Leaving for Australia Saturday. Any Advice?

[Tudoggs]

Hey,

I'm finally taking a long awaited trip Down Under. I'm flying into Brisbane and flying out of Perth 6 weeks later. The only advice I've gotten is to take the train from the airport in Brisbane to Broad Beach and start looking for a camper/van there. I guess the advice I most need is:

- Where's a good hostel to set up home base while I acquire a car?
- Any ideas on where to get a good reliable car? Would you go private or to a dealer?
- Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks bros!

Tudoggs

[Aqualife]

Hi there,
I am not sure why you were told to go to Broadbeach to buy a car.
I would check gumtree.com.au which has tons of cars on it. Most backpackers offload their vehicle through this site. There are lots of cars in Brisbane to buy.
Also, I would investigate whether it would make more sense hiring one of the many backpacker vans that are around and just dropping it off in Perth (which incurs a one-way hire fee) but this would avoid the hassly of actually buying a car, registering and insuring it and then having to resell it at the other end.

[Jimi]

yeh, second to the above advice, for 6 weeks, buying a camper will be uneconomical. You'll need to beware of how soon the registration is due, and where it is registered, as trying to sell a QLD registered vehicle in WA will be very difficult so you will likely struggle to get anywhere near the price you want. Also there are fees to transfer registration, and insurance is going to be considerable and recommended, as you are personally liable for damage caused in an accident unless you take out specific insurance.

These fees and insurance are all included in a hire vehicle, and often it is possible to get cheap rates if you are returning a vehicle from a popular drop-off destination to a capital city.

[kitesurfer]

Take some beer with you the aussie ale is rubbish by all counts.

KS

[dtc]

Take some beer with you the aussie ale is rubbish by all counts.

KS

If my fridge wasnt full of 'english' beer I would resent that remark. Perhaps take a flak jacket to cope with the comments after you lose the Ashes.

Tudoggs, there are camper van companies that cater for backpackers - cheap and slightly run down vans (eg 'wicked' - although they are quite 'colourfully' decorated). As mentioned, these may be easier than buying a van .

Gumtree is the best place to look if you want to buy; good for boards as well.

Are you planning to head north or south from Brisbane - also, what time of year are you going?

Finally, keep an eye on the distances. I know its a cliche, but for example the distance just from Adelaide to Perth is about 2,700km; from Lands End to John O'Groats is about 970km. And there aint much between Adelaide and Perth


From Google maps (Adelaide to Perth):
18. Turn right onto Eyre Hwy/​National Highway A1 (signs for Eyre Highway/​Penong/​Eucla)
Continue to follow Eyre Hwy: 1,198 km

19. Turn right onto Coolgardie-Esperance Hwy/​National Highway 94: 165 km

20. Turn left onto National Highway 94: 535 km

[Tudoggs]

Hey Thanks for the replies.

Yeah I understand it's a short trip but I figure with a car I might (or I've been told) it may be more economical to just buy a camper because it's cheaper on the east coast and when I get to Perth I could sell it for a bit less when I get there.

I really dont want to have to rely on public transit and Id like to check out the solitude/isolation btw adelaide and perth. Ive driven cross country in the states so Im no stranger to long drives . . . I actually kind of thrive on it. Id like to camp and check out that part of the country. Its actually the part im most looking forward too.

And as far as the booze goes . . . Im gonna have a few bottle of pennsylvania rye. I hear they don't have much whiskey.

Thanks for the gumtree advice. The main reason Im heading to broad beach is because my friends husband has a few bros there that might be able to set me up with a camper . . . who knows . . . Im winging it at this point. Maybe Ill get a hunch in the airport.

Any more advice.

Thanks.

Tudoggs

[jaffa1949]

Watch yourself bringing in the Pennsylvania rye as there is a limit you can bring in.
Both bourbon whiskey and Scottish who skies are available , just the premium brands may be hard to find.

A caution too, each state has random breath testing, where you can be stopped and you must provide a breath sample, refusal is an offence! The state laws differ slightly ,so think on that.
Enjoy your trip!

[Tudoggs]

Watch yourself bringing in the Pennsylvania rye as there is a limit you can bring in.
Both bourbon whiskey and Scottish who skies are available , just the premium brands may be hard to find.

A caution too, each state has random breath testing, where you can be stopped and you must provide a breath sample, refusal is an offence! The state laws differ slightly ,so think on that.
Enjoy your trip!

Of course I wont be drinking and driving. This isn't my first rodeo. However, upon arrival, it's nice to offer hosts a drink of something they've never had before.

So it sounds like some of you guys are saying it's better to just rent a car. Seems like I can get a small SUV in brisbane and leave it in Perth for around 2500. This will kind of limit me to staying in hostels, as part of the idea of getting the camper/van was having a place to sleep and out of an camp.

Decisions, decisions.

[jaffa1949]

No there are , wicked ( brand name) campers that you can hire for the run, basic campers.
Some areas you can pull up and camp others they move you to a campground, across the great Australian bight gyre at scenic places to stop, it will be a real explore..
There are brands too. You'll have great time, also it's winter in Aus so as you get further south it gets colder and colder, winds blow off the southern ocean can be bitter, so the rye will be handy!

Keep us Aussies posted there may be meetings along the way

[dtc]

I had a quick look on gumtree and it may be worthwhile buying a camper van - there are several for $4000 negotiable. If you got one of them for $3500, say, (although you will have to pay to transfer the registration so that will be a few $100) I imagine you could dump it at a dealer in Perth for at least $1000, and perhaps more (if an urgent private sale fell through), so it wouldnt cost more than hiring and might be cheaper. That said, obviously with a hire van you dont pay for any mechanical issues so you transfer that risk (nb: quick check on wicked suggests you could get a 2 seater van for under $2k for 6 weeks)

In terms of surfing, north of Brisbane the waves stop basically at Noosa (about 2hrs drive from Brisbane), but Noosa is certainly worth a visit. Heading south, you can surf pretty much everywhere until about the NSW/Vic border/Lakes Entrance, with some famous spots (Byron Bay etc) and some not so famous but very enjoyable (from Nowra down to Victoria - the NSW Sth Coast).

From there around to Melbourne there are beaches but they are a bit wild and isolated and not always the best for surfing (90 mile beach has a massive sideways sweep, for example). Around Melbourne there is some more surfing. Between Melb and WA is a long way and the surfing (and the land) is pretty wild and isolated (and cold - well, for Australia - and its the area for great whites..). Once you get to WA there are more people and the surfing gets a bit more reasonable.

As Jaffa said, the camping rules vary between states - some allow camping everywhere except where specifically excluded, others only allow camping where specifically permitted. NSW has lots of camp sites up and down the coast (for moderate fees, but you get a toilet and shower etc) and there are some fantastic coastal national parks such as Croajinalong and Mimosa Rocks, which you can get into with a camper van (unsealed roads but not too bad) and are completely isolated (usually basic facilities eg drop toilet and you can only camp in permitted locations)

A few good spots to stop in South NSW: Jervis Bay (no surf but beautiful- stay at Booderee), Bendalong (great surf, hidden gem, sensational place), Depot Beach (or Pebbly Beach, the one next to it) - these three places are all within about 100km of each other. Further south there is Ben Boyd national park and the parks mentioned above. Plenty of other spots

There is a highway all the way around Australia that is pretty good (however, it goes inland between Sydney and Melb), and a highway running down the coast from Sydney to Melb that is a pretty easy drive (usually its just 1 lane each way, but good condition, well signposted etc). You then just take a left off the highway to whereever you are stopping.

[Jimi]

Also a quick heads up on the camping - whichever way your end up going (hire or buy). Most tourist places along the QLD NSW VIC coast have signs up that say you can't sleep in your vehicle overnight in public carparks (like at the beaches). This kinda sucks, so you're stuck with paying ~$20 per night to park in a van park in these places (like Byron Bay). Thankfully there's plenty of state forests and some national parks where you can bush camp in your van free, and also if you are a bit discreet, you can often just park in a residential side street and sleep there. Beware Byron though, as people will call the cops on people sleeping in cars illegally.

check out
http://www.australiancampsites.com.au for free campsites
and
http://ozcamps.net/freecampinglist.php?st=NSW

for some ideas on where you can stay for cheap.

[jaffa1949]

Hey,
It sounds amazing!! Brisbane is really a beautiful place to visit.If you wish you could include other cities in Queensland like Tasmania and Hobart in your itinerary. These places are really worth-visiting....don't forget to visit The Great Barrier Reef (one of the 7 wonders of the world)....I visited the continent around 4 months ago....it was really a pleasure to surf around the different places.
All the best for your trip.
Clara

[jaffa1949]

I'm hoping Clara is genuine , it should be said that Tasmania is the island state of Australia and is as far south of Queensland as you can get, the Capitol of Tasmania is Hobart.

If you drive and you wish to go to Tasmania you have catch a vehicular ferry across Bass strait.

HMMMMM.

[clararaymonds]

Hi Jaffa,
Thanks for rectifying my mistake.....I was just trying to tell that these places are worth-visiting....and I totally agree wid u that Tasmania is an island state of Australia.........Tasmania and Queensland are two different states....both are incredibly beautiful.
Thanks
Clara

[jaffa1949]

Hi Jaffa,
Thanks for rectifying my mistake.....I was just trying to tell that these places are worth-visiting....and I totally agree wid u that Tasmania is an island state of Australia.........Tasmania and Queensland are two different states....both are incredibly beautiful.
Thanks
Clara

There is so much to see and most Overseas visitors don't realise the size of the undertaking to see as much as possible, you are welcome for the correction.

[galenJack]

I am also a tourist and visit about all over the world but I like Australia country. Many travelers and tourists are prefer this country then other countries due to its beautiful places.Why are you leaving Australia? It is wonderful place. I think,you are emotional decision. Think remember. Don’t take a wrong step...

[jaffa1949]

Hi galenJack and welcome, I believe you are from a country where English is not your native language , that is absolutely fine and we welcome you.
However you are mistaken in your understanding of this thread's title "Leaving for Australia" means the poster Tudoggs is leaving somewhere else to come to Australia, if he was going away from Australia the title would be leaving from Australia. So I think Tudoggs will enjoy all the wonderful things you feel about Australia > thank you for the compliments about my country!