What I’d Do Differently Travelling Australia: 9 Big Lap Mistakes Most Beginners Make

Most people think they need everything perfectly sorted before they leave on a Lap of Australia. The right van, the right gear, the perfect route, and every detail mapped out in advance. What I see instead, both in my own experience and inside our community, is that this thinking is exactly what keeps people stuck.

This week on Big Lap Chats, I spoke with Jacqui and David from Vealy Good Travels. They’re retired school teachers who hit the road at the end of 2022 and have spent the last few years travelling Australia, learning as they go. Their story highlights what actually matters before you leave, and where most beginners get it wrong.

1. They Took Too Much Stuff

This is the first mistake and the one I see the most. Jackie and Dave packed kayaks, bikes, extra tools, clothes they never wore and gear they thought they might need. Over time, most of it was either sent home or left behind because it simply wasn’t being used.

This happens when you plan from uncertainty instead of experience. You try to prepare for every possible situation, which leads to overpacking and unnecessary weight. The reality is much simpler. You need far less than you think, and anything you genuinely need can usually be picked up along the way.

This is also where a lot of people feel overwhelmed before they even leave. Packing becomes a stressful process because they don’t know what’s essential and what isn’t. Getting clarity on packing early removes a huge amount of pressure and helps you start with confidence.

This is exactly why I put together my planning guide, to help you work out what actually matters before you leave instead of guessing.

2. They Underestimated Weight Limits

Weight is one of those things that doesn’t fully sink in until you’re on the road. Jackie and Dave are running with a tight payload, and like many travellers, they quickly realised how little room there is once you factor in water, food and everyday items.

This is where people get caught out. It’s not just about staying legal, it’s about safety. Overloading affects your braking, handling and stability, and I see plenty of rigs travelling around Australia that are well over what they should be carrying.

If you get this wrong at the start, it’s very hard to fix later. Understanding your weights before you leave is one of the most important things you can do.

3. Their Power Setup Wasn’t Ready

This is a big one, especially for anyone planning to free camp. Jackie and Dave realised early that their electrical system wasn’t set up for how they wanted to travel. They ended up upgrading their solar, batteries and charging systems so they could stay off-grid comfortably.

They’ve now spent weeks without plugging into power, which gives them a level of flexibility a lot of travellers are chasing but don’t achieve.

This is something I see constantly. People assume the standard setup will be enough, only to find out it doesn’t match their travel style. If your goal is to camp off-grid, your power system needs to support that from the beginning.

4. Water Planning Was an Afterthought

When you’re travelling through remote areas, especially in WA and the NT, you don’t assume the next stop will have water. Jackie and Dave travel with full tanks because they’ve learned not to rely on what might be ahead.

This is where planning becomes practical rather than theoretical. You need to understand your water capacity, how quickly you use it, and where you can realistically refill.

It’s not complicated once you understand it, but it’s something many people don’t think through properly before they leave.

5. They Thought They Needed a Perfect Plan

This is one of the biggest misconceptions around doing the lap. People think they need to plan the entire trip before they go, when in reality, that’s not how travel around Australia works.

Jackie and Dave had a general direction, but their trip changed constantly as they like to wing it on the road. Medical issues, weather, events and opportunities all shifted their plans along the way.

What matters is having a clear starting point and enough structure to make decisions as you go. This is exactly what I see people struggle with before they leave, which is why I created TrackMate, to give you a practical plan you can actually follow and adjust on the road. You don’t need a perfect plan, you need a workable one.

6. Unexpected Setbacks Changed Everything

This is the part most people don’t factor in, but it happens more often than you’d think. Jackie and Dave dealt with a medical issue that meant a fast drive from Derby to Darwin, a broken wrist that kept them in Cairns for weeks, and a broken toe that changed their plans in Tasmania.

Instead of seeing these as setbacks, they used them as opportunities to slow down and explore areas more deeply.

This is where your mindset matters. Things will go wrong at some point. How you respond to that is what shapes your experience.

7. They Learned More on the Road Than Before Leaving

Even as former teachers, they spoke about how much they’ve learned travelling Australia. Not just about locations, but about history, Indigenous culture and how different parts of the country actually function.

This is something I’ve experienced as well. You can research as much as you like before you go, but there’s a level of understanding that only comes from being there.

It’s one of the most rewarding parts of doing the lap, and something that’s hard to appreciate until you experience it yourself.

8. Slowing Down Changed the Experience

Because they aren’t working to a strict timeline, Jackie and Dave have been able to slow down, stay longer and follow opportunities as they come up. That flexibility has led to experiences they never would have planned in advance.

This is where I see a clear difference between people who enjoy the lap and those who feel rushed. Trying to do too much in a fixed timeframe often leads to stress and missed opportunities.

Moving at a pace that suits you changes the entire experience.

9. Camps Are Found, Not Booked

Their approach to finding camps is simple and effective. They use WikiCamps and Google Maps, but a lot of their best spots come from word of mouth and recommendations from other travellers.

They stay flexible, avoid locking everything in, and adjust their plans as they go.

That’s how you find those quieter, less crowded places that often end up being the highlights of the trip.

What This Means for You

If you’re planning a Lap of Australia and you haven’t left yet, this is where you need to focus. You don’t need everything figured out before you go, but you do need to get the fundamentals right.

The biggest issues I see come down to packing too much, not understanding weight, underestimating power and water needs, and overcomplicating the plan before even leaving the driveway. These are the things that create stress and mistakes later on.

What works far better is having a clear, simple plan that helps you make the right decisions in the right order. That way you’re not second guessing yourself or trying to fix problems once you’re already on the road.

Because the biggest mistake I see isn’t what people pack or how they set up. It’s waiting too long to leave because they’re trying to get everything perfect first.

If you want help getting that part right, my planning guide walks you through exactly what to do before you leave so you can move forward with confidence and actually get on the road.