Dealing With Breakdowns, Emergencies & Bad Weather On The Road

Things will go wrong. A tyre blows 200km from the nearest town. The fridge dies in 38-degree heat. A storm rips your awning off at 2am. A child falls and needs stitches, and the nearest hospital is three hours away. None of this should stop you from doing the Big Lap. All of it should motivate you to be prepared. This guide covers the common emergencies and how to handle them calmly.

Mechanical Breakdowns

The most common Big Lap emergencies are mechanical: flat tyres, blown bearings, electrical faults, brake problems, and engine trouble. Prevention is the best strategy: service your tow vehicle and caravan before departure, carry a comprehensive tool kit and spare parts, and don’t skip scheduled maintenance on the road.

When a breakdown happens: pull over safely, turn on hazard lights, assess the situation. If it’s something you can fix (flat tyre, blown fuse, loose connection), fix it. If it’s beyond your capability, call your roadside assistance provider. Make sure your roadside cover includes caravan towing and covers the entire country, including remote areas. Some policies have distance limits or exclude unsealed roads.

Medical Emergencies

Carry a comprehensive first aid kit and know how to use it. Basic first aid training (a one-day course, $100-200) is one of the most valuable investments for the Big Lap. Know how to treat cuts, burns, snake bites, heat stroke, allergic reactions, and fractures at a first aid level.

For serious emergencies, call 000. In areas without mobile reception, a satellite communicator (Garmin inReach, $500-700 plus subscription) or a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon, $300-500, no subscription) can summon emergency services via satellite. Every Big Lapper travelling remote should carry one of these.

Know the nearest hospital to your location. The RFDS (Royal Flying Doctor Service) covers remote Australia and can evacuate by air if needed. Ensure your ambulance cover is national.

Severe Weather

Australia’s weather can turn dangerous quickly. Severe storms, cyclones (in the north, November-April), extreme heat, flooding, and bushfire all affect Big Lappers. Monitor the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) app daily and take warnings seriously. A caravan is not a safe shelter in extreme wind or flooding.

Your Emergency Kit

Every Big Lap rig should carry: a comprehensive first aid kit, a fire extinguisher (1kg dry powder minimum, one in the van and one in the vehicle), a PLB or satellite communicator, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio for emergency broadcasts, a torch with spare batteries, basic tools (spanners, screwdrivers, pliers, wire, tape), spare fuses for both vehicle and van, a portable air compressor and tyre repair kit, water (at least 10 litres of drinking water beyond your tanks, in case of breakdown), non-perishable food for 2-3 days, and a printed list of emergency contacts and insurance details.