Articles

Cape Leveque Road off the Gibb turns a Kimberley lap into something richer. Here's how I'd plan the detour, water and all.

Weight distribution hitches get bolted on out of habit more than need. Here's how they actually work, when they earn their keep, and when they're solving a problem you don't have.

Showground camping can save your Big Lap budget and your sanity. Here's how to find them, what they cost, and the etiquette that keeps them open to travellers.

When to actually do the Savannah Way from Cairns to the Kimberley — the shoulder season windows that beat both the crowds and the wet.

A proper method for reversing a caravan solo, without needing Denise waving her arms about or a crowd at the boat ramp watching you jackknife.

A practical way to read a free camp in the first ten minutes, before you've unhitched or dropped the camper, so you don't end up stuck, bogged or moved on after dark.

A hot, roaring hub on the Oodnadatta doesn't lie. Here's how I check caravan wheel bearings before every big trip, and what the warning signs actually mean.

Independent suspension or leaf springs for your off-road van? Trev breaks down what actually holds up on corrugations, and what's just brochure talk.

A compressor fridge that cycles off on corrugations or after a hot day usually isn't faulty. Here's how to actually diagnose 12V fridge dropouts.

A plain-English guide to UHF radio channels for caravanners, from the truckie channel to the convoy channel, and why channel 40 isn't a chat line.

You don't need to smash your rig through the Old Telegraph Track to say you've done Cape York. Here's the bypass route that still gets you to the tip.

A practical Eyre Peninsula caravan loop from Port Augusta to Ceduna and back, with real distances, servo tips and the towns worth two nights, not one.

How to work out what fuel will actually cost on a lap of Australia, including the remote premium most budgets miss entirely.

A two-to-three week Flinders Ranges caravan loop from Adelaide through Wilpena, Blinman and the Oodnadatta Track, with real numbers on fuel, water and pressures.

Bunks, second fridges, water tanks and dog space — the layout features that matter more than the marketing brochure when you tour with kids.

Free camping with primary-schoolers is a different exercise to solo touring. Here's how we actually choose a site, from arrival time to the 2am dunny run.

Real numbers on signal, power and camp choice for anyone trying to work remotely from free camps in the outback and the Kimberley.

A dry-season creek looks harmless until it isn't. Here's how I actually assess a crossing before I put the Troopy and camper into it.

A Troopy-and-camper solo traveller's method for picking safe, legal free camps — timing, ground, solar, signal and reading the room.

A parent's route guide down the NSW South Coast, with real caravan parks, swimming spots and drive times between Kiama and the Victorian border.

Planning a Big Lap around school terms takes more than a calendar. Here's how to time each leg, avoid peak-season prices, and keep the family sane.

Six years into the Big Lap, Trev Sanders reckons the best thing he did was stop counting kilometres. Here's how to actually slow down on the road.

Dump points are everywhere in Australia — if you know how to find them. Here's how to locate one, use it properly, and avoid the mistakes that annoy everyone else.

DC-DC chargers are one of the most misunderstood bits of 12V kit. Priya Raman cuts through the spec-sheet noise and tells you what actually matters.

Three months or twelve? Marto Kelleher breaks down realistic Big Lap timelines — by rig type, pace and budget — so you can plan one that actually fits your life.

The Gibb gets all the attention, but the Kimberley's lesser-known tracks are where the real country opens up. Here's what's worth your time — and your tyres.

Torn between a hybrid camper and a full off-road van for your big trip? Trev breaks down what actually matters — weight, access, comfort and cost.

Clockwise or anticlockwise — the direction you drive the Big Lap shapes your seasons, your budget and your whole experience on the road.

Stop guessing how much solar and battery capacity you need. Marto walks through real load calculations, honest panel output figures, and the sizing mistakes that leave tourers flat.

How our 1-5 rig rating and caravan suitability categories work: grading surface, corrugations, clearance and water crossings to read any track page.

An honest breakdown of big lap costs: fuel, caravan sites vs free camps, food, rego and insurance, and repairs, with real ranges to build your own budget.

Lithium vs AGM caravan batteries compared: usable capacity, weight, cycle life, cost, solar and DCC charging, and cold-weather limits, with a clear table.

ATM, GVM, GCM, GTM, tow ball mass and payload defined plainly, with a worked example showing why so many caravan rigs are illegally overweight.

Free camping rules across QLD, NSW, VIC, SA, WA, NT and TAS: rest areas, national parks, self-contained rules and honest talk on council crackdowns.

Real tyre pressure ranges for corrugations, sand and gravel, why airing down works, why the caravan's tyres matter too, and where TPMS earns its keep.

An ex-mechanic on picking a real off-road caravan: chassis, suspension, clearance, water, couplings and the payload that gets people fined.

An electrician's honest take on caravan gadgets: battery monitors, compressors, TPMS and power banks that earn their space, plus the ones to skip.

Budget camping snacks for kids and long drives that survive corrugated roads: homemade slice, savoury muffins, packing tips and dodging roadhouse prices.

Diesel heaters, condensation, thermals and ground insulation: what really keeps a caravan warm in cold-weather camping, from six winters on the road.

Caravanning with pets: why national parks ban dogs, how to find dog-friendly parks, keep them cool and avoid 1080 baits, ticks and heat.

The camping apps actually worth having for caravanning, with honest pros and cons of WikiCamps, CamperMate, Hema, fuel apps, BOM and Emergency+.

How to choose 4WD tyres for touring: all-terrain vs mud-terrain, load ratings, LT construction and why pressures beat tread pattern.

The best beach fishing spots you can camp right behind, from K'gari's 75 Mile Beach to the Coorong, with permits, tides and tyre pressure tips.

Must-see off-road destinations for serious tourers, from the Tip of Cape York to Mitchell Falls and the Canning, with what breaks on each.

The best swimming holes in Australia to cool off on a lap, from Bitter Springs to Karijini, with essential crocodile and signage safety advice.

The best walking trails for caravanners, each near a great camp, from St Mary Peak to Karijini gorges, with water and season advice.

The best scenic drives in Australia you can tow a van along, with real gradients, fuel gaps and honest towing advice for each route.

The best fishing spots to base a caravan trip around, from Streaky Bay whiting to Karumba barra, with tides, licences and croc-safe advice.

Five challenging off-road drives that test any tourer, from the Simpson Desert to the Gibb River Road, plus how to prep your rig to survive them.