Choosing a caravan for a Big Lap can get overwhelming very quickly. There are weights, construction methods, suspension, off-road capability, floor plans, warranties and a very long list of optional extras to consider before you even get to the price.

In this episode of Big Lap Chats, I'm joined by Sheree Parsons from the Urban Caravans sales team to talk about what caravan buyers should really be looking at before they buy.

We chat about one of the biggest mistakes Sheree sees buyers make, how to decide what size caravan you actually need, why what you can't see inside a caravan can matter more than what you can, and the extras owners often wish they had included.

We also tackle the issue many buyers are understandably worried about right now: what happens to your deposit if a caravan manufacturer or dealer gets into financial trouble? Sheree and Bill explain how their dealership arrangements work and some of the questions buyers should ask before paying a deposit.

If you're researching a caravan for your Big Lap, this is a conversation worth having before you make your final decision.

Is your car and caravan combination really safe to tow?

Krisi Murphy from Caravanning Queensland joins Annette to explain caravan weights and towing safety in straightforward language. As the manager of the free VANSafe program, Krisi regularly works with caravan owners who discover that their setup isn't quite as comfortable within its limits as they believed.

In this episode, they discuss ATM, tare, GVM, GCM and tow ball weight, why a 3.5-tonne towing capacity doesn't give you the complete picture, common loading mistakes and what to ask a dealer before buying a caravan.

Krisi also explains what to do if your caravan starts to sway, why weighing your fully loaded setup matters and where caravan owners can find reliable advice instead of relying on conflicting answers from social media.

Annette also shares the frightening moment an extra 40kg loaded at the rear changed the way their own caravan behaved while overtaking a truck.

Find the links to Caravanning Queensland, VANSafe and Krisi's Tow Like a Girl resources in the accompanying blog post.

Wondering what food you should take on your Big Lap of Australia, and how much you really need to carry?

In this episode of Big Lap Chats, Annette shares how she packs the caravan pantry, fridge and freezer after almost three years travelling full time around Australia.

We cover pantry staples, fridge baskets, freezer meals, vacuum sealing, fresh produce, remote road food planning, and what to stock up on before heading into places like the Gibb River Road, Cape York, the Tanami Track or other remote parts of Australia.

This episode is not about packing your van like you will never see a supermarket again. It is about knowing how you cook, how remote you are going, what food matters to you, and how to avoid overpacking or running short.

Topics covered include:

• What pantry staples to carry in your caravan
• How to pack food for remote road trips
• What to stock up on before leaving major towns
• How to organise your caravan fridge and pantry
• Why fridge baskets and pantry containers help
• What to freeze before going off-grid
• How to think about meal planning without overplanning
• What hard-to-find favourites you should carry with you

If you are planning a Big Lap, heading off-grid, or wondering what food to pack for caravan travel around Australia, this episode will help you think through what you really need.

In this episode of Big Lap Chats, I'm joined by Jessie and Adam from 8 Feet Travels, a family originally from Perth who have been travelling Australia with kids for just over two years.

What started as a planned 12-month lap has turned into a much bigger adventure, with caravan shows, remote work, caravan park jobs and a few clever decisions helping them stay on the road longer.

We talk about the honest reality of travelling Australia with kids, including why the first six weeks can feel so hard, how children adjust to living in a small space, what roadschooling looks like, and why families need to give themselves time to settle into life on the road.

Jessie and Adam also share practical advice for families preparing for a lap of Australia, including practising reversing, improving communication while towing, doing a towing course if you're new to it, sleeping in the van before you leave, meal planning for remote travel, preparing for places like the Gibb River Road and Cape York, and the gear they now wouldn't travel without.

We also touch on finding great places to stay, travelling with a dog, working with brands on the road, and what they've learned from two years of full-time caravan travel around Australia.

Listen to the full episode for the campsite chat, favourite places and the stories behind the spots Jessie and Adam would happily return to.

Caravan Facebook groups can turn one simple question into a full-blown debate, and when you're new to caravanning or planning your first Big Lap, it can be hard to know what actually matters.

In this solo episode, I answer 10 real questions from our caravanning and Big Lap communities in plain English. We cover free camp etiquette, towing with full or empty water tanks, whether half-full tanks can cause sway, caravan bedding, towing mirrors, toilet cassette storage, bikes, insurance, travelling with dogs and more.

This episode is for the Lappers who are trying to make smart decisions without turning every little question into a three-week research project.

If you have a question you'd like answered in a future episode, message me on socials at All Around Oz or contact me here.

Planning a Big Lap of Australia as a couple is not just about choosing the caravan, setting a budget and mapping out the route. Once you are on the road, you are also making decisions together every day, managing money, dealing with stress, sharing a small space and working out how to keep enjoying the trip when things do not go quite to plan.

In this solo episode of Big Lap Chats, I talk through the conversations couples should have before they leave, including why you both want to travel, how fast you want to move, who takes on which jobs, how you will handle money, how you will give each other space, and what to do if one person starts feeling overwhelmed.

These are practical, real-life conversations that can make a big difference to how your Big Lap feels once you are actually living it.

For help preparing for your own trip, grab my Planning a Lap of Australia guide here

What are the first 30 days on a Big Lap of Australia really like?

In this solo episode, I'm breaking down what actually happens once you leave home and hit the road. That first month can feel very different to what you expected, even after months of planning.

Everything takes longer, the days can feel more tiring, and it's easy to start questioning your decisions. This episode walks through why that happens, what's normal, and how to adjust your pace so you don't burn out early.

I also share what we did in our first month, what I'd change if I was starting again, and the common mistakes I see from other travellers during those early weeks.

If you're planning a lap of Australia or getting close to departure, this will help you go in with the right expectations and settle into the lifestyle much faster.

What does it actually look like when you stop planning and start travelling?

In this episode, I'm joined by Mel from Neighbours to Nomads. Mel and her partner Scott sold everything, shut down their businesses, and set off to travel Australia full-time.

We talk through how that decision came about, what their first six months really looked like, and the biggest lessons they've learnt since being on the road.

This is a practical, honest conversation about what changes once you leave, including how quickly travel can turn into a race if you're not careful, why slowing down is harder than it sounds, and how long it actually takes to explore Australia properly.

We also cover setup decisions, making money on the road, and how they've handled the unexpected along the way.

If you're planning your own lap, this episode will give you a clearer picture of what to expect and what matters most once you're out there.

What would you do if you were told to leave your campsite because of a cyclone?

In this episode, Annette shares a real experience from Kalbarri in Western Australia, where a fast-moving cyclone forced travellers to make quick decisions under pressure.

This is not just a story. It's a practical look at cyclone safety for caravanners, including what to consider when leaving, how to assess your options, and why blindly following advice may not always be the safest choice.

Annette breaks down what they got right, what went wrong, and what they would do again, covering fuel challenges, navigation issues, route decisions, and the importance of staying flexible when plans change quickly.

If you're travelling Australia or planning a Big Lap, this episode will help you think through how to handle severe weather events before you're in one.

In this episode, Annette chats with Jacqui and Dave from Really Good Travels, retired school teachers who set off at the end of 2022 and have since spent years exploring Australia in their caravan.

After travelling across multiple states, including remote parts of Western Australia and the Northern Territory, they share what they've learned along the way and what they would do differently if they were starting again.

This episode focuses on the common mistakes many travellers make before leaving, including overpacking, misunderstanding weight limits, underestimating power and water requirements, and trying to create the perfect plan before hitting the road.

It's a practical, honest conversation that highlights what actually matters when planning a Lap of Australia and why flexibility often leads to the best experiences.

If you're preparing for your own trip, Annette's planning guide will help you get organised before you leave and avoid the most common mistakes.

Find out more here: https://allaroundoz.com.au/the-big-lap-book