It
is possible to drive around in all Oceanian
countries and most hold few surprises or
differences. Driving is without doubt the
best way to see the country, meet locals
and give you the greatest freedom for your
travels. Fortunately buying a car and petrol
is less expensive than European and American
countries so is affordable. There may be
age differences between hiring cars, sometimes
21 years or 25 years. Just look out for
animals on the roads.
Many travellers choose to drive particularly
in Australia or New Zealand given the distances
and so most of the information below rates
to those countries. It can be quite economic
as you can camp instead of pay for hostels
or hotels and sharing petrol costs can be
cheaper than paying buses and trains or
flights. You will need more time to travel
like this.
We advise that you read through the information
below and note that driving outside your
own country can be different in terms or
rules, lack of rules.
Distances
This section only refers to Australia as
many travellers make the mistake of not
factoring this into their travel plans.
Here are the kilometres between major cities.
Most roads have a speed limit of 100km/hr
so you can estimate maybe 1 hour for 80km. Brisbane - Sydney 1030km,
Melbourne 1735km, Cairns 1840km, Adelaide
2130km, Darwin 3495km, Alice Springs 3060km,
Canberra 1295, Broome 4320km. Sydney – Melbourne
895km, Adelaide 1430km, Perth 3990km, Darwin
4060km, Canberra 305km, Cairns 2870km, Broome
4885km, Alice Springs 2930km Melbourne – Canberra
655km, Cairns 3235km, Adelaide 755km, Perth
3495km, Darwin 3960km, Broome 4780km, Alice
Springs 2435km Canberra – Perth
3815km, Cairns 3140km, Adelaide 1210km,
Alice Springs 2755km, Broome 5100km Cairns – Alice Springs
2418km, Broome 4126 Adelaide – Alice
Springs 1690km Perth – Adelaide
2750km, Broome 2415km, Darwin 4345km, Cairns
6015km, Canberra 3815km, Brisbane 4390km,
Alice Springs 3770km Darwin - Alice Springs
1525km, Adelaide 3125km, Broome 1965km,
Cairns 2795km, Canberra 4230km Broome – Adelaide
4035km, Alice Springs 4320km
Rules and speed
limits
In Australia people drive on the left-hand
side like in the UK, Japan and many other
countries in south-east Asia and the Pacific.
Always give way to the right at all intersections.
The speed limit in built up areas is usually
60 km/hr unless otherwise signed. In many
suburban areas in cities it is now 40 or
50 km/hr. On the open highway it is usually
100 km/hr or 110km/hr except in the Northern
Territory where there is no limit. Police
have speed radar guns and cameras and use
them often so it’s best to abide by
the speed limit signs. If oncoming drivers
flash their lights at you they are giving
a friendly warning of a speed camera or
police car ahead.
Seatbelts are compulsory for both front
and back seat passengers as well as the
driver. You can be fined if you don’t
use them. Small children must have a proper
safety seat.
Drink driving is a problem in Australia
especially in country areas and fines are
severe in an effort to reduce the road toll.
An ongoing campaign to reduce drink driving
continues in Australia with heavy penalties
and rather graphic television and pictorial
advertisements. Random breath tests are
common in cities, the legal limit is 0.05.
If you are over you will pay a hefty fine
and lose your license.
At border crossings you are not supposed
to carry certain products and even half
way through big states like Queensland.
On the east coast this is relaxed. But South
Australia, Northern Territory and Western
Australia have stringent controls and you
must depose of waste or be fined. Stations
on the road are manned and will search your
car if necessary. In Western Australia honey,
vegetables and potatoes must be disposed
of and all cars are stopped.
Road Conditions
If you leave cities or major highways be
prepared for rough, unmade tracks. Sometimes
you can expect little more than a red stained
tyre mark in some places, pitted holes and
bull dust. However many foreigners are scared
of the outback and it's dangers for travellers.
While dangers are real and people do run
into trouble each year we hope it will not
deter you from exploring one of the world's
greatest continents. Read here for a special
section on outback
driving in Australia.
Fuel
The types of fuel are super, diesel and
unleaded and are available from stations
like Caltex, BP, and others. Prices vary
from 65c to 80c in major cities but in rural
areas can be as much as $1.40
If you are travelling extensively in the
outback it’s wise to fill up the car
in city areas where prices are cheaper,
plus fill any reserve tanks or jerry cans.
Distances between fill-up points in the
outback can be great so plan ahead. Many
outback cattle stations will serve fuel
to the public if you get stuck.
Driving Licenses
If you are over 18 you can drive in Australia
with a local valid license but you must
have been in the country less than six months.
For longer periods bring an international
driving permit or apply for an Australian
driver's license.
Parking
There are usually parking restrictions in
major metropolitan centres like Brisbane,
Sydney, Melbourne etc. Most are either limited
parking (eg 2 hours, 15 mins etc) or parking
meters. All are clearly signed and there
will be pay and display type machines or
similar.
Tolls
Some tolls are payable on bridges and major
roads. Some include the City Link in Melbourne
from the centre to the airport, the Gateway
Bridge in Brisbane and the Harbour Bridge
in Sydney.
Where to drive
These are some popular routes in Australia: Birdsville Track: This
route runs from Marree in South Australia
to Birdsville in Queensland. Today the route
is quite feasible in any well-prepared conventional
vehicle, even 2wd. The route is 499km. Strzelecki Track: This
track starts south of Marree at Lyndhurst
and goes to Innamincka 473km north-east
near the Queensland border. Yu can then
loop down to Tibooburra in New South Wales. Oodnadatta Track: This
track runs parallel to the old Ghan railway
line up to Alice Springs. The Stuart Highway
to the west and south is a sealed route
used by all other traffic. From Marree to
Oodnadatta I 465km, and it’s another
202km from here to Marla and the Stuart
Highway. Again 2wd vehicles could manage
the route. Simpson Desert: You still
need a 4wd to cover this route and ideally
should travel in conjunction with several
other vehicles with long range two-way radio.
This track crosses the Simpson Desert from
the Staurt Highway to Bridsville. Warburton Road / Gunbarrel Highway:
This road can be as rough as it sounds although
some parts of it are possible in a 2wd.
It goes from Uluru down through Aboriginal
settlements all the way to Kalgoorlie and
Perth. You will need permits to pass through
some of the Aboriginal reserves. From Uluru
to Warburton is 567km, then 568km to Laverton,
261km on sealed road to Kalgoorlie. If you
go north from Laverton to Wiluna you need
a 4wd. Tanami Track: This track
leaves the Stuart Highway north of Alice
Springs and goes north-west to Halls Creek
in Western Australia, short-cutting through
to the Kimberley. There are some sandy stretches
but most of the roads are quite good. The
roadhouse at Rabbit Flat is open only Friday-Monday. Canning Stock Route: Careful
navigation in a well-equipped party is the
only way to attempt this route. The track
is an old stock trail that runs south-west
from Halls Creek to Wiluna in Western Australia.
It crosses the Great Sandy Desert and Gibson
Desert and has not been maintained for over
30 years. Take it seriously. Plenty and Sandover Highways:
These routes run east from the Stuart Highway
north of Alice Springs to Mt Isa in Queensland.
A 2wd can manage the trip. Cape York: The route up
to the Cape can only be attempted in the
dry season when water levels in the river
crossings are low enough. There is a new
route on the Heathlands road that 2wd cars
could manage but the Wenlock River crossing
can be a challenge. 4wd is probably recommended. Gibb River Road: This is
a short cut between Derby and Kununurra
that crosses the heart of the Kimberely
in northern Western Australia. It is badly
corrugated sometimes but can be navigated
in a 2wd in the dry season. The route is
720km.
Auto Clubs
The Australian Automobile Association is
the national organization which is the umbrella
organization for stat associations. State
organizations have reciprocal arrangements
so you can get benefits Australia-wide.
Similarly some international clubs are also
recognised – bring membership proof
with you. The maps produced by the associations
are helpful. The offices are:
New South Wales: National Roads and Motorists
Assocation (NRMA), tel. 13 2132
Northern Territory: Automobile Assocation
of the Northern Territory (AANT), tel. 08
8981 3837
Queensland: Royal Automobile Club of Queensland
(RACQ), tel. 07 3361 2444
South Australia: Royal Automobile Club of
Tasmania (RACT), tel. 08 8202 4600
Tasmania: Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania
(RACT), tel. 03 6232 6300
Victoria: Royal Automobile Club of Victoria
(RACV), tel 03 9790 2844
Western Australia: Royal Automobile Club
of Western Australia (RAC), tel. 08 9421
4444
New
Zealanders drive on the left-hand side and
give way to all traffic from the right.The
speed limit is 100km/h on the open road
and 50km/h in urban areas. You will find
multi-lane motorways and expressways on
the approaches to the larger cities, with
most roads being dual carriageways. Signposting
follows standard international symbols and
all distances are in kilometres (km). Drivers
and passengrs are required to wear safety
belt in the front and back seats. As in
Australia there are strict drinking and
driving laws. Cyclists and motorcyclists
must wear a helmet. Bicycles need rear and
front lights at night, motorbikes must have
their headlight on at all times. Cycling
is not permitted on motorways.
Driving Licenses
You
can legally drive for up to 12 months with
a current driver's licence from your home
country, or an International Driving Permit
(IDP). All drivers must carry their licence
or permit when driving. Bring an English
translation if it's not in English. You
can only drive the vehicles you are licensed
for in your home country. Usually you must
be 21 years to rent a car. The common legal
age to rent a car in New Zealand is 21 years.
Parking
There are usually parking restrictions in
major metropolitan centres. Most are either
limited parking (eg 2 hours, 15 mins etc)
or parking meters. All are clearly signed
and there will be pay and display type machines
or similar.
Popular Routes
These routes are more detailed here.
You can take your car on the ferries between
the north and south island.
Pacific Coast Highway: Follows
the eastern coastline between Auckland and
Hawke’s Bay. Inland Scenic Route 72:
A route off major highways. Alpine Pacific Triangle Touring
Route : Features popular Canterbury
destinations like Hanmer Springs, Waipara
Valley and Kaikoura. Southern Scenic Route:
From Dunedin, through Invercargill, the
Catlins and Te Anau before reaching Milford
Sound. Hawke’s Bay Vineyard Trails:
A prime wine producting region known for
Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Thermal Explorer Highway:
Various scenic changes and thermal activity
on the North Island. Queen Charlotte Drive:
Dramatic scenery around the Marlborough
Sounds. Treasured Pathway Heritage Driving
Route: Links historical sites
from Picton in the Marlborough region to
Farewell Spit in the Nelson region. Twin Coast Discovery Highway Northland
: A circular route from Auckland
to the Northland region and back. SH43 Heritage Trail : A
secluded road. Pick up a heritage trail
brochure for the journey. Surf Highway: The Surf
Highway hugs Taranaki’s coast, home
to 180 degrees of all possible swells and
New Zealand’s most consistent surf.
COOK ISLANDS
Rarotonga only offers a limited bus service
so to explore more of the islands you will
need a car. Rarotonga has big rental car
companies but the other islands have limited
offers. A motorcycle may be a better choice
for the small islands. They are also cheaper
and easy to ride.
On the Cook Islands you drive on the left
and the maximum speed limit is only 40km/h
so it's fairly safe. Just keep an eye out
for animals on the road. To drive here you
need a local license, not your home license
or even an international. To apply is easy,
go to the police station for the test. It
costs NZ$10. It's better to get it from
the police headquarters in Avarua before
you go to the other islands.
FIJI Driving can be a good way to get
around on the larger islands (eg Viti Levu
and Vanua Levu) - just look out for pot-holes,
other drivers and animals. Traffic in Fiji
drives on the left. The maximum speed is
80km/h - only 50 km/h in built-up areas.
Rental
cars can be expensive unless you can split
the cost among several people. Check whether
the rental car company allows you to take
the car on ferries to the other islands
and drive on unsealed roads as this can
restrict where you can travel.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA In Port Moresby a car can be a
bit of a liability and with good PMV services
there's not much need for one. In areas
like Madang you will find a car beneficial
as the PMV services are infrequent and not
too wide ranging. Most airports will offer
some rental options. You drive on the left
in PNG. Keep a look out for animals and
try to avoid driving at dusk and dawn.
To
explore the islands outside resort areas
a car or scooter is the best option but
relatively expensive. The more visited islands
will have car rental agencies and scooters.
Outside Papeete the traffic is fairly light
and road conditions good. Note that traffic
drives on the right.
Driving
could be a good option for moving around
here as the road network is pretty good.
Unfortunately car rental can be expensive.
The best place to rent is in Nouméa
where you will find both car, motorbike
and motorscooter rental agencies. You must
be at least 21 years old and sometimes 25
to rent a vehicle. The maximum speed limit
in New Caledonia is 110 km/h although it
is only 50 km/h in towns and cities. From
Nouméa it takes about 45 mins to
Tontouta, five hours to Poum, 2 hours to
Bourail and 5 hours to Hienghène.
BUYING A CAR What kind of vehicle?
This depends largely on the kind of travel
you want to do and where you want to go.
If you plan to stick to major roads then
a normal 2WD vehicle will be perfectly suitable.
Station wagons are a popular choice among
travellers as the tray area in the back
is large enough to store tents, sleeping
gear and
other equipment. You may even be able to
sleep in there.
If you want to do any off-road driving a
2WD vehicle can also be adequate, but you
may just prefer to get a car with a higher
wheel base for best clearance problems.
Many of the outback tracks are conditioned
dirt roads where speeds of up to 80 km/hour
are possible and a conventional robust vehicle
could manage. However after rain the road
can be closed or conditions radically different.
If you're doing serious off-road driving
then you absolutely must travel in a 4WD
with a high wheel base. For a full discussion
on the kind of 4WD to take with you read
on here.
Where to buy it?
Buying a car is a lot less expensive than
in Europe and cheaper than long term car
hire. You can get good quality second hand
cars. Visit used car lots or car auctions
or check advertisements in newspapers, trading
posts, car magazines or even with a sign
on the car by the side of the road. Coastal
areas in Australia are a good place to pick
up used cars. However a lot of East coast
cars in Australia can be affected by rust.
To drive in Australia you need a current
national driving license and an international
permit which should be easily accessible
from your main car controlling agency in
your country. To purchase a car in some
states it must have a current road worthy
certificate. Laws change from state to state
but you must get the appropriate documentation
to buy and purchase.
ADVICE
ON CAR RENTAL
Competition on car rental is fierce so you
can usually find special deals and it can
be very economical if you are travelling
in a group. However if you’re really
doing long distances you would be better
to buy your own car. In remote areas the
only means of transport might be with a
tour or renting your own car as distances
are usually too great for walking or bike
riding.
Companies like Budget, Hertz and Avis are
represented everywhere, including airports,
as well as Thrifty. Usually you can get
a car left at airports for you or travel
one-way and leave the car at another destination.
Choices for car rental are usually by unlimited
kilometres or a flat charge plus so many
cents per kilometre.
If you want something a little cheaper there
are also the “rent-a-wreck”
companies which are not as bad as they sound.
They specialise in renting older cars generally
just for travel within and around a city.
One thing to be aware of with rented cars
is that dirt road travel is generally not
covered by insurance. This does not apply
to 4wds.
If you rent a 4wd you can travel a little
more off the beaten track but the price
is usually somewhat more. The insurance
conditions are usually also steeper. You
can also rent motorcycles and campervans.
EMERGENCY
SERVICES
Australia - 000 for Ambulance, Fire and
Police.
New Zealand - 111 is the all safety number
Papua New Guinea - 000 (but not available
in all areas)
Fiji - 000
Solomon Islands - no emergency numbers
New Caledonia - Emergency medical treatment
- 15; Police - 17; Ambulance and Fire -
18.
American Samoa - 911
Cook Islands - Police - 999. Ambulance and
hospital - 998. Fire - 996.
Guam - 911
Nauru - contact local operator
Tahiti - Dial operator
Tonga - 911
Tuvalu - None present
Major expressways and main highways have
roadside emergency telephones every few
km. When you rent a car check your policy
to see what cover you get (i.e is accommodation
included if you have car difficulties etc).
Check also to see if the country has a 24-road
service available.
