The sheer size of Australia makes transport decisions difficult. Travellers have to decide whether to fly between centres, join a tour group or get some wheels of their own. The ideal option for any individual traveller often comes down to length of time in Australia - the more time available, the more options for travellers to do their own thing and venture further off the beaten track. Buying a vehicle gives the best option to really see Australia, but time is needed to purchase and resell, and other options such as flying, hiring or joining a tour group may be better depending on the duration of the trip.
A Flying Visit
For travellers with less than two weeks to travel around Australia, it’s not sensible to consider anything else but flying between destinations unless using a single city centre base. For those stopping in one area, hiring a car from the airport/city or joining short local tours is the best option - time is the limiting factor here, and easy-in/easy-out options are required.
Short But In-depth
For travellers with only two to five weeks or concentrating on one or two areas, the best option is usually to join a tour group or hire a vehicle (4WD and campervans become more feasible at this length of trip due to the typical minimum hire durations imposed).
- An organised tour may seem expensive, but it pays to factor in the costs of vehicle hire, fuel, food and accommodation, and to remember that some form of social life is guaranteed (it's unlucky to get a group that doesn’t bond) as well as the chance to learn far more about the immediate area than the guidebook can ever mention. Based on this then it becomes apparent that the prices are realistic, just that Australia ain’t cheap to travel around!
- Hiring a vehicleis a more flexible option than a tour company, and costs A$25-A$250 (US$18-180) a day, but usually comes with lots of restrictions (eg some 4WDs that aren’t allowed to leave a sealed road!) and a high excess. If venturing off the tarmac isn't required (or to avoid paying the price when - NOT if - something goes wrong!) then it is worth checking out the cheaper options from Spaceships, Wicked and Jucy Lucy for an economical set of wheels that its possible to sleep in the back of.
- One-way relocation specials are also available from the hire companies – often A$1 (US$0.70) a day, sometimes with free fuel. With usually a day or two extra than the minimum time of getting from A to B, this gives the traveller on a tight budget the chance to see one or two places that are slightly off the beaten track.
- For travellers intending to venture further from the beaten track, it is essential to allow enough time for things to break and get mended! The best option is often to join in with someone on a longer trip, with their own wheels, who wants to share food and fuel costs (other travellers can often be found on the backpacker hostel boards and travellers websites like needaride).
Longer term adventurers should read the article Longer Term Travel in Australia by the same author.
At the End of the Trip
Travellers must remember that it usually takes at least two to three weeks at the end of the trip to sell any vehicle before leaving!
Chiz Dakin - A keen mountain walker, scrambler, cyclist and occasional climber and sea kayaker for several years, Chiz Dakin has carried a camera with ...
