Grey, Vegemite eating American seeking a way to get a lap in.

Toosun · Newbie

Grey, Vegemite eating American seeking a way to get a lap in.

Mike Harding · Guru

G'Day Bruce

Stone the wombats cobber and similar Antipodeans amusing sayings :)

You may have trouble renting a flat as you'll not have an Oz credit record and, I assume, no Oz references. You could try asking some estate agents but they're a useless bunch of %#@*^ unless they can see cash in it for them.

Buying the vehicle should be fine, backpackers do this all the time.

I don't understand your timeline but if you push that February arrival out to late March or April the weather will be cooler.

For storage consider a self-storage facility.

>Apply for Asylum?

Nah. We only take you if you're Muslim and guarantee not to integrate.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

G'day Bruce.
Try to constrain your travel times when north of Perth or Sydney to between April and September.
North gets very hot (and wet in the very north) outside those times.
6 months is really not enough time to do a lap in comfort and to see enough to feel like you are not rushing. Australia is bigger than continental USA.
Buying, registering and insuring a vehicle is easier here than in the USA, but will cost lots more than the USA.
Chose a vehicle that is capable of lots of dirt road travel and is totally self contained for as long as possible. Boondocking is the way to go for a lot of places (but not so much for the east coast, which you could avoid as much as possible).
Cheers,
Peter

dogbox · Guru

come by boat throw papers away we will probably give you an all expenses payed holiday

joke?

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Hello David (I don't know where "Bruce" came from),
Travelling the inland eg Alice springs, Uluru, etc) is best done in our winter (May through to perhaps the end of September, mid October) as after that as the others have said gets very hot with maximums in the 40s during the day, often dropping to zero at night. The heat in those areas is a dry heat (low humidity) whereas in the tropics where I live, it is more humid.

Staying in coastal areas in our "supposedly" wet season can be beneficial as there is mostly more water around due to the monsoon & hopefully not cyclones (your hurricanes). It is also the season of seeing some interesting birds that migrate south from New Guinea (if you're a birder). And seeing Wallaman Falls in the wet season is something not to be forgotten easily. The Kimberly region in WA had a decent wet season due to a few cyclones passing by earlier this year. Darwin also had a reasonable wet season while North & Far North Qld missed out. Even our wettest parts around Innisfail, Babinda are suffering water restrictions & poor crops (sugar cane, bananas & pineapples) this year.

Townsville temperatures in the Dry season (southerners' winter & spring - where Peter & Mike live) range from minimum 9 degrees to a maximum of 22-27 with humidity around 50%; our Wet season maximum temps are normally 31-34 degrees with minimums of 25-27 degrees & humidity of 70-100%. Unless there is a cyclone around, you know what the weather is going to be like tomorrow, next week, etc!

Darwin temps are generally around 2-3 degrees warmer & often it's more humid.

Have a look at our weather bureau site (www.bom.gov.au) for further info.

I trust this is of interest.

villatranquilla · Guru

forget renting a flat - stay in back packer accommodation just while you buy the vehicle, then buy some camping gear and head off or stay in a caravan park while you explore Brisbane. Many back packers on-sell their vehicles and camping gear so by staying in a backpackers may present an opportunity to do so.
Don't buy a NSW registered vehicle because registration is usually more expensive there and they require annual inspections to remain registered.
4 wheel drives are generally cheaper in Northern Territory so maybe start you trip in Darwin.

the rocket · Guru

Hello toosun,

gday mate.

stone the flamin crows, if i were u i would not rent as it is a waste of money. Buy a car n camper or car n old caravan or a small motorhome. When you go home store it at watson park convention centre about 30 minutes north of brisbane. a caravan costs $8 a week from memory to store. Watson park is closed august september though, no storage then. In darwin there would be storage units that u could utilize. Watch out for those koalas though, they are onsite. Nah, just pullin ya leg mate. Koalas are in the trees, sleep most of the time n only come down occassionally. Do not approach though, they have long claws that could do damage. I tell ya that for free. Be great to meet up with your wife and yourself. We are mostly a happy bunch on this site. Always someone to meet up with if u want. Cheers. Rocket n strop.

Ps. take it from a woman. We like a few home comforts. Toilet in caravan or a porta loo is essential. remember, happy wife, happy life. biggrin biggrin

pss. Backpacker cars australia on fb n Other backpacker sites on fb too. May b worth a gander.

-- Edited by the rocket on Saturday 22nd of September 2018 12:06:36 PM

Stretch60 · Senior Member

And be aware of the drop bears when camping in Western Australia's southwest forests.

Toosun · Newbie

Thanks for some useful bits. Starting Darwin makes sense, being the more civilized and all. FB Backpackers great idea. Was once a nipper in north Sydney, my encounters with marsupials has become
family lore. Looking at a Toyota or lesser truck with 100,000 on it and pull a hybrid camper-trailer, feel my heart tug on this one https://australianoffroad.com.au/listings/odyssey/#video
Still baffled by Aussie Tourist Visas. How to come and go for 4 months stretches over 3 or 4 years?

Cupie · Guru

Toosun wrote:
Thanks for some useful bits. Starting Darwin makes sense, being the more civilized and all. FB Backpackers great idea. Was once a nipper in north Sydney, my encounters with marsupials has become
family lore. Looking at a Toyota or lesser truck with 100,000 on it and pull a hybrid camper-trailer, feel my heart tug on this one https://australianoffroad.com.au/listings/odyssey/#video
Still baffled by Aussie Tourist Visas. How to come and go for 4 months stretches over 3 or 4 years?

I don't know what the new or used camper trailer market is like in Darwin but the place is not that big so the choice may not be great. That's a pretty snazzy one in the video. Should be a lot of 4WDs up there though but perhaps well used given the locality & bushies. You are more likely to get exMum's Taxis with very little bush work in the East Coast Capitals.

Might be useful to do a bit of research on line.

Most back packers seem to live out of small campers or station waggon cars, rarely camper trailers or caravans. Hiring small motor homes is popular with the better heeled groups, but that restricts your off road options.

Come without a visa & you will get very long term free accomodation on a tropical Isle. Certainly won't get to see Au. Potato Head Dutton is our Politician in charge of bookings, at the moment. His lot look after visas, deportation, border security and off shore resorts/detention centres. What the good ole USofA does to Mexicans is kind compared to what we do to our un-invited illegals. Just joking ..... sort of. LOL

Trip planning.

I would start in Sydney to equip myself with a 4WD & Camper trailer. Better choice in competitive market & lots of accommodation options. I think that you have been there before & may be a bit familiar with the place.

Plan a say 3 month first trip up the East Coast to enjoy the more settled touristy areas & get an idea of distances and customs. You could even do a loop if that's what you want returning through west Qld & NSW. A bit of a taste of the more remote places. Lots of off road options along the way. I'd look for a storage place out of Sydney but with good transport ready for next trip.

The 2nd trip could be along the Victorian coast into South Australia and then straight up the Stuart Highway to Darwin. Again 3 mths is just OK but make sure that it is done in the Autumn/Winter (I use those terms lightly). Leave the rig in Darwin ready for the next trip.

The 3rd trip of say 4 mths would be North to South down West Australia coast from Darwin with a few inland deviations if you choose. Depending on time you could sell up in Perth or if you had more time continue across the Nullabor to Adelaide & sell up there or a bit further in Melbourne where the market may be better I think.

The other comments about watching the weather carefully are very valid. The Northern Summer & wet seasons are to be avoided.

-- Edited by Cupie on Sunday 23rd of September 2018 12:13:12 PM

-- Edited by Cupie on Sunday 23rd of September 2018 12:14:34 PM

-- Edited by Cupie on Sunday 23rd of September 2018 12:18:37 PM

Toosun · Newbie

I'm going to take your advice and plot accordingly. Thank you so very much!

Izabarack · Guru

Renting a flat in Brissy may be expensive. Backpackers accom is much cheaper and may put you in touch with a campervan going cheap. Campervans are a lean and mean way to go and suit single travel. Also much less to get rid of, rather than store. 4WD ute and trailer for luxury travel with a partner after initial recce.

Iza

Cupie · Guru

Izabarack wrote:
Renting a flat in Brissy may be expensive. Backpackers accom is much cheaper and may put you in touch with a campervan going cheap. Campervans are a lean and mean way to go and suit single travel. Also much less to get rid of, rather than store. 4WD ute and trailer for luxury travel with a partner after initial recce.

Iza

I agree about the campervan. Better option than a camper trailer & 4WD.

Norweb · Veteran Member

drop bears.JPG I don't know why you eating Vegemite/ Mighty Mite made by a Aussie Company 333 pickles is better.

By the way this is what Koalas do when come down from the trees.

Cupie · Guru

Norweb wrote:
I don't know why you eating Vegemite/ Mighty Mite made by a Aussie Company 333 pickles is better.

By the way this is what Koalas do when come down from the trees.

Thanks Norweb, p Drop Bear Victims.png erhaps a variant of Koalas, commonly known as DROP BEARS as per the sign.

miroku12g · Senior Member

I think Vegimite now owned back with the Australians, BUT why the hell is it "Halal" ??
anyway Yanki-doodle, welcome back to oz !! sometime or another.

Dave M