Australia Road trip planning

Associate
Joined
6 Jun 2004
Posts
2,389
Location
London
Hi there,

As some of you know, I am now living in Sydney for work and should be here until March next year - I've got a car and would like to make the most of my time out here so I am planning a roadtrip with me and my best mate who is coming over to visit in early December.

Here's the plan so far: http://bit.ly/2WoOWA

Now without directing this forum post directly to Fox (who I know has just done a very very similar trip) I would really like to get some collective OcUK knowledge together to help me plan my trip better.

I am looking to spend 2 full weeks (and 3 weekends) doing this trip and want to know if 1) this is a realistic route for such a time duration and 2) if there is any better trips to do (Such as driving to Cairns and back)?

Whilst I'm at it, I'd also really appreciate any advice on hostels/hotels - should I book them *all* in advance? should I aim to stick to main towns, where should I stay basically! My budget is probably low-mid - I don't want to be sleeping on the floor for $10 a night but I don't mind shared bathrooms + hostel style bunk rooms - probably up to $50 or so a night.

Cheers!
 
Man of Honour
Joined
17 Oct 2002
Posts
159,534
Right here we go.

I've done that route except the Sydney to Melbourne part.

2 weeks is pushing it because you'll want a couple of days in Adelaide and 2-3 days in Melbourne and you'll need 2 days to the Great Ocean Road as far as Warnambool.

Accomodation wise I had a mix of hostels, a camper van and hotels. There are pretty decent hostels in Syd, Melbourne and Adelaide (I stayed at Backpack Oz in Adelaide which I'd recommend, great location). You will however have issues with your accomodation budget between Adelaide and Sydney.

It's not a common route - we had to stay in conventional hotels/guest houses when we did it. We broke the journey at the Comfort Inn at Hay which was $100 and then at a really awesome Guest House in Bathurst which was also $100. It was the two most expensive accomodation nights of my entire 6 weeks and that includes the Marriot at Surfers Paradise! Adelaide as far as Bathurst is nothing other than a drive really, there is very little to see and loads of emptyness. You can do it in 2 days of 7-8 hours driving a day. Try to get off the Hay plains before sunset as it's a bit Kangerootastic.

Bathurst is well worth visiting. You can drive around the track and there is a little museum there as well. Make sure you also visit the Blue Mountains - I stayed in Katoomba. Hostel there was a bit crud thinking about it.

You will likely find the Great Ocean Road accomodation expensive if you go at a good time of year as well but there are plenty of hostels on this route.

I stayed in loads of hostels and only one was anything approaching crap. Usually got a nice double room with half decent shared bathrooms.

Adelaide was a great place, really liked it. Nice to walk around. Melbourne is a fantastic city, spend as long as you can here.

Anything specific you want to know?
 
Associate
Joined
8 Sep 2003
Posts
569
Your going love Melbourne and Adelaide, if you decide to travel for longer on a budget you could try woofing (not dogging!! allways seem to say that which isnt good when your telling your parents). Its 'willing workers on organic farms' and you buy this little book which means you have 'joined' and then it has hundreds of people advertising for helpers on their farm or what not.

I ended up staying near the great ocean road with a guy called ron in his self built PYRAMID house! he was a true hippy with a massive pease sign mowed out in his field, pet larma, so much weeeeeed and a proper old school barbers chair in the lounge!

Did all sorts of work for that guy including painting his pyramid roof, cutting the grass, picking strawberrys in the morning for breakfast! in return i got food and acommodation and he took us to places like the 12 apostles :)
 
Associate
OP
Joined
6 Jun 2004
Posts
2,389
Location
London
Thanks, replies look good so far.

Just on top of my head, time wise:

Friday 4th - Leave
Monday 7th - Arrive in Melbourne
Thursday 10th - Leave Melbourne
Saturday 12th - Warnambool
Tuesday 14th - Arrive in Adelaide
Thursday 17th - Leave Adelaide
Friday 18th - Hay/Griffith
Saturday 19th - Bathurst
Sunday 20th - Sydney

Seems plausible to me.

Fox, did you pre-book all that accommodation? What did you do about fuel, did you fill up every time you saw a petrol station or was it pretty plentiful in the middle of Oz?
I say that because my car drinks petrol and I am little worried of running out in the middle of the outback, I can manage about 13.5l / 100km, about 20mpg, if I'm really careful but still not great!

Thanks!
 
Man of Honour
Joined
17 Oct 2002
Posts
159,534
We got to Warnambool from Melbourne in 2 days and didn't think we'd rushed it. Not leaving very long to do Syd to Mel though? Are you going to the Grampian mountains? They are very beautiful.

I filled up as and when I needed to - although the only petrol along the Ocean Road is ridiculously expensive. I prebooked the hostels but did the rest a few days before using my laptop and Wotif.com.au.
 
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