We are a UK couple and brand new to the Grey Nomads and never been to Australia before. Me and my husband, Hugh, are planning to have the adventure of our lives from January to July 2017. Starting with 4 weeks in NZ then 5 whole months in Australia travelling in a campervan. Starting in Perth and working our way round to Darwin - so a very tall order! But we reckon no point going round the other side of the world and not experiencing it thoroughly. We've researched as best we can, but any tips or advice about do's / don'ts while we're on the road would be very welcome! All of the campervan hire companies we looked into also had 'do not use this company' websites, but we had to go for one of them! So have gone with motorhome republic. Keeping our fingers crossed it'll be OK.
The Belmont Bear said
10:40 PM Oct 6, 2016
Hi Linda welcome to the forum and enjoy your time touring this great country, we have hired motorhomes before but Republic I think may be an overseas agent who deals with the actual motorhome hire companies in each country. I'm sure that they will find you the best deal available, I hope that you are travelling from Perth to Darwin via SA and the eastern states and not just straight up the west coast because although you would see heaps you would also miss a lot. In the interests of comfort my advice to you would be to plan your trip so that you hit the tropics at the start of the dry season around April.
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Thursday 6th of October 2016 10:40:59 PM
Linda Reid said
10:58 PM Oct 6, 2016
Hello Belmont Bear!
Thanks for replying. Yes, we will be going the SE route and have worked out how many miles/kilometres we need to cover each week (with built in stop-over time) to complete the trip! We've also got full cover on the camper, plus GPS, so trying to make it as stress free as possible. We are so excited about this trip and want to do/see as much as we can, as probably be a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Have just been checking out the free sites all over. Scenery looks amazing. Reckon we'll get round to the Northern Territory around May/June - think that's the best time to avoid monsoon weather? Will be spending a few weeks in Tasmania too - understand no food/extra fuel can be taken over. Might be a daft question, but does the food thing also apply between different states in Australia? I don't think so, but my husband wondered.
Linda Reid said
11:03 PM Oct 6, 2016
Hello Belmont Bear!
Thanks for replying. Yes, we will be going the SE route and have worked out how many miles/kilometres we need to cover each week (with built in stop-over time) to complete the trip! We've also got full cover on the camper, plus GPS, so trying to make it as stress free as possible. We are so excited about this trip and want to do/see as much as we can, as probably be a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Have just been checking out the free sites all over. Scenery looks amazing. Reckon we'll get round to the Northern Territory around May/June - think that's the best time to avoid monsoon weather? Will be spending a few weeks in Tasmania too - understand no food/extra fuel can be taken over. Might be a daft question, but does the food thing also apply between different states in Australia? I don't think so, but my husband wondered.
Tony Bev said
12:05 AM Oct 7, 2016
Hello Linda Reid
May I be one of the first to welcome you to the forum
In regards to food quarantine, Western Australia is very, very, very strict. They do not take your word but they actually look inside your vehicle, they will have you open cupboards etc
Leaving Western Australia, and heading towards Adelaide from Perth, the checkpoint is at Ceduna, which is a big town (by our standards), so ditching whatever fresh fruit and veggies, plus honey, into the bin. Then restocking within a twenty minute drive, is not a problem
Other states on our mainland are a bit laxed, and sometimes there is no one at the border But... They can stop you randomly, and if you have taken what is not allowed over the border, it is a big fine.
Coming into Western Australia from the Darwin region, the checkpoint is within one hour of Kununurra, (which is also a big town by our standards) So once again it is just a matter of putting all fresh fruit and veggies in their bin, and restocking within the hour
As you say that you are interested in free camping then the app called Wikicamps Australia shows sites which people have given a write up about
When you get here if you purchase the book Camps Australia Wide 8 edition, it is not just a map book, but it gives information on all campsites, paid, low cost, and free ones. It tells you what is in those camps such as water, BBQ, toilet, shade, toilet dump point, etc
Hope that this info is helpful to you
This is a great forum, and if you ask a specific question, there will always be someone who has an answer
Linda Reid said
01:08 AM Oct 7, 2016
Many thanks Tony. Big eye-opener about not being able to take certain foodstuffs across states. Thanks for the info. Linda.
Dougwe said
08:10 AM Oct 7, 2016
Welcome to the gang Linda, enjoy here and out in the playground (when you get here).
I won't add to what has already been said so you don't get confused. No need both of us being confused
Gaylehere said
10:46 PM Oct 7, 2016
Hi Linda,
Welcome to the forum from me too. Last year when we went from SA to WA across the Nullabor we did a cook up of our fresh vegies and stored them in the fridge, before we reached the check point, then it was fine to take across and no wastage there. Planning a trip like this is a very exciting time and I hope you have a very enjoyable time in Aus. Never know, might see you on the road somewhere. Cheers.
Linda Reid said
12:52 AM Oct 13, 2016
Thanks for the welcome doug / gayle.
Who knows - maybe we WILL meet up on the road. I'll look out for the feathers.....
Woody n Sue said
07:41 PM Oct 14, 2016
And it's welcome from us two 2 Linda
You will find oz people very friendly and Helpfull in the main its a big country so take the time to have a good look there's much to see n do n drink at happy hours, or so Dougwe tells me but he's been know to have memory lapses after happy hour.
We are a UK couple and brand new to the Grey Nomads and never been to Australia before. Me and my husband, Hugh, are planning to have the adventure of our lives from January to July 2017. Starting with 4 weeks in NZ then 5 whole months in Australia travelling in a campervan. Starting in Perth and working our way round to Darwin - so a very tall order! But we reckon no point going round the other side of the world and not experiencing it thoroughly. We've researched as best we can, but any tips or advice about do's / don'ts while we're on the road would be very welcome! All of the campervan hire companies we looked into also had 'do not use this company' websites, but we had to go for one of them! So have gone with motorhome republic. Keeping our fingers crossed it'll be OK.
Hi Linda welcome to the forum and enjoy your time touring this great country, we have hired motorhomes before but Republic I think may be an overseas agent who deals with the actual motorhome hire companies in each country. I'm sure that they will find you the best deal available, I hope that you are travelling from Perth to Darwin via SA and the eastern states and not just straight up the west coast because although you would see heaps you would also miss a lot. In the interests of comfort my advice to you would be to plan your trip so that you hit the tropics at the start of the dry season around April.
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Thursday 6th of October 2016 10:40:59 PM
Hello Belmont Bear!
Thanks for replying. Yes, we will be going the SE route and have worked out how many miles/kilometres we need to cover each week (with built in stop-over time) to complete the trip! We've also got full cover on the camper, plus GPS, so trying to make it as stress free as possible. We are so excited about this trip and want to do/see as much as we can, as probably be a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Have just been checking out the free sites all over. Scenery looks amazing. Reckon we'll get round to the Northern Territory around May/June - think that's the best time to avoid monsoon weather? Will be spending a few weeks in Tasmania too - understand no food/extra fuel can be taken over. Might be a daft question, but does the food thing also apply between different states in Australia? I don't think so, but my husband wondered.
Hello Belmont Bear!
Thanks for replying. Yes, we will be going the SE route and have worked out how many miles/kilometres we need to cover each week (with built in stop-over time) to complete the trip! We've also got full cover on the camper, plus GPS, so trying to make it as stress free as possible. We are so excited about this trip and want to do/see as much as we can, as probably be a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Have just been checking out the free sites all over. Scenery looks amazing. Reckon we'll get round to the Northern Territory around May/June - think that's the best time to avoid monsoon weather? Will be spending a few weeks in Tasmania too - understand no food/extra fuel can be taken over. Might be a daft question, but does the food thing also apply between different states in Australia? I don't think so, but my husband wondered.
Hello Linda Reid
May I be one of the first to welcome you to the forum
In regards to food quarantine, Western Australia is very, very, very strict.
They do not take your word but they actually look inside your vehicle, they will have you open cupboards etc
Leaving Western Australia, and heading towards Adelaide from Perth, the checkpoint is at Ceduna, which is a big town (by our standards), so ditching whatever fresh fruit and veggies, plus honey, into the bin.
Then restocking within a twenty minute drive, is not a problem
Other states on our mainland are a bit laxed, and sometimes there is no one at the border
But... They can stop you randomly, and if you have taken what is not allowed over the border, it is a big fine.
Coming into Western Australia from the Darwin region, the checkpoint is within one hour of Kununurra, (which is also a big town by our standards)
So once again it is just a matter of putting all fresh fruit and veggies in their bin, and restocking within the hour
As you say that you are interested in free camping then the app called Wikicamps Australia shows sites which people have given a write up about
When you get here if you purchase the book Camps Australia Wide 8 edition, it is not just a map book, but it gives information on all campsites, paid, low cost, and free ones.
It tells you what is in those camps such as water, BBQ, toilet, shade, toilet dump point, etc
Hope that this info is helpful to you
This is a great forum, and if you ask a specific question, there will always be someone who has an answer
Many thanks Tony. Big eye-opener about not being able to take certain foodstuffs across states. Thanks for the info. Linda.
Welcome to the gang Linda, enjoy here and out in the playground (when you get here).
I won't add to what has already been said so you don't get confused. No need both of us being confused
Welcome to the forum from me too. Last year when we went from SA to WA across the Nullabor we did a cook up of our fresh vegies and stored them in the fridge, before we reached the check point, then it was fine to take across and no wastage there. Planning a trip like this is a very exciting time and I hope you have a very enjoyable time in Aus. Never know, might see you on the road somewhere. Cheers.
Thanks for the welcome doug / gayle.
Who knows - maybe we WILL meet up on the road. I'll look out for the feathers.....
You will find oz people very friendly and Helpfull in the main its a big country so take the time to have a good look there's much to see n do n drink at happy hours, or so Dougwe tells me but he's been know to have memory lapses after happy hour.
Woody