Lap of Australia Itinerary
There’s no place quite like Australia, and we spent the last 7 odd years working towards doing a big lap of Australia, and have since taken off from Perth for at least a year on the road, and maybe more depending on how it goes.
In this post, I want to cover our itinerary, with links to the places we’ve been. I’ll try not to go into too much detail here, as its going to be long enough! We are currently on the road, and will update this every week or so to give you an idea of where we’ve been.
Western Australia
Day 1 – Perth to the weighbridge, and then out to Hyden where we camped at Flat Rock on the Holland Track
Day 2 – Flat Rock along the Hyden Norseman Road, filling up with our final bit of fuel before hitting Woorlba Rest area for a night
South Australia
Day 3 – Woorlba Rest Area to Madura Caves and then into South Australia and onto the Bunda Cliffs Camp sites
Day 4 – Bunda Cliffs to Scotts Beach
Day 5 – Stayed at Scotts Beach and visited Mexican Head and Fowlers Bay, along with Point Fowler
Day 6 – Stayed another night at Scotts Beach and enjoyed the area.
Day 7 – Scotts Beach through Ceduna to Wittelbee Conservation Park
Day 8 – Wittelbee to Point Brown
Day 9 – Point Brown to Perlubie Beach
Day 10 – Kicking back at Perlubie Beach
Day 11 – Stayed at Perlubie Beach and explored south of Streaky Bay by 4WD
Day 12 – Perlubie Beach to Pildappa rock and the Gawler Ranges at Yandinga campsite
Day 13 – Exploring 4WD tracks around the Gawler Ranges
Day 14 – Gawler Ranges through to Port Augusta for food, water etc before free camping at Pichi Richi, and then into the Flinders Ranges for 3 odd weeks.
Day 15 – Pichi Richi to Mern Merna Station
Day 16 – Exploring Mern Merna Station and doing the Burnette 4WD track
Day 17 – Mern Merna Station to Parachilna Gorge
Day 18 – Parachilna Gorge to Moolooloo Station
Day 19 – Exploring Moolooloo Station and Ferguson Gorge
Day 20 – Moolooloo Station to Arkaroola
Day 21 – Enjoying Arkaroola and doing a number of Arkaroola 4WD tracks
Day 22 – Enjoying Arkaroola and doing the Echo Camp Backtrack 4WD track
Day 23 – Arkaroola to Chambers Gorge
Day 24 – Chambers Gorge to Willow Springs
Day 25 – Enjoying Willow Springs, and exploring Bunyeroo and Brachina Gorge
Day 26 – A drive out to Wilpena Pound, and then kicking back at Willow Springs whilst it kept raining
Day 27 – Willow Springs to Rawnsley Park Station
Day 28 – Enjoying Rawnsley Station
Day 29 – Rawnsley Station to Argadells
Day 30 – Enjoying Argadells
Day 31 – Argadells through Quorn to Stony Creek Bush Camp
Day 32 – Exploring Wilmington from Stony Creek Bush Camp, and heading to Alligator Gorge
Day 33 – Stony Creek bush Camp onto private property
Day 34 – Staying with friends on private property
Day 35 – Staying with friends on private property
Day 36 – Staying with friends on private property
Day 37 – Staying with friends on private property
Day 38 – Friends property onto Queen B campsite on Fitzgerald Bay
Day 39 – Kicking back at Queen B camp site on Fitzgerald Bay
Day 40 – Queen B onto Whyalla Caravan Park
Day 41 – Doing washing, shopping and tidying up at Whyalla Caravan and Tourist Park
Day 42 – Whyalla Caravan Park to Point Gibbon
Day 43 – Enjoying Point Gibbon
Day 44 – Enjoying Point Gibbon
Day 45 – Point Gibbon to Carrow Wells
Day 46 – Enjoying Carrow Wells
Day 47 – Carrow Wells to Red Cliff Beach
Day 48 – Red Cliff Beach to Moonlight Bay
Day 49 – Moonlight Bay to Bayview Park in Port Lincoln
Day 50 – Exploring Port Lincoln
Day 51 – Exploring Port Lincoln
Day 52 – Exploring Port Lincoln and getting the Isuzu Dmax serviced
Day 53 – Bayview Park to Fisherman Point in Lincoln National Park
Day 54 – Enjoying Fisherman Point
Day 55 – Fisherman Point to Horse Rock and the Wanna to Sleaford 4WD track
Day 56 – Horse Rock to Engine Point
Day 57 – Engine Point to September Beach
Day 58 – Enjoying September Beach
Day 59 – September Beach back into Port Lincoln for a key, then out to Memory Cove
Day 60 – Enjoying Memory Cove
Day 61 – Enjoying Memory Cove
Day 62 – Memory Cove to Mikkira Station
Day 63 – Mikkira Station to Yangie Bay
Day 64 – Yangie Bay to Black Springs Overflow and out to Morgan’s Landing across Seven Mile Beach
Day 65 – Relaxing around Black Springs Overflow
Day 66 – Black Springs overflow to Nyroca Camp
Day 67 – Nyroca Camp to Hall Bay
Day 68 – Relaxing around Hall Bay
Day 69 – Hall Bay to Walkers Rock
Day 70 – Relaxing around Walkers Rock, and exploring Elliston
Day 71 – Walkers Rock to Talia Cave and through to Point Labatt
Day 72 – Point Labatt to Perlubie Beach
Day 73 – Perlubie Beach to Port Augusta at the Augusta Caravan Park
Day 74 – Stocking up with food, and doing some Christmas shopping, plus refilling gas in Port Augusta
Day 75 – Port Augusta to Alford Recreation Park
Day 76 – Alford Recreation Park to Balgowan Campground
Day 77 – Balgowan Campground to Wauraltee Beach
Day 78 – Wauraltee Beach to Parara Campground
Day 79 – Parara Campground to Burners Beach
Day 80 – Kicking back around Burners Beach and Point Turton
Day 81 – Burners Beach to Gym Beach in the Innes National Park
Day 82 – Relaxing around Gym Beach
Day 83 – Gym Beach to Pondalowie Bay Bush Campground
Day 84 – Relaxing around Pondalowie Bay
Day 85 – Relaxing around Pondalowie Bay
Day 86 – Pondalowie Bay to Swincer Rocks
Day 87 – Swincer Rocks to Kadina Showgrounds for the Christmas parade
Day 88 – Kadina Showgrounds to Moonta RV overnight stay
Day 89 – Moonta RV overnight stay through Adelaide to Pink Gum Camp Ground
Day 90 – Enjoying Pink Gum Camp Ground with a visit to Hahndorf
Day 91 – Pink Gum Camp Ground to the front lawn of family in Victor Harbor
Day 92 to day 100 Enjoying Christmas and New Years in Victor Harbor and doing the Urimbirra Wildlife Park, walking to Granite Island, the Victor Harbor Steam train and the Goolwa Beach 4WD track to the river mouth.
Day 101 – Victor Harbor to Deep Creek Conservation Park
Day 102 – Exploring Deep Creek National Park and doing the Blowhole Beach 4WD track, and Boat Harbor Beach.
Day 103 – More hikes and exploration in Deep Creek Conservation Park
Day 104 – Deep Creek Conservation Park to Rapid Bay
Day 105 – Enjoying Rapid Bay with a day trip to Cape Jervis
Day 106 – Rapid Bay to a Hipcamp at Aldinga called Blissful Peace, and spending the afternoon on Aldinga Beach
Day 107 – Exploring Aldinga and Carickalinga
Day 108 – Aldinga to Belair Caravan Park in Adelaide
Day 109 – Enjoying the Adelaide Zoo
Day 110 – Relaxing around Belair Caravan Park after checking out Mt Lofty and the Botanical Gardens
Day 111 – Belair Caravan Park to 42 mile crossing campground in the Coorong National Park
Day 112 – 42 Mile Crossing Campground to The Granites near Kingston SE
Day 113 – Granite Rocks to Kingston SE RV park and out to Cape Jaffe
Day 114 – Exploring the Robe 4WD tracks
Day 115 – Kingston RV Park to Southend Tourist Park
Day 116 – Exploring the Canuda National Park
Day 117 – Southend Tourist Park to Tantanoola caves and then Bellum Pub in Mt Gambier
Day 118 – Exploring Mt Gambier including the Blue Lakes and Umpherston Sinkhole
Day 119 – Bellum Pub to and onto Kromelite Road Rest Area just out of Mount Gambier
Day 120 – Exploring Piccaninny Ponds and Port Mcdonnell
Day 121 – Kromelite Road Rest Area to Lake Leake
Day 122 – Relaxing around Lake Leake and saying goodbye to our folks who are heading back to Perth
Victoria
Day 123 – Lake Leake into Victoria, and to Fort O’hare free camp at Dartmoor
Day 124 – Fort O’hare to McLennans Punt
Day 125 – McLennans Punt to Lake Mombeong
Day 126 – Lake Mombeong to Sawpit Free Camp
Day 127 – Exploring Portland and relaxing at camp
Day 128 – Sawpit Free Camp to Annya Camp
Day 129 – Relaxing around Annya Camp
Day 130 – Annya Camp to friends front yard on the way to the Grampians
Day 131 – Friends property to Glendinning Campground
Day 132 – Relaxing around Glendinning
Day 133 – Glendinning to Smiths Mill Campground in the Grampians
Day 134 – Exploring the Grampians, and doing Mackenzie Falls
Day 135 – Exploring the Grampians
Day 136 – Smiths Mill to Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park
Day 137 – Exploring more of the Grampians
Day 138 – Exploring more of the Grampians
Day 139 – Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park to Plantation Campground
Day 140 – Exploring Bee Hive Falls
Day 141 – Plantation Campground to Boreang Campground
Day 142 – Exploring Goat Track, Harrop track and back to Boreang Campground
Day 143 – Boreang Campground to Hawkesdale Golf Club
Day 144 – Hawkesdale Golf Club to Warnambool Surfside Park
Day 145 – Warnambool Surfside Park to Princetown Recreation Reserve
Day 146 – Princetown Recreation Reserve to Johanna Beach
Day 147 – Johanna Beach to Aire River West Campground
Day 148 – Aire River West to Aire Crossing (different, but amazing campground to the above)
Day 149 – Exploring Aire Crossing and Triplet Falls
Day 150 – Aire River Crossing to Beauchamp Falls Campground and checking out the Otways Redwoods
Day 151 – Walking to Beauchamp Falls
Day 152 – Relaxing at Beauchamp Falls Campground and checking out Lake Elizabeth
Day 153 – Beauchamp Falls to Blanket Bay Campground
Day 154 – Blanket Bay to Meredith Park on Lake Colac
Day 155 – Relaxing around Meredith Park
Day 156 – Relaxing around Meredith Park
Day 157 – Meredith Park in Colac to Jamieson Creek Campground
Day 158 – Relaxing at Jamieson Creek after doing the Jamieson Track
Day 159 – Relaxing around Jamieson Creek after exploring a few waterfalls
Day 160 – Jamieson Creek Campground to Hammonds Road North Campground
Day 161 – Doing 4WD tracks from Anglesea to Lorne
Day 162 – Relaxing at Hammonds Road North Campground
Day 163 – Hammonds Road North Campground to Fridays Campground
Day 164 – Fridays Campground to Amblers Crossing
Day 165 – Doing 4WD tracks around Lerderderg, Blackwood and Wombat State Forest
Day 166 – Amblers Crossing to Cobaw Campground
Day 167 – Cobaw Campground to Lakeside Campground at Lake Eildon
Day 168 – Relaxing around Lake Eildon, and checking out Eildon itself
Day 169 – Lakeside Campground on Lake Eildon to a Caravan Overnight Farmstay not too far away
Day 170 – Exploring the region around the Caravan Overnight Farm Stay
Day 171 – Caravan Overnight Farm stay onto the Rubicon and Cathedral Range 4WD tracks, before staying a night at Cooks Mill
Day 172 – Cooks Mill to Lake Mountain Camping area in the car park
Day 173 – Lake Mountain to Fishbone Flats
Day 174 – Fishbone Flats to Jack Scotts Reserve near Woods Point and checking out Comet Flats
Day 175 – Exploring the Mount Terrible 4WD tracks
Day 176 – Relaxing around Woods Point and spending the afternoon at Comet Flats
Day 177 – Jack Scotts Campground to Matlock and down Walhalla Road to Meringtons Campground
Day 178 – Meringtons Campground to Coopers Creek Campground
Day 179 – Exploring the Walhalla 4WD Tracks and doing the Walhalla Mine Tour
Day 180 – Coopers Creek Campground into Traralgon and to Glengarry Pub
Day 181 – Glengarry Pub to Paradise Valley Campground
Day 182 – Paradise Valley Campground to the Licola Free Camps at Pardalote
Day 183 – Exploring the area around camp and doing some of the Mt Margaret 4WD Track
Day 184 – Pardalote to Grannys Flat Campground on the Jamieson-Licola Road
Day 185 – Relaxing at Grannys Flat Campground whilst it rained most of the day
Day 186 – Relaxing at Grannys Flat
Day 187 – Grannys Flat to Mansfield and onto Klingsporn Bridge Track Parking near Mt Buller
Day 188 – Heading up to Mt Buller and Craigs Hut
Day 189 – Klingsporn Bridge Track Parking to Frys Flat Campground
Day 190 – 4WD tracks to Bluff Hut and Lovicks Hut
Day 191 – Doing more Howqua Flats 4WD tracks
Day 192 – Frys Flat Campground to Teatree Campground near Mt Buffalo
Day 193 – Exploring Mt Buffalo and Bright
New South Wales
Day 194 – Teatree Campground to Oura Beach in Wagga Wagga
Day 195 – Relaxing at Oura Beach
Day 196 – 200 Oura Beach to Wagga Bundaleer for 5 nights, catching up with family who flew in
Day 201 – Wagga Bundaleer to Bohena Creek Rest Area
Queensland
Day 202 – Bohena Creek Rest Area into QLD and to Waterloo Plains Environmental Park in Wandoan
Day 203 – Wandoan to Rockhampton Waterski Club
Day 204 – Exploring Rockhampton including Kershaw Park, Mt Archer and the Rockhampton Zoo
Day 205 – Relaxing around Rockhampton
Day 206 – Rockhampton Waterski Club to Flaggy Rock
Day 207 and 208 – Flaggy Rock to Rowallan Park
Day 209 to 214 – Rowallan Park to Airlie Beach and onto our Whitsunday Yacht Hire for 6 nights
Day 215 – Airlie Beach to Bluewater Park Rest Area just north of Townsville
Day 216 to 222 – Bluewater to Cairns Cool Waters Caravan Park for 7 nights catching up with family who flew in doing the Cairns Aquarium, Skyrail and plenty more
Day 223 to 229 – Cairns Cool Waters to Tropic Breeze in Port Douglas for 7 nights with family doing the Port Douglas Reef Tour, Daintree region and plenty more.
Day 230 – Tropic Breeze in Port Douglas to Miallo Creek
Day 231 – Relaxing around Miallo Creek, and preparing for Cape York
Day 232 – Miallo Creek to Cooktown Campout
Day 233 – Cooktown Campout to Cooktown Peninsula Caravan Park
Day 234 – Exploring Cooktown and doing Isabella Falls
Day 235 – Cooktown Peninsula Caravan Park to Bloomfield Cabins and Camping
Day 236 – Doing the Bloomfield track
Day 237 – Bloomfield Cabins and Camping to Trevathan Creek Farm Stay
Day 238 – Exploring Archer Point and Trevathan Falls
Day 239 – Trevathan Camp to Elim Beach
Day 240 – Relaxing around Elim Beach and driving to the Coloured Sands
Day 241 – Elim Beach to Hann River Roadhouse
Day 242 – Hann River Roadhouse to Coen Free Camping
Day 243 – Relaxing around Coen Free Camping
Day 244 – Coen free camp to Weipa Camping Ground
Day 245 – Exploring Weipa
Day 246 – Exploring Weipa
Day 247 – Weipa Camping Ground to Moreton Telegraph Station
Day 248 – Moreton Telegraph Station to Fruit Bat Falls Free Camping and enjoying Fruit Bat Falls
Day 249 – Exploring Elliot Falls, Twin Falls and the Saucepan
Day 250 – Fruit Bat Falls Free Camp to Alau Beach
Day 251 – Alau Beach to the top of Cape York
Day 252 – Relaxing around Alau Beach and checking out Mutee Head and the WW2 wrecks
Day 253 – Alau Beach to Bramwell Junction Roadhouse
Day 254 – Bramwell Junction Roadhouse to Stewart River Free Camp at Brons Block
Day 255 – Stewart River down to Marys Farm Creek Stay
Day 256 – Checking out Mt Lewis
Day 257 – Marys Farm Creek Stay to Mareeba at Ringers Rest RV Park
Day 258 – Exploring Emerald Creek Falls and Davies Creek Falls
Day 259 – Doing the Clohesy Fig Tree and 4WD track
Day 260 – Ringers Rest RV Park to a couple of free camps and then to Chillagoe Tourist Park
Day 261 – Chillagoe Tourist Park to Chillagoe Cockatoo Hotel and checking out Archways Cave, Bogey Hole, Chillagoe Weir and Paradise Pool; see Chillagoe Caves.
Day 262 – Doing the Donna cave guided ranger tour along with Pompell and Bauhinia Cave
Day 263 – Chillagoe Cockatoo Hotel to Kauri Creek on Lake Tinaroo
Day 264 – Exploring Lake Tinaroo, Mt Edith, Gillies Lookout and various other attractions
Day 265 – Exploring the Atherton region from Lake Tinaroo
Day 266 – Lake Tinaroo to Herberton Historic Village and onto Malanda Falls Caravan Park
Day 267 – Exploring attractions around Malanda
Day 268 – Relaxing around Malanda Falls Caravan Park
Day 269 – Malanda Falls Caravan Park to Babinda Boulders
Day 270 – Babinda Boulders to Tully Gorge
Day 271 – Exploring Tully Gorge
Day 272 – Tully Gorge to Mission beach and up to Innisfail
Day 273 – Innesfail to Archer Creek Free Camp
Day 274 – Exploring Millstream Falls
Day 275 and 276- Archer Creek Rest area to Mt Surprise at the Planet Earth Adventures Caravan Park
Day 277 – Mt Surprise to Jardine Station
Day 278 – Relaxing around Jardine Station
Day 279 – Jardine Station to Gilbert River East
Day 280 – Gilbert River East to Point Fuel Caravan Park in Karumba
Day 281 – Exploring Karumba
Day 282 – Waiting for the rain to pass in Karumba
Day 283 – Karumba to Leichhardt Lagoon
Day 284 – Leichardt Lagoon to Georgetown Cumberland Chimney Camp
Day 285 – Georgetown back to Jardine Station at Ellendale Hole
Day 286 – Jardine Station to Copperfield Gorge and Einasleigh Free Camping
Day 287 – Einasleigh to Anabranch camp near Charters Towers
Day 288 – Anabranch to Lazy Acres Mango Plantation
Day 289 – Lazy Acres Mango Plantation to Ebuta Goat Farm
Day 290 – Exploring Townsville and getting random bits and pieces from the shops
Day 291 – Getting the Dmax serviced in Townsville and exploring more of the area
Day 292 – Ebuta Farm to Crystal Creek Beach Camping area
Day 293 – Crystal Creek Beach Camp to Jourama Falls Campground
Day 294 – Jourama Falls to Cloakeys Pub with a visit to Wallaman Falls
Day 295 – Cloakeys Pub to Blencoe Falls
Day 296 – Relaxing around Blencoe Falls
Day 297 – Relaxing around Blencoe Falls
Day 298 – Blencoe Falls to Murray Falls
Day 299 – Murray Falls to Big Crystal Creek Campground
Day 300 – Relaxing around Big Crystal Creek
Day 301 – Big Crystal Creek Campground to a friends place near Townsville
Day 302 – Getting spoilt rotten at a friends house and checking out Salmon Creek
Day 303 – Getting spoilt even more, and looking at Alligator creek
Day 304 – Friends house to Gumlu Tavern
Day 305 – Gumlu Tavern to Lake Proserpine
Day 306 – Getting blown away at Lake Proserpine
Day 307 – Lake Proserpine to Blackiron
Day 308 – Blackiron to Hold it Flats
Day 309 – Relaxing at Hold it Flats
Day 310 – Hold it Flats to Creek and Antique Camping
Day 311 – Relaxing at Creek and Antique Camping
Day 312 – Creek and Antique Camping to Ball Bay at Cape Hillsborough National Park
Day 313 – Relaxing around Ball Bay and exploring the Cape Hillsborough National Park
Day 314 – Ball Bay to Pinnacle Hotel Camping
Day 315 – Staying at Pinnacle Hotel and visiting Finch Hatton Gorge
Day 316 – Staying at Pinnacle Hotel and visiting Mia Mia state forest and doing the Captains Crossing Track
Day 317 – Pinnacle Hotel to The Diggings Campground
Day 318 – Exploring the area around Diggings Campground
Day 319 – The Diggings Campground to Eungella Dam
Day 320 – Relaxing at Eungella Dam
Day 321 – Eungella Dam to Mt Britton
Day 322 – Mt Britton to Cattle Camp near Sarina
Day 323 – Stocking up in Sarina
Day 324 – Relaxing around Sarina
Day 325 – Cattle Camp to Notch Point
Day 326 – Relaxing around Notch Point
Day 327 – Relaxing around Notch Point
Day 328 – Exploring Cape Palmerston
Day 329 – Notch Point to Carmila Beach
Day 330 – Relaxing around Carmila Beach
Day 331 – Carmila Beach to Lotus Creek
Day 332 – Lotus Creek to Stanage Bay (where our Dmax inner guard completely failed)
Day 333 – Stanage Bay to a friends block in Rockhampton, where we decided to head to Brisbane urgently for our Dmax repairs
Day 334 – Rockhampton to friends in Maryborough
Day 335 – Maryborough to families land on the Sunshine Coast waiting on our Isuzu Dmax cracked inner Guards to be repaired
