'd then need a truck and a camper and...well, I think you get the idea.
I'm a little jealous, I really want to take my family on a big lap...
I've got to give you a heads up though, in many parts of Western Australia a powered site at a caravan park can cost you upwards of $100 per night. They are really expensive here.
As I said in my post, the numbers are averages so when averaged out over the year and the entire country my figures for caravan parks are about right.
Fair enough!
That’s not too bad… whenever I try to book a flight and accommodations down to the Bahamas or Rome for a 1 week vacation for 2 adults and 2 kids we are looking at $20,000 USD + Extras … this is why we just do summer road trips (3 weeks) to Lake Superior, Lake Huron and Algonquin Park… with Tents or renting cabins.
I've flown around the world a lot and yep, it's costly.ive also toured and camped - more cost effective.
For me it's about the experiences and I think whether I'm in a country overseas or at home here in the wilderness those experiences are valuable all the same. I've had some amazing camping trips and look forward to more.
I'd like to tour around the States some time, find some wilderness.
Do you have a caravan? It is my dream to have a trip around the west coastline of my country, probably after reited :)
Clearly you've not read the post because clearly I stated that the vehicle and caravan in the first image are mine.
If you're going to comment to me please make sure you read the post first.
I need this information for read with calm and slow análisis in the future.
But guau it is a nice take a Saturday years
Indeed.
Ok this is a big budget for traveling around your country but if you have a caravan you save all quantity of money, imagine spend each day in hotel and in a food in a restaurants, maybe your budget could increasing around 200%.
One day I do it.
My country have around 21,000 km^2
It is for cover in one week or less.
Yeah, so many countries are very small, I feel fortunate to live here in Australia...and to have been born and bred here.
Great post! The way you broke down the costs for the "Big Lap" around Australia is super helpful and realistic. The distinction between fixed and variable expenses, as well as the emphasis on vehicle and equipment preparation, really highlights the necessary planning. The cost range of $37,848 to $89,558 perfectly shows how expenses can vary depending on the travel style
Thanks for your comment. It seems very AI oriented though. I prefer comments that people think up and write themselves.
Don't worry, I just don't speak fluent English. So I translate as best I can. To avoid misinterpretations.
I can format it this way if you prefer. Best regards.
I'd rather you use your own words and fuck it up than use AI. I don't like AI at all and certainly don't like AI commenting.