Australia in van: rental, tips, areas, routes

Have you ever dreamed of visiting Australia? Here’s our mini-guide to make the tour of Australia in a furnished van!

Visit Australia in van, its deserts, its beaches, its kangaroos. Going to Europe’s antipodes, this is a dream that has haunted you for a long time. Australia is one of the best destinations in the world for travelling travellers. Gigantesque island-continent, ancestral land of the Aborigines, the country has 25 million inhabitants, mostly concentrated on the literals. Almost all (97%) of the territory is unoccupied. The Australian landscapes (and its 500 national parks) are indeed so huge, that we do not always find a hotel in the area. As a result, the idea of sleeping in her furnished van takes all its meaning in Australia: easy, economical, it will give you a beautiful feeling of freedom. Here’s our guide to visit Australia in a furnished van.

Ideas of itineraries in Australia in van

What routes are in Australia? This is an important question, after obtaining the visa (tourism or visa-work ) and the plane ticket. Where to go, where to start? First, your steps will logically vary depending on the duration of your trip. Australia is the sixth largest country in the world by its size. It is therefore best to come to Australia for several weeks or even several months. The country is so huge and far away that it takes at least 15 to 20 days so it's worth it. To tour Australia from Perth , Melbourne or Sydney , numberu·x·ses are the travelu·rs·ses that opt for the purchase or rental of a van. Outside cities and especially in outback Australian, wait till you're alone on the road! We've been thinking about some possible routes in Australia for you.

Australia in van in 2 weeks

For a stay of fifteen days, here are some ideas of itineraries:

• From Melbourne: Melbourne (Federation Square, Queen Victoria Market, Swanston Street, Old Melbourne Gaol, St Kilda), Sydney (Harbour Bridge, Chinatown, Bondi Beach, Manly, Watsons Bay, Opera House, The Rocks, Potts Point, Royal Botanic Gardens, Palm Beach and Barrenjoey Head Lighthouse), hiking in the Blue Mountains, Byron Bay, BrisbaneFraser Island;
• From Sydney: Sydney, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Fraser Island, Whitsundays islands, Airlie Beach, Fitzroy Island, Cairns ;
• From Adelaide : Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, Great Ocean Road, Melbourne;
• From Perth: Perth, Fremantle, Eagle Bay, Margaret River, Valley of the giants Tree, Albany, Esperance;
• And finally since Darwin : Darwin, Katherine (Katherine Gorge), Kakadu National Park, Warumungu and Devils Marbles, King’s canyon and Uluru.

You'll do it easily. 4,000 to 5,000 kilometres in 15 days of road trip in Australian states (ACT, Tasmanie, Western Australia, Queensland, Northern Territory, South Australia, New South Wales or Victoria).

Australia in van in 1 month

In a month, you will be able to visit a whole state, visiting the must-sees that mark the mythical Australian roads. Either, a road trip of at least 5,000 kilometres . For example, the coast of Perth to Darwin with its national parks, deserts and deserts road-trains . It’s the wildest and one of the greatest road-trips in Australia’s van ride.

• From Perth to Darwin: Perth, Rottnest Island, Pinnacles Desert, Kalbarri National Park and its cliffs, François Péron National Park, Cape Range National Park, Coral Bay and Exmouth National Park with the "Small Coral Barrier", Shell Beach, Karijini National Park, Broome and Cable Beach, Pilbara Desert, Kimberley, Katherine, Darwin;
• Between Cairns and Melbourne: Cairns, Port Douglas, Palm Cove, Kuranda, Daintree, Mission Beach, Townsville, Airlie Beach, Conway National Park, Hamilton Island, Rockampton, Gladstone, Hervey Bay and Fraser Island, Great Sandy National Park, Noosa, Gold Coast, Byron Bay, Nimbin, Sydney and Melbourne;
• From Melbourne to Perth: Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road (Torquay, Lorne, Apollo Bay, The Twelve Apostles, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, Port Augusta, Nullarbor Road, Norseman, Esperance, Kalgoorlie, Perth.

Australia in van in 3 months

Are you coming to Australia in three months? This is a travel time ideal taking into account the country’s vastness. In three months, you will have more time to stay longer in the cities and must-see sites. You will also be able to get around the premises and discover the Aborigine culture. Here are the possible routes:

• First month: Perth road trip to Darwin,
• Second month: Cairns route to Melbourne (aerial trips to the Whitsundays, snorkeling, diving),
• Third month: the Tasmania with Hobart, Launceston, Freycinet National Park, Cradle Mountain, Wineglass Bay, Bay of Fires, The Edge of the Word, Port Arthur, Mount Wellington, Bicheno and Denison Beach.

Australia in van in 6 months

In six months, you will have plenty of time to go round Australia in van. It is recommended that you add the route from Sydney to Perth to Adelaide. Or, turn north to explore the iconic Mount Uluru ( Ayers Rock ). The sacred mountain of the Aborigines is immanquable. In six months, you will be able to travel the country along, wide and across. Better, you can "specialize" your trip: cities, beaches or national parks.

A whole life would not even be enough to know the country perfectly. From the tropical wet forest of Cairns in the desert centre of Mataranka to Alice Springs , cities with the red outback, there is a plethora of itineraries to do.

Australia in van in 1 year

Do you have a one-year sabbatical? Travelers who travel for a year in Australia often opt for a holiday-work visa (Working Holiday Visa). Therefore, spending a year on site also allows to work to finance the road trip, Learn English and discover local culture.

You can spend several months in Sydney or Melbourne while visiting the country from Perth, Darwin, Cairns or Adelaide. Our ideas of itineraries in a year are the same as for 3 or 6 months: stay more time in the areas you prefer!

Driving in Australia in van: traffic rules to know

The driving on the left

In Australia, driving is done on the left , as in United Kingdom . The wheel is therefore on the right of the passenger compartment. Also, the overtaking is done by the right. Forecast a great distance before folding, especially in front of the road-trains .

At the beginning, driving is a bit confusing, it is necessary to reverse its driving habits in France. But it’s only a blow to take, and we’re getting there fast. In the roundabouts, one commits to the rotation of the needles of a watch. Many signage signs recall the left-hand drive, including keep left .

Pieton·ne·s, look to the right and not to the left before crossing. Another daunting characteristic of driving: the gear lever, operated on the left hand, although the speeds are the same. That said, in Australia, automatic boxes are more numerous than manual boxes. The turn signals are also on the right of the wheel, and the control of the wipers on the left. It can disturb at first. In any case, whether in the city or in the outback , it is recommended to Roll gently . Australians are usually courteous on the wheel. Moreover, the rules of the road code remain the same as in France.

Australian Highway Code

Some specificities are to be known to make the tour of Australia in van:

• First, that of roll instead of stopping when the fire passes to the orange ;
• It is recommended toavoid rolling at nightas much as possible. The kangaroos take advantage of the twilight to get out of the woods, and are attracted to the light. Be careful because they are known to throw themselves on the bumpers.
• Consider large distances between cities For example, there are nearly 3,500 kilometers between Broome and Cairns, 4,000 kilometers from Darwin to Melbourne. Fuel supply can sometimes be a problem in the desert: it is sometimes necessary to drive several hundred kilometres before finding a gas station in the desert.outback.
• Always watch have your international driver's license available. It must also have a translation in English.
• Pay attention to long straight roads fatigue is one of the most important causes of accidents in Australia. Don’t hesitate to pause regularly.
• Speed limitations are 50 km/h in agglomeration and 110 km/h on roads and highways. No excess speed is tolerated by the authorities.
• In terms of alcohol, Australia does not grant no tolerance for a young driver 18 to 21 years old. For more than 21 years, the authorized limit is 0.5 g/l blood.

Motorway toll in Australia: what price for your van?

Here is the bad news of this article: the majority of Australian roads are free of charge, but there are toll roads in Australia. And the payment of these is different from the tolls in France . There are no gates, no terminals, or a toll materializing the presence of a toll. It'll only be billboards asking to pay the toll online , or your phone number .

By entering a toll road, your registration plate is sealed by the device. Therefore, you have between 24h and 72h to send your payment. There are eleven paid roads around Brisbane (Queensland), Sydney (New South Wales) and Melbourne (Victoria). These are the highways out of these cities:

• Sydney: Harbour Tunnel, Harbour Bridge, Lane Cove Tunnel, Eastern Distributor,
• Melbourne: CityLink, EastLink,
• Brisbane: Gateway and Logan, Clem7 Tunnel, Go Between Bridge, AirportLink.

Attention: each city has its own private toll system. The concessions are Govia for Brisbane, Roam for Sydney and CityLink for Melbourne. You should sign up on one or the other to pay the award using a bank card.

How and where to rent a van in Australia?

Depending on your profile and your stay, we recommend two possibilities:

• For backpackers and people over 3 months: the most common solution is to buy and sell a vehicle. The purchase allows you to no longer care about van search. Once your stay is complete, you will not be able to resell the vehicle;
• For a shorter and more classic stay: we recommend to rent one or more vans between individuals. Many platforms like Outdoorsy Now lets you rent a van between people. To find rentals, online or not, prefer large cities or cities close to places of interest.

Camping-car areas in Australia: where to park?

Parking signage

The signs indicating the parking rules can be confusing when you come to Australia’s van ride. First, a van can park on all car locations. But parking places often have one limited duration , or have hours. Here are the most common panels:

• 1P: parking for up to one hour,
• 2P meter: pay parking at specified times, free outside of the slots,
• 1P Ticket: parking fee,
• Loading area : Delivery area, parking is prohibited.

Legislation

The payment of the parking lot is often done as in France at the timer. The ticket is to be placed on the windshield. It should be noted that parking is increasingly done by dematerialized, electronic means.

Another question: how and where to camp in Australia? Sleeping in his van is a pledge of freedom. The law governing wild camping is relative to Australian States. And yes, Australia is a federal state and each State has its parliament! But Australian Federal Law forbidden everywhere camping in natural parks and cities. Nevertheless, the territory is so vast that you will almost have no risk of being controlled outside the inhabited areas. You will find easily where you can install to spend the night in your furnished van.

Respect the animals you cross. And never squander the place where you spent the night: pick up your rubbish and waste, which could dangerously harm the health of animals.

Are you not reassured about sleeping on the margins of a red track, or isolated in the middle of nature? You will have no trouble finding campgrounds or camper areas in Australia. The offer of accommodation is wide, between the campgrounds, the camp area and camp sites free, free RoadHouse , classical campsites and guesthouses ( backpacker hostel ).

To find where to sleep, we have two tools to offer you: Park4night and WikiCamps Australia. The first of these two platforms is a community-based tool for sharing passenger spots. The second reference all camping sites in Australia. It also mentions free places, which is ideal when you have a tight budget!

What is the best time to travel to Australia?

But then, when do the Australian van ride? Australia is so vast that it has a wide variety of climates. The country is between latitudes 10° and 40°. Hence, the temperature differences between Melbourne, Darwin, Cairns or Hobart are large.

Most of the country is desert or semi-arid. Southeast, from Tasmania to Sydney, the climate is temperate or subtropical . In the north, the climate is tropical and equatorial . The year is rhymed by a season dry (from May to October, with 25-30 °C every day) and a season wet and hot (from October to May, with more than 30 °C every day). The seasons are more marked in the south of the country. The country’s situation in the southern hemisphere is that the seasons are also the opposite of France.

In fact, we can go around Australia all year following dry and wet seasons. The best seasons to visit southern Australia are located in spring and summer Between September and March.

To visit the north of the island-continent, prefer the dry season of winter June to August. In the desert in winter, while it can make more 30°C In the day, temperatures are low at night: provide hot clothing for the night.

With all this information, nothing can stop you in your Australian van road trip! Good road!