lilmiss125 Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Hello!!!!! My boyfriend and I are travelling from Melbourne to Cairns April - May 2014 (and then settling in Melbourne afterwards), NEVER travelled in a campervan or to Oz so any hints or tips would be VERY very welcome haha :yes:! Also...debating on a campervan with a shower and toilet (or not!)...is this needed as I've seen many people say that there are plenty of public amenities along the way, and it's pointless paying the extra??:confused: Do we need to pre book camp sites in advance and if so how long in advance? We're quite open with regards to the trip/length of stay at each place so not quite sure how to tackle this one! ANY info would be greatly received! Thanks in advance :wub: Xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xenon4017 Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 I wouldn't bother with a shower or toilet. Buy a GPS when you arrive. And get a camping guidebook. Buy a phone too, then you can phone ahead just to book for the following night. There are oodles of travelogues, so start making a list now of the things you want to see on the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilmiss125 Posted January 15, 2014 Author Share Posted January 15, 2014 Thank you Xenon4017, just the kind of thing I was after!! I was looking at a 'Camps 7' guidebook today actually...had good reviews, had a good £40 price tag also! And only roughly a night in advance booking is required, sounds great!! Won't be too bad either if we only need to stay roughly every 2nd/3rd night to recharge the camper! I'm getting on to the list as we speak, SO much we want to see!! ...thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilmiss125 Posted January 16, 2014 Author Share Posted January 16, 2014 Oh and another quick question for anyone who can help!!... Is it better to pre book your campervan before travelling or I've heard you can barter a good deal with the companies face to face when you arrive?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xenon4017 Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Is it better to pre book your campervan before travelling or I've heard you can barter a good deal with the companies face to face when you arrive?? That probably depend on the time of year and how busy they are. I think these days with so much transparency on the net, it's hard to offer different rates for cashed-up tourists. 40$ might sound expensive for a guide book/map, but we got that book too and were able to use it to find some really nice spots, some of which were even free. It only has to pan out twice over your trip and you've saved your money. I'd also start cooking some camping meals at home using one pan, one fry pan with the non-stick scratched out and one blunt knife. No need to bring a corkscrew; it's all screw tops here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ukgirl Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Hello!!!!!My boyfriend and I are travelling from Melbourne to Cairns April - May 2014 (and then settling in Melbourne afterwards), NEVER travelled in a campervan or to Oz so any hints or tips would be VERY very welcome haha :yes:! Also...debating on a campervan with a shower and toilet (or not!)...is this needed as I've seen many people say that there are plenty of public amenities along the way, and it's pointless paying the extra??:confused: Do we need to pre book camp sites in advance and if so how long in advance? We're quite open with regards to the trip/length of stay at each place so not quite sure how to tackle this one! ANY info would be greatly received! Thanks in advance :wub: Xx Hi I've hired a camper and travelled Aus a few times, also had my own camper for a bit. Do not go with "Wicked campervans" they are expensive, I went with them the first time. I just found an aussie comparison site the second time and got so much more for my money. A van with a high top was really good. More room to store luggage and was so nice to be able to stand and have room, it was definitely worth the extra bit of money. They also provided sheets and camping gear. Think we went with "Travellers Auto Barn". As for showers. Booking a van with a shower will probably be quite pricey I really wouldn't bother.. You'll probably save money stopping in the odd campsite. Some campsites you can just pay to use the shower if you ask and they'll only charge you a few bucks. I've never had a campsite say no to that. Also a lot of beaches have public showers. Go for a swim then have a shower in your swimming stuff (I've done this lots of times and it's very refreshing in the mornings!) Do you like noodles? Noodles are a great camp meal! Very cheap and easy to make, add whatever you want to it. Our camper came with a camp gas stove. Also steak and salad is a quick and easy thing to make. You can buy the salad in pre-maid bags. Do book in advance, I started looking a couple of weeks before we left and wished that we had done it a bit sooner as a lot was selling out. A month in advance is probably okay. A wind up torch/ lantern and a good penknife is handy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ukgirl Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 There is also couch surfing which you can just google for info. I found it strange, I gave it ago but it wasn't for me, but it gave us a funny story! A lot of backpackers do it because it's free accommodation. People in Australia give up a room in their home for you to stay because they want to meet different people. They will have a profile and have reviews from previous people that have stayed with them. Some people couch surf their way all through Aus and absolutely love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 If you haven't got set days and are very flexible take a look here where you can rent a camper from $1 a day http://www.imoova.com/imoova/relocations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 We have always got one with a toilet and shower and never used it, I would look for one with aircon if you are heading North! although in May it should be less humid up here for you. The ones we hired had aircon, TV, fridge, oven, sink and even a games console and DVD player to keep the kids entertained. We ended up staying on a campsite every night so we had the power to run the aircon and TV and use their amentities, although it did cost anywhere between $40 - $100 extra per night in camp site fees. If it was the 2 of us I think we would have just hired or bought a cheap car and stayed in motels or camped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy1 Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Buy a Trangia............my Buddy loves showimg how verstaile they are and I have to agree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikkidylan Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 We did the Melbourne to Bundaberg camping trip over Christmas and loved it! You won't need a shower or toilet - there's loads of rest areas for toilets. For showers, we used the ones at camp sites, most surf clubs had a shower, and there were enough Truck service stops at petrol stations that had free showers. Loved driving up the coast - there were gorgeous beaches along the way. One stop that we would have loved to have done was snorkelling at Lady Musgrave Island off the town of 1770, but had 2 dogs so couldn't leave them all day alone in the heat. A lot of the campsites were booked up - but mind you we were also looking for dog friendly sites during the peak Christmas period. Some areas that we stopped and loved - Metung, Eden, Coffs Harbour, Byron Bay, Surfers Paradise, Point Danger, Fingal Heads - all had gorgeous beaches. Enjoy your trip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 If you are hiring one..check out how much bond they require....it is 1000s...you get it back at the end if all is well obviously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilmiss125 Posted January 16, 2014 Author Share Posted January 16, 2014 Aww thank you so much for your replies, they're REALLY helpful! I appreciate it!! Wellers I completey agree with you...you think your seeing a good deal and then you realise the bond they require ? It's not too bad considering you will eventually have it returned but I've seen other threads where it's taken forever! Definitely going to scrap the shower/toilet idea now tho, so that's whittled our criteria some more! I'm leaning towards a hi-top simply for the storage aspect too (we'll have clothing etc for after our travelling with us also!) thanks ukgirl! Thanks guys!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ukgirl Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 Book campsites the day before when you know where you would like to stop. I've always booked them on the day and never really had any problems. I've done a awful lot of campsites in Aus. There's usually always availability as long as its not a main holiday. Make your trip up as you go along. A mistake a lot of people make is booking stuff up early then you're tied to those dates and times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britpop Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 We've only did it briefly so no expert but In Nov we found many sites close check in at 6pm so unless you're booked you couldn't get in or had to call the night number etc. It makes sense of course but not handy if you're driving to be there late so I'd always book ahead in that circumstance. We also found the driving off the main road to find a hidden away site you can lose phone signal (this was Syd-Mel mind you) so you couldn't call a late check in number or call up for fiddly directions etc so again, best to be prepared for these ones too. We did relocations and they were fab but you don't have long to get where you're going! We took the full insurance thanks to horror stories of bonds not being returned so we essentially paid 1/3 less than it would have cost to hire the camper but will the full insurance option free. In hind site I don't think it was necessary to take the insurance, we should have just paid £1!! Check for ones that offer more days for an additional charge, the site changes daily. They often offer routes between Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Townsville and Cairns. Sometimes Byron, but it'd take some coordination! If you had to hire for gaps between relocations, you may negate the saving by losing the long term discount when you do pay full price - if that makes sense! Have fun!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilmiss125 Posted January 19, 2014 Author Share Posted January 19, 2014 Hi guys, How much did you set aside and spend on fuel/food costs for the journey? I think we're leaning towards a 4 berth hi top camper (Britz voyager) without shower and toilet, with the added bit of storage and space! I've been reading reviews on Britz and they sound good! I have a look at the relocations Britpop bit they don't appear to show as far ahead as April yet, but I'll keep a look out, paying just £1 every now and again compared to nearly 2k is a bit of a difference isn't it haha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britpop Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 We had the Britz 4 berth hightop, it was great, no claustrophobia in that! Though bear in mind that the height is used for the bed so while you can stand up, it's not really 'usable' space as such. I guess you could use the top bed and keep the living area as living though to save faffing everyday. I think it cost around $200-250 fuel to do Sydney to Melbourne in it approx 1000kms. So they quote something like 12l/100kms, it wasn't, it absolutely ate fuel and we had to top up a lot with a few hairy moments when suddenly you're on red! We were going uphill quite a bit and it was an older model mind you. (Size defiantly makes a difference, as comparison the 1.4l compact car we had was quoted 6l/100kms and cost about $70, filling up twice, Adelaide to Melbourne approx 850km ) Food will be totally dependant on you, you could pot noodle every meal but if cooking yourselves + odd meal out + Snacks average $30 a day if you use supermarket. Service stations are pricy for drinks and snacks, could do that in one. You'll have to refill your gas too, don't think it costs much. And yes, if you've time to wait it out between relocations, waiting for the deal to come up and you're on a tight budget it's fab but if you're doing a once in a lifetime trip, on a limited timescale just pay the money for the full month and go for it, save messing! You're going to have such a great time. I can't wait to hit the road again!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim bugg Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 We have now driven most of the east coast of Oz in a camper, and loved it. We also have a kombi that we are shipping over when we move this year. Big things we have learnt: Campsites in oz are nearly always far better than in the uk Cleanliness and upkeep have on the whole been better than we are used to in uk Dont bother with carrying a shower and toilet, its just an expensive store cupboard! Booking sites in advance has only been an issue in school holidays, public holidays, and grand prix week in Melbourne! Book the camper early has always got us a good deal. Go the opposite way to everyone else for a good deal too! ie start in Cairns and finish in Melbourne, as you then save on the one way hire as you are bringing a previous rental back to base, it may even be worth finding a good deal, and ask about doing a van swap in sydney to save the company relocation fees. Also, all the sites we went to had gas barbies, so armed with a $15 bar be mate, look at coles, you dont even have to have a cooker. A few sites we remember: Main beach touring site in Surfers is nice, across fro the beach, and a nice walk into surfers, maybe 1.5 miles Lane cove in Sydney, National park site, 5 minute walk from the station, our first meeting with posums was there at the barbe Kiama had a nice site, cant remember the name, just south of Sydney A few places off the main road to see: Hyams beach at Jervis bay, South of woolongong, unless you go know you'll drive by on the main road, lovely place with the most gorgeous beach. Cape otway light house, down on the great ocean road - on the road in look out for koalas We have booked with Mauri, Britz, and motorhome bookers, it really is a case of comparing prices to what suits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikey Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 If u really wanna budget then go really basic, it's so easy in oz. We drove all round in a toyota lite ace we bought cheap and sold back. Water, wine, cheese, fly spray (weekly spray for spidies) and mattress was all we had. The simple life is good. We used public showers and bbqs. Fried egg or bacon sarnie for brekkie on the bbq. Too easy!:cool: Have a wonderful adventure ps. We didnt use campsites at all.....but did get "moved on" a few times:policeman: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ukgirl Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 My big recommendation would be to stop by Kioloa in NSW. They have a beach called Pretty Beach and it really does live up to its name. Its one of my favourites in Aus. Kioloa has a campsite which you can google or there are places around there that you can park the van up for the night. Actually now that I think about it there was a really cheap campsite right on the beach there at about 10 bucks a night but that one does get booked up. You'll be able to store all your stuff in the hi-top on the top bed, it will give you lots more room in the van! You could eat for 10 to 15 bucks a day if you eat really cheaply. Supermarket's are more expensive in Aus than the UK. As for fuel I've never monitored it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ptp113 Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Buy from anywhere but supercraps and you'll eat better for less. Farmers markets everywhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carly0909 Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 I have done the snorkelling at lady musgrave island and it is a must. i enjoyed this experience of the great barrier reef a lot more than the reef from cairns as it was protected by the island and i didn't feel so exposed to the middle of the ocean, there is a backpackers right in town backpackers at 1770 that u can park your van at and use toilet and shower -backpackers at 1770. I would also recommend the south coast of NSW as a beautiful place, much less crowded than the north coast NSW and Queensland, Jervis bay (hyams beach has beautiful white sand) enjoy your holiday We did the Melbourne to Bundaberg camping trip over Christmas and loved it! You won't need a shower or toilet - there's loads of rest areas for toilets. For showers, we used the ones at camp sites, most surf clubs had a shower, and there were enough Truck service stops at petrol stations that had free showers. Loved driving up the coast - there were gorgeous beaches along the way. One stop that we would have loved to have done was snorkelling at Lady Musgrave Island off the town of 1770, but had 2 dogs so couldn't leave them all day alone in the heat. A lot of the campsites were booked up - but mind you we were also looking for dog friendly sites during the peak Christmas period. Some areas that we stopped and loved - Metung, Eden, Coffs Harbour, Byron Bay, Surfers Paradise, Point Danger, Fingal Heads - all had gorgeous beaches. Enjoy your trip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britpop Posted April 9, 2014 Share Posted April 9, 2014 Just to update, we've been travelling and camping in the car recently. Buy Camp 7 or one of those similar books, it's been a real help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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