driving around australia alone

From Melbourne, you can go by bus and visit small towns like Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and if you feel confident about driving solo, go on easy day-trips from Melbourne. Having the option of sleeping in your vehicle is a massive blessing in Australia, even just as a backup plan. A first stop could be the Rim Walk in Kings Canyon, with one night at the Kings Canyon Resort and then drive further to Ayers Rock for two more nights. They are absolutely no-brainer, and everyone can embrace these adventures, even if you travel by yourself for the first time. We’d also recommend getting it serviced before you get out of dodge, just to be sure. I have gone to these places by myself several times with rental cars as well as using public transportation. Do spend some time considering what would be the right type of car for you. This is essentially a power converter which will allow you to charge your phone, laptop, camera or whatever else, through your car’s cigarette lighter – it’s an essential item. Plan at least 2-3 days to make the most of this fascinating coastal drive. As an Amazon Associate I also earn from qualifying purchases. And that's it. This might be an internal plumbing setup with taps, a shower and a flushing toilet; it could be a. mounted to the roof of your van; or it could simply be a plastic jerry can labeled H2O. Get travel insurance that is affordable and offers the coverage that suits you. Those seeking a proper road trip around Australia — a fully-fledged circumnavigation of epic proportions — are going to want to buy a vehicle to call their own. The best way to organise your time travelling alone around Australia is driving. GET YOUR AUSTRALIA ITINERARY GUIDE BOOKAn Australia Book, with all planning elements to create a cost-effective travel plan. If you’re going past, the cities of Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Port Hedland, Perth, Esperance and Adelaide are, of course ,worth a look in. Stay: Bewong Rest Area or Green Patch Campground. Free campsites are easily found online at. By the sixth month, we had put over 25,000 kilometers on that campervan, driving from Adelaide in South Australia, up through the untamed Outback in the center, then up to Darwin in the north, before crossing over to Cairns, and finally down the east coast of Australia to Sydney.. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Get yourself a trusty vehicle and circumnavigate the whole thing. Moreover, weather conditions can make it difficult and dangerous. I’m sure, among this list, you will find the right places to travel alone, that will make you want to explore more of Australia. The Great Ocean Road in Victoria, for example, is littered with beautiful beaches and accessible wildlife. You may prefer self-driving than guided day trips, depending on your driving skills. Slowly but surely though, that reputation is changing. The registration of your car, or the ‘rego’ as it is more commonly known, refers to the set of registration papers that every car must-have. I would pick places you feel comfortable with, not only regarding what you can there but also regarding transportation options. There are many ways of getting around Australia but if you ask me what is my favourite way of exploring land down under, I have no doubt: driving around Australia is the way to go.. Whatever the case, you should have at least 20 litres of water on hand at all times. 1 Australian Comparison Site for rental cars, campervans and relocation vans. I’ve also got dozens of more detailed itineraries for different segments of the road trip, as well as city and region itineraries for different parts of the country. Probably among the most popular destinations for a solo backpacking trip, the East Coast Australia ranks high on the list of all solo travellers in Australia. I can recommend hiring a car in Melbourne and taking an inland detour to the Grampians National Park on your way back. But just how easy is it to actually pull off? I have travelled also to remote regions of Australia’s Outback alone, that I haven’t listed in here. There’s nothing quite like frying up a meal in the great outdoors. Tips for Driving in Australia. It just depends how rough and rugged you want to get. Driving across Australia from Sydney to Perth alone takes 41 hours, covering 3,933 km / 2,444 miles. Driving in Australia does not require exceptional skills as long as you drive on sealed tracks. South Australia is home to Kangaroo Island, a third of which is a pristine nature reserve. All roads lead to cool things. You can also combine self-driving with guided-tours and public transport. As a solo traveller, you may feel overwhelmed because of the vast distances that you need to consider, before choosing destinations to travel alone. And she’s well on her way to achieving it. If you don’t plan to drive alone in Australia, make sure that your itinerary is covered by an excellent public transportation network, like modern trains and buses and flight connections too. Honestly, I can't even remember the planning phase of Australia. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. So here’s a comprehensive guide to getting started on an adventure around the entire Australian coastline. Yes, there is nothing really like exploring the Land Down Under by driving yourself. I earn a commission from qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate and on affiliate links. If driving alone is not your thing, there are more options to travelling around on the East Coast of Australia. Here's why Australia is the perfect solo travel destination, even for female solo travellers. Roadside fruit and vegetable stalls are still fairly common in rural Australia and they’re often left unmanned with an honesty box for payment. Australia’s colonial history as a distant cultural outcrop has meant that it’s never been renowned for great food. This is a great way of visiting alone Australia on a budget and saving money on accommodation which can be quite expensive for a single traveller. This website uses cookies to ensure you receive the best experience. Here a list of the best places I have discovered by going on road trips over 15 years of solo travel adventures in Australia. Despite being a bit touristy, it does offer everything to any type of traveller, with a variety of fun outdoor activities, festivals and amenities that is hard to beat. From concrete highways to bumpy fire trails, from cul de sacs to campsites, the Sydney Harbour Bridge to Willie Creek Pearl Farm, there’s a load of trails to cross and sights to see. And while there’s debate about whether the sunburnt country qualifies as the biggest island in the world (. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. They’ll only take you part of the way and you’ll be under time constraints. When you’re on the road, these are your best friends. Usually (but not always) campsites in more remote locations are more likely to be free or cheap. Generally though, you can expect to pay between $25 and $35 for a powered/unpowered site respectively. 7:59 am, It sounds like a great trip Michela. Getting around Australia takes a little planning. You may prefer self-driving than guided day trips, depending on your driving skills. Whether solo or travelling in a group, a means of contacting the outside world for help is vital. There are a lot of ifs and buts when it comes to budgeting, so these figures will be a rough guide at best. I think the Gold Coast is an excellent place to be in Australia for solos too. Here are our picks for some of Australia's best marathons. There's no shortage of tarmac to traverse in The Lucky Country. On this post, you can read about how to discover South Western Australia on your own. National parks are another option and, on average, they cost around $12 per night. For Australia get the best comparison results among apartments, homestay, B&B and hotel deals with booking.com. My tip: plan four days for the Solo Road Trip To Uluru. From its pristine beaches, beautiful wildlife, history and culture, and fantastic food and nightlife, Australia really does have it all. Another great trip to go alone is the ride from Cairns across the Atherton Tablelands. That said, Australia is also the ideal spot for those travelling alone because it provides visitors with a heaps of space to be unsocialable too if they like! Thanks for the inspiration 🙂, rockytravel February 27, 2014 @ With 5 detailed itineraries, +40 customisation options, and +15 pages of sites, this is hands-down the best guide book you can find on the market. Any advise? This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. When I am exploring Australia solo, there…. Your email address will not be published. We recommend booking your vehicles with our partner DriveNow. Required fields are marked *. Rain, wind, sun, mosquitos, deadly snakes, spiders and the fabled. Driving around Australia: ... response to the news that our family was embarking on a year-long adventure around Australia was, ... your needs and carve out space for some alone time. It's very big! You can take any detour you want, listen to any radio station or talking book that interests you, or change your schedule on a whim. After discovering Melbourne alone, a beautiful 300 km coastal drive awaits you. You will be able to stop along your way as much as you like and spend time at the lovely beaches in Byron Bay, soaking in the great weather at the popular and busy Gold Coast and enjoying the Sunshine Coast. There are many local train and bus networks, like Greyhound, which offers excellent bus passes. Bought or rented? On this post, you can read about my tips for driving to Uluru. Personal safety is always a high priority- whether it be in a city or remote area. Sights: Stanwell Tops, Shell Harbour, Blowhole Shoots, Shoalhaven Heads and Nowra. Winding its way around the coastline, Australia's Highway 1 is one of the most popular routes for driving across this vast country. Be sure to coordinate almost all of your flights and accommodation prior to arriving in Australia, as last minute cheap flights and accommodation are extremely hard to come by. Whilst planning is highly recommended, it is understandable that there i… The Pinnacles, Western Australia: a worthy detour. And you can go direct too — hit up fishermen in coastal towns for a cheap price on the day’s catch or pull into a dairy and ask to buy a litre or two of milk. All roads are sealed and in right conditions — plan at least 4-5 days for Margaret River, exploring the Geographe Bay Region, plus 4-5 days for travelling South Western Australia. From rural areas to scenic coastal drives to remote Outback regions, you name it. Sights: Jervis Bay, Ulladulla, Murramarang National Park and Batemans Bay. It’s one of the longest roads in the world and more than a million people travel on it each day. Thanks! While activities and attractions are abundant in all Australian cities, you can also use small towns as the central hub for further explorations of the surroundings. While hiring a car in Australia is probably a more relaxed way to travel up from Sydney up to Cairns, you can also use public buses and make your way up with Greyhound. Passing through 7 states and territories, including a leg in Tasmania, Highway 1 offers a window into the diverse countryside found across Australia. The first trip is from Cairns to Cape Tribulation, where you can visit Port Douglas, Mossman Gorge. Spending 60 nights in national parks and the remaining 30 in caravan parks would cost you about $1620 (60 x $12 + 30 x $30). Visit local markets for killer Australian produce, The Gold Coast isn't a bad place for a pit stop. BOOK ACCOMMODATION AROUND AUSTRALIASearch and find the right type of accommodation that suits your style and budget. Public barbecues have become a staple of modern Australian culture and they can be found in beach towns and public rest areas all over the country. The cheapest hotels start at around $90 per night and can be a nice treat when you’ve been on the road for months. Driving around Australia. such as cooking, gear, bedding, alternator, tools, oil, coolant, power steering fluid, camping gear etc. Stay: Wallagaraugh River Rest Area, Scrubby Creek Area or Newtons Crossing Area. But these options are all geared towards temporary trips. I come from Melbourne Australian and have never driven in America before. The 440km from Alice Springs to Yulara Resort and 330 km from Alice Springs to Kings Canyon are reasonable distances that everyone can easily travel alone. Queensland hosts hundreds of backpackers in summer on their Australian Working Holiday and it’s an ideal destination for everyone wanting to spend some time alone, yet not feeling completely lonely. Throw in a few takeaway coffees, the odd trip to a restaurant and a few cheeky bottles of wine and it looks more like $3250. Vast Distances. Also, this itinerary doesn’t include for rest and admin days – so do take that into account when you plan your road trip in Australia. Australia is one of those places that everyone needs to visit once in their lifetime. To travel around Australia takes a minimum of 3 months, or preferably 6 months if you want to take a more leisurely pace. For sure your books defintely has lots of amazing stories with your travel. Jesse begins the long drive to Melbourne, leaving Broome during the middle of the wet season and trying to head south before the next rains flood the road. You don’t need to hire a four-wheel-drive car, as the route is entirely on sealed roads. It is also extremely diverse with everything from snow-capped mountains to lush tropical forests, the outback desert and rolling green pastures. During our Working Holiday Down Under we drove allllll around Australia in 200 days! Port Douglas in Queensland provides a jumping off point for the Great Barrier Reef and NSW’s Mount Kosciusko is the nation’s highest peak. From ocean drives to outback missions, here are Australia's best road trips. You enjoy surfing and road trips? After visiting Perth Alone, 300km south of the city lies one of the most surprising regions for Food and Wine in Australia. are all factors worth considering. Two more great road trips for solo travellers are in North Tropical Queensland. My tip: Add extra 200-300 km and travel to Walpole, Denmark and further south to Albany to visit the wild coastal landscapes and see the famous Tall Trees. Our family doesn’t really travel much, i think this year ill plan a sneaky getaway for myself. This is why the planning stages of a solo trip around Australia are so integral. There’s also wisdom in the idea that the best adventure machine is the one you have. I also went on a solo road trip of the East Coast and explored the Freycinet National Parks and recently I did the Three Capes Track Walk on my own. Seeing Australia from the road is a rite of passage for many travellers. No Australia Trip is complete without a road trip. Camping in Australia's great outdoors — some of us can't get enough while others can't imagine anything worse. This is an epic road trip that crosses the Nullarbor Plain and skirts around the edge of the Great Australian Bight, this trip is well worth doing by itself let alone combined with a complete self-drive big lap of the country. If you are a solo traveller and would like to join me in my Tours, enter your name and email address here below to get updates about the upcoming tours! All that remains is for you to make a plan, book the time off work, find some wheels and get to it. For perspective, the record speed for a lap around Highway 1 was recently set by. Whether your budget permits a plush motorhome, a stylish old Kombi or a rusty station wagon, there are a few essentials you’ll definitely want to acquire and install. Kath Swinbourne is a Australian photographer based in Wollongong, New South Wales. I will be on my own and I am wondering if it is hard to drive around Portland for someone who is not used to driving … To be fair though, you could do this slightly cheaper or with a lot more money. And the concept of the 'Great Australian road trip' is no small undertaking. If you are planning to travel alone around Australia, solo driving is likely not to be one of the things to tick off your bucket list. Even the thought of undertaking 'The Big Lap' is enough to get the adventure juices flowing in even the most seasoned of travellers. The unmissable parts of Australia require significant detours from the big lap. I first went to Coolangatta in 2013 ago and visited Coolangatta coming from South Wales. If you have a road trip that you can recommend for the solo traveller, please share it with us. SECURE CAR RENTALS DEALS  IN AUSTRALIAFind the best deal among thousands of offers, with the no. Never done that before and your blog post helps me a lots how to prepare for a long drive. You definitely rock the road Lee. SPOT GEN3 Messenger Review – Emergency Assistance and Trip Tracking for Australian Travel. Just keep driving straight ahead of you for hundreds of kilometres. app. From expansive outback adventures to dramatic coastline routes and lush green landscapes, there’s no better place to traverse on wheels than Australia. Campervans are particularly economical, as they double up as accommodation. Australia is a great destination to travel solo and for road trips too. AUSTRALIA TRIP PLANNING SERVICESGet Michela’s expert advice to answer your questions, clear doubts, and craft a personalised Australia itinerary with rock-solid knowledge, first-hand tips and professional help to plan your trip to Australia. Need to have one, I been planning for a road trip for a week self-driving. 9:27 am, Your email address will not be published.