Are you planning a road trip around Australia and wondering what the main things to consider are? Here are 10 travel hacks to have the best experience on the road.
After living and travelling in Australia for two years, I put together 10 top tips to plan a road trip around Australia. In this article, you will understand more about the country you are going to explore. The importance of considering these different tips will help you not only to save more money on the road but also, to realise the things you might need to be aware of and how to manage them the best way.
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Top 10 tips to plan the best road trip in Australia
1 – Don’t over plan
Travel itself is something for sure that gives us beautiful memories, pictures and moments; takes us away from our ordinary life and lets us discover the vastity around us. But let’s first consider the actual journey.
Australia is the planet’s sixth-largest country, offering rural landscapes, deserts, tropical forests, thousands of beaches, mountains and also big and developed cities. So if you have a limited time to visit this country, let’s say a couple of weeks or over a month, have in mind you won’t be able to see every corner.
Driving is for sure the best way to go around, this will let you be independent of tours or buses for example, but at the same time expect to skip some sight on the road.
2 – Check your car before hitting the road
It might sound silly but a good service to your car before starting the road trip around Australia is one of the most important among the top 10 tips to drive around Australia.
Public roads in Australia exceed 810,000 km in length; meaning that if you are planning to do your road trip from North Queensland, Cairns, to South Australia, Adelaide, you will likely hit the 5.000km passing by the main cities and so exploring the East Coast.
Believe me, you don’t want any problems with your car, you rather have a smoother drive in the safest and most comfortable conditions.
3 – Get lost
The number one tip was don’t over plan your road trip, as the following advice is: Get lost on the road around Australia.
It will happen when driving from one destination to another, that you will cross many little towns, national parks and other sights you haven’t pinned for your road trip. If you like the vibes around you, follow your gut and have a look; grab a coffee, have a little walk in the park or go to see where that lookout sign will take you to.
Most of the time you won’t regret it and also you will have extra memory and a good or bad place to share with others.
4 – Pack light, but smart
Most of the people I have met on my journey in Australia, especially on the road or who are living outside the big cities, have one thing in common: to travel light and avoid useless clothes or accessories.
My Australian road trip experience taught me for sure I own more than I need and use, and also, how to manage best what to bring with you on the road.
If you like to travel wild and not planning of having fancy dinners at fancy restaurants, most of your time you will spend it dressed comfortably as possible, in pyjamas or hiking clothes. Don’t overpack if this is going to be your kind of road trip in Australia.
5 – Carry enough water and food
Depending on the route you are going to take for this road trip around Australia, consider crossing remote and very remote areas, especially in Western Australia and Northern Territory.
Before leaving big cities or villages make sure to have enough water and food. Sometimes you might not come against any living life for hundreds of kilometres.
The most brilliant option is to buy a 20l water tank and fill it with drinkable water, without the need to spend extra money and purchase unnecessary and single-use plastic. If your car or van doesn’t have a fridge, opt for nuts snacks or fruit.
6 – Plan your fuel stops carefully
For the same reason as point 5 of the top 10 tips to plan the best road trip around Australia, another very important step you need to take care of is the fuel stop during the journey.
Not only for the fact that you might not see gas stations for enormous distances but also in the Outback the petrol price can be very much higher than in non-remote areas. Same as for the water, consider carrying with you a 20l Jerry can for extra petrol to have as a backup in case you forgot to fill up your tank before leaving the last petrol station in the next 300 kilometres. Also, once at the petrol station, take advantage to fill up or buy a cooking gas bottle.
Read for these distance signals too.
7 – Be prepared
Get familiar with the driving, the roads and the rules of this country. Australia’s fine and the consequences can be very different from your own country and trust me you don’t wanna experience it.
Be aware of custom control between borders, some kinds of food can’t enter another State without being in quarantine, so if you are close to certain borders look for signs that advise you to “Eat it or bin it” and do as suggested. If needed, find a safe area and have your lunch instead of throwing the fresh food away.
Get familiar with basic skills for car emergencies: changing tyres, checking and refilling oils and coolant, adjusting tyres pressure (if you are planning off roads) and others.
8 – Book your special tours in advance
If you are doing this road trip in Australia during any Public or School Holiday and you are going to visit the main sights such as Withsundays, Uluru, Fraser Island or others make sure you book with large advance the Tour you were looking for. Sometimes booking, at least, 3 weeks ahead can save your plan and also some money. The same will be for some accommodations in famous National Parks or busy Hotels or Hostels.
9 – consider sleeping for free
Are you in a very low-budget mind sent for this on-the-road adventure? No problem, in Australia you can sleep for free with various options. Make sure to download your phone Camper Mate App. This wonderful app will allow you to have a big view of the many camping options, but mainly to know where free Rest Areas or Park Areas are. The app also gives you the option to see free hot showers, BBQ and much more, this way you will save lots of $$$. Check out my last weeks between Victoria and South Australia, when I spent 0$ on accommodations.
Other options, for long terms travellers, are: Trusted Housesitter, Couch surfing, Working Away, Adopting a backpacker and more.
10 – Use the best phone coverage and satellite phones.
Australian phone coverage can be really low or zero when travelling the remote areas. The desert, forest sometimes the coast will leave you with no chance to use your internet data.
Consider buying a SIM card with the best service provider. Number one is for sure Telstra, even though can be very expensive is the only one that allows you to use your Network in more places than others. Just to let you know, there are more than many areas where even this Network doesn’t work.
So if you are worried about the need to stay connected with the rest of the world during this road trip, rending a satellite phone can be your best choice.
You are now ready to plan your own road trip around Australia, these ultimate 10 tips for planning the best way to do it will definitely help you to go through the first steps.
Have you already experienced travelling on the road in Australia? What are the important things you do before planning a road trip in this country? Let me know in the comment below, will be very helpful for me but especially for the other readers.
If you are starting to plan your road trip around Australia, I hope my top 10 tips will be your main guidelines for the unforgettable adventure you are about to start.
