Domestic flights and car hire in Australia - rental cars and budget airfares Sydney Melbourne etc.

Australia is an absolutely huge country and a lot of people do not realize how huge until they start driving.
If you're on a three week holiday and want to see a few different corners of the country then you don't have the time to do it by road like the backpackers that come for a year, and you will no doubt catch a few internal flights. You miss the scenery along the way but it is a good way to get across this ginormous continent fast and comfortable.

Around Australia by camper van

Camper van hire in Australia makes great budget accommodation !

Australia is the perfect country to travel with a camper van! Wide open roads, countless beautiful spots to pull over and camp, the freedom to go where and when you want, it is no wonder so many Aussies on retirement buy themselves a mobile home and spend years going around the country.
Nothing beats finding your own camping spot in the wild, having a cold beer admiring a wildly coloured outback sunset and a dinner cooked on the campfire under the magnificent starry skies.

Seeing Australia By Campervan: A Practical Travel Guide

There is nothing like a road trip around Australia. Australia is a vast but well-connected landmass, with plenty of different routes to take, each bringing their own unique possibilities for adventure. And when it comes to travelling by campervan, the journey is more important than the destination.

The harsh and diverse terrain of Australia does require extra preparations for your campervan to ensure you can get the most out of your vacation. You want to make sure you have the right gear to get you through no matter the length of your trip. We’ve found a lot of our own practical camping gear at Dometic, and kitted out our home on wheels with everything needed to have a ripper trip around this great southern land.

Here are some tips on how to prepare your rolling castle with all the gear you’ll need to survive the Aussie roads, and some of our recommendations of where to go.
How to prepare for the Aussie weather
No matter which Australian state(s) you’re travelling to, there is one golden rule to keep in mind and that is to prepare for anything! The great southern land of droughts and flooding rains is not a place where you want to be underprepared. When planning your trip, it’s good to check the Bureau of Meteorology so you can be aware of what to expect. This could help you know whether you need to pack wheel chains or recovery boards. Staying in the shade is key to avoiding sunburn or heatstroke. Make sure your campervan has a shade cloth attached or invest in a marquee or beach umbrella.
Things you might forget
When preparing for a trip away, it’s important to remember there is more to planning than just the destination. Part of enjoying the sights of Australia in a campervan is about the journey. Aside from your basic amenities, here are some things you’ll want to ensure you have with you so that you can have the smoothest journey possible:

Backup chargers – you can never have too many charging cables
Physical maps or a directory – now this one may seem redundant but hear us out. Mobile network coverage over rural Australia can be patchy and nothing is worse than being stuck with a buffering screen. Making sure you have an updated map handy is always a smart idea and after your trip, it also makes a good addition to the scrapbook.
Torch and lots of batteries – no one likes to be left in the dark.
Mosquito protection – it’s important to consider installing flyscreens on your campervan so that you can enjoy a gentle summer breeze without being eaten alive
Fresh drinking water – have a few spare litres of fresh drinking. It’s also a good idea to have some water canisters on-hand so that you can fill up at a rest stop if needed.
Camp stove – if you’re cooking your own grub or boiling water for drinking, a reliable camp stove is a must have for your journey

1. The Red Centre
No Aussie terrain is more unforgiving than the deserts of the Northern Territory. With large stretches of road where you can travel 280 km without a fuel station, exploring this area with a well stocked and prepared Campervan is the ultimate way to make sure you can enjoy your holiday and live to tell the tale. The iconic red deserts will transport you to another planet, with your campervan becoming your very own spaceship.

2. The Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road is a road that connects Melbourne and Adelaide travelling along the ocean (hence the name). Known for the famous Bells Beach, a campervan trip down the great ocean road is the perfect surfer’s trip. But even if you’re not savvy with the surfboard, there are many other hidden delights including the great ocean road chocolaterie & ice creamery which holds chocolate making workshops all year round.

3. Tropical North Queensland
With the most diverse and unique floral and fauna, Northern Queensland is an unforgettable destination with something for everybody. Whether you decide to stick to the coast, taking in iconic destinations such as Port Douglas or the Barrier Reef, or if you head inland to follow the Gilbert and Einasleigh rivers, there is no shortage of amazing natural treasures to enjoy. When travelling through the country roads of Queensland you may even be lucky enough to come across a local farmer’s fruit stand where you are sure to find the best mangoes on earth. But be sure to take caution if you’re travelling during the flood season, or else your road trip might turn into a boat trip.
The open road calls
And with that, we wish you happy campervanning. As campervan travel grows in popularity, there are a lot of options out there for how best to travel but at the end of the day it’s important to remember that the road is yours to enjoy however you decide to. The pace, places, and experiences are all your own. Remember you’re in the driver’s seat!

Discovery Campervans is an Australian owned and operated company that specialises in organising campervan rentals in Australia but also in New Zealand.

Their fully qualified team handle your reservation queries and overlook all rentals placed. The benefit to you of having a dedicated team is that it provides a level of professionalism, product knowledge and experience to ensure that your rental goes smoothly, and you can enjoy your trip without any hassles. Yes, REAL People work here!

Discovery Campervans has been built and developed with the support and continuing assistance of the largest campervan rental companies in both Australia and New Zealand....
By booking your campervan hire through the Discovery Campervans website, you get to take advantage of our clever technology - showing up to date, competitive comparitive prices - and have the security of renting with established and leading brands in the campervan hire market.
Compare Britz, Maui, Backpacker, Kea and Apollo on one easy to use website.
Save Quotes, look at the layouts and full specifications and compare prices and package inclusions.

See our page Campervan hire in Australia for more useful info and links on renting a camper or RV in Australia

Around Australia by EV

Are you thinking about buying a new car and want to know if an electric vehicle is the right choice for you? You've come to the perfect place.
With the increasing focus on reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality, many Aussies are ditching petrol and diesel cars for electric vehicles (EVs).
But before you make that big purchase, it's crucial to weigh the pros and cons. In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at the benefits and drawbacks of EVs, so you can make an informed decision.
From lower running costs to reducing your carbon footprint, we'll cover it all. And we'll even throw in some juicy stats and examples to boot. Trust us, you won't want to miss this. So please sit back, and let's dive into the world of electric cars!

Pros of electric cars
Here are 4 pros of electric cars that you might find pretty cool:

1. Environmentally friendly
Electric cars produce zero emissions, which means they don't contribute to air pollution or climate change. Plus, the electricity used to charge them can come from renewable sources like solar or wind power. So, you can feel good knowing that you're doing your bit for the planet.

2. Cheaper to run
Because electric cars have fewer moving parts, they require less maintenance than petrol or diesel cars.
Plus, you'll save a fair bit of money on fuel costs. With petrol prices constantly on the rise, it can be a bit of a budget buster to fill up your tank. But with an EV, you'll just be plugging in at home and paying for electricity, which can be a lot cheaper.

3. Super smooth to drive
Electric cars are quiet and have instant torque, which means they can accelerate quickly without any gears. This makes for a really smooth and enjoyable driving experience. There's no engine noise, so you'll be gliding along in silence. It's a real treat, especially if you spend a lot of time on the road.

4. Great technology features
Some electric cars have advanced features like autopilot, over-the-air updates, and even built-in music streaming services. For example, Tesla Model S and Model X come with autopilot, over- the-air updates, and Tesla App. All these features allow you to control your car from your phone, even when you're not in it.

Cons of electric cars
Here are 4 cons of electric cars that you might want to keep in mind:

1. They have a limited driving range
Electric cars have a limited driving range before they need to be recharged.
For example, the Tesla Model 3 has a range of around 500 km, which might not be enough if you're planning on going on a long road trip. If you're planning on going for a long drive to the beach or out to the bush, you'll want to ensure you've got enough charge. That way, you can get there and back without getting stranded.

2. Charging can take a while
Charging an electric car can take a while, especially if you're using a regular household outlet.
Charging a Tesla Model 3 at home using a standard outlet can take up to 10-12 hours. So, you might have to make plans ahead because you can't just pop into a petrol station when you run out of juice like you would with a regular car.

3. Charging infrastructure can be limited
Electric cars rely on charging infrastructure to power up. In Australia, the charging infrastructure is still limited, and not all towns have charging stations yet. This can make finding a place to charge your car difficult, especially if you're driving in a remote area.

4. High upfront cost
Electric cars can be quite expensive to buy compared to petrol or diesel cars. The Tesla Model S,
for instance, can cost over $100,000. While, over time, you'll save money on running costs, the
high upfront cost can be a barrier for some buyers.
Electric cars can indeed be a bit more expensive upfront, but with government incentives and
long-term fuel savings, the cost evens out in the long run. Plus, you'll be making an intelligent
investment in the future of transportation.

Wrapping Up
It's crucial to weigh the benefits and downsides before deciding whether an EV is suitable for you.
But one thing's for sure, electric cars are definitely worth considering. This is true, especially if you're looking to do your bit for the environment and save money on fuel costs.
And if you';re in the market for a new or used car, whether it's electric or not, check out CarConnect. It's a fantastic online store for buying and selling cars in Australia, and you'll find a wide variety of options to choose from. Why waste any more time? Visit CarConnect today to find that perfect car suitable for your driving needs.

Around Australia by helicopter

Flying all the way around Australia by helicopter would be a very expensive exercise, but in most Australian cities and other popular tourism destinations like the Great Ocean Road, Uluru and Kakadu you can do scenic flights by helicopter, an unforgettable experience! Click here for more info...

Around Australia by rental car

There is a wide choice of car rental companies where you can book your car or campervan online to be assured of a car on your arrival in Sydney , and most offer one way rentals between major cities. Nothing beats the freedom of having your own car to explore and stop when and where you want.

Budget Car Hire needs little introduction, the name says it all: car hire at Budget Prices with a car hire company with an international reputation, and this sites makes it even easier to find yourself a cheap hire car, or anything else with wheels: trucks,buses, campervans, utes, four wheel drives etc.

Buy a car

If you are staying in Australia for a long time then it may be worth your while to buy a car and sell it again when you have made your way around the country. Check out notice boards at backpackers hostels and the local Saturday papers. In the bigger cities there are often designated backpacker car markets, organized by councils who got tired of backpackers hanging out on the streets taking up valuable car parking spaces in the city centre. Be sure to get up to date with government regulations first, don't buy a car that you later can not get registered. People may try to sell you a car that still needs to pass an inspection before it can be registered, and tell you that "it only needs a few little things that won't cost much". Tell them that if it is that easy why don't they do it themselves then, and you'll find that they won't.

Around Australia by tour-bus

Halfway between Cairns and Darwin in the Gulf of Carpenteria

Instead of traveling from A to B on some boring coach or plane and then booking a tour again on arrival, why not combine them! There are many tours that will take you on one-way trips around Australia, stopping regularly to enjoy the sights, spend the nights camping in the bush under magnificent starry skies or outback pubs, make friends along the way and actually enjoy getting from A to B !

A rare event, rain in the desert and a bogged Groovy Grape bus between William Creek and Coober Pedy.

The Cool Croc bus on the Queensland/Northern Territory border

Western Australia one way bus tours

Western Australia is a huge place, and you could find yourself burning a lot of petrol in a rental car, or spending a lot of time travelling on public transport. But there are some great extended tours available that will get you from A to B with minimum hassle and your driver will make sure that you will not miss any of the highlights along the way!

Around Australia by horse

horse riding in australia

Havehorsewilltravel.com.au is a great Australian BYO Horse Travel Website to find out the latest on where to stop, where to stay, trails to ride and events to attend. Whether you want to cover some miles, or just get away for a holiday with your horse.

Around Australia by ship

Spirit of Tasmania have now doubled the ships, doubled the crossings and doubled the convenience! With two ships you are able to sail to or from Tassie overnight - every night!
Spirit of Tasmania I and II give you all the fun, excitement and romance of sea travel, so crossing Bass Strait will be one of the highlights of your trip. Feel your holiday start the moment you step on board as you sit back, relax and watch the waves roll by, or take advantage of all the great facilities on board.

spirit of tasmania

Just think of the freedom you will have - and the money you will save - by taking your own car on holiday with you. You can tour Tasmania or the mainland at your own pace, discovering your own secret corners along the way. It also makes packing easy, as you can take as much as you like: just load up your car with extra suitcases, fishing rods, golf clubs - you name it! More info...

Find a cruise

Cruise Sale Finder is the go-to site for all Australians seeking cruises - be they cheap cruises, luxury cruises, river cruises, last-minute cruise deals or any other kind of shipboard holiday. Like our marsupial mascots Merl and Pearl, we are always on the hunt for a good price and a fantastic itinerary.

Since our business launched in 2008 as Cruise Republic, we have helped 220,000 people find a cruise and embark on their dream holiday. This isn’t only good news for them, it’s great for you too - bulk bookings give us the buying power to negotiate the best deals. It also means we’ve had plenty of time to perfect a simple and efficient booking engine which offers our customers uncompromising accuracy in handling important travel reservations.

Around Australia by dinghy

yellow boat expedition around australiac

Robert Pennicott, Mick Souter and cameraman Zorro Gamarnik did the first-ever circumnavigation of Australia and Tasmania in an outboard-driven boat in 2011
They departed Sydney on the 2nd June and travelled anticlockwise around the entire coast of Australia in two 5.4m Naiad RIBs (18ft dinghies). They arrived back in Sydney on the 11th September.
Their trip was divided into 77 segments, ranging from 60 to 420 miles. On 48 of the segments, two seats were auctioned to the highest bidder to raise funds for polio eradication and conservation. More info on their website.

Around Australia by motorbike

Australia is a perfect country for motorbikes with its long, wide open roads and beautiful scenery. Dependent on what you want to see you'll have to choose your type of bike, the Harley pictured above may look cool but is not very suitable for exploring the more remote regions. Also you'll have to decide whether to buy or rent or join a tour. Bikeroundoz.com is a good place to start planning your adventure.

Photo by Cape York Motorcucle Adventures

For a really remote adventure try Cape York, one of the world's last remaining wilderness areas. See the Cape York Motorcylce Adventures website for more info...

Around Australia by bicycle

This mode of traveling only appeals to a few, due to the enormous distances and the fact that Australian roads and drivers are not very bike-friendly. In outback areas you may find that sometimes there is more than 200 km. between road houses, temperatures are in the high thirties, cattle stations are unfenced and scrub bulls can be unpredictable and a fair bit of (head) wind can blow a well. On the east coast distances between towns are smaller but there are more cars and trucks to dodge. Nevertheless when you travel around Australia you are bound to see cyclists in the most remote areas battling on through heat and distance. Enough seem to do it to make it worthwile for Lonely Planet to publish a special travel guide for cyclists;

Around Australia by camel

Photo courtesy of Austcamel.com.au

A few years ago a friend of mine was going around Oz and in Adelaide met a couple who was going around the country on camels. He decided to team up with them for the Nullarbor leg. By car this is a lenghty drive but on the camels it took them THREE MONTHS to get from Adelaide to Norseman!

This would be a bit too much for most people but you'll be pleased to know there are four day desert tours on camels that you can book online. More info....

Hitch-hiking around Australia

In the early 1990s hitch-hiking around Australia lost popularity when throughout 1992 and 1993 police kept finding bodies of European tourists in the Belanglo State Forest near Berrima, New South Wales. A total of seven bodies was dug up and Ivan Milat was arrested and charged with their murders and was locked away for probably the remainder of his life. After this the tradition of hitch-hiking has never recovered again, and it might even be illegal now, we'll do some research into this and let you know.

Around Australia by cargo ship

From Cairns you can go up the eastcoast to the top of Cape York and back on a cargo ship that supplies remote coastal communities, it departs once a week and takes about two days for each journey, can also be done as a one-way when you fly the other way. Popular with four wheel drivers that only drive the rough 1000 kms to the top once and then put the truck on the ship for the return journey. Sea Swift’s flagship vessel, the MV Trinity Bay, carries up to thirty eight passengers per week on it's voyage from Cairns to Cape York, including stops at Horn Island, Thursday Island and Bamaga.

Around Australia by kayak

American Eric Stiller and Aussie Tony Brown attempted for three months to kayak the 10,000 miles around Australia in a 17-foot-long kayak. Their plan was to just' Keep Australia on your left' , which is also the title of the book they wrote on their experiences. When later interviewed Eric Stiller said: "It seemed like a good idea at the time."

Around Australia by mail-plane

From Cairns you can join the postie in his plane for an awesome flight all over the remote Cape York peninsula.

Around Australia by taxi

A taxi is not normally the most economical, or fun way, to go around Australia. In normal circumstances you'd have to call 131008 and then a trip right around the country would cost you at the going tariffs about $30 000,- if you didn't do too many side trips, but in Western Australia you can get a much better deal this year (2010).

In response to the succesful Queensland campaign featuring the Best Job In The World, WA has now come up with their way to promote the state to tourists; the Extraordinary Taxi Ride. If you go to this website you can apply to be one of the passengers on this amazing nine week adventure and explore Western Australia in a taxi.

Your taxi driver will be a real local character who loves his great state, knows his way around it and is up for showcasing some of WA's best kept secrets.

Around Australia by train

Although trains are not the favourite mode of transport of the Aussies, you can get around most of the country (except Tasmania) by train and now, after more than a hundred years of talking about it, they have even built a railway to Darwin! See our page on rail journeys for more info...

Visitors from places such as Europe and Japan may be surprised by the lack of high-speed, inter-city rail services in Australia. A historical lack of cooperation between the states, combined with sheer distances and a relatively small population to service, have left Australia with a national rail network that is relatively slow and used mainly for freight.
As a result, travel between major cities will not only be faster by air, but often cheaper as well depending on the route you wish to travel. Train travel between cities is more scenic, and tourists are likely to see more of Australia travelling by train than they would otherwise see, as well as cutting down on their carbon footprint. It is also often a cost effective way of getting to regional towns and cities, which don't have the frequent and cheap flights found between the capital cities.

Rail passes

* East Coast Discovery Pass. Get on and off as many times as you like on the east coast trains between Melbourne and Cairns. Different prices apply depending on which section of the line you want to traverse. One way travel only is permitted. Discounts apply on other train journeys, and often bus connections to local towns are included. This ticket is available to everyone, international visitors and Australian residents.
* Australian Flexi-Pass. Available to non-Australian passport holders. Allows unlimited train travel on the Ghan and the Indian Pacific, New South Wales Countrylink and Queensland Rail. It will get you to every capital city on mainland Australia, as well as the tropical north of Queensland. If you are not travelling to Western Australia or the Northern Territory there are probably cheaper options.

Around Australia by yacht

Hang around a sailing club and check the notice board or talk to the locals, often sailing boats will take on crew to help out with work and expenses, one such place is Cairns where many cruising yachts leave around May to get to Darwin in time for the June Darwin to Ambon race.

Around Australia on foot

This would not appeal to many people, especially those who can't convince their boss to give them at least a year's holidays but this is what Deborah De Williams has done ( march 2004), she was walking in a clockwise direction along Australia's National Highway 1 and returning to Melbourne on Friday 15th October 2004.
During her ‘Journey for Kids’ Deborah is raising money for Kids Help Line, Australia’s only 24 hour, free, confidential and anonymous telephone and online counselling.
Newsflash April 2004: after Deborah had battled cyclones and floods some youngsters in Halls Creek stole, amongst other things, her walkingshoes!

walk from perth to sydney

In 2011 21 year old Jacob French, from Bussleton, WA, started out on a 5000 km. walk from Perth to Sydney, dresses up as a Star Wars storm trooper.
He was doing the trek to fundraise for the Starlight Children's Foundation and got a total of $88000 together. Nine months later he arrived in Sydney, 12 kg. lighter. More info on his website.

If you'd like to explore Sydney on foot see Walksydneystreets.net , the website of 90 year old Alan Waddell who has walked 2000 kms thorugh every street of 135 Sydney suburbs.

If this mode of transport appeals to you this might be the travel guide for you;

You know any good ways to get around Australia? Then tell us!

How to get around Australia

Domestic flights in Australia - Carhire in Australia - Campervans in Australia - Buy a car - Tour bus

Around Australia by plane

A handy guide to the main Australian airports:

Airport:

Airport Website:

Distance to City:

Time to City:

Transfer to hotel: