Photo by Ch Photography on Unsplash
180 days · touring · moderate
The Big Lap of Australia
The full circuit of the country on and around Highway 1 — roughly 15,000 km and, done properly, the better part of a year. Here is how we break it into legs so the weather works for you instead of against you.
Day : East coast run north
Day : The Top End
Day : The Kimberley
Day : The WA coast
Day : The Nullarbor
Day : Home via the centre or the coast
The full circuit of the country on and around Highway 1 — roughly 15,000 km and, done properly, the better part of a year. Here is how we break it into legs so the weather works for you instead of against you.
## The route, leg by leg
### Leg 1: East coast run north
Melbourne / Sydney → Cairns · roughly 3,000 km · 6–8 weeks nights
Coastal holiday parks, easy towing. See the East Coast Run for detail.
### Leg 2: The Top End
Cairns → Darwin · roughly 2,800 km · 4–6 weeks nights
Savannah Way or the inland run; dry season only. Kakadu, Katherine.
### Leg 3: The Kimberley
Darwin → Broome · roughly 1,900 km · 3–5 weeks nights
Gibb River Road for off-road vans; the sealed highway for the rest.
### Leg 4: The WA coast
Broome → Perth · roughly 2,400 km · 4–6 weeks nights
Ningaloo, Coral Coast, station stays. Some of the best of the lap.
### Leg 5: The Nullarbor
Perth → Adelaide · roughly 2,700 km · 2–3 weeks nights
Long, sealed, spectacular. Fuel planning matters; whales at the Head of Bight in winter.
### Leg 6: Home via the centre or the coast
Adelaide → Melbourne / Sydney · roughly 1,200 km · 1–3 weeks nights
Grampians, Great Ocean Road, or duck up to the Flinders and Red Centre.
## Planning notes
Total distance is around 15,000 km and we would allow about 180 days to do it without living in the driver’s seat. Best months: Depart autumn; north in winter, south in summer. Distances and timings here are a starting point — how long you actually take depends on how often you find a spot you do not want to leave.
Lock in the logistics
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Common questions
- How long does the Big Lap take?
- Most people take six to twelve months. You can rush it in three, but you will spend the whole time driving. We reckon nine months is the sweet spot.
- Do I need an off-road van for the Big Lap?
- No. The full circuit is sealed. An off-road van only earns its keep if you want to add the Gibb River Road, Cape York or desert tracks.
- Which way around should I go?
- Anti-clockwise from the south-east: head north up the east coast in autumn so you hit the Top End and Kimberley in the dry, then come down the WA coast as the south warms up.
