Is this even possible?

[The Smith Clan]

We had the most amazing 3 weeks travelling the East coast in 2016 hiring a campervan.  We did some amazing excursions and visited some amazing places.  My heart is in Oz and currently going through the visa process.  However, could not afford another trip of a lifetime like that.

We are a camping family and have a camper in UK and recently went to France.  Is it even possible (feeling excited) that we could get flights bring a tent hire a car and do another road trip.  Has anyone else tried this?  This would be an amazing opportunity to visit on a budget.  

I am thinking we could purchase a camping cooker and other items we need on arrival.  

Dreaming of being back at Byron bay and visiting Fraser Island.

Any advice or anything i've not considered?

 

Thank you in advance 

 

Maria

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Hi @The Smith Clan your largest expense will be fuel and car hire unless you buy. 

‘In regards to camping you would have to travel to areas according to the climate for that time of year. For example, you wouldn’t want to be in Cairns or Darwin from November until May, but Melbourne/Adelaide would be fine then. However, in a tent you would probably really struggle with the heat. You could look at doing the one way camper van rentals. Some start at $1 a day for hire and provide free fuel. Each day the locations change and the offers but it’s worth keeping an eye on. https://imoova.com/imoova/relocations one thing to remember is they do take a huge deposit off you.

You also find the campervan hire companies sell off their ex rentals. You can find plenty of free campsites around. 

[Marisawright]

Of course people go camping in Australia all the time.  Personally, I don't think it's as comfortable as camping in Europe.  For one thing, the creepy-crawlies and snakes are more numerous (and more dangerous) here, so you need to be certain you've got a tent with a good seal!   Then of course there's the heat, depending what time of year you go - but you could have a fabulous camping holiday in winter in Queensland, for instance. 

In summer, the problem is that you often can't pitch your tent in the shade.  The first time we went camping here, we wondered why everyone was laughing as we pitched our tent. Eventually, a kind person walked over to us and advised us to move, because the eucalyptus trees drop their branches without warning (and I mean BIG branches, not little twigs), so it's dangerous to camp under them.

Having said all that, I think you're mad. If you get your visa, you'll have the rest of your lives to camp all over Australia.  Once you're settled in Australia, you'll be able to use your own camping gear and car - you might even buy your own campervan.    Why spend a fortune to do it now?  

In your shoes, I'd be using my holidays to visit other places in the UK and Europe which will be much more expensive to revisit once you're in Australia.   And I'd be doing it on a tight budget because I know how much it costs to migrate and I'd be trying to build up my pot of savings.  Have you done a budget for your move?

Edited August 31, 2018 by Marisawright

[Jojoe]

I've  never done a road trip personally but have family that have . Kmart do some cheap camp cookers and small canisters ,-and lots of other cheap accessories  which you could get on arrival, we've had family done a trip in a Rv and wished they'd they'd hired a car and tent instead as the Rv caused so many restrictions for parking and added to the cost on site . . They did road trip from Sydney to Cairns July time . We go camping all year round with tent and basic facilities in the Gold Coast and NZW  , if your tent is snake proof and sun proof then bring it if not look on anaconda orBCF websites as you can get some great deals out of season  if not Kmart do tents also . The set up for basic camping can be done quite cheaply over here . We are on Gold Coast so if you need a hand with a loan of camping facilities or a tent when your arrive  just  pm me 

[Yelverton]

We spent our last holiday relocating campervans - we did one from Adelaide to Sydney and the another from Brisbane to Sydney. It costs $5 per day and they also give you a fuel allowance which covered approx half our fuel costs. The only downside is you have a limited time to relocate the van but it suited us fine. We stayed at rest areas or in cheap campsites and had really good quality Maui campervans which slept 6 (there were only 4 of us) and had a fantastic holiday. You can sign up for a daily email alert to let you know where the vans need to be relocated

https://www.drivenow.com.au/onewayrentals.jspc#/relocations/AU

[The Smith Clan]

On 31/08/2018 at 19:40, The Pom Queen said:

Hi @The Smith Clan your largest expense will be fuel and car hire unless you buy. 

‘In regards to camping you would have to travel to areas according to the climate for that time of year. For example, you wouldn’t want to be in Cairns or Darwin from November until May, but Melbourne/Adelaide would be fine then. However, in a tent you would probably really struggle with the heat. You could look at doing the one way camper van rentals. Some start at $1 a day for hire and provide free fuel. Each day the locations change and the offers but it’s worth keeping an eye on. https://imoova.com/imoova/relocations one thing to remember is they do take a huge deposit off you.

You also find the campervan hire companies sell off their ex rentals. You can find plenty of free campsites around. 

Thanks,

 

My husband said the heat would be too much in a tent but the only time we were in motorhome was to travel and sleep.  I will have a look at that site but i guess its luck to what they have if we went.  We paid close to £3000 for motor home hire over 3 weeks i cant imagine will be same for car but hubby thinks will be high.  He is slowly coming around and mentioned hiring a trailer tent (if this is possible)  I'm determined lol

[The Smith Clan]

On 31/08/2018 at 23:41, Marisawright said:

Of course people go camping in Australia all the time.  Personally, I don't think it's as comfortable as camping in Europe.  For one thing, the creepy-crawlies and snakes are more numerous (and more dangerous) here, so you need to be certain you've got a tent with a good seal!   Then of course there's the heat, depending what time of year you go - but you could have a fabulous camping holiday in winter in Queensland, for instance. 

In summer, the problem is that you often can't pitch your tent in the shade.  The first time we went camping here, we wondered why everyone was laughing as we pitched our tent. Eventually, a kind person walked over to us and advised us to move, because the eucalyptus trees drop their branches without warning (and I mean BIG branches, not little twigs), so it's dangerous to camp under them.

Having said all that, I think you're mad. If you get your visa, you'll have the rest of your lives to camp all over Australia.  Once you're settled in Australia, you'll be able to use your own camping gear and car - you might even buy your own campervan.    Why spend a fortune to do it now?  

In your shoes, I'd be using my holidays to visit other places in the UK and Europe which will be much more expensive to revisit once you're in Australia.   And I'd be doing it on a tight budget because I know how much it costs to migrate and I'd be trying to build up my pot of savings.  Have you done a budget for your move?

Lol my hubby thinks i am mad too, but once we get visas we need to activate them.  I have gone very savvy with trips and we have been away loads but mostly in the campervan To France and across UK and this for me is the most savvy way to go.  We are going through costs and have a rough idea, we wont be moving immediately as we have a few things to tie up and want to be financially free before we come out.    

[Gbye grey sky]

1 hour ago, Yelverton said:

We spent our last holiday relocating campervans - we did one from Adelaide to Sydney and the another from Brisbane to Sydney. It costs $5 per day and they also give you a fuel allowance which covered approx half our fuel costs. The only downside is you have a limited time to relocate the van but it suited us fine. We stayed at rest areas or in cheap campsites and had really good quality Maui campervans which slept 6 (there were only 4 of us) and had a fantastic holiday. You can sign up for a daily email alert to let you know where the vans need to be relocated

https://www.drivenow.com.au/onewayrentals.jspc#/relocations/AU

Sounds interesting.  Presumably a one-way flight needed.

[The Smith Clan]

13 hours ago, Jojoe said:

I've  never done a road trip personally but have family that have . Kmart do some cheap camp cookers and small canisters ,-and lots of other cheap accessories  which you could get on arrival, we've had family done a trip in a Rv and wished they'd they'd hired a car and tent instead as the Rv caused so many restrictions for parking and added to the cost on site . . They did road trip from Sydney to Cairns July time . We go camping all year round with tent and basic facilities in the Gold Coast and NZW  , if your tent is snake proof and sun proof then bring it if not look on anaconda orBCF websites as you can get some great deals out of season  if not Kmart do tents also . The set up for basic camping can be done quite cheaply over here . We are on Gold Coast so if you need a hand with a loan of camping facilities or a tent when your arrive  just  pm me 

Thank you soo much.  We last came mid aug to sept and weather was only starting to get hot at very end of our trip.  Our children are off school across aug so this is the best time for us and cheaper on flights we last got flights for 450 each after weeks of searching and deleting our cookies after searches.  I always believe anything is possible if you want to do it.  We have even wild camped with the kids and kids are very adaptable and just get on with it and knowing them would love this opportunity, they absolutely loved OZ.  Thanks for the advice on snake and sun proof and to Marisawright as this is useful to know what we need to get.  

[Gbye grey sky]

On 01/09/2018 at 08:41, Marisawright said:

Of course people go camping in Australia all the time.  Personally, I don't think it's as comfortable as camping in Europe.  For one thing, the creepy-crawlies and snakes are more numerous (and more dangerous) here, so you need to be certain you've got a tent with a good seal!   Then of course there's the heat, depending what time of year you go - but you could have a fabulous camping holiday in winter in Queensland, for instance. 

In summer, the problem is that you often can't pitch your tent in the shade.  The first time we went camping here, we wondered why everyone was laughing as we pitched our tent. Eventually, a kind person walked over to us and advised us to move, because the eucalyptus trees drop their branches without warning (and I mean BIG branches, not little twigs), so it's dangerous to camp under them.

Having said all that, I think you're mad. If you get your visa, you'll have the rest of your lives to camp all over Australia.  Once you're settled in Australia, you'll be able to use your own camping gear and car - you might even buy your own campervan.    Why spend a fortune to do it now?  

In your shoes, I'd be using my holidays to visit other places in the UK and Europe which will be much more expensive to revisit once you're in Australia.   And I'd be doing it on a tight budget because I know how much it costs to migrate and I'd be trying to build up my pot of savings.  Have you done a budget for your move?

Only in north east Queensland in my opinion at least.  Anywhere south and west has cold winter nights which would rule out a tent for me at least.

[The Smith Clan]

2 hours ago, Yelverton said:

We spent our last holiday relocating campervans - we did one from Adelaide to Sydney and the another from Brisbane to Sydney. It costs $5 per day and they also give you a fuel allowance which covered approx half our fuel costs. The only downside is you have a limited time to relocate the van but it suited us fine. We stayed at rest areas or in cheap campsites and had really good quality Maui campervans which slept 6 (there were only 4 of us) and had a fantastic holiday. You can sign up for a daily email alert to let you know where the vans need to be relocated

https://www.drivenow.com.au/onewayrentals.jspc#/relocations/AU

Thank you since we are flexible on where we travel this could work well i have registered and will see what comes up.  What a very savvy way of traveling.  

[Guest The Pom Queen]

5 hours ago, Gbye grey sky said:

Sounds interesting.  Presumably a one-way flight needed.

Sometimes you are lucky and can get another relocation for your next destination. From Melbourne you can even get a one way rental to Tasmania with ferry and fuel included. 

[Guest The Pom Queen]

5 hours ago, Gbye grey sky said:

Only in north east Queensland in my opinion at least.  Anywhere south and west has cold winter nights which would rule out a tent for me at least.

That was my thoughts it’s blinkin freezing here at the moment, we have the log fire on, 2 quilts, 3 blankets and an electric blanket.

Mind you, Alice Springs gets freezing at night @Bobj will tell you. During the day it can be in the 40’s but drop to zero at night. 

[Bulya]

On 02/09/2018 at 23:21, The Pom Queen said:

That was my thoughts it’s blinkin freezing here at the moment, we have the log fire on, 2 quilts, 3 blankets and an electric blanket.

Mind you, Alice Springs gets freezing at night @Bobj will tell you. During the day it can be in the 40’s but drop to zero at night. 

Everywhere inland is cold at night.  

[Bobj]

On 02/09/2018 at 03:48, Jojoe said:

I've  never done a road trip personally but have family that have . Kmart do some cheap camp cookers and small canisters ,-and lots of other cheap accessories  which you could get on arrival, we've had family done a trip in a Rv and wished they'd they'd hired a car and tent instead as the Rv caused so many restrictions for parking and added to the cost on site . . They did road trip from Sydney to Cairns July time . We go camping all year round with tent and basic facilities in the Gold Coast and NZW  , if your tent is snake proof and sun proof then bring it if not look on anaconda orBCF websites as you can get some great deals out of season  if not Kmart do tents also . The set up for basic camping can be done quite cheaply over here . We are on Gold Coast so if you need a hand with a loan of camping facilities or a tent when your arrive  just  pm me 

Used 8 canisters over 1 month in Sept. All meals on the 1 stove.

Odd, innit. I camp out in the real bush for a month every year(from Mackay to WA) and quite honestly, have never seen a snake around any of my camps and used to camp out at least 8 times a year over 12 years in my job in the Kimberlies and only once saw a scorpion, maybe the odd croc, but never any snakes.

Cheers, Bobj.