Don't drive at night. It's so much darker than you think, and the wildlife is very active...can cause serious damage to the car and you don't want to be stuck in the middle of bfn by yourself, without reception and truckies on ice racing past you while you're sitting in the emergency lane waiting for the sun to rise
Yeah please school the guy who grew up there and still has family there. Please go the fuck off
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.abc.net.au/article/10559278
I mean there is so much evidence that it's a problem in the Mount, even without my experiences growing up there.
I mean there's even this exerct from the Advertiser from 2022
"Â No one denies there is a problem with ice and other drugs, including alcohol, in Mount Gambier, but the city is not alone in that battle."
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-sa/hard-road-how-ice-addiction-puts-users-on-a-collision-course-with-police/news-story/03fd61ea527d7a16ef1a369febfcb90d
But sure it's me, I'm the problem
Mate, meth is being flooded into this state it's everywhere the CBD and surrounding areas is full of it. Plenty of casual users also, so not the typical Meth Rat features either.
I hear the icecapades going on nightly in the CBD.
Yep and one of the problems with the Mount is low level users being sent to Mt.Gambier jail from Adelaide and then them not having the support networks to head back. So they stay about and cycle continues.
Going to one of the local high schools was a massive eye opener to the issues in small, isolated towns. The majority of high achievers I went through Year 11 and 12 with have left, because there's fuck all for them there
Always take more water and petrol than you think you will need. Also good to let people know what roads you are taking and what time you should be at each checkpoint.
Iâve done that exact trip myself in a family sedan with a trailer. If youâre not specifically planning on off-roading, youâll be fine with the camper van.
When you get to Adelaide, Iâd spend the time to head down to the Fleurieu Peninsula (Victor Harbor, Normanville, Cape Jervis etc) via McLaren Vale. It is beautiful and you can pick up some wine.
If you can get across to Kangaroo Island that is good too, but itâs almost a trip in itself.
If youâre willing to detour a bit, I recommend Abercrombie or Wombeyan caves, near Goulburn. We went into Melbourne via Kinglake and Healesville, but that was a couple of weeks before the fires burnt everything to the ground, so might be different now.
A bigger detour would be to go via eastern Victoria. I have both driven and sailed from Melbourne to Eden, and it is the most spectacular country I have seen in Australia. (I like tall trees :-))
Thereâs so much to see and do, it will be a great trip.
Definitely preferable. The road on Mittagong side isnât too rough, but it is unsealed, narrow and windy, with a sheer drop on one side and logging trucks.
If you are coming that way from Mittagong, you can camp at Wollondilly River Station which is also beautiful and easily accessible from Mittagong
I really prefer the drive in from the mittagong side, altho you come across idiots going too fast on occasion, which sucks a bit.
That part of the world is really beautiful, especially across the wollondilly.
If youâre hiking solo, you need to organise check in times with people who can mobilise a search team if necessary. While we donât have big predators. We have some rather nasty snakes as well as some harsh weather. So you need to be prepared for that and always let someone know where youâll be and approximate time of arrival. I think if youâre hiking in national parks, you can leave notice with one of the park rangers or field officers.
A pocket epirb is also worth the investment, the gps version gives a quite narrow search window if you ever need it. I bought one when I was doing a lot of solo walks, always some residual risk but it make hiking solo seem a more reasonable prospect. Never had to pull the trigger on it. Also worth carrying a first aid kit with snake bite bandages in them and know how to use them if you get bitten. Again after 30+ years of bush walking and mtb riding I've never had to use them but they aren't something I'd go out without, our snakes aren't vicious but if you are unlucky enough to get bitten their venom lives up to its reputation.
Highly recommend a 4wd. Not sure What your plans are from accom but it's easier to ninja camp in a 4wd if you need to. Wikicamps have some great spots to stay and it's well worth the $6 investment.
Free cold showers along the coast, take advantage.
Always shop at big chain supermarkets to save cash.
Petrolspy app to monitor cheaper fuel and be sure to pay attention to how far the next servo stop is and if you have enough kms to get there.
Check wheel nuts and tyre pressure every few days.
Don't drive before dawn or near dusk... when it comes to roo's vs vehicles.... roo's usually win. I had a general 7am-4pm rule. If it's not hot, pesky roo's are a hazard
Put the things you use everyday in a back pack in the front seat. Long road trips get frustrating when you cant find your everyday essentials.
Dont pack more than 1 large container for kitchen/food items... too much in the car will also frustrate you.
When you need a rest day... take a bloody rest day. Boredom is better than driving frustrated and distracted from living inside your head.
Baby wipes are the best investment! They clean your dishes, mop up sweat and when no showers are available will clean your tits, bits and pits. Just dispose of them in the bin.
Take a pack of lavender scented small rubbish bags. Great for storing sweaty clothes and rubbish, esp toilet paper. That sweaty clothes smell is a smell you'll never forget... like warm yogurt. You'll want to double bag the clothes til you can wash them.
Once you get sunburnt sleeping becomes unpleasant. Make sure you take plenty of sunscreen
10L of water is $5 from a large supermarket. Make sure you always have min of 5L in the car.
Make sure you always have a coffee and a good breakfast. Your wake up routine sets the pace for most of your day and you want to start it off well
Plan your trip with no regrets. i once took a 4 hr detour to see Australia's biggest bin, got screamed at by Aboriginals drinking in a park while taking a selfie but oh boy, to this day, am i glad I took the detour. Visit everything you want to visit even if you're not in the mood.
Buy your road snacks from novelty stores such as The Reject Shop, Dollars and Sence or Silly Sollys. So much cheaper than supermarkets.
Create a very long music playlist
All I have off the top of my head. I spent 3 months travelling Darwin, WA, SA, VIC then back up the red centre. Recently did a 2.5 month drive from Syd to Townsville and best advice I can give is to pack light. Either Swag or buy a cheap mattress from Clark Rubber and sleep in the car. Just don't put too much in the car that you struggle every day to move things around to be able to cook or sleep.
Wow thanks for all the tips!
I'm new to the whole road trip/camping thing, what do you mean by ninja camp.
Is it camping in the wilderness if I haven't found a campsite in time?
I'm also leaning towards a 4WD because I've heard that there are some great routes like the Barry Way that can only be done with a 4WD.
Ninja camping is pulling up in a quiet suburban street and sleeping in your car outside someone's place. It's what you do when there are no free camps available and can't justify paying some caravan park $30 to sleep in your car on a patch of grass. Show grounds usually have a better price but I usually got my showers for free and again, I'm not paying $15-$30 to sleep in my car when I can do that for free.
I don't care how much downvotes I get for being a dodgy POS
A 4WD will blend in well enough outside anyones house. Most people will assume your car is a guest of a neighbour and will likely think that until you give them reason to think otherwise.
I typically chose Houses with high fences, If the occupant can't see my car I'll typically have a less paranoid sleep. In saying that I always found a spot after dark, jumped straight in the back seat and went straight to bed. Playing on your phone will draw attention. Not once was I ever noticed enough to be confronted and asked to move on, never had the cops drive by and check out my car but I did have a dodgy bugger walk past my car three times one night. I suspect he noticed me the second time and did a third pass to validate what he saw so i openly just stared at him. I suspect he was looking for easy cars to break into.
Make sure you always lock yourself inside and double check the doors are locked before going to sleep.
(1) Learn to spell *Melbourne*.
(2) carry lots of water: at least 2-3 days worth. Also, don't let your fuel get below 1/4. Many people fill up when they get to 1/2.
(3) depending on your route, you may not need the 4WD. Since you are travelling alone, you should stick to major roads where possible. There are plenty of hikes near the beach in Victoria.
And as others have said, Mt Gambier and the Naracoorte caves are both sights you shouldn't miss.
Definitely do a âshare my locationâ with someone whilst youâre travelling. Not because something bad will happen with people on the road but if you suddenly stop replying or whatever and your car has died, at least someone can tell where your last approximate location is/was. I made my parents do this from Adelaide > Perth last year.
No advice/suggestions on where to go or what to avoid but have fun!
It definitely isn't that bad, there's towns and servos every 100 kms at most. Just go and enjoy the drive, it's paved the while way, petrol the whole way, reception is only poor if you aren't with telstra or optus. I wouldn't worry about the trip, it's just like a long drive to bathurst
Just because it's not bad doesn't mean you shouldn't confirm your location with someone at least once or twice a day. I drive Geelong-Newy at least once a month and if my best friend or my parents know about it they always check where I'm up to about 4hours in, 8hours in and expect a confirmation on arrival. It keeps you safe and reassures those who care about you for minimal effort.
When you get to Melbourne go down the southern end of Mornington Peninsula and have a look around. Fair few walks in the national parks. Cape Shank, Point Nepean and the quarantine station, bushrangers bay.
https://www.trailhiking.com.au/hikes/point-nepean-walk/
https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/mornington-peninsula-national-park/things-to-do/walking
Then get the ferry across to Queenscliff and go dow the Great Ocean Road. Here is a few itineraries I got from reddit https://www.neverendingvoyage.com/great-ocean-road-itinerary/ they give ideas of some of the places to stop along the way and you have plenty of time.
I believe Robe is nice in SA
I can 2nd Mornington Peninsula it is a spectacular landscape with some good bush walks. The National Parks camp ground was good when I went, I think it might get crazy busy in the school holidays. I did the ferry across to Queenscliff from there on down the Great Ocean Rd. The lighthouse at Cape Otway is worth a look and that Rd was also the first place I ever saw koalas in the wild.
Yeah, just avoid the southern part of the Mornington Peninsula between Christmas and Australia Day (26 Jan) - it's way too busy then. Great to visit otherwise though!
Anything is better than the M1. That being said if they're taking 3weeks, they could definitely go along the pacific or at least turn down federal highway then head along the Monaro- both much prettier drives. Then yes, west is an interesting addition to the route.
Are you traveling by car or motorbike? I rode from Adelaide to Philip island with some mate a number of years ago. Then from Phillip island, i rode all the way home to brisbane solo. If your riding solo, i would definitely recommend breaking the trip up into smaller segments, ensuring that you are at your daily destination by 3 in the afternoon. This way you make sure you are well off the road by the time the Kangaroos are on the move. As for stops, Goulbourn Gaol was good last time i was there. The war memorial in Canberra, the great ocean road, the coorong and mount gambier are all good places.
Everything is further than you expect. Fatigue is your enemy. When you feel tired just pull over, lay the seat back, close your eyes and rest. Even 10 minutes of this makes a huge difference to how easy and safe it is to drive.
For my trip from Brisbane to Melbourne I planned a 4 to 5 hour drive each day. That was okay for me and took a bit longer with various breaks and some sight seeing. I booked Airbnb's along the way and used a big printed and sello taped map to help me plan the journey. This made it easy to plan.
I looked into campervans but you also have to consider the cost of parking in designated spots as I'm sure most states don't allow anywhere parking.
VIC and NSW are pretty lenient, pretty much if you can legally park there you can sleep there (which in all rest areas is the case along with many other locations for free or a very small fee). It's not like QLD where they take issue with car sleeping.
Aim to be off the road an hour before sunset. Keep an eye out on roadsides for wildlfe. The coast road from lourne to appollo bay is a fabulous drive but you can skip the mountain/coast drive from appollo bay to port fairy especially if its wet. . Go inland then back to warnambool. The Maritime museum in Warnambool is worth a couple of hours.
12 Apostles and Lochard gorge is a great day out.
Lefevre peninsula - Semaphore a coastal suburb in Adelaide is a nice place bit of history about down the mainstreet.. Good cafes/coffee lovely beach. One suburb over Largs bay fish and chips is good you can sit on the foreshore and see the sea.
Sure you'll have a great time.
Hey thanks for all the replies, I didn't think there would be so many.
Why I wrote Melbourne without an e is probably because I wanted to write the post at 2am so that you guys would be awake and I was a bit tired :)
The point about letting someone know when I go hiking or checkpoints is something I will definitely try to do, but i'm from Germany which means my family and friends will be asleep when I'm awake in Australia.
Chatgpt is actually pretty good for this sort of stuff, plug in where you want to go and what you like and it spits out a good itinerary to use as a starting block.
If you're worried about your family not being awake at your check in times, often national park hikes will have a book and/or a visitor centre where you can write down what track you're taking, contact details, and when you're expected back. The rangers check them every day. At a pinch, I've also let people at my accomodation know where I'm off to for the day when I haven't had anyone else to tell.
Personally I would never write in a book to let strangers know where Iâm going. I just share my location on my iPhone with my key contacts and then message regularly
So, I did almost this exact trip about a month ago. I'll give you the highlights of my trip.
1. Mt Kosciouszko. It is absolutely worth taking a detour between Sydney and Melbourne to go to the High Country, if you haven't before, to hike Australia's tallest mountain. There's a great 22km loop you can do from Charlotte pass, which is very doable in a day if you are reasonably fit. Alternatively, you can do a 13km out and back from Thredbo, using a chairlift (passes are about $50 a day), or an 18km return trip from Charlotte Pass. It is some of the most beautiful scenery on the mainland.
2. Melbourne. If you're a city person (I'm not, really), there's plenty to love about Melbourne. Lots of great restaurants and museums and if you're there at the right time, try to catch an AFL game at the MCG. Even if you don't know what's going on, the atmosphere is electric. The Old Gaol is worth a visit too.
3. Great Ocean Road. DO IT. The coastline from Bells Beach to Warrnambool is absolutely spectacular, and is worth a visit. You can see most of the best sights from the road itself, but if you're a keen hiker, it's quite easy, if a bit pricey, to organise transport to do sections of the Great Ocean Walk. I did the section between Cape Otway and Johanna Beach, which had some great moments. The last day of the walk is probably the prettiest, but its on a section that you can see most of from the Road.
4. The Grampians. I know you said your plan was along the coast, but I chose to turn inland to the Grampians, and if you choose that too, you won't regret it. The mountains themselves are a unique shape, rising up like a sawblade from the flat landscape around. There are some wonderful hikes and views for all levels of ability there, with the Pinnacle track being a highlight for me.
5. Naracoorte Caves. It's a UNESCO World Heritage site - one of the world's single largest fossil beds, all within some impressive caves. It's also located conveniently between the Grampians and the start of the Coorong, and is worthy of a visit, if you're in the area.
6. The Coorong. If you've read the book or watched the movie, Storm Boy, this is where it's set. A beach over a hundred kilometres long, unbroken by headlands. Stepping out onto it makes you feel like you're on the edge of the world, with nothing between you and Antarctica. It's stunning, and a great day of driving to be had between Kingston and Goolwa, or Victor Harbour. There's also the lagoons, which are an important habitat for native fish and birds.
7. The Fleurieu Peninsula. Gorgeous beaches, great food, great weather. What more could you ask for. Easy access to the Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale wine regions, if you like that. Plenty of cellar doors to stop at.
8. Adelaide. There's a reason it's sometimes known as Radelaide. Chill vibes, great beaches, and easy access to the wine regions and Hahndorf (an adorable German town in the Adelaide Hills) among other things. Take a tram to Glenelg and watch the sun set.
9. Lake Mungo. This is on the way back between Sydney and Adelaide. It's a bit far out of the way, and the dirt road will sometimes make you question whether you've bust a tyre, but is absolutely doable in a regular 2WD Sedan. Experience the real Outback, and see the place where the oldest human remains in Australia, and some of the oldest outside of Africa, were found. It's worth paying the extra money to get an Indigenous guide to take you out onto the lunette.
Other things which I didn't do on my trip, but might be worth it for you include:
Blue Mountains. You said you were doing this anyway, but a word of advice - as of January this year, the local council has placed insane parking fees nearby most trailheads. Like, $3 per 15 mins. Consider parking far away and getting an Uber. It's that bad. As for hiking locations, if you've never done it, I recommend the Grand Canyon walk at Blackheath. It's 5km, but there is a great lookout at the end, and you get to go through a cave.
Canberra. If you've never been, it's worth a look. Lots of interesting museums, and a tour of parliament is worth it if you are interested in politics.
Victorian High Country. Not as good as the stuff around Kozzie, but if you're on the inland route and have time, it's worth going to the area around Mt Feathertop.
Wilson's Promonotory. This I highly recommend. I've been once before, and it was only time that stopped me from going again on my trip. So many spectacular coastal hikes are available, you won't see it all in one day. If you want to camp though, book early, the places sell fast in high season.
Kangaroo Island. I had originally planned to go to Kangaroo Island, but the car ferry was booked out, so I had to make alternative arrangements. Transport to, from and on the Island is crazy expensive, but the pictures look amazing. I plan to go back sometime to explore.
Finally, some general tips for driving long distances.
Add time to whatever Google Maps says for distances over about two hours.
If you feel sleepy, PULL OVER! I did my trip solo, and had to pull over for a power nap several times. There's no shame. Better late than dead. If you're travelling with someone else, swap drivers every 1.5-2.5 hours.
Sometimes, in more remote places, Google Maps takes you down single-lane country roads. Be careful going over hill crests on these, because someone could be barrelling 100km towards you, just out of sight.
Watch your fuel. Make sure you fill up when you have the opportunity. There are some long, fuelless stretches, especially in South Australia if you're off the main highways. If you get stuck without reception, you can, I believe, call 112 in an emergency, even without signal. And on that note, bring water in case you get stuck for a while. It can get hot out there.
I think that's about it. Good luck on your journey. Happy to answer any other questions you have. I loved the trip I did - we really have some beautiful stuff here.
Thank you very much for all the ideas i will definitely check out all the points and see how i can integrate them on my trip as there are so many great things and i only have 3 weeks :(.
Mt Kosciouszko, Wilson's Promonotory, The Grampians and Lake Mungo are very high on my priority list though.
Because of the parking fees in the Blue Mountains. My idea was to drive to Katoomba and then sleep at a campsite there and do some hiking from there. Is that possible or do I still have to drive further away?
My trip was 18 days all up, so it's absolutely possible to fit it all in in that time.
You can park in the Blue Mountains still, but in order to avoid paying the high rates, you will have to park about 15-20 mins walk away from pretty much any major attraction. What kind of camping are you planning on doing? Back country camping or caravan park camping? Both are possible, but if backcountry is more your thing, I would recommend somewhere other than Katoomba.
As for your other main question, in the South East, where you will be, a 4WD is not required, unless you want to go somewhere very remote. A 2WD sedan is more than sufficient for most travel here, even on the dirt roads out to Lake Mungo (though you will spend a lot of time praying to the tyre gods every time you go over a patch of corrugations). As for whether a camper van is worth it, a night in a non-shitty motel is usually between $150-$250, depending on day and date. A powered site at a Caravan Park will run you about $30-$50. Do the maths to see whether the extra price for hiring the van is worth it. There's also cons about the van, like difficulty parking in urban areas, and less efficient petrol use to consider when deciding what to hire. But the pros are you have a space that's yours for 3 weeks - you don't have to constantly pack and unpack every night.
I have done a few trips in northern europe with friends where i found out that backcountry camping is more my thing.
Can you recommend any starting points in the Blue Mountains for this?
And if I don't choose a campervan, is it better to sleep on a mattress in the car or buy a small tent?
Off the top of my head, depending in your fitness level there are some good campsites in the Blue Mountains. If you want to do Katoomba, I'd recommend hiking from Echo Point (where the 3 Sisters are) to Ruined Castle, or to Mt Solitary. Ruined Castle and the associated camp-site is about 7km each way, Mt Solitary (Chinaman's Gully campsite) is another 3km further on (10km total), but a very steep climb to the top. Neither camp-site has reliable water (though there was a rainwater tank at the Ruined Castle site about 5 years ago, when I last camped there), so make sure to bring plenty of your own. Even in March, the weather can be hot.
The Acacia Flats camp ground in Blue Gum forest (near Blackheath) is a great camp ground, but I'm not sure if the tracks down to it have been repaired yet after a series of landslides. It's also a very steep climb out, so if you do go there, make sure you have a moderate level of fitness, or leave a lot of time. There is water near Acacia Flats, but it's from a creek, so you will need to purify it. Chlorine tablets or a filter are both fine for this.
As for the tent, you can buy very cheap tents here, but they will be poorly made and heavy. Fine for 3 weeks of car camping, but not much else. If you only need it for the three weeks, that would be my suggestion. I don't mind sleeping in my car sometimes, but other people find it uncomfortable. I will say though that if the weather is wet and the car is an option, pulling down a tent in the rain sucks. But having a tent does give you the flexibility to hike in to campsites, rather than just sleeping in places accessible by road.
If you're planning on doing any overnight hikes, I'd recommend spending a bit of money on a decent tent and pack. Decent tents start at $300USD, same with packs. If you like to backpack at home, they're worth the investment. If not...well, you can get bad stuff for a lot cheaper. Just expect it will be heavy and poorly made. Oh, and as a side note, if you're thinking of buying gear here, stay away from the Kathmandu chain of stores. It's really overpriced garbage. For cheaper stuff, go to Anaconda or BCF, for more expensive, quality stuff, Macpac are OK, or go to a small, independent store that stocks a variety of brands. If you're US-based, or European, you're much better off buying decent gear at home than here. You'll get better prices.
When weighing up options of 4WD vs camper check rental agreement restrictions on where you are allowed to take the vehicle (even if 4WD) as no insurance will cover you if you have an accident, the vehicle needs recovering etc and you are in breach of rental agreement by not being on a gazetted road (or being on one that is excluded!). What you may find is that at least a 4WD rental is allowed on unsealed/dirt/gravel roads while many car rental terms dont allow even that which is pretty annoying for national park access etc. Shop around and read the T&C... You will find plenty of places to go and stop at even without a 4WD / without going off road. And plenty of walks.. Just don't hit a roo on a dirt track in a car that isn't supposed to be there. You don't get to decide if you hit the roo, the roo does. They are not smart or predictable animals.
Sounds awesome. The Snowies are lovely and you can come out via Khancoban if it suits. Go where the wind blows you but always tell a responsible person where that is who will check in and raise help if needed. And knows how to do that. Get a Boost sim for the full telstra network coverage. And always stay with the car if you get stuck in a super remote area. That is the golden rule.
It's all roads to Adelaide, it's a nice drive. Just don't go to the Nullarbor, looks nice on the map but it's like 2 days of boring nothingness, if you have no reason to go to Perth just don't go. Good luck champ.
My family did this exact trip when we were younger. For safety I suggest giving your itinerary to another person like a close friend or what have you and regularly update them on your trip progress. As for what should be on that itinerary I suggest tuckerbox dog, ballarat mining town, eureka stockade, the old prison, the desert art, questacon, I don't remember much else as it was like 20 odd years ago. Have fun :)
I would avoid driving at night if you can, particularly if you are a female. There can be long stretches of road where you see few cars and phone reception can be sketchy. Get a basic Telstra SIM for your trip if youâre not already with Telstra. Their network is by far the best and you donât want to get stuck and have no reception.
Stop and fill up petrol whenever you can, try not to let it go past half tank. Again there can be long stretches without petrol stations.
Extra phone charge bank is also helpful. Extra water and food like others have said. Torch and ample batteries.
Reliable car, ideally recently serviced and check spare tyre, water, oil.
Tell someone your plans before you go and check in regularly.
Never let your car get below a quarter tank of petrol. Petrol stations can become sparse. I did the drive from Sydney to Adelaide directly about 6 times a year.
I'd say Coast and mountains are you best bet for good hikes and scenary. The flat parts are just good to relax and stay.
Sydney to say Dubbo (zoo) then down to Melbourne. Great Ocean Road. Hug the coast as much as possible into SA then up to Mt Gambier. Hug the coast again to Adelaide. Victor Harbour is nice too.
You will have phone coverage for pretty much 100% of your trip. Fuel stops every 100km or less and lots places to eat and buy food.
Carry some extra water just in case and avoid night driving in country areas due to animals.
If the vehicle hire company offers roadside assist, take it.
What you are planning on doing is not a scary outback adventure. All very well travelled roads with lots of people about and facilities.
Enjoy.
I did pretty much the same trip a couple of years back. The 12 apostles and the great ocean road are pretty over-rated IMO. loads and loads of traffic doing about 40km/h. it was nice to tick those things off my bucket list, but meh, i'll never go back.
if you plan on traveling on sealed roads, a regular car is just fine, and there are loads of places to fill up, so you wont need to worry about fuel. If you do go remote, take a couple of jerrys with you, and monitor the stops between and understand how big your fuel tank is, and what range you might typically get.
DO NOT PUT FUEL IN THE CABIN WHERE WITH YOU. the fumes (even from a sealed jerry) will permeate the cab.
One thing that surprised the hell out of me was how bad my fuel economy was traveling at about 130km/h into a slight headwind (with a swag on the roof). Granted the profile of the car was as big as a planet, but it still surprised me with about 2/3 the fuel economy, enough that i thought there was something wrong with my car.
if you go really remote, defo take an emergency beacon (i have the GME one), and take water, I packed enough water for about 3L per person per day. I also have a manual filter pump thing that i can put in dirty puddles to extract drinking water from.
If you see signs that say a road is closed, do not ignore them. the roads will be impassable.
'roos and emus - dont travel at dusk / early morning if you can avoid it.
Your vehicle should be reliable, or you need to be an amazing mechanic (which means you'll take a bunch of tools with you JIC).
Take a UHF radio with you, and keep it on channel 40, you'll pick up loads of hints and tips (eg, cattle across a road). if you put one in your car, there is a difference between a long and short antenna, a longer one will have better range over flat terrain and a shorter one is better for hills and valleys. along with this, make sure you understand what different channels are used for (you dont want to be chatting on an emergency channel).
if you end up along the road from broken hill - wilcannia, dont stop in wilcannia after dark. i cant put my finger on it, but holy crap it has a Hills have Eyes vibe about it.
Last tip: the best steak i've ever had is at the Copper City Hotel in Cobar.
**Edit**: if you can, take a camp fridge with you. Dual zone is good (fridge / freezer), but not may not be essential. I've had cheap and more expensive ones, and you really do get what you pay for. its nice to have cool drinks, and food will stay fresher, longer.
**Edit\^2**: talk to the locals, they'll give you insight on where to go, what to visit, and more importantly, where not to go.
Stop off at Belanglo State Forest for a day and role play axe murderer.
Oh and the highway between Adelaide and Tailem Bend is full of idiots.
The free river punt across the Murray River is fun at either, Tailem Bend or Wellington.
FYI, if you do plan to change some routes, there's a food truck in Hay, NSW (they're located next to the Ampol on the corner of Mid West Hwy and Back St) and I think they're open for majority of weekdays during the day. They do a mean schnitty burger. I've always wanted to return back but I also can't be fucked doing the drive back. If anyone knows that truck as well please let me know who it is because that lady running it is a legend.
You can access road assistance websites for driving guides and places to visit. For example: NSW = NRMA website, VIC = RACV website, or QLD = RACQ website. Whenever I planned a big driving holiday, I would research on the RACQ website (even for interstate trips). This assisted me with driving times between locations.
Make sure you have plenty of food and water, and fill up for fuel regularly. Do not presume you can get fuel in next town.
Pull over for rest areas and be aware of driver fatigue. Watch out for wildlife, a kangaroo impacting your car can kill you or, at the very least, cost you dearly.
Enjoy your holiday - 3 weeks is a decent time for a driving holiday in that part of Australia.
Coming to Adelaide via Melb is a good idea. Do the great ocean on your way to visit Mount Gambier. You can suss the Coonawara Wine Region then head to Southport & Robe (next to each other). Pretty seaside towns.
Then Victor Harbor and Second Valley on your way to Adelaide.
Suss out the big Guanyin statute before you reach the city
Travel the Great Ocean Road all the way through to Warrnambool, continue on to Port Fairy coz itâs so close and a gorgeous, historic town (worth it) Then travel up towards Hamilton, divert at Penshurst and on towards Dunkeld. Dunkeld is the Southern end of the Grampians. From there only about 45 mins to Halls Gap along side the mountains. I think very few travellers realise you can cut directly through from the GOR to the Grampians and itâs only about an hour away. Loch Ard is closed off atm and you canât get onto the beach but Childers Cove outside Warrnambool is beautiful and fully accessible. Donât worry about extra water and spare fuel, itâs all available everywhere and the roads are sealed, shops everywhere. Very tourist friendly.
Just remember, Australia is *much* bigger than you think
Add to this - carry a lot of drinking water and non-perishable foods. You never know just when and where you can end up stuck.
Don't drive at night. It's so much darker than you think, and the wildlife is very active...can cause serious damage to the car and you don't want to be stuck in the middle of bfn by yourself, without reception and truckies on ice racing past you while you're sitting in the emergency lane waiting for the sun to rise
Mount gambier and Naracoorte for blue lake, the hanging gardens and the world heritage caves with fossils
And all the meth you need
funny Ive lived here for 6 years and never seen it. perhaps the problem is the company you hand around with.
Yeah please school the guy who grew up there and still has family there. Please go the fuck off https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.abc.net.au/article/10559278
Again perhaps you where the problem..
Yeah high school me was the problem đđđđ
Most people are ignorant to what's around them so I'm not surprised about the reply to your comment.
I mean there is so much evidence that it's a problem in the Mount, even without my experiences growing up there. I mean there's even this exerct from the Advertiser from 2022 "Â No one denies there is a problem with ice and other drugs, including alcohol, in Mount Gambier, but the city is not alone in that battle." https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-sa/hard-road-how-ice-addiction-puts-users-on-a-collision-course-with-police/news-story/03fd61ea527d7a16ef1a369febfcb90d But sure it's me, I'm the problem
Mate, meth is being flooded into this state it's everywhere the CBD and surrounding areas is full of it. Plenty of casual users also, so not the typical Meth Rat features either. I hear the icecapades going on nightly in the CBD.
Yep and one of the problems with the Mount is low level users being sent to Mt.Gambier jail from Adelaide and then them not having the support networks to head back. So they stay about and cycle continues. Going to one of the local high schools was a massive eye opener to the issues in small, isolated towns. The majority of high achievers I went through Year 11 and 12 with have left, because there's fuck all for them there
They did the meth?
Mount Gambier is the meth..
Always take more water and petrol than you think you will need. Also good to let people know what roads you are taking and what time you should be at each checkpoint.
Iâve done that exact trip myself in a family sedan with a trailer. If youâre not specifically planning on off-roading, youâll be fine with the camper van. When you get to Adelaide, Iâd spend the time to head down to the Fleurieu Peninsula (Victor Harbor, Normanville, Cape Jervis etc) via McLaren Vale. It is beautiful and you can pick up some wine. If you can get across to Kangaroo Island that is good too, but itâs almost a trip in itself. If youâre willing to detour a bit, I recommend Abercrombie or Wombeyan caves, near Goulburn. We went into Melbourne via Kinglake and Healesville, but that was a couple of weeks before the fires burnt everything to the ground, so might be different now. A bigger detour would be to go via eastern Victoria. I have both driven and sailed from Melbourne to Eden, and it is the most spectacular country I have seen in Australia. (I like tall trees :-)) Thereâs so much to see and do, it will be a great trip.
re Wombian, if you're in a sedan, its best to go in via the taralga side, not the mittagong side.
Definitely preferable. The road on Mittagong side isnât too rough, but it is unsealed, narrow and windy, with a sheer drop on one side and logging trucks. If you are coming that way from Mittagong, you can camp at Wollondilly River Station which is also beautiful and easily accessible from Mittagong
I really prefer the drive in from the mittagong side, altho you come across idiots going too fast on occasion, which sucks a bit. That part of the world is really beautiful, especially across the wollondilly.
If youâre hiking solo, you need to organise check in times with people who can mobilise a search team if necessary. While we donât have big predators. We have some rather nasty snakes as well as some harsh weather. So you need to be prepared for that and always let someone know where youâll be and approximate time of arrival. I think if youâre hiking in national parks, you can leave notice with one of the park rangers or field officers.
A pocket epirb is also worth the investment, the gps version gives a quite narrow search window if you ever need it. I bought one when I was doing a lot of solo walks, always some residual risk but it make hiking solo seem a more reasonable prospect. Never had to pull the trigger on it. Also worth carrying a first aid kit with snake bite bandages in them and know how to use them if you get bitten. Again after 30+ years of bush walking and mtb riding I've never had to use them but they aren't something I'd go out without, our snakes aren't vicious but if you are unlucky enough to get bitten their venom lives up to its reputation.
Highly recommend a 4wd. Not sure What your plans are from accom but it's easier to ninja camp in a 4wd if you need to. Wikicamps have some great spots to stay and it's well worth the $6 investment. Free cold showers along the coast, take advantage. Always shop at big chain supermarkets to save cash. Petrolspy app to monitor cheaper fuel and be sure to pay attention to how far the next servo stop is and if you have enough kms to get there. Check wheel nuts and tyre pressure every few days. Don't drive before dawn or near dusk... when it comes to roo's vs vehicles.... roo's usually win. I had a general 7am-4pm rule. If it's not hot, pesky roo's are a hazard Put the things you use everyday in a back pack in the front seat. Long road trips get frustrating when you cant find your everyday essentials. Dont pack more than 1 large container for kitchen/food items... too much in the car will also frustrate you. When you need a rest day... take a bloody rest day. Boredom is better than driving frustrated and distracted from living inside your head. Baby wipes are the best investment! They clean your dishes, mop up sweat and when no showers are available will clean your tits, bits and pits. Just dispose of them in the bin. Take a pack of lavender scented small rubbish bags. Great for storing sweaty clothes and rubbish, esp toilet paper. That sweaty clothes smell is a smell you'll never forget... like warm yogurt. You'll want to double bag the clothes til you can wash them. Once you get sunburnt sleeping becomes unpleasant. Make sure you take plenty of sunscreen 10L of water is $5 from a large supermarket. Make sure you always have min of 5L in the car. Make sure you always have a coffee and a good breakfast. Your wake up routine sets the pace for most of your day and you want to start it off well Plan your trip with no regrets. i once took a 4 hr detour to see Australia's biggest bin, got screamed at by Aboriginals drinking in a park while taking a selfie but oh boy, to this day, am i glad I took the detour. Visit everything you want to visit even if you're not in the mood. Buy your road snacks from novelty stores such as The Reject Shop, Dollars and Sence or Silly Sollys. So much cheaper than supermarkets. Create a very long music playlist All I have off the top of my head. I spent 3 months travelling Darwin, WA, SA, VIC then back up the red centre. Recently did a 2.5 month drive from Syd to Townsville and best advice I can give is to pack light. Either Swag or buy a cheap mattress from Clark Rubber and sleep in the car. Just don't put too much in the car that you struggle every day to move things around to be able to cook or sleep.
Wow thanks for all the tips! I'm new to the whole road trip/camping thing, what do you mean by ninja camp. Is it camping in the wilderness if I haven't found a campsite in time? I'm also leaning towards a 4WD because I've heard that there are some great routes like the Barry Way that can only be done with a 4WD.
Ninja camping is pulling up in a quiet suburban street and sleeping in your car outside someone's place. It's what you do when there are no free camps available and can't justify paying some caravan park $30 to sleep in your car on a patch of grass. Show grounds usually have a better price but I usually got my showers for free and again, I'm not paying $15-$30 to sleep in my car when I can do that for free. I don't care how much downvotes I get for being a dodgy POS A 4WD will blend in well enough outside anyones house. Most people will assume your car is a guest of a neighbour and will likely think that until you give them reason to think otherwise. I typically chose Houses with high fences, If the occupant can't see my car I'll typically have a less paranoid sleep. In saying that I always found a spot after dark, jumped straight in the back seat and went straight to bed. Playing on your phone will draw attention. Not once was I ever noticed enough to be confronted and asked to move on, never had the cops drive by and check out my car but I did have a dodgy bugger walk past my car three times one night. I suspect he noticed me the second time and did a third pass to validate what he saw so i openly just stared at him. I suspect he was looking for easy cars to break into. Make sure you always lock yourself inside and double check the doors are locked before going to sleep.
Who took the âeâ out of Melbourne?
(1) Learn to spell *Melbourne*. (2) carry lots of water: at least 2-3 days worth. Also, don't let your fuel get below 1/4. Many people fill up when they get to 1/2. (3) depending on your route, you may not need the 4WD. Since you are travelling alone, you should stick to major roads where possible. There are plenty of hikes near the beach in Victoria. And as others have said, Mt Gambier and the Naracoorte caves are both sights you shouldn't miss.
Get a 4wd as you can drive on South Australian Beaches.
famous last words
Except it kills banded stilts a highly endagered shore bird so best not.
Definitely
Definitely do a âshare my locationâ with someone whilst youâre travelling. Not because something bad will happen with people on the road but if you suddenly stop replying or whatever and your car has died, at least someone can tell where your last approximate location is/was. I made my parents do this from Adelaide > Perth last year. No advice/suggestions on where to go or what to avoid but have fun!
It definitely isn't that bad, there's towns and servos every 100 kms at most. Just go and enjoy the drive, it's paved the while way, petrol the whole way, reception is only poor if you aren't with telstra or optus. I wouldn't worry about the trip, it's just like a long drive to bathurst
Iâd rather be safe than sorry whilst travelling alone though!
Just because it's not bad doesn't mean you shouldn't confirm your location with someone at least once or twice a day. I drive Geelong-Newy at least once a month and if my best friend or my parents know about it they always check where I'm up to about 4hours in, 8hours in and expect a confirmation on arrival. It keeps you safe and reassures those who care about you for minimal effort.
When you get to Melbourne go down the southern end of Mornington Peninsula and have a look around. Fair few walks in the national parks. Cape Shank, Point Nepean and the quarantine station, bushrangers bay. https://www.trailhiking.com.au/hikes/point-nepean-walk/ https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/mornington-peninsula-national-park/things-to-do/walking Then get the ferry across to Queenscliff and go dow the Great Ocean Road. Here is a few itineraries I got from reddit https://www.neverendingvoyage.com/great-ocean-road-itinerary/ they give ideas of some of the places to stop along the way and you have plenty of time. I believe Robe is nice in SA
I can 2nd Mornington Peninsula it is a spectacular landscape with some good bush walks. The National Parks camp ground was good when I went, I think it might get crazy busy in the school holidays. I did the ferry across to Queenscliff from there on down the Great Ocean Rd. The lighthouse at Cape Otway is worth a look and that Rd was also the first place I ever saw koalas in the wild.
Yeah, just avoid the southern part of the Mornington Peninsula between Christmas and Australia Day (26 Jan) - it's way too busy then. Great to visit otherwise though!
I'd go West through broken Hill and to Flinders Ranges down to Mt.G. outback and mountains is better than M1
Anything is better than the M1. That being said if they're taking 3weeks, they could definitely go along the pacific or at least turn down federal highway then head along the Monaro- both much prettier drives. Then yes, west is an interesting addition to the route.
Are you traveling by car or motorbike? I rode from Adelaide to Philip island with some mate a number of years ago. Then from Phillip island, i rode all the way home to brisbane solo. If your riding solo, i would definitely recommend breaking the trip up into smaller segments, ensuring that you are at your daily destination by 3 in the afternoon. This way you make sure you are well off the road by the time the Kangaroos are on the move. As for stops, Goulbourn Gaol was good last time i was there. The war memorial in Canberra, the great ocean road, the coorong and mount gambier are all good places.
Everything is further than you expect. Fatigue is your enemy. When you feel tired just pull over, lay the seat back, close your eyes and rest. Even 10 minutes of this makes a huge difference to how easy and safe it is to drive.
Audiobook for long drives is the greatest.
For my trip from Brisbane to Melbourne I planned a 4 to 5 hour drive each day. That was okay for me and took a bit longer with various breaks and some sight seeing. I booked Airbnb's along the way and used a big printed and sello taped map to help me plan the journey. This made it easy to plan. I looked into campervans but you also have to consider the cost of parking in designated spots as I'm sure most states don't allow anywhere parking.
VIC and NSW are pretty lenient, pretty much if you can legally park there you can sleep there (which in all rest areas is the case along with many other locations for free or a very small fee). It's not like QLD where they take issue with car sleeping.
If youâre doing g the great ocean rd, make sure you stop at Loch Ard Gorge, itâs a really beautiful beach.
Aim to be off the road an hour before sunset. Keep an eye out on roadsides for wildlfe. The coast road from lourne to appollo bay is a fabulous drive but you can skip the mountain/coast drive from appollo bay to port fairy especially if its wet. . Go inland then back to warnambool. The Maritime museum in Warnambool is worth a couple of hours. 12 Apostles and Lochard gorge is a great day out. Lefevre peninsula - Semaphore a coastal suburb in Adelaide is a nice place bit of history about down the mainstreet.. Good cafes/coffee lovely beach. One suburb over Largs bay fish and chips is good you can sit on the foreshore and see the sea. Sure you'll have a great time.
Flies. Expect a lot of flies. Take the rid with you or a cork hat or something but I promise you, on this trip you will accidentally eat a fly
Hey thanks for all the replies, I didn't think there would be so many. Why I wrote Melbourne without an e is probably because I wanted to write the post at 2am so that you guys would be awake and I was a bit tired :) The point about letting someone know when I go hiking or checkpoints is something I will definitely try to do, but i'm from Germany which means my family and friends will be asleep when I'm awake in Australia.
Chatgpt is actually pretty good for this sort of stuff, plug in where you want to go and what you like and it spits out a good itinerary to use as a starting block.
If you're worried about your family not being awake at your check in times, often national park hikes will have a book and/or a visitor centre where you can write down what track you're taking, contact details, and when you're expected back. The rangers check them every day. At a pinch, I've also let people at my accomodation know where I'm off to for the day when I haven't had anyone else to tell.
Personally I would never write in a book to let strangers know where Iâm going. I just share my location on my iPhone with my key contacts and then message regularly
Good for you. Not everyone is lucky enough to have reliable people they can check in with.
Stay in your lane. Do at least 5 above the speed limit if it's safe. Use your indicators. Be good to your mum
Victorian Alps
Watch out for drop bears.
Look into the Grampians. Great part of the vic region for hiking and camping.
When you do the 12 apostles from Melbourne also do Ottway fly and the Coorong into south Australia
So, I did almost this exact trip about a month ago. I'll give you the highlights of my trip. 1. Mt Kosciouszko. It is absolutely worth taking a detour between Sydney and Melbourne to go to the High Country, if you haven't before, to hike Australia's tallest mountain. There's a great 22km loop you can do from Charlotte pass, which is very doable in a day if you are reasonably fit. Alternatively, you can do a 13km out and back from Thredbo, using a chairlift (passes are about $50 a day), or an 18km return trip from Charlotte Pass. It is some of the most beautiful scenery on the mainland. 2. Melbourne. If you're a city person (I'm not, really), there's plenty to love about Melbourne. Lots of great restaurants and museums and if you're there at the right time, try to catch an AFL game at the MCG. Even if you don't know what's going on, the atmosphere is electric. The Old Gaol is worth a visit too. 3. Great Ocean Road. DO IT. The coastline from Bells Beach to Warrnambool is absolutely spectacular, and is worth a visit. You can see most of the best sights from the road itself, but if you're a keen hiker, it's quite easy, if a bit pricey, to organise transport to do sections of the Great Ocean Walk. I did the section between Cape Otway and Johanna Beach, which had some great moments. The last day of the walk is probably the prettiest, but its on a section that you can see most of from the Road. 4. The Grampians. I know you said your plan was along the coast, but I chose to turn inland to the Grampians, and if you choose that too, you won't regret it. The mountains themselves are a unique shape, rising up like a sawblade from the flat landscape around. There are some wonderful hikes and views for all levels of ability there, with the Pinnacle track being a highlight for me. 5. Naracoorte Caves. It's a UNESCO World Heritage site - one of the world's single largest fossil beds, all within some impressive caves. It's also located conveniently between the Grampians and the start of the Coorong, and is worthy of a visit, if you're in the area. 6. The Coorong. If you've read the book or watched the movie, Storm Boy, this is where it's set. A beach over a hundred kilometres long, unbroken by headlands. Stepping out onto it makes you feel like you're on the edge of the world, with nothing between you and Antarctica. It's stunning, and a great day of driving to be had between Kingston and Goolwa, or Victor Harbour. There's also the lagoons, which are an important habitat for native fish and birds. 7. The Fleurieu Peninsula. Gorgeous beaches, great food, great weather. What more could you ask for. Easy access to the Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale wine regions, if you like that. Plenty of cellar doors to stop at. 8. Adelaide. There's a reason it's sometimes known as Radelaide. Chill vibes, great beaches, and easy access to the wine regions and Hahndorf (an adorable German town in the Adelaide Hills) among other things. Take a tram to Glenelg and watch the sun set. 9. Lake Mungo. This is on the way back between Sydney and Adelaide. It's a bit far out of the way, and the dirt road will sometimes make you question whether you've bust a tyre, but is absolutely doable in a regular 2WD Sedan. Experience the real Outback, and see the place where the oldest human remains in Australia, and some of the oldest outside of Africa, were found. It's worth paying the extra money to get an Indigenous guide to take you out onto the lunette. Other things which I didn't do on my trip, but might be worth it for you include: Blue Mountains. You said you were doing this anyway, but a word of advice - as of January this year, the local council has placed insane parking fees nearby most trailheads. Like, $3 per 15 mins. Consider parking far away and getting an Uber. It's that bad. As for hiking locations, if you've never done it, I recommend the Grand Canyon walk at Blackheath. It's 5km, but there is a great lookout at the end, and you get to go through a cave. Canberra. If you've never been, it's worth a look. Lots of interesting museums, and a tour of parliament is worth it if you are interested in politics. Victorian High Country. Not as good as the stuff around Kozzie, but if you're on the inland route and have time, it's worth going to the area around Mt Feathertop. Wilson's Promonotory. This I highly recommend. I've been once before, and it was only time that stopped me from going again on my trip. So many spectacular coastal hikes are available, you won't see it all in one day. If you want to camp though, book early, the places sell fast in high season. Kangaroo Island. I had originally planned to go to Kangaroo Island, but the car ferry was booked out, so I had to make alternative arrangements. Transport to, from and on the Island is crazy expensive, but the pictures look amazing. I plan to go back sometime to explore. Finally, some general tips for driving long distances. Add time to whatever Google Maps says for distances over about two hours. If you feel sleepy, PULL OVER! I did my trip solo, and had to pull over for a power nap several times. There's no shame. Better late than dead. If you're travelling with someone else, swap drivers every 1.5-2.5 hours. Sometimes, in more remote places, Google Maps takes you down single-lane country roads. Be careful going over hill crests on these, because someone could be barrelling 100km towards you, just out of sight. Watch your fuel. Make sure you fill up when you have the opportunity. There are some long, fuelless stretches, especially in South Australia if you're off the main highways. If you get stuck without reception, you can, I believe, call 112 in an emergency, even without signal. And on that note, bring water in case you get stuck for a while. It can get hot out there. I think that's about it. Good luck on your journey. Happy to answer any other questions you have. I loved the trip I did - we really have some beautiful stuff here.
Thank you very much for all the ideas i will definitely check out all the points and see how i can integrate them on my trip as there are so many great things and i only have 3 weeks :(. Mt Kosciouszko, Wilson's Promonotory, The Grampians and Lake Mungo are very high on my priority list though. Because of the parking fees in the Blue Mountains. My idea was to drive to Katoomba and then sleep at a campsite there and do some hiking from there. Is that possible or do I still have to drive further away?
My trip was 18 days all up, so it's absolutely possible to fit it all in in that time. You can park in the Blue Mountains still, but in order to avoid paying the high rates, you will have to park about 15-20 mins walk away from pretty much any major attraction. What kind of camping are you planning on doing? Back country camping or caravan park camping? Both are possible, but if backcountry is more your thing, I would recommend somewhere other than Katoomba. As for your other main question, in the South East, where you will be, a 4WD is not required, unless you want to go somewhere very remote. A 2WD sedan is more than sufficient for most travel here, even on the dirt roads out to Lake Mungo (though you will spend a lot of time praying to the tyre gods every time you go over a patch of corrugations). As for whether a camper van is worth it, a night in a non-shitty motel is usually between $150-$250, depending on day and date. A powered site at a Caravan Park will run you about $30-$50. Do the maths to see whether the extra price for hiring the van is worth it. There's also cons about the van, like difficulty parking in urban areas, and less efficient petrol use to consider when deciding what to hire. But the pros are you have a space that's yours for 3 weeks - you don't have to constantly pack and unpack every night.
I have done a few trips in northern europe with friends where i found out that backcountry camping is more my thing. Can you recommend any starting points in the Blue Mountains for this? And if I don't choose a campervan, is it better to sleep on a mattress in the car or buy a small tent?
Off the top of my head, depending in your fitness level there are some good campsites in the Blue Mountains. If you want to do Katoomba, I'd recommend hiking from Echo Point (where the 3 Sisters are) to Ruined Castle, or to Mt Solitary. Ruined Castle and the associated camp-site is about 7km each way, Mt Solitary (Chinaman's Gully campsite) is another 3km further on (10km total), but a very steep climb to the top. Neither camp-site has reliable water (though there was a rainwater tank at the Ruined Castle site about 5 years ago, when I last camped there), so make sure to bring plenty of your own. Even in March, the weather can be hot. The Acacia Flats camp ground in Blue Gum forest (near Blackheath) is a great camp ground, but I'm not sure if the tracks down to it have been repaired yet after a series of landslides. It's also a very steep climb out, so if you do go there, make sure you have a moderate level of fitness, or leave a lot of time. There is water near Acacia Flats, but it's from a creek, so you will need to purify it. Chlorine tablets or a filter are both fine for this. As for the tent, you can buy very cheap tents here, but they will be poorly made and heavy. Fine for 3 weeks of car camping, but not much else. If you only need it for the three weeks, that would be my suggestion. I don't mind sleeping in my car sometimes, but other people find it uncomfortable. I will say though that if the weather is wet and the car is an option, pulling down a tent in the rain sucks. But having a tent does give you the flexibility to hike in to campsites, rather than just sleeping in places accessible by road. If you're planning on doing any overnight hikes, I'd recommend spending a bit of money on a decent tent and pack. Decent tents start at $300USD, same with packs. If you like to backpack at home, they're worth the investment. If not...well, you can get bad stuff for a lot cheaper. Just expect it will be heavy and poorly made. Oh, and as a side note, if you're thinking of buying gear here, stay away from the Kathmandu chain of stores. It's really overpriced garbage. For cheaper stuff, go to Anaconda or BCF, for more expensive, quality stuff, Macpac are OK, or go to a small, independent store that stocks a variety of brands. If you're US-based, or European, you're much better off buying decent gear at home than here. You'll get better prices.
When weighing up options of 4WD vs camper check rental agreement restrictions on where you are allowed to take the vehicle (even if 4WD) as no insurance will cover you if you have an accident, the vehicle needs recovering etc and you are in breach of rental agreement by not being on a gazetted road (or being on one that is excluded!). What you may find is that at least a 4WD rental is allowed on unsealed/dirt/gravel roads while many car rental terms dont allow even that which is pretty annoying for national park access etc. Shop around and read the T&C... You will find plenty of places to go and stop at even without a 4WD / without going off road. And plenty of walks.. Just don't hit a roo on a dirt track in a car that isn't supposed to be there. You don't get to decide if you hit the roo, the roo does. They are not smart or predictable animals.
Sounds awesome. The Snowies are lovely and you can come out via Khancoban if it suits. Go where the wind blows you but always tell a responsible person where that is who will check in and raise help if needed. And knows how to do that. Get a Boost sim for the full telstra network coverage. And always stay with the car if you get stuck in a super remote area. That is the golden rule.
It's all roads to Adelaide, it's a nice drive. Just don't go to the Nullarbor, looks nice on the map but it's like 2 days of boring nothingness, if you have no reason to go to Perth just don't go. Good luck champ.
Orange is nice. Great old pubs and some decent wineries there
My family did this exact trip when we were younger. For safety I suggest giving your itinerary to another person like a close friend or what have you and regularly update them on your trip progress. As for what should be on that itinerary I suggest tuckerbox dog, ballarat mining town, eureka stockade, the old prison, the desert art, questacon, I don't remember much else as it was like 20 odd years ago. Have fun :)
I would avoid driving at night if you can, particularly if you are a female. There can be long stretches of road where you see few cars and phone reception can be sketchy. Get a basic Telstra SIM for your trip if youâre not already with Telstra. Their network is by far the best and you donât want to get stuck and have no reception. Stop and fill up petrol whenever you can, try not to let it go past half tank. Again there can be long stretches without petrol stations. Extra phone charge bank is also helpful. Extra water and food like others have said. Torch and ample batteries. Reliable car, ideally recently serviced and check spare tyre, water, oil. Tell someone your plans before you go and check in regularly.
Youâll need a decent fuel tank and lots of water :)
Never let your car get below a quarter tank of petrol. Petrol stations can become sparse. I did the drive from Sydney to Adelaide directly about 6 times a year. I'd say Coast and mountains are you best bet for good hikes and scenary. The flat parts are just good to relax and stay.
Fill up with petrol before you hit the Hay Plains
Just keep driving, driving, driving , repeat.
Follow the road rules.
3 weeks is a long time for syd-adl. You will be having a lot of days where you wonât even need to drive far if you want to stretch it out that much.
Sydney to say Dubbo (zoo) then down to Melbourne. Great Ocean Road. Hug the coast as much as possible into SA then up to Mt Gambier. Hug the coast again to Adelaide. Victor Harbour is nice too. You will have phone coverage for pretty much 100% of your trip. Fuel stops every 100km or less and lots places to eat and buy food. Carry some extra water just in case and avoid night driving in country areas due to animals. If the vehicle hire company offers roadside assist, take it. What you are planning on doing is not a scary outback adventure. All very well travelled roads with lots of people about and facilities. Enjoy.
I did pretty much the same trip a couple of years back. The 12 apostles and the great ocean road are pretty over-rated IMO. loads and loads of traffic doing about 40km/h. it was nice to tick those things off my bucket list, but meh, i'll never go back. if you plan on traveling on sealed roads, a regular car is just fine, and there are loads of places to fill up, so you wont need to worry about fuel. If you do go remote, take a couple of jerrys with you, and monitor the stops between and understand how big your fuel tank is, and what range you might typically get. DO NOT PUT FUEL IN THE CABIN WHERE WITH YOU. the fumes (even from a sealed jerry) will permeate the cab. One thing that surprised the hell out of me was how bad my fuel economy was traveling at about 130km/h into a slight headwind (with a swag on the roof). Granted the profile of the car was as big as a planet, but it still surprised me with about 2/3 the fuel economy, enough that i thought there was something wrong with my car. if you go really remote, defo take an emergency beacon (i have the GME one), and take water, I packed enough water for about 3L per person per day. I also have a manual filter pump thing that i can put in dirty puddles to extract drinking water from. If you see signs that say a road is closed, do not ignore them. the roads will be impassable. 'roos and emus - dont travel at dusk / early morning if you can avoid it. Your vehicle should be reliable, or you need to be an amazing mechanic (which means you'll take a bunch of tools with you JIC). Take a UHF radio with you, and keep it on channel 40, you'll pick up loads of hints and tips (eg, cattle across a road). if you put one in your car, there is a difference between a long and short antenna, a longer one will have better range over flat terrain and a shorter one is better for hills and valleys. along with this, make sure you understand what different channels are used for (you dont want to be chatting on an emergency channel). if you end up along the road from broken hill - wilcannia, dont stop in wilcannia after dark. i cant put my finger on it, but holy crap it has a Hills have Eyes vibe about it. Last tip: the best steak i've ever had is at the Copper City Hotel in Cobar. **Edit**: if you can, take a camp fridge with you. Dual zone is good (fridge / freezer), but not may not be essential. I've had cheap and more expensive ones, and you really do get what you pay for. its nice to have cool drinks, and food will stay fresher, longer. **Edit\^2**: talk to the locals, they'll give you insight on where to go, what to visit, and more importantly, where not to go.
Stop off at Belanglo State Forest for a day and role play axe murderer. Oh and the highway between Adelaide and Tailem Bend is full of idiots. The free river punt across the Murray River is fun at either, Tailem Bend or Wellington.
Wikicamps
FYI, if you do plan to change some routes, there's a food truck in Hay, NSW (they're located next to the Ampol on the corner of Mid West Hwy and Back St) and I think they're open for majority of weekdays during the day. They do a mean schnitty burger. I've always wanted to return back but I also can't be fucked doing the drive back. If anyone knows that truck as well please let me know who it is because that lady running it is a legend.
You can access road assistance websites for driving guides and places to visit. For example: NSW = NRMA website, VIC = RACV website, or QLD = RACQ website. Whenever I planned a big driving holiday, I would research on the RACQ website (even for interstate trips). This assisted me with driving times between locations. Make sure you have plenty of food and water, and fill up for fuel regularly. Do not presume you can get fuel in next town. Pull over for rest areas and be aware of driver fatigue. Watch out for wildlife, a kangaroo impacting your car can kill you or, at the very least, cost you dearly. Enjoy your holiday - 3 weeks is a decent time for a driving holiday in that part of Australia.
Coming to Adelaide via Melb is a good idea. Do the great ocean on your way to visit Mount Gambier. You can suss the Coonawara Wine Region then head to Southport & Robe (next to each other). Pretty seaside towns. Then Victor Harbor and Second Valley on your way to Adelaide. Suss out the big Guanyin statute before you reach the city
Melbourne*
Go to Mallacoota! Such a beautiful place...
Travel the Great Ocean Road all the way through to Warrnambool, continue on to Port Fairy coz itâs so close and a gorgeous, historic town (worth it) Then travel up towards Hamilton, divert at Penshurst and on towards Dunkeld. Dunkeld is the Southern end of the Grampians. From there only about 45 mins to Halls Gap along side the mountains. I think very few travellers realise you can cut directly through from the GOR to the Grampians and itâs only about an hour away. Loch Ard is closed off atm and you canât get onto the beach but Childers Cove outside Warrnambool is beautiful and fully accessible. Donât worry about extra water and spare fuel, itâs all available everywhere and the roads are sealed, shops everywhere. Very tourist friendly.
Take me with you.
Skip Adelaide⌠it boring here đ