But all are complimentary about the city and are glad they stopped over.

For Matthew and Diane Blight from the Sunshine Coast, the national capital was an important stop point on their "big lap" of the country.

Now in their 20th month on the road in their converted camper-coach with their two sons, Conor and Callum, Canberra and its national attractions were always on the Blight family's list of "must-see" places around the country.

And despite the chill of an ACT winter, they stay cosy and warm inside, with even a little wood-burning heater to add some cheer.

"And of course, Canberra is close to the snow so that was a pretty good reason to be here, too, so we could take the boys skiing at Perisher," Matthew said.

Usually most "big lappers" head clockwise around the country to take advantage of travelling optimally through the wet and dry seasons but the arrival of the COVID pandemic border lockdowns forced the Queenslanders to head away north and west instead, quickly jumping into the Northern Territory and then spending a lengthy time in Western Australia.

Towing a little Suzuki 4WD behind meant they could park up and leave the coach in place, then take their car off the hitch for day trips and shopping.

Like some of Australia's contemporary travellers and "big lappers", Diane Blight works out of the bus for around 15 hours a week in her part-time role as a financial planner. A desktop slips over the coach's steering wheel and she goes to work in the driver's seat with her laptop, printer and monitor, hooked up to boosted onboard Wi-Fi.

"Everywhere we go, people are working while they are on the road, moving from one place to another," she said.

"It's no big deal any more."

Home-schooling their sons along the way, they plan to head south soon, then will slowly wind their way home to the Sunshine Coast.

Interstate long-haul truck driver Craig Sullivan, who is set up at Canberra Park in his expandable Jayco van with his wife Emie and their poodle Bella, admitted two years ago he would have laughed at the prospect of joining the caravanning fraternity.

"I'm a truck driver and I have to tell you, out there on the road, caravanners and truck drivers do not get on well," he said.

"But I've spent a lot of hours on the road in the back of a truck sleeper cab and I've got to say, this is a way more comfortable way to travel."

The couple, from Wallaroo in South Australia, towed their caravan across to attend a relative's wedding in Canberra and were soon heading for the NSW South Coast.

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"I absolutely, honestly never thought I could see myself towing a caravan," he said.

"But two years on and I'm a [caravan] convert now; we bought this one to see if we liked it and for the next one I'm going big. It is going have all the good gear: an expandable with triaxles, satellite TV. You name it, I'm getting it," Mr Sullivan said.

Over 42,000 new recreational vehicles - campers, caravans and motor homes - were sold last year and it's estimated one in nine Australians own one.

Lyndal Grey, the chief executive officer for the ACR NSW caravan and camping association said while demand had been building steadily, when the pandemic lockdowns were over "the pent-up demand was released and sales and travel movement just went through the roof".

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