Campervan Hire Australia
"In Australia campervan hire is THE way to go"
Campervan hire...
Australia is made for travel by campervan!
To hire a campervan in Australia allows you to enjoy the freedom of the Australian Outback, and at the same time save money.
With a four wheel drive campervan you can go anywhere, stay anywhere, and you never have to pay for accommodation.
Campervan Hire Australia - Motorhome Rental
Australia is a huge country, and once you leave the populated coastal areas it's also a rather empty country. Our network of roads and highways is great, but public transport isn't exactly a viable option.
Sure, there are coaches. But they will only take you from major town to major town. And there you will have to pay for accommodation again.
Why don't you hire a campervan instead (preferably a four wheel drive campervan), stop at all the beautiful places on the way, and find a free spot to pull up for the night?
One of the best things about campervan hire in Australia is that once you leave the populated areas you can almost always find a free place to camp.
I have a page about camping in the Australian Outback, and there are even guide books about nothing else but free campsites.
Campervan hire in Australia is affordable (especially outside the main season) compared to many other countries. In Australia the campervan hire for your travel will cost you less than you would pay if you spent the time at an average hotel.
And the freedom you gain can't be paid for with money...
Choose An Australian Campervan Hire Company
To hire a campervan in Australia you can choose from the usual international companies like Britz, Hertz, Avis and the like, big companies like Apollo, Maui, or KEA. Or you select one of the smaller Australian companies.
The advantage of the big companies is that you know who they are and you know exactly what you will get. These companies buy new cars and older vehicles are rotated out quickly.
Big companies are also more widely represented, even in small Outback towns, and it's easier to get one way campervan rentals to many places. All their prices are pretty much the same and I can't recommend one over the other.
But you will find that some of the Australian campervan hire companies offer something different by specialising in one particular market segment. One example would be the "Wicked" budget campervans. Those are cheap vans, brightly painted with flowery hippy-style motives, obviously catering to the backpacker market.
Other companies specialise in one particular popular part of the country. They might only have two outlets in Australia, say Perth and Darwin, but they would be the ideal company to choose if you want to travel the west coast and the Kimberley.
Those operators make sure their vehicles have everything on board that you require for a trip into such a remote area, and they help you with the route planning etc. Their local knowledge is invaluable.
(Btw, if you are from the US you might call campervan hire a motorhome rental. Motorhome hire in Australia might not be what you think. Our campervans are a lot smaller than the average motorhome...)
Campervan Hire In Australia - Need To Know
Starting with general info and recommendations and then looking at special requirements in the Outback:
- Most campervans for hire in Australia will have manual transmission.
- The minimum age required to drive a hired campervan is usually 21 years.
- If you arrive on a Saturday or Sunday make sure the branch of your chosen company is open.
- If you want to drop off your hired campervan in a different location to where you picked it up first check if the company has an office there. Also check if this involves extra charges.
- Check if there are mandatory insurance charges or just the usual optional range of coverage.
- Most companies place restrictions on where you are allowed to take their campervans. They may even require you to stay on sealed roads. (What's the point of getting a campervan hire in Australia if you can't leave the bitumen... but that's just my opinion...)
- Sometimes they specify certain roads that you must not travel on. Usually exactly the places you really don't want to miss... Make sure you check this. If you go anyway and anything happens to your hired campervan there it will cost you dearly...
- Find out what camping/cooking/other equipment is included and what isn't. This can vary greatly and on big trips can make a big difference.
- Make sure that the campervan you hire in Australia is capable of doing what you want it to do. This applies mostly to trips into the Australian Outback. Not all four wheel drive campervans are the same. One example here would be that at certain times of the year you might be looking at deep river crossings that require a vehicle with a snorkel.
- If you plan a bigger trip into a remote area make sure you get a reliable car. Ask about what age the campervan is. Consider paying extra for a newer vehicle. It's money well spent. The last thing you need in the Outback is mechanical trouble...
- Fuel: well, it's not cheap and it certainly isn't getting any cheaper. The main thing to be aware of is that the further you move away from the cities the dearer it gets. So if you plan to cross the Outback don't do your budgeting on city prices. I won't put any prices here because they will change. Do a search on the net and I'm sure you will find a press release bemoaning the latest price hike, with the current prices.
Which campervan you hire in Australia is a decision that depends on the trip you have in mind. It certainly pays to start looking around early.
And it pays to book early if you need a campervan during the main tourist season (which is a different time of the year in different parts of Australia!). When I say early I mean months ahead. Campervan hire in Australia is the most popular way to travel, and unless you get in early you might in the end have to grab whatever you can get...
And last but not least: A campervan hire in Australia doesn't mean you have to spend your whole holiday self driving. Mix and match with domestic flights and city stays to get the most out your trip.
Read about other ways to travel Australia
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