Australia

RickB · 22 Jun 2006 at 07:49

So I'm planning on going out to Oz this september for 2 weeks.

Basically we're scoping it out as a possible perminant move so will spending a bit of time in Sydney.

Then we're visiting my GF's aunt near Melbourne.

What I want to know is has anyone hired a campervan thing over there?? Been thinking of instead of hotels/hostals as we will be going to Melbourne for a few days then back to Sydney.

Also, anyone who has made the move or looked into it - do you know of any good sites that give you all the info about different options to get over there. The Gov site is a bit complicated.

Cheers

Rick

fatty1 · 22 Jun 2006 at 07:57

I am from aus but live here in the UK at the moment the better place to live is melbourne in my opinion

The drive from Sydney to Melbourne is about 10-12 hrs best done through the night and you can do it on one hit as for cheap accomadation try looking at caravan parks they will hire you a van for the night or however long cheaper than a motel, also probably cheaper than a camper van

DiG · 22 Jun 2006 at 07:58

Don't know about sites or the camervan but Sydney is an amazing place, Melbourne to, it is a very long drive though!! It looks short on the map but it really isn't!

Zip · 22 Jun 2006 at 07:58

So do you just want to know where top hire a camper van?
Do you have a certain brand of van you would like to hire?
Anything else you want to know about Australia?

Insanity · 22 Jun 2006 at 08:01

fatty1 said:
The drive from Sydney to Melbourne is about 10-12 hrs

How slow do you drive exactly?!

It's about a 9 hour drive if you dont stop like every hour. But still, its a looooooong drive. Probably better off to fly.

fatty1 · 22 Jun 2006 at 08:05

I guess I dont live in central melbourne

and I stop at the half way mark for food and coffee

Volcs · 22 Jun 2006 at 08:23

Get a Wicked campervan! http://www.wickedcampers.com.au

I have absolutely no idea how good they are, but when they look like this, who cares:

The best one I saw was the A-Team one, probably closely followed by the Ghostbusters. If you got one them I reckon it should be compulsory to dress up to drive anywhere.

Zip · 22 Jun 2006 at 08:35

The best car rental companies
http://www.thrifty.com.au/
http://www.avis.com/AvisWeb/home/AvisHome?COUNTRY=AU
http://www.budget.com.au/
http://www.europcar.com.au/
https://www.hertz.com.au/rentacar/index.jsp?targetPage=reservationOnHomepage.jsp

And heres a website that might help you in some way or another

http://www.mynrma.com.au/travel.asp

Just a bit of advise. If you are driving, Keep an eye out for kangaroos, they do jump into the middle of the road and can write off a car pretty easily.
Slow down a bit around dusk and dawn(sunrise/sunset) because thats when they are most active and uve got the most chance of hitting one. But still be on the look out for them through out the day.

Also watch out for wombats and what ever you do, DO NOT hit them if they are on the road. They can and most likely flip the car if you hit them. If you are lucky and dont flip there will most likely be extensive damage to the car.

Btw Melbourne has cold and depressing weather and a poorly mapped out city.

Anything else you need to know just ask

fatty1 · 22 Jun 2006 at 08:46

Zip said:
Btw Melbourne has cold and depressing weather and a poorly mapped out city.

Sydney sider tbh loool

egt · 22 Jun 2006 at 08:46

A couple of years ago, me the girlfriend and another couple hired a 6 berth motorhome from this company: MAUI in Sydney.

We drove from Sydney up to Brisbane and then back to Sydney again in 21 days, staying at loads of different places on the East coast along the way. It was a hell of a lot of driving but one of the best holidays we've ever had.

Highly recommended!

Zip · 22 Jun 2006 at 08:47

fatty1 said:
Sydney sider tbh loool

Nope

From Adelaide :cool:

Stelly · 22 Jun 2006 at 08:47

RickB said:
So I'm planning on going out to Oz this september for 2 weeks.

Basically we're scoping it out as a possible perminant move so will spending a bit of time in Sydney.

Then we're visiting my GF's aunt near Melbourne.

What I want to know is has anyone hired a campervan thing over there?? Been thinking of instead of hotels/hostals as we will be going to Melbourne for a few days then back to Sydney.

Also, anyone who has made the move or looked into it - do you know of any good sites that give you all the info about different options to get over there. The Gov site is a bit complicated.

Cheers

Rick

Have always thought about going to Oz... wanna got to HK first

Stelly

Berserker · 22 Jun 2006 at 08:57

I spent a month out there and think I could just about manage to live in Sydney, cruiseing around the harbour most of the time no doubt (that's pretty much all I seemed to do on my week there :eek:

).

After the delights of Sydney I flew to Adelaide, found the Stanley highway and pretty much kept on going until the road ran out at Darwin. 15 days by coach (with plenty of stops of course). :eek:

Zip · 22 Jun 2006 at 08:59

Berserker said:
I spent a month out there and think I could just about manage to live in Sydney, cruiseing around the harbour most of the time no doubt (that's pretty much all I seemed to do on my week there ).

After the delights of Sydney I flew to Adelaide, found the Stanley highway and pretty much kept on going until the road ran out at Darwin. 15 days by coach (with plenty of stops of course).

So how did you like Adelaide?

Berserker · 22 Jun 2006 at 09:44

Dusty. Hot. Got on coach and left.

Did drive past the Adelaide Oval on the way out, but the SCG is better. Given our current form, we'll be losing at both this (English) winter of course.

Zip · 22 Jun 2006 at 09:48

Berserker said:
Dusty. Hot. Got on coach and left.

Did drive past the Adelaide Oval on the way out, but the SCG is better. Given our current form, we'll be losing at both this (English) winter of course.

Hot

Its the coldest city after Hobart and Melbourne.
It still gets hot though

It gets the bets of both really.

And what do ya mean dusty?
When did you come down here? :confused:

fatty1 · 22 Jun 2006 at 09:50

Zip said:
So how did you like Adelaide?

Nowt there now Melbourne has the grand prix

Zip · 22 Jun 2006 at 09:52

fatty1 said:
Nowt there now Melbourne has the grand prix

Thieving gits :mad:

Adelaide hosts motor sport much better then Melbourne can, the V8 drivers and other drivers from around the world are starting to point that out

Berserker · 22 Jun 2006 at 10:49

Zip said:
Hot
Its the coldest city after Hobart and Melbourne.
It still gets hot though
It gets the bets of both really.

And what do ya mean dusty?
When did you come down here?

March 2001, I think. Weather was a bit weird that year IIRC.

Zip · 22 Jun 2006 at 10:55

Berserker said:
March 2001, I think. Weather was a bit weird that year IIRC.

Oh, IIRC thats when we had a huge windstorm around the desert and dry parts of the state and it blew all the sand and top soil over Adelaide and the Hills.
Thats why it was dusty