hero media

This new cruise has redefined the Big Lap of Australia

Sarah Reid Sarah Reid
Flipping the script on the iconic Aussie road trip, a new expedition cruise offers a rare chance to complete the Big Lap of Australia by sea.

Lapping Australia in a campervan or caravan is a rite of passage for many Aussies. With most road trippers taking at least six months to complete the classic 14,500-kilometre loop on the world’s longest national highway, it’s an epic road trip no matter which way you tackle it. But there’s another way to complete a lap of Australia that’s arguably even more adventurous. Enter, the Big Lap by ship.

Coral Adventurer
The Coral Adventurer circumnavigates Australia’s coastline for over 60 days.

An increasing number of cruise lines offer Australia circumnavigations, though most itineraries complete the journey in just a few weeks and pause only at major ports. But small-ship expedition cruise operator Coral Expeditions does it differently. Following the sold-out success of its inaugural 60-day Australian Circumnavigation in 2022, the Australian company has launched a new version for 2025, offering a rare opportunity for up to 112 guests to complete a meaningful lap of Australia without driving a single kilometre.

See Australia from a fresh perspective

Sydney harbour
Arriving at the iconic Sydney Harbour.

The Australian Circumnavigation will be hosted on Coral Expeditions’ newest ship, the Coral Adventurer, purpose-designed to access remote wilderness shores that are often inaccessible to large cruise vessels. Departing Cairns on 17 October 2025, the 60-day itinerary traces the nation’s ever-changing coastline in an anticlockwise direction a la Matthew Flinders, the first person to circumnavigate Australia back in 1801-1803.

Kangaroo Island
The tour lets you savour the sights of nature in all its glory.

Destinations visited on the cruise’s 48 excursion days include classic stops on the traditional Big Lap such as the electric blue shores of Esperance and the dramatic limestone cliffs of the 12 Apostles on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road. But most of the excursion stops are only accessible by boat, offering a fresh way to experience coastal Australia and meet the local legends who call these wild and remote places home.

Verandah Beach
Nothing compares to a sunset at Verandah Beach.

After the first stop at exclusive Lizard Island in the northern Great Barrier Reef, there’s an excursion to Stanley Island, home to one of Australia’s most exquisite – and seldom visited – Aboriginal rock art sites.

Coral Adventurer guests
Connect with like-minded explorers as you experience local culture at its finest.

The journey continues to Restoration Island, where former mining tycoon David Glasheen has lived a solitary existence for over two decades, then up to Badu Island in the Torres Strait Islands, home to one of Australia’s top Indigenous art centres. And this is just the beginning of the first leg, ‘across the top’.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

AI Prompt

Why else should you do the Big Lap of Australia by ship?

Exmouth
See Australia’s breathtaking marine wonders up close.

Visiting outback roadhouses is a highlight on the traditional Big Lap. But you don’t miss out on the cruise version, with one of three signature special events on the all-inclusive Australian Circumnavigation, including a charter flight to Longreach for an outback Queensland pub lunch followed by sundowners at a local homestead. Other events include a cultural festival in the Torres Strait and a winemaker’s lunch at Leeuwin Estate in Margaret River.

Coral Adventurer staff
Coral Adventurer’s staff has accumulated a wealth of knowledge about coastal regions over the years.

Doing a Big Lap of Australia by ship is also a golden opportunity to soak up the island continent’s rich maritime history, both on the ground and during lectures delivered by recently announced onboard experts. Learn about grizzly clashes between European explorers and Torres Strait Islanders as modern technology guides your vessel safely around the region’s shallow reefs and be captivated by the story of the shipwreck and bloody aftermath of the Dutch merchant vessel Batavia as you cruise Western Australia’s remote Abrolhos Islands. Think happy thoughts as you travel along Victoria’s infamous Shipwreck Coast before crossing the similarly notorious Bass Strait to Tasmania for a cruise along the Tamar River.

Coral Adventurer experience
This expedition lets you experience the Big Lap from the water.

With the last available cabins starting at $64,800 (cabins are also available for a half-circ from Cairns to Fremantle or Fremantle to Cairns), the Australian Circumnavigation is a significant financial outlay in comparison to a Big Lap by car, which costs roughly $1000 per couple per week on the road. But if you’re looking for your next great Australian adventure and you’ve got cash to spend, it’s set to be a cracking way to see the country in 2025.

Want to see more stories from Australian Traveller in your Google search results?

  1. Click here to set Australian Traveller as a preferred source.
  2. Tick the box next to "Australian Traveller". That's it.
Sarah Reid
Sarah Reid is a multi-award-winning freelance travel writer, author and positive-impact travel advocate. When she’s not out exploring or writing about her adventures (read all about them at sarahreid.com.au), you’ll find her at the beach in her Byron Bay hometown or savouring a glass of Aussie vino in the sun.
View profile and articles
quantam of the seas on the sea
Australia

Royal Caribbean’s five-day sale has seven-night cruises from $1099

From Queensland’s tropical coast to New Zealand’s unbeatable views, booking your next cruise holiday just got a little more tempting.

Read more
two people from outback spirit tour sit overlooking mitchell falls in the kimberley
Australia

Outback Spirit are offering free return flights on 2027 tours

Your 2027 adventures just got easier, with Outback Spirit offering free return flights on all-inclusive tours.

Read more
meteor shower
Australia

Trails from Halley’s Comet: when to see the Orionid meteor shower

The Orionid meteor shower peaks in October – here's how to dodge a bright moon and still catch it.

Read more
uluru starry sunset
Australia

This iconic Aussie landmark has been crowned one of the world’s top sunset spots

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park has earned a place among the world’s best golden hour destinations in a new global ranking.

Read more

From coast to bush: these are Gippsland’s best hikes

    Michael Turtle Michael Turtle
    Continue

    Video credit: Tourism Australia

    From coast to mountains, hiking in Gippsland offers a stunning array of landscapes, with trails that take you deep into the region’s heritage.

    I step out onto the sand and it cries out underfoot. Kweek! I take another step and there’s another little yelp. Screet! Picking up the pace, the sounds follow me like my shadow, all the way down to the water. It’s obvious how this spot got its name – Squeaky Beach – from the rounded grains of quartz that make the distinctive sounds under pressure.

    For many, Wilsons Promontory National Park is the gateway to Gippsland, and the best way to explore it is by walking its network of hiking trails, from coastal gems such as Squeaky Beach through to the bushland, among the wildlife. But it’s still just a taste of what you’ll find on foot in the region.

    Venture a bit further into Gippsland and you’ll discover the lakes, the rainforest, and the alpine peaks, each changing with the season and offering summer strolls or winter walks. Just like that squeaky sand, each step along these trails has something to tell you: perhaps a story about an ancient spirit or a pioneering search for fortune.

    The best coastal hikes in Gippsland

    sunset at Wilsons Promontory National Park
    Wilsons Promontory National Park is a sprawling wilderness with many coastal bushland trails. (Image: Mark Watson)

    Wilsons Promontory National Park (or ‘The Prom’, as you’ll end up calling it) is an easy three-hour drive from Melbourne, but you might ditch the car when you arrive, with much of the park’s 50,000 hectares accessible only by foot. From the inky water of Tidal River (dyed dark purple by abundant tea trees), I like the easy walks along the coast, among lichen-laden granite boulders, to golden beaches and bays.

    a couple on Mount Oberon
    Panoramic views from the summit of Mount Oberon. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

    The trail to the panoramic views at the summit of Mount Oberon is a bit harder, up steep timber and granite steps, but it’s a popular 6.8-kilometre return. The more remote hikes are found through the open banksia and stringybark woodland of the park’s north, or along the multi-day Southern Circuit, which ranges from about 35 to 52 kilometres, with sunrises and sunsets, kangaroos and cockatoos, and maybe even whales.

    a golden sand beach at Wilsons Promontory National Park
    Walk ‘The Prom’s’ golden sand beaches. (Image: Tourism Australia/Time Out Australia)

    You might also see whales on the George Bass Coastal Walk, even closer to Melbourne on the western edge of Gippsland. This dramatic seven-kilometre trail along the clifftops takes in sweeping views of the wild ocean, occasionally dipping down from grassy green hills to coastal gullies and a secluded beach. It also now links into the Bass Coast Rail Trail for an extra 14 kilometres.

    the George Bass Coastal Walk
    George Bass Coastal Walk trails for seven kilometres along clifftops. (Image: Visit Victoria/Time Out Australia)

    Over at the eastern edge of Gippsland, in Croajingolong National Park, you can wander along the lakeshores beneath koalas and around goannas (I keep my distance since one chased me here!). For those who are even more adventurous, the park is also the starting point for the 100-kilometre Wilderness Coast Walk, usually done over seven days.

    the Croajingolong National Park, Gippsland
    Wander along the lakeshores in Croajingolong National Park. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    The best bush hikes in Gippsland

    the Baw Baw National Park
    The alpine heath of Baw Baw National Park. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

    Deep in the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine at Walhalla, mining guide Richard tells me how this small town in the mountains east of Melbourne boomed when prospectors found gold here in 1862. These days, you’ll find most of the town’s treasure – its heritage – above ground, with the Walhalla Tramline Walk a wonderful way to explore it.

    Just seven kilometres long, the walk takes you through decades of Gold Rush history, following the original rail trail from lush bushland to the mining sites, and through the charming village of just 20 residents with its wooden cottages and old shopfronts adorned with turn-of-the-century advertising posters. Blazing a trail where trailblazers once opened up the region, this is also the starting point for the 650-kilometre Australian Alps Walking Track.

    Nearby, Baw Baw National Park has walks through gnarled snow gums and alpine heaths that show off the colourful wildflowers in summer and the pristine carpet of white in winter. Several trails are perfect for snowshoes, including a 45-minute route from St Gwinear up to vast views across the Latrobe Valley.

    Further up into the mountains, the Toorongo and Amphitheatre Falls Loop Walk is an easy 2.2-kilometre path that serenades you with the sound of flowing water as you pass mossy rocks and tree ferns en route to two sets of waterfalls cascading over boulders in the remote wilderness.

    The best cultural hikes in Gippsland

    the Mitchell River National Park, Gippsland
    Hike the Mitchell River National Park. (Image: Parks Victoria/Grace Lewis)

    Across a pool in a natural sandstone amphitheatre, deep within a cave behind a waterfall, it’s said the Nargun has its lair. A fierce creature, half human and half stone, that abducts children and can’t be harmed by boomerangs or spears, the story of the Nargun has been told around the campfires of the local Gunaikurnai people for generations.

    As a culturally significant place for women, hikers are asked not to go into the Den of Nargun, but a 3.4-kilometre loop walk leads you through a rainforest gully to the entrance where you can feel the powerful atmosphere here in Mitchell River National Park, along Victoria’s largest remaining wild and free-flowing waterway.

    the bee-eaters at Mitchell River National Park
    Bee-eaters at Mitchell River National Park. (Image: Parks Victoria/Grace Lewis)

    The Den of Nargun is part of the Bataluk Cultural Trail, a series of important traditional Gunaikurnai sites through central Gippsland. Another location is Victoria’s largest cave system, Buchan Caves Reserve, with trails to important archaeological sites of human artefacts up to 18,000 years old. The FJ Wilson Interpreted Walk includes the naturally sculpted white limestone steps of the 400-metre-long Federal Cave, while the Granite Pools Walk goes among tall timber and moss-covered gullies.

    the ancient rainforest of Tarra-Bulga National Park
    The ancient rainforest of Tarra-Bulga National Park. (Image: Josie Withers)

    Also important to the Gunaikurnai people is Tarra-Bulga National Park, known for its ancient myrtle beeches and enormous mountain ash trees. Just 40 minutes return, the Tarra Valley Rainforest Walk offers a taste of this verdant landscape, while the Grand Strzelecki Track takes you deep into the lost world of forest giants on an epic 100-kilometre trail rich with tradition.

    A traveller’s checklist

    Staying there

    the WildernessRetreats in The Prom
    Wilderness Retreats in The Prom. (Image: Christian Pearson)

    Wilderness Retreats in Wilsons Promontory offers glamping-style tents with luxurious queen beds. Star Hotel is a reconstruction of a Gold Rush-era hotel from 1863 in the heart of heritage Walhalla. Caves House is a historic three-bedroom house with views over the Buchan River.

    Eating there

    the Carrajung Estate, Gippsland
    Enjoy a post-hike lunch at Carrajung Estate. (Image: Everyday Nicky)

    Kilcunda General Store serves great coffee and meals of local produce at the George Bass Coastal Walk. Alpine Trout Farm is located near Toorongo Falls in Noojee. Fish for your own lunch and barbecue it with the provided cookware.

    Carrajung Estate is a short drive from Tarra-Bulga National Park. The winery’s restaurant offers a seasonal menu of regional ingredients and you can stay at The Lodge.

    a seafood feast at Carrajung Estate, Gippsland
    The table is set for a seafood feast at the estate.

    Video credit: Tourism Australia

    Coral Expeditions' new cruise has redefined the Big Lap of Australia