1

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO TRAVELLING AROUND

AUSTRALIA IN A CAMPERVAN OR CAR

Getting on the road

The best way to see Australia is on a roadtrip. If you’re planning a trip and are thinking about renting or

buying your own vehicle then read on. We’ve put together a full guide on do’s and don’ts, top tips and

expert recommendations for travelling around Australia by road.

A Beginner’s Guide to Travelling Around Australia in a Campervan or Car

Here’s what you can find in the guide:

1. How to choose the right campervan or car for you

2. To buy or rent? That’s the question…

3. Top tips for selling your vehicle at the end of your trip

4. 5 best places to visit in Australia in a campervan

5. Survival Tips for Living in a campervan

6. Australian Driving tips: Rules of the road

7. Show your vehicle some love

2

How to choose the right campervan or car for you

3

Fridge vs. no fridge – lots of space vs. not so much space – proper campervan vs. stationwagon

… decisions decisions decisions.

Buying or renting a car or campervan for the first time can be pretty daunting and with so many

options out there it’s sometimes a little bit confusing to decide on what the best option for you is.

Read on for top tips and expert advice on how to find the right vehicle for you.

Stationwagons

These trusty vehicles are cheap, reliable and most

importantly easy to pick up all over the country.

We recommend stationwagons for:

• Travellers who are more than happy to bunk down on a

mattress in the back of the wagon or to sleep in a tent.

• Travellers on a budget – they are cheaper vehicles to

run than vans or campervans.

• Groups of mates who are travelling together (this is a

great way to save on the cost of petrol)

• People who prefer automatic vehicles (over 85% of

stationwagons are auto)

• People who are planning to mix it up between camping

and staying in hostels.

Cost: Travellers Autobarn offer stationwagons to rent from

$35 a day, or you can buy one for about $3000 – $5000

4

Campervans

The perfect vehicle for groups of two who are planning on

living life on the road for a long period of time (6+

months).

We recommend campervans for:

• People who have some extra cash to spend on a vehicle

• Travellers who prefer their home comforts such as

fridge, kitchen sink and gas stove.

• Travellers who are planning on sleeping in their vehicle

every night and are looking for a little more room.

• Travellers who are confident with driving a manual.

Cost: Bag yourself a campervan for anything between

$9900 – $16,000 or rent one from $45 a day.

Vans

The perfect choice for a couple or two mates who are

looking to cruise around Australia at a chilled out pace.

We recommend vans for:

• People who have some extra cash to spend on a vehicle

• Travellers who prefer their home comforts such as

fridge, kitchen sink and gas stove.

• Travellers who are planning on sleeping in their vehicle

every night and are looking for a little more room.

• Travellers who are confident with driving a manual.

Cost: Pick up a van from Travellers Autobarn from around

$4000 – $8000 or rent one from $35 a day

5

4WD

4WD’s are one of the best cars to travel around Australia

in. They are expensive to buy, and expensive to run – but

don’t let that put you off. If you’re planning a adrenaline

filled Aussie roadtrip adventure then this could be the car

for you.

We recommend 4WD’s for:

• Travellers who have some cash to spend

• Travellers who are looking to head off the beaten track

• Groups of 2 – 5 who are planning on sleeping in hostels

and motels at night.

• Experienced drivers who will be confident handling such

a big and powerful car

• Nature lovers who want to explore the most remote

parts of Australia.

Cost: A 4WD from Traveller’s Autobarn will cost you

between $6000 – $10,000.

6

To buy or rent? That’s the question…

Once you’ve decided on the vehicle that’s right for you and your trip the next decision you need to

make is whether to buy or rent your vehicle in Australia.

Below is a list of some important factors you need to consider before you make the call:

1. How long are you going to be travelling around

Australia for?

This is the most important factor to consider when you’re

debating whether to rent or buy your campervan or car. If

you’re only planning on hitting the open road for 3 – 4

months (or less) then we recommend you rent. The

benefits of doing this are:

• They come equipped with all the campervan essentials

you need

• 24 / 7 roadside assistance

• Toll free service number

• Access to free camp grounds

If you are planning on staying in Australia for as long as

possible then buying probably makes the most sense for

you. If you are travelling in Australia for a year or 2 then

it’s likely you’ll have to find work at some point and having

your own vehicle will help to open up lots of possibilities for

you – especially if you are planning on doing the farm

work that’s essential for getting your 2nd year visa.

2. How much money do you have?

At the end of the day it all comes down to how much dollar

you are willing to spend. If you are a backpacker with

cash to spare (lucky you), then renting is an easy option

that offers no worries, no hassle and extra security.

7

If you are working to a tight budget then we recommend

you take the time to shop around for a good deal on a

vehicle. Don’t forget to consider how much you will get

back when you sell it at the end of your trip.

3. Looking for complete freedom?

If you want to come and go as you please, you want the

option to change your route whenever, paint it, bump it –

then buying your own vehicle is for you.

There are a number of benefits to renting your vehicle but

if you’re really looking for the ultimate freedom out on the

open road then owning your wheels is the way forward.

What kind of traveller are you?

If the idea of breaking down on the side of the road in the

outback and having to flag down a stranger to tow you to

the nearest local garage is your idea of a nightmare then

owning your vehicle might not be for you and renting gives

you extra security and minimum fuss if something happens.

On the other hand if you’re adventurous, confidant and

more than happy to deal with unplanned scenarios then

buying is the way to go.

8

Top tips for selling your vehicle at the end of your trip

When it’s time to pack up your bags, dust the sand off your flip flops and start wearing all white

to show off your awesome tan it’s also time to sell your vehicle on.

But what do you need to consider?

• Where will you end up selling your vehicle? It’s all about being in the right place at the

right time. April to July is probably the worst time of year to try and sell your vehicle (as

Sydney, Melbourne and Perth will all be very quiet). Avoid trying to sell your vehicle in

Darwin and Cairns between December and June, and Brisbane and Adelaide can be difficult

all year round.

• Registration and paperwork. The more registration you have on your vehicle the more

attractive it is to a prospective buyer (we recommend at least 3 months)

• How much time do you have? Don’t leave it too late to try and sell your vehicle before you

head off back home as it can take 2 – 4 weeks to sell your vehicle on. That’s a lot of time to

spend worrying that you might not sell it!

9

What is a buyback guarantee and why does it matter?

Buyback guarantee is when we tell you up front how much we will pay to ‘buy back’

your vehicle before you even buy it in the first place. This means you can avoid the money worries

or time pressure at the end of your trip and get on with living it up Down Under for your last few

weeks in Australia.

We also let you return your vehicle to any of our locations –

Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin or Perth. Too

easy!

If you do manage to sell it on yourself for cash then no worries –

just give us a call to let us know.

Another added bonus is that you don’t need to worry about any of

the paperwork as we handle all of that for you.

10

5 best places to visit in Australia in a campervan

Here are some of the places we recommend you and your campervan visit:

1. The Great Ocean Road: Epic beaches, great campsites and

breathtaking sunsets.

2. West Coast Adventure in Western Australia: Complete

wilderness, outback and epic beaches

3. Tropical North Queensland: Rainforests, the great barrier

reef and the chance to experience true Aussie beach bum life.

4. Tasmania: Rural and natural beauty, amazing landscapes

and secluded beaches

5. The Red Centre: True outback experience and living in cultural

landscapes in the heart of Australia

For some wanderlust inspiration and information on other epic

road trips and check out our ultimate guide to the best roadtrip in

Australia here.

11

Survival Tips for Living in a Campervan

Travelling around in a campervan is a brand new experience to lots of people, so we thought

we’d put together some tips to ensure that your trip around Australia with Travellers Autobarn is

the ultimate, stress free road trip!

Plan a rough route

Australia is enormous and you won’t be the first backpacker to

look at a map and underestimate how long it will take you to

drive from one place to another. But, while you still want to keep

some degree of spontaneity in your trip, it’s ideal to have a rough

idea of where you want to travel to, the route you want to take

and how long it will take you to get there.

Have a rough idea of the places you want to stop by and visit, or

the route you want to take before you set off.

Stock up on food at a supermarket

Once you have hired your campervan it’s likely that you will be

departing from one of Australia’s major cities, so we recommend

that before you hit the road you stop by a large supermarket to

stock up on all the essentials (and we don’t just mean beers and

sausages for the barbie!).

Buying food and supplies from petrol stations and small local

stores on the journey can hit your backpacker budget hard.

Buying cheap petrol

One of your biggest outgoings is going to be cost of your fuel.

One of the best apps we recommend is MotorMouth. It’s really

handy for finding the cheapest petrol on sale in your area.

12

And don’t forget, having the air-con on all the time will eat into

your fuel tank – so if your trying to save some money settle for

opening the windows instead.

Buying cheap petrol

One of your biggest outgoings is going to be cost of your fuel.

One of the best apps we recommend is MotorMouth. It’s really

handy for finding the cheapest petrol on sale in your area. And

don’t forget, having the air-con on all the time will eat into your

fuel tank – so if your trying to save some money settle for opening

the windows instead.

Campervan Maintenance

Remember that you are responsible for the campervan while it is in

your possession. This means that you should treat it like it was your

own vehicle, carry out basic maintenance checks every 500km.

Basic maintenance includes checking things like the tyre pressure

and coolant levels.

If you’re driving a campervan then make sure you know the height

of the vehicle and be wary of driving into car parks, under

bridges or low hanging branches if you aren’t sure.

Campfires

Bushfires are a common occurrence in Australia, they can be really

dangerous – so always make sure you adhere to the guidelines.

We recommend that you visit or dowonload the dedicated

bushfire website or app for each state that you are travelling

through (particularly in summer).

If you start a campfire then you must always make sure it is

completely out at the end of the night and have at least 10 litres

of water nearby in case it gets out of hand.

13

Australian Driving tips: Rules of the road

With the freedom of the road comes a little responsibility, and you should be aware of the

paperwork that goes hand in hand with owning a car in Australia. 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. These must be renewed every year and are specific to each state.

Each of the 8 Australian states has slightly different rules – if in

doubt check the state website:

• New South Wales – Roads & Traffic Authority NSW (RTA)

• Victoria – VicRoads

• Queensland – Queensland Transport

• South Australia – South Australian Government Transport,

Travel and Motoring

• Western Australia – Government of Western Australia

Department of Transport

• Northern Territory – Motor Vehicle Registry

• Tasmania – Department of Infrastructure, Energy & Resources

• Australian Capital Territory – Rego ACT

If you break down, stay where you are.

If the unfortunate happens and you do come to a standstill

surrounded by clouds of smoke coming from under then hood

then stay where you are and wait for someone to pass by.

14

In Australia it’s not uncommon to drive for hours without seeing

another person. So the safest thing for you to do is to stay with

your campervan or car. Leaving to look for help could mean that

you spend hours or even a full day walking around under the

scorching sun and in soaring temperatures, before you come across

help.

Always carry enough water and food.

The hotter it is, the more water you need.

It’s recommended that you carry at least 4 – 5 liters of water a

day, per person. You also need to think about carrying some

extra water in case you break down and are stuck overnight. Most

large supermarkets stock 10L bottles of water – so make sure you

stop off to pick up as many as you need.

It’s also crucial that you pack some non-perishable food to keep

you going should you break down – think cereal bars, nuts and

dried fruit. We recommend that you try to avoid snacking on salty

snacks – it’s just going to make you even thirstier and could speed

up dehydration.

Watch out for Skippy!

The Australian outback is famous for its wildlife – kangaroos,

koalas and of course spiders, to name a few.

When you’re driving be aware that collisions with kangaroos, cows

and other animals often occur on outback roads, particularly at

nighttime, dawn or dusk. If you are pulling a night shift at the

wheel then try to ensure that the passenger next to you stays

awake and alert to help you watch out for any animals on the

road.

Avoid unsealed roads

Although many of the roads in the outback are in good condition,

you may suddenly find yourself driving on an unsealed road (such

as a field or a gravel track).

If you have hired a campervan or car from one of the big cities

like Sydney, Melbourne or Perth, then you might find that the

insurance policy you took out does not cover you when you driving

on unsealed roads. Make sure you read the small print.

To put it simply, a campervan road trip is the only way to see

Australia. Speak to the team at Travellers Autobarn for more

information and to book your campervan today.

Visit the website or contact the team for more information

today!

www.travellers-autobarn.com.au/

15