As you make the decision to travel Australia, at first, the romance of the decision is blinding and exciting, it’s easy to daydream about tropical locations and lazing around in the sunshine.

The truthful reality is, that before you set off on your once in a lifetime travel journey around Australia, there’s lots of preparation to be done. We’re going to run you through some important things to consider before hitting the road.

1. Car Preparation for Travelling Australia

As you head off across this amazing country, your car is going to be the thing that takes you to all the postcard worthy destinations. Having a reliable car on your Australian holiday is vital, especially if you’re planning to travel to remote locations. Your vehicle will guide how you travel, where you can travel and when you travel. It’s not vital to have a 4wd, much of this country can be accessed via a 2wd sedan, but keep in mind, that there are many regions that are 4wd only, and it’s in your own best interests to stick to these recommendations.

Whether you’re travelling with a 4wd or 2wd it’s a great idea to check the following before you head off. Have a major service done including any items due or soon due such as tyres, timing belts, water pumps, brakes and other essentials. If you’re taking a 4wd and expect to be going to remote places or through water crossings, think about things such as diff breathers, snorkels, all terrain tyres etc, this can make all the difference.

2. Prepare your Home to Leave For Long Term Travel.

If you are a home owner, you have a couple of options available when preparing for long term travel around Australia. You can rent out your home, or you can list your home for sale on one of the many websites for selling your home that exist. Selling your home can provide a great nest egg for travel, it also removes the need to keep up with mortgage repayments, but by renting it out, it offers something to return home to. This decision is a personal one, and for those who don’t own your home, you’ll need to set a firm date for leaving and be sure you have somewhere to store your goods before your lease is up.

3. Organising Your Stuff Before Heading off on Holidays

There’s lots and lots of stuff in our lives. This becomes even more obvious when you need to reduce it or even get rid of it completely in order to travel. The best advice we can offer is to start culling your “stuff” early. As soon as you make the decision to go is the time to start being brutal at decluttering your life. For some people, they choose to get rid of everything. For us, we’ve opted to keep a single plastic tub each of sentimental items etc. This will be stored with family. All our furniture and other possessions will be sold prior to leaving. We’re in this process now and while it’s confronting, and emotional, it’s also very freeing. If you have pets, you’ll need to re-home them or find someone to care for them while you’re gone. Alternatively you may be able to take them with you.

As you prepare for your grand adventure, treat the preparation as an adventure and journey all of it’s own. It can be overwhelming, but it will all be worth it in the end.