In 2018, Cathy and Dave Miller spent nearly six months doing the ‘half lap’ through NSW, SA, WA and NT in a clockwise direction.
This year, they spent seven months travelling in an anti-clockwise direction, and taking the opportunity to explore a bit more of ‘inland’ WA.
So, what differences did they find between their pre-pandemic travels, and their adventures in a world changed by Covid? Here’s what they thought.
The traffic:
Once out of the populated areas we often amuse ourselves by doing some sample ‘traveller’ to ‘other’ vehicle counts. In 2018, it was around 30% travellers to others, in 2022 it was around 60%. Also, the trucks seemed to be travelling slower, perhaps because of fuel prices, or simply because they were so outnumbered.
Dave and Cathy’s van at Coolgardie, WA.
The costs:
Cathy and Dave’s tug. In 2018, the average price per litre was $1.62; in 2022, $2.22. Up 37%
* Fuel – In 2018, the average price per litre was $1.62; in 2022, $2.22. Up 37%.
* Caravan Parks – In 2018, an average of $32.50 per night; in 2022 an average of $33.54. So, no. In our experience, on average the caravan parks are not gouging the tourists.
* Food – In 2018 an average of $40 per day, 2022 an average of $49 per day. Up 22%.
Everything else – tours etc, were on par between 2018 and 2022.
The biggest differences:
* Caravan parks – In 2018, we probably only booked at two or three places for the whole trip. This time around, booking ahead was pretty much essential, particularly if you were looking for power and water in the ‘populated’ areas.
* Free camps – In 2018, you could lob in at 3pm-4pm and still find a pretty good spot. In 2022, these started to fill up by 11am. A couple of times we experienced people packing up and leaving at 6am, only to spot them all set up at the next free camp 150 kilometres down the road when we passed by at 10am.
* Sheer volume of tourists – It seems that once the borders opened up it was like the ‘running of the bulls’. This meant that some things that How has the Big Lap changed since Covid restrictions were lifted? we would have normally taken for granted we couldn’t any more. We are pretty careful about keeping the servicing up on the tug. At some places, we had to book in two weeks in advance just to get an oil change. In Derby, WA, just at the start of the Gibb River Rd, the local Woolworths and IGA looked like they had been looted! You could not even buy bottled water.
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