The Big Lap starts long before you pull out of the driveway. There’s a surprisingly long list of things to sort before you leave, and most of them can’t be done in the final week. Vehicle servicing, house decisions, insurance, mail redirection, medical appointments, education registration, financial admin. Miss something and it follows you down the highway as a problem that’s harder to fix from a campsite in the Kimberley than it was from your kitchen table.
This checklist is organised by timeline so you can work through it at a manageable pace. Each section links to the detailed guide where you need one. Print it, pin it to the fridge, and tick things off as you go.
The Big Lap starts here. A good pre-departure checklist turns the overwhelming into the manageable.
12+ Months Before Departure
This is the big-picture planning stage. Nothing needs to be finalised yet, but these decisions take time and benefit from not being rushed.
Set your departure date (roughly). Even a target quarter (e.g. “April to June next year”) helps everything else fall into place. Your departure timing affects your seasonal route, your direction of travel, and every deadline below.
Decide on your vehicle and caravan. If you’re buying, allow time to research, inspect, negotiate, and take delivery. Used caravans can take weeks to find the right one. New caravans can have 3 to 6 month build times. Don’t leave this to the last minute. Our buying guide covers the full process.
Start your budget. Work out how much you need saved before you leave, what your weekly spend will look like, and whether you’ll work on the road. This shapes everything from your van choice to your trip duration.
Decide what to do with your house. Selling, renting, or leaving it empty each have different timelines, costs, and logistics. If you’re renting it out, you’ll need a property manager, tenant screening, and potentially minor repairs or upgrades. If selling, factor in the market timeline for your area. Our house guide covers all three options.
If travelling with school-age kids: research education options. Distance education and homeschooling registration can take months depending on the state. Some distance education providers have waiting lists. Start early.
6 Months Before Departure
Decisions are firming up. This is when the practical preparation starts.
Book your vehicle in for a full service and inspection. Not just an oil change. A comprehensive inspection of everything: suspension, brakes, wheel bearings, cooling system, gearbox, differential, tyres, battery, and electrical. Fix everything that needs fixing now, while you have time and access to your preferred mechanic. Our vehicle preparation guide has the full checklist.
Order and install any modifications or upgrades. Solar panels, battery upgrades, suspension upgrades, towing gear, signal boosters. These take time to source, ship, and install. Some require professional fitting and compliance checks. Don’t assume everything can be done in a weekend.
Sort insurance. Caravan insurance, vehicle insurance, roadside assist, travel insurance (if applicable), and health insurance all need to be appropriate for full-time travel. Some policies have restrictions on long-term travel or remote areas. Review, upgrade, or switch now while you have time to compare options. Our health and insurance guide covers the specifics.
Start downsizing. If you’re downsizing, begin selling, donating, or storing belongings now. This always takes longer than expected. Selling furniture and household items can take weeks to months through Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree.
Set up your work situation. If you’re planning to work remotely, negotiate the arrangement with your employer now. If you’re quitting, give appropriate notice timing. If freelancing, start building a client base that doesn’t require face-to-face meetings.
A thorough service six months out gives you time to fix problems properly, not patch them in a rush.
3 Months Before Departure
The countdown is real. Most of the big decisions are made; now it’s execution.
Do a shakedown trip. Take the van out for a 3 to 5 day trip and test everything: towing, setting up, water system, power system, cooking, sleeping, packing, and driving. This trip will reveal what works, what doesn’t, and what you forgot. Fix the issues before departure, not on the Nullarbor. Our shakedown trip guide explains what to test and why.
Set up mail redirection. Australia Post offers mail redirection for 1 to 12 months (renewable). Redirect to a trusted family member or friend who can open, scan, and forward anything important. Some travellers use a PO Box or a mail scanning service. Sort this early so nothing falls through the cracks after you leave.
Set up online banking and paperless everything. Switch every bill, statement, and notification to email or online access. Cancel paper statements. Set up automatic payments for any recurring bills you’ll keep (insurance, storage, phone). You don’t want paper bills arriving at an empty house or a former address. The mail and admin guide covers the full process.
Medical and dental appointments. Get a full health check, dental check-up, eye test, and any specialist appointments done. Renew prescriptions with extended repeats where possible. If you take regular medication, talk to your GP about getting 3 to 6 months’ supply dispensed. Finding a new GP in a remote town is possible but inconvenient; getting a specialist appointment can take months.
Pet preparation. If travelling with pets: vet check, vaccinations, tick and flea prevention started, microchip details updated, and travel gear (crate, harness, enclosure) purchased and tested.
Buy your gear. Order everything you need for the van and don’t leave it to the last week. Camping gear, kitchen essentials, outdoor setup, safety equipment, tools, and spares. Test everything before it goes in the van. The essentials buyers guide has the full list.
1 Month Before Departure
Final preparations. The to-do list gets shorter but the urgency increases.
Final vehicle and caravan check. If your full service was 6 months ago and you’ve done the shakedown trip, get a quick once-over: tyre pressures and condition, all lights working, brake check, wheel nut torque, gas certificate current, fire extinguisher in date, and smoke alarm battery fresh.
Finalise the house. If renting: tenants moved in, property manager briefed, keys handed over. If leaving empty: security checked, timers on lights, neighbour briefed, water and gas turned off (or left on if someone is maintaining), lawn/garden maintenance arranged. If sold: settlement completed.
Update your address. Electoral roll, driver’s licence, vehicle registration, Medicare, health insurance, bank, super fund, ATO. Some of these accept a “care of” address or a PO Box. Others need a physical address (use a family member’s). Don’t skip this; important correspondence going to a wrong address creates headaches.
Notify relevant parties. Your employer (if still employed), your accountant, your financial planner, your health insurer, your children’s school (withdrawal paperwork), your vet. Anyone who might need to reach you or who needs to know your circumstances have changed.
Download everything. Offline maps on Hema and Google Maps, WikiCamps data, music, podcasts, movies for the kids, audiobooks, e-books. Do this on home Wi-Fi, not on mobile data in the middle of nowhere.
Don’t forget to update your vehicle registration address and your driver’s licence address before you leave. Fines and renewal notices sent to an old address can result in expired registrations, cancelled licences, and compounding penalties you don’t find out about until it’s too late.
The Final Week
You’re almost there. This week is about loading, testing, and tying off loose ends.
Load the van. Pack everything in, weigh it (or at least estimate carefully), and check you’re within weight limits. Distribute weight evenly: heavy items low and centred, nothing stacked above head height. Do a test tow around the block to check the ride feels stable and nothing has shifted.
Fill the pantry and fridge. Stock up on staples, cleaning supplies, toiletries, and a week’s worth of fresh food. Enough to get you through the first few days without needing to stop at a supermarket when you should be enjoying the open road.
Final tech check. Phone charged, satellite communicator tested (if carrying one), dashcam working, reverse camera working, UHF radio working, apps updated, Starlink tested (if applicable).
Say your goodbyes. Dinner with friends, a visit to family, a last coffee at your favourite café. The emotional side of leaving is real and underestimated. Give yourself time for it rather than rushing out the door.
Everything packed, everything tested, everything sorted. The only thing left is to go.
The Night Before
Hitch up. Do it the night before so the morning is relaxed, not rushed. Check the hitch, safety chains, breakaway cable, lights, and mirrors.
Set your first destination. Know where you’re heading on Day 1. Ideally somewhere 2 to 3 hours away, so the first drive is easy, the first setup is unhurried, and the first night feels like a celebration rather than a test.
Go to bed. You’ll be excited and possibly terrified. That’s normal. Tomorrow is the first day of the trip you’ve been planning for months. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to start.
- Start 12+ months out with big decisions: departure date, vehicle/caravan choice, budget, house plans, and education options if travelling with kids.
- At 6 months: full vehicle service and inspection, modifications installed, insurance sorted, downsizing started, work arrangements negotiated.
- At 3 months: shakedown trip completed, mail redirection set up, all bills switched to paperless, medical/dental appointments done, gear purchased and tested.
- At 1 month: final vehicle check, house finalised, address updated everywhere, downloads completed on home Wi-Fi.
- Final week: van loaded and weighed, pantry stocked, tech tested, goodbyes said. Hitch up the night before.
- Day 1 doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to start. Head somewhere close, set up without rushing, and enjoy the first night of the trip you’ve been building toward.
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