Tips for going on a Roadtrip in Australia

For the wildlife enthusiast, you would definitely don’t want to miss your chance to visit and take a look at how great Australia is. And one of the best ways to see the wonders of this country is on a road trip. I fulfilled most of my bucketlist adventures here and there’s still more I want to do.

Yes, you heard that right. A road trip in Australia is pretty famous not only for the locals but for tourists as well. . Having your own vehicle to use in Australia is quite easy plus you will be able to “stop” whenever you want. This was helpful for us during our trip around Australia.

Gumtree is one of the leading online classified ads site to find a car in. They have tons of different brands from BMW to Volkswagen, you name it. They got it covered for you.

How does Gumtree work?

Once you visit their website, just type in what you are looking for or simply click the “Cars & Vehicles” at the left top part of your screen. From there, you can choose what the specifications of the car you want. Simple!

Usually, they would suggest for you to get a campervan or a minivan for your road trip. For me, I specifically loved the Toyota Land Cruiser. Why? It’s simply because of the durability of the vehicle, it’s very comfortable and definitely, the value for money is a thumb up too.

Here are some prices for a Toyota Land Cruiser from Gumtree.

Now that you know where you can get your vehicle and plan your visit in Australia via road trip, it is important for you to know a few pointers before you start. There are pros and cons in road trips everywhere and you must be careful (better be safe than sorry)

Here are a few tips that can help you to plan ahead for your journey around Australia:

Distance

Australia is a pretty large country as it’s also known to be the 6th largest country in the world. The area alone measures 7.692 million km² from here you know it is indeed really huge. No wonder why it has so much to offer.

Since you know how relatively large this country is, you should also know the distance between the places you plan to visit. For example, you want to start from The Great Ocean Road, VIC to Jervis Bay, NSW their distance is around 1,077 km.

Not sure how far 1,077 km is? It’s almost 12 hours of driving.. Road trip surely is fun, but you need to take this seriously. It would be best if you cut them into shorter distances and make lots of fun stops along the way. That way, it becomes more memorable.

Roads

Now that you know the distance between your chosen destinations. Make sure not to get lost on your way. Make sure to arm yourself with the appropriate equipment that can be used as back up for your trip.

You can’t rely much on your phone’s data connection to use an online application whenever you travel. One trick that you can actually do is save an offline map from Google Maps. You can check out this guide here.

Essentials

Short or long distance journey, you should never, ever forget to bring the essentials for your road trip. Road trips definitely are an adventure while you enjoy and discover new things to enjoy and to treasure. Hence, you need to be prepared for doing so.

Make sure to bring the following:

Food – you can’t enjoy the view with an empty stomach so make sure to bring easy and ready to eatfoods along your way.
Water – this is as important as bringing your food. You have to be hydrated to avoid getting sick while you travel. You don’t want to be a burden for your travel buddy, right?
Extra clothes – of course, you need to bring these. You have to have the best OOTD for your road trip in Australia.
Sleeping things – you also need to bring pillows and blankets in case you wanted to stay the night on the road. At least you can sleep comfortably in your car.
Toiletries and the company – make sure to bring enough toiletries before you go, like toilet paper, wipes, and a hand sanitizer. Of course, you need to be protected at any cost so make sure to have sunglasses, caps, umbrellas, and raincoats.
First Aid kit – you will never know what would happen while you are on the road. Bringing first aid kit is a must. It’s better to be prepared than be sorry.
Gadgets – how can you forget these? Australia is indeed a large country and there’s no time that you need to waste and take that shot to keep for your travel journal. Bring a camera, mobile phone, charger, flashlight, and batteries.
Tools for your car – be always prepared whenever you travel. You have to have appropriate tools just in case there’s a breakdown. Like a spare tire, or a jumper cable.
Gas – finding a gasoline station on a road trip can be difficult, so make sure to mark those places that have one along your way. You should have enough fuel for you to arrive at your next destination.

Safety

Safety is your number one priority whenever you go on a road trip. In the event that you will be staying off the road for the night, you may want to inquire with the local police which area is safer. Take note of the Emergency Services Number 000.

During night time, don’t wander off. I know the night sky is beautiful but you might want to stay inside your car. Just as your usual travel escapade, vigilance is the key. Make sure to protect your belongings at all cost. ( Although, to be honest, I found Australia to be really safe, but still it pays to be vigilant)

Before taking the road, make sure to check your car first like the tires, brakes and of course the fuel. You don’t want to put your life and your travel buddies at stake in traveling, right?

Seasons

Australia is pretty famous due to its dry and wet seasons. Make sure to check how the weather is at each destination. This way, you can avoid any accidents during your journey, which we really don’t want to happen.

Wildlife

Watch out for the animals while you are on the road. Australia is popular because of its wildlife and some of them might just pop up in the middle of the road. Mostly kangaroos cause these incidents as they are attracted to car lights.

In traveling, as much as possible, we want to spend less and still have a good time. Even during your road trip, you can still save up some. Here are any budget-friendly pieces of advice for your road escapade in Australia:

Budgeting in your food

Try to spend less on buying your foods. Indeed food takes a lot of portion of your budget and you want to save as much as possible. Try to shop at big supermarkets like Woolworth and Aldi. They tend to be cheaper than the neighboring shops.

Big cities usually have a lot cheaper options such as discount coupons and quick sales. You may also want to keep your receipts for bigger savings, especially for fuel.

Rest stops and campsites

Accommodations are sure can be expensive, so you may want to take advantage of the free rest stops and campsites around Australia. You can actually download Wikicamps to your mobile phone and look for free campsites. The app can also help you to find free public showers that you can use.

Tip for laundry: Wash your clothes by hand instead of renting at the laundry shops. Make sure to bring laundry detergents and bucket if possible.

Cook on public barbecues

There are several locations around Australia wherein you can cook your own food. Free public barbecues usually located on beaches or in the parks. You can visit Meat in a Park to help you find great spots.

There are still tons of tips and guides on how you can enjoy your road trip in Australia, hence this list is the most and effective way to have fun around this great country. You can also check here for a detailed must-do and sees.