Our Big Lap Trip | ANZAC NOMADS

WELCOME TO OUR BIG LAP TRIP PAGE: Rowena and I welcome you to our page about our plans and preparations for our Big Lap Trip across Australia. We are scheduled to leave in June 2026 when I turn 72. We anticipate that our trip will be 12 months or more.

Online & Offline church relationships are key strategies in our calling to advance the Kingdom of God, and that will remain active, thanks to having Starlink..

What has inspired us to do our Big Lap in 2026? Why NOW?

We want to make this happen while we are in good health. We are both in our 70s. We have the funds to make it happen, and we need to get this trip out of our system.

It was over a meal at Malaga Markets, Perth, with Rowena's sister, her husband and their son and family (who live in Perth) that we figured a trip to NSW would be wonderful.

However, Rowena and I figured that rather than travel directly to NSW, we would jettison our original plan as caravan and camping chaplains, while serving at our local offline church, and do the Big Lap Trip. We figured that we could travel at our own pace, enjoy our trip, and make memories for our grandchildren. (And their parents too)

To support our decision, we were reminded on October 13th 2025, of the traumatic 6 weeks we had to overcome in October 2024. At the time, we either attended a funeral or a memorial, one week after another, 6 weeks in a row. These events triggered emotions for us both.

There was a lot of uncertainty, pain and questions at that time, and one year later, in 2025, we felt we needed to go ahead and make our Big Lap Trip happen!!!

Now that we have found our WHY, we are doing our Big Lap Trip in 2026. What next?

We have set our departure date for June 2026. We are committed to our date.

Our setup doesn't have to be perfect. We can adapt as we travel.

We don't have to buy "everything" before we go. Why do stupid?

With Starlink installed, we can keep in touch with everyone with great technology.

We are going to travel at our own pace, enjoy ourselves and go where we want.

We totally agree with the 3 x 3 x 3 Rule.
1. Don't travel more than 300 klms or 3 hours per day.
2. Set up before 3:00 pm.
3. Stay a minimum of 3 days. (Maybe stay a month in one place)

Are we going to change our setup

Before we go?

Yes - we are.

We will change our tow vehicle and camper trailer.

What are we doing to prepare for our Big Lap Trip in 2026?

We absolutely see the wisdom of doing shakedown trips, "somewhere" in Western Australia.

We are going to sell our existing tow vehicle and camper trailer and buy our new tow vehicle and caravan for our Big Lap Trip. We have decided on our OffRoad Hybrid Caravan and need to make a decision on our tow vehicle.

We are going to install Starlink so we can have all the benefits associated with its power and versatility.

Tow Vehicle Option #1 - RAM 2500

What are the benefits of a Ram 2500 for our Big Lap Trip?

A RAM 2500 has a high towing capacity, a powerful diesel engine, and heavy-duty suspension designed to handle large loads and rough outback roads comfortably.

The benefits include strong towing and payload capabilities, enhanced ride comfort over varied terrain, and advanced safety features that increase confidence when towing large caravans, according to sources like 4X4 Australia and Ram Trucks Australia.

HEAVY DUTY PERFORMANCE

Towing and Payload: The Ram 2500 is designed to handle substantial loads, with a braked towing capacity of up to 8,000kg and a payload of around 1,500kg, making it ideal for towing large caravans.
Powerful Engine: It is equipped with a 6.7L Cummins turbo-diesel engine that produces significant torque (1,1521 Nm), providing ample power for towing through varied terrains and maintaining speed.

ENHANCED RIDE AND HANDLING

Comfortable Suspension: Unlike traditional leaf-spring heavy-duty trucks, the 2500 features a five-link coil-spring rear suspension and Frequency Response Damping (FRD) shocks, which provide a more comfortable ride on rough roads while maintaining good load-carrying capacity.
Improved Towing Dynamics: The truck's heavy-duty construction provides extra stability, giving a greater sense of control and confidence, especially in emergencies.

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AND SAFETY

Towing Assistance: Features like the 360-degree surround-view camera with trailer reverse guidance make maneuvering with a large trailer much easier.
Safety Systems: It includes modern safety features like Forward Collision Mitigation, Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), and Adaptive Cruise Control, which are designed to enhance safety during long journeys and heavy-duty assignments.
Cargo-view Camera: A second rear-view camera in the centre high-mount stop lamp allows you to monitor your cargo or check the trailer's position while driving.

Tow Vehicle Option #2 - 200 Series Land Cruiser with a GCM & GVM Upgrade.

We can upgrade the GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) and GCM (Gross Combination Mass) on a 200 Series Land Cruiser.

This means we can legally and safely carry more weight, which is essential for a Big Lap due to the heavy accessories we will pack and the caravan we will tow.

This leads to increased safety, improved vehicle performance under load, and compliance with Australian Design Regulations (ADR), avoiding fines and invalidating insurance in the event of an accident.

Benefits of GVM upgrade

Increased payload: A GVM upgrade increases your vehicle's legal weight carrying capacity, allowing you to carry more gear, accessories, and people without being overloaded.
Compliance: It keeps your vehicle legal, especially when equipped with heavy aftermarket additions like bullbars, winches, and toolboxes, preventing potential fines or insurance issues.
Improved performance and safety: A properly upgraded suspension provides better handling, ride comfort, and stability, especially on long, corrugated roads or in windy conditions.
Component protection: A GVM upgrade can help prevent damage to the vehicle's driveline and other components that might be stressed by carrying excessive weight.
Vehicle-specific kits: Kits are available to suit the LandCruiser 200 Series and are designed to increase the payload significantly, sometimes up to 4200kg.

Benefits of GCM upgrade

Towing capacity: A GCM upgrade increases the total legal weight for the vehicle and trailer combination, which is critical when towing a large caravan or trailer.
Compliance: It ensures your vehicle remains compliant when towing heavy loads, allowing you to stay within legal weight limits while on the road.
Better towing geometry: Some GCM kits are designed to improve towing geometry, which can result in a more stable and confident towing experience.
Includes other upgrades: Some GCM-focused upgrades also include other improvements like remote reservoir shocks with 8-step adjustable settings for better performance.

These Off-Road Hybrid Caravans are Built Tough and Built To Last.

"Storage! Storage! Storage!" This is Darren's favourite saying. We are so impressed with this OFFROAD HYBRID CAMPER, we can't wait to get ourselves into it for our BIG LAP TRIP ...

Check it out!!! Tell us what you think.

Here we are at the Mandurah Boat, 4WD and Caravan & Camping Show, where we caught up with Darren, who flew all the way to Perth to meet us. Lol

Nah Kidding - He came to spend time with the Perth Austrack Team.