Campervan hire Australasia, Where will you travel in Australasia?

Why drive Australia and New Zealand?

Take the slow road around the most beautiful scenery in the world. Enjoy a slower pace of life and watch the sunsets while cooking outside. Find out why the bbq is so popular.

Are you looking for adventure and a laid-back lifestyle? Take it easy on a trip of a lifetime. Nothing will prepare you for the beauty and diversity of Australasia.

Australia and New Zealand are unique.

Our best advice in travelling around both New Zealand and Australia is to try not to pack too much into your trip. Although New Zealand is much smaller than Australia, there is an enormous amount to both see and do.

Below we have listed some of the highlights about where to visit and what to do.

New Zealand and Australia have something for everyone whether it's exploring wide open spaces or careering down a waterfall in an inner to tube. It's all here and what better way to take your accommodation and mini restaurant with you in a campervan. Store all your gear - hiking boots, surfboards, books that are on your reading list....

Australia is vast and it would take you a year to travel around the outside and then visit the Red Centre.

Rental companies in Australia will treat your two or three-centred rental as one and apply the long-term discount to all three parts of the hire.

It is also worth travelling as a foot passenger on the ferry to Tasmania and collecting a campervan there to tour the island and then fly back or return on the ferry. It takes planning to maximise your time in Australia.

New Zealand and Australia are closely linked and this means that you can book a campervan rental with the same company in both countries.

Maui, Britz, Travellers Autobarn, Apollo, Star RV, Mighty, Cheapa Campa, Spaceships, Hippie Campers and Jucy Campers all have depots in both countries.

Top Tips to travelling in Australia

Our advice is to visit each country separately and you won't feel short-changed. Choose an area or State in Australia and visit that only. Or, if you have more time combine motorhome rental with flights.

Distances are vast in Australia so if you want to visit Queensland and New South Wales but also visit the Northern Territories then fly to Darwin or Broome.

The five states of Australia and what to see:

Queensland is home to the Great Barrier Reef and tropical rainforests.

What to rent in Queensland

Queensland does not permit free camping so staying on official campsites is a must. So you can rent a camping car - a converted SUV - and have basic cooking equipment and a bed for the night. Use the campsite facilities for showers and laundry.

Basic cooking can be carried out in these campers but there is only a one-ring burner. Free bbq areas are to be found throughout Australia.

For a little more luxury then choose a camper with a shower/toilet.

When is the best time to visit Australia and New Zealand?

You need to time it right. Summer or good travelling weather in New Zealand is from November to the beginning of April. Winter months are pleasant but occasionally roads and passes are closed in the South Island due to snow.

Winter on the North Island can be very wet. If you are travelling in late summer, start your journey in the South Island and travel north following the warmer weather.

You won't want to be travelling during the hurricane season in Queensland or when the rains come in the Northern Territory. Visit the Northern Territory between April and September.

Visit the south of Australia from March to May. But, June, July and August can be a pleasant time to travel with cheaper prices during the winter months. So you might want to book your motorhome hire then. You can also travel around the south half of Australia from September to November and enjoy a moderate climate.

Is it a good idea to visit both Australia and New Zealand on the same car hire trip?

Combining both countries when travelling to Australasia sounds like a good idea doesn't it? It is if you have weeks and weeks of holiday.

To see the highlights of New Zealand in a campervan allow six weeks. Or, pick one island to explore only. Many guided tours cram both islands into a whistle-stop tour of three weeks. These trips just give you the well-known tourist spots but New Zealand has so much more to offer. It is a country that is small in comparison with the mighty Australia but, there is so much to see from fjords and glaciers in the South Island to sub-tropical rain forests and thermal areas on the North Island.

If your time is limited in Australia, choose one State to Explore or combine two where the highlights are easily drivable. Many first-timers to Australia land in Sydney and travel along the east coast towards Brisbane or as far as Cairns taking in some of New South Wales and Queensland.

How do I choose which is the right campervan to tour Australia and New Zealand?

If you are on a budget, choose a converted SUV but you will need to stay in designated campsites. You don't have an on-board shower and toilet so you can't free-camp.

The next best option is to get one with a shower and then you have more freedom to camp where you have permission to stay over-night. Free-camping in Queensland is not permitted.

If you are a group of friends then opt for one of the older 4 or 6 berths and share the costs of rental and take turns in driving on your Australia campervan rental.

For real adventure and access to some of the remote areas of Australia then a 4x4 camper is your only option. Check out the rates and book well in advance and tour in a Toyota Hilux or Landcruiser.

In New Zealand, you are unlikely to need a 4x4 camper. Most of New Zealand is accessible by two-wheeled drive vehicles. Many are manual so check before you book that you choose manual or automatic.

There is a great choice of older cheaper campers and motorhomes that have lower mileage than their Ozzy counterparts.

Australia's top driving routes by State:

What is Australia famous for and what should I do and see?

New South Wales:

Start your journey from Sydney and spend a few days exploring this harbour city. Climb the bridge, visit the Sydney Opera House, Enjoy Taronga Zoo and the Sydney Aquarium. Stop off at The Rocks and visit the markets.

Check out the Blue Mountains and explore the Hunter Valley. Chill out at Bondi Beach. Head north on the Pacific Coast Highway. Loads of campsites and hundreds of beaches and islands to explore including the Whitsundays for the whitest of sand

Queensland visit between July and November

Home of the Great Barrier Reef and the tropical rainforest The Daintree. Cape York, The Whitsundays, Cape Tribulation and beaches everywhere!

Snorkel, dive, 4x4 driving, Fraser Island, Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast. Whale watching and swim with whales. Visit the Australia Zoo for kangaroos, koalas, dingoes and of course crocodiles. Aborigine communities will share their culture in the north of Queensland too.

go North and discover attractions in your camper van

Avoid the wet season between May and October as roads get washed away and the weather is just not fun to travel through. But, outside of those months the scenery comes alive and the Northern Territories are home to adventure and wonder.

There are over 60 national parks in the Northern Territory. Two have world heritage status. Kakadu and Uluru. They're not to be missed on your campervan hire Australia.

Discover Aboriginal Rock Art Paintings at Kakadu National Park. Swim at Katherine Hot Springs. Take a helicopter flight through Nitmiluk National Park

Don't miss Uluru. Litchfield and Kings Canyon. Get up early and see the sunrise or watch the rock change colour at sunset. As rocks go this is one of the best. Alice Springs famous for Kings Canyon. Swim with crocodiles at Crocosaurus. Explore Australia via a campervan hire.

Bull Dust:

Bull dust is a cloud of soft powdery dust and is a common feature of driving on remote roads in Australia and covers everything. You need to rent a 4x4 in the Northern Territory and drive carefully. You will create clouds of dust driving on these roads.

After rain the ridges of dust become hard and pot-holes that you can't see form. Keep your headlights on dip. Reduce tyre pressure if you are travelling for longer distances.

Camping in the Northern Territory.

You can camp in the National Parks in the Northern Territory. Some are closed when the weather gets bad. You have to book ahead as you can't pay at the parks. Campsite Booking in the National Parks Some parks only allow access to 4WD vehicles.

Western Australia:

Perth or Broome are the starting points for your tour of Western Australia. Start your journey in Perth and travel north along the coast to Broome. Returns to Broome incur a large fee and there is an additional one-way fee to Broome. But the west coast of Western Australia is home to wide open spaces and some of the most challenging road trips in Australia but so worthwhile as you will encounter some of the strangest rock formations - check out the Bungle Bungles the most beautiful beaches and some of the most exhilarating experiences. Swim with dolphins at Monkey Mia, fly over the Bungle Bungles or challenge yourself to the iconic Gibb River Road 4x4 track.

Western Australia is also home to vineyards, gorges and the outback all within driving distance. There are one-way rentals and circular routes that won't disappoint.

Victoria:

Melbourne, Victoria is in the top 10 best cities in the world to live in. It has a moderate climate, a cafe society, a top sporting calendar. Visit the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Don't miss The Great Ocean Road featuring the Twelve Apostles and plenty of campsites along the way - some of them free. No visit to Victoria is complete without driving the 413 mile (664kms) route. Take three days to drive from Torquay to Port Fairy. Start your journey from Melbourne, Victoria and end in Adelaide, South Australia.

Visit the Grampians and see Aboriginal rock art and the Mackenzie Falls. Make a trip to Phillip Island and visit the penguins and seals. Get close to the local kangaroos at Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park and fit in the Mornington Peninsula. Wilson's Promontory National Park for local wildlife

South Australia

Visit the opal capital of the world at Coober Pedy. Visit underground bars and a church. You can tent camp underground at Riba's Caravan Park. Book ahead. Plan to visit between March and May or from September to November.

Adelaide is a destination not to be missed and is a foodie's paradise. Famous for its wine, wide open spaces and wildlife. Visit Kangaroo island and see kangaroos (of course!), echidnas and koalas. Add in a trip to the Fleurie Peninsula, McLaren Vale and the white sandy beaches. Visit the Flinders Ranges and the outback on the Explorers Way.

Tasmania

You might want to book the cheapest campervan hire to suit your budget. There are some good, cheapest campervan hire deals to shop.

Arrive by ferry or plane. You can take your camper on the ferry from Melbourne but it is cheaper to fly and collect a camper in either Hobart, Devonport or Launceston.

Explore Tasmania and make sure you see some of Tasmania's unique wildlife found nowhere else. The fearsome Tasmanian devil is the most well known but have you heard of the Quoll or the Pademelon or bettong. The platypus also has its home in Tasmania as does the potoroos.

Tasmania's scenery won't disappoint on your Australian holiday. Make a trip to Cradle Mountain, Freycinet National Park for Wineglass Bay and Tasman National park.

Looking for something a little different then try MONA gallery in Hobart or the Painted Cliffs on Maria Island.

It takes about three weeks to see the highlights of Tasmania. Add to your list on your campervan rental tour. Make the Australia road trips count.

The Australian Outback

Where is the Australian Outback? It is in the middle and forms part of the Northern Territory, South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia. Even New South Wales has some of the Outback. What is most important is that the Outback has to be greatly respected when driving through it. It is a wild inhospitable place and few vehicles travel through it so you can be on your own for long stretches of time.

Precautions for your campervan hire in Australia and Australasia

You need to take extra precautions when driving through the Outback and remember distances are vast:

Make sure you always have enough drinking water on board as well as extra for your campervan.

• Let someone know when and where you are going and when you expect to get there.

• Take a satellite phone as there is very little mobile phone signal in the Outback.

• Don't rely on your phone for navigation. Take a map and learn how to read it.

• Always stay with your vehicle in case of a breakdown.

• Take food for a few days. There are no shops.

• It's cold at night so make sure you have plenty of warm clothing.

• Take a first aid kit.

• Check the weather daily before you travel

• Most vehicles have a radio to keep you up to date with weather and road conditions.

• Check your tyres regularly and take two spares. Reduce tyre pressure when on very sandy roads and re-inflate once you have finished.

• Always fill up at a petrol station whenever you see one. Take an extra metal can and fill that too.

• Watch out for the very long road trains. They are difficult to pass especially on rough and sandy roads.

• Don't drive at dusk, at night or at dawn to minimise collision with large wandering animals.

Drive the Great Ocean Road at your own pace in a camper and take in one of the iconic drives in Australia.

Surfing in Australia

Australia and New Zealand are synonymous with surfing. The weather is great and the breaks fantastic. Take a camper, park up and enjoy your day. Stay the night in sites close by or even on the beach.

Wildlife

Australia's wildlife is also unique. There's nowhere else in the world that you will see kangaroos hopping by the roadside, dingos barking in the desert, wombats, koalas, platypus, cassowary, and echidna also roam freely.

Travel to Tasmania to see its own Tasmania Devil and did you know that there was also a Tasmanian tiger?

Visit the heart-stopping Crocodile centre at Crocosaurus. Swim with crocodiles anyone? Of course you can swim with them and enter the cage of death at Crocosaurus.

Beaches: Explore australia

It's part of the Australian and New Zealand lifestyle from Bondi in Sydney to Whitehaven Beach on Kangaroo Island in Queensland or Bells Beach, Great Ocean Road, Victoria there are beaches with the whitest sand you'll ever see to waves as high as a skyscraper the beaches in Australia have everything you would ever want including those BBQs.

So, where is the beach that you can ride on a camel? Cable Beach, Broome, Western Australia .

Campervan hire in New Zealand.

There are only a few stretches of motorway in the north island around Auckland and the rest of the roads in New Zealand are state highways with passing places. New Zealand still has a good number of unsealed roads.

Ferry crossing in New Zealand:

When exploring the whole of New Zealand you will need to catch the ferry with your campervan. You can either book this yourself or let us book it for you. At peak season the ferries get very busy so book ahead. It is easier to change an existing booking than make a new one. You'll need to know the length and height of your camper and also each passenger will be charged separately.

Crossings early in the morning or late at night are often cheaper than during the day.

We don't offer the option of leaving a camper on one island and picking up another in the other.

If you want to explore both the North Island and the South Island fly into either Christchurch or Queenstown and return to Auckland and plan a figure of eight to capture the highlights of both islands.

You may opt for an Auckland to Auckland rental and then fly to Christchurch and rent from Christchurch to Christchurch. If you book with the same company in both islands your rental will be treated as one and a long-term rental discount will apply if the total number of days is over 21.

Although New Zealand is much smaller than Australia it will take you four to six weeks to see the main highlights of both islands and manage to fit in some adrenalin rush activities such as a bungee jump, jet-boating or white water rafting.

Adrenalin rush New Zealand

New Zealand is well known for heart-stopping adventures.

You can bungee jump in the home of bungee jumping off the Kawerau Bridge in Queenstown.

Try the Skywalk in Auckland if you have a head for heights. You can also do the Sky jump from the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere here too.

There are helicopter rides to the tops of mountains, glaciers, through gorges and through fjords and over the sea.

Try your hand jumping into caves at Waitomo, There is also the softer experience where you take a boat underground to see the glow-worms. Black water rafting is something that you will never forget. Or if you prefer above ground, then white-water rafting will get your heart racing. While we're at it the jet boat was invented in New Zealand and those kiwis know how to scare you on a fast trip too.

Tandem sky-diving makes the sky-dive accessible to everyone. Try this in Taupo or Queenstown.

New Zealand is also well known for climbing, abseiling, diving, swimming with dolphins, hot-air ballooning, whale-watching quad bike riding, hang gliding, paragliding and skiing and snowboarding.

Cycling in New Zealand

Take your bikes and try out some of the hundreds of miles of cycle tracks. These are well-maintained and take you through pristine wild areas of New Zealand. Take your own bikes or rent from some of our suppliers. Pre-order bike racks or rent a large motorhome with a garage big enough for bikes. Cycle the whole of New Zealand on the Tour Aotearoa the 3000km trail that runs the length of both the South and North islands.

Middle Earth

The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit was filmed in New Zealand and many of the sets are open to the public.

Surfing in New Zealand

Take advantage of renting a campervan to explore the surf beaches of New Zealand. Go where the waves are when they are there. Check out the surf forecast and just drive. New Zealand has top surfing beaches that are well known such as Raglan, the west coast beaches of Auckland Whangapoua, the Coromandel and Gisborne but there are thousands of miles of coastline to explore to find the perfect wave. Surf New Zealand all year round.

Hot Springs

There are hot springs in both the North and South Island to relax in after a hard day enjoying yourself. Rotorua is the most famous combined with exploring the thermal areas. Try Hanmer Springs on the South Island. You will find hot springs all across both islands.