We’ve seen some massive giveaways over the years, but the “BIG Aussie Review” currently doing the rounds is certainly one of the biggest. The premise is straightforward: someone is going to win a brand-new Ford Ranger, a caravan, and a full year of life on the road. For anyone who has spent their Friday nights staring at a map of Australia wondering “what if,” this is a genuine look at what a fully funded lap of the country actually looks like.
The standout of the prize pool is the Ford Ranger, valued at $75,590. It is no secret that the Ranger has been a dominant force in the 4X4 market lately, and seeing one as the centerpiece of a touring prize pack makes sense. It’s become the go-to for many dual-cab buyers because of its towing tech and dirt-road composure. Getting handed the keys to one alongside a year’s worth of fuel and a weekly food allowance pretty much removes every financial hurdle to hitting the highway.
Breaking down the gear and the gig
While the Ranger is the heavy lifter here, the rest of the kit is designed to keep a traveller self-sufficient for 365 days. The winner gets a caravan and a stack of gear to kit out the camp. Interestingly, the prize also includes a Starlink satellite internet plan and an iPhone 17 Pro. The catch is this isn’t just a free holiday; the winner is expected to create content and reviews along the way, essentially turning their lap of the map into a year-long roving report.
It is a massive commitment, but for the right person, it is a professional-grade setup. The inclusion of $8,000 worth of content creation gear suggests the organisers are looking for more than just a few blurry sunset photos. They want someone who can actually articulate what it is like to live out of a Ranger for a year. It is a unique way to see the country, provided you don’t mind having a camera pointed at your morning coffee every second day.
What it takes to get on the shortlist
The entry process is a bit different from your standard “fill out a form and hope” competition. Entrants need to film a 60-second video reviewing anything they like. It is a clever move because it weeds out the tire-kickers and finds people who are comfortable behind the lens. Whether you are talking about your favourite pair of recovery boards or a local meat pie, the goal is clearly to find someone with a bit of character who can handle the “Review” part of the prize title.
Entries stay open until mid-June, and the competition is open to anyone with a full Australian driver’s license. We have seen plenty of people try to crowdfund their own laps of the map or start YouTube channels from scratch, but this setup bypasses the struggle of building an audience or saving for a rig. You just have to be willing to trade a year of your life for a turn-key touring lifestyle and a very capable 4X4 that stays yours at the end of it.
The reality of 365 days on the road
Living out of a vehicle for a year is a dream for many, but it is also a massive test of gear and patience. The Ranger will be doing the heavy lifting, and with the Ampol fuel card covering the kilometres, the winner will likely see more of the country in twelve months than most people see in a lifetime. Staying in BIG4 parks for 365 nights straight also changes the dynamic of the trip compared to remote bush camping, offering a bit more structure and amenity for the long haul.
It’ll be interesting to see who ends up behind the wheel and what kind of tracks they decide to tackle. With a setup like this, there aren’t many places in Australia that are off-limits. If you have been sitting on the fence about a long-term trip, this is a clear reminder that there are ways to make it happen if you are willing to get creative with a camera.
