By-Car Hire Guide To Australia

To get the most out of your holiday in Australia, you should really hire a car. A hire car will let you get the most out of your time down under, giving you the freedom to explore without being tied to train and bus timetables!

Car Hire in Australia - Benefits

Australia is a vast country with many things to see and do. You can scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef, climb Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock), see landmarks like the Sydney Opera House, visit the Gold Coast's theme parks, explore the Outback or go surfing at Bondi Beach. With so much on offer, the only way to experience Australia is to hire a car.

If you hire a car during your holiday in Australia, you can base yourself in one of its major cities, which include Brisbane, Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, and the country's capital, Canberra. You can explore your chosen city and use your hire car to get to attractions in the local area and see more of the region in which you're staying.

Hiring a car in Australia allows you to plan your own itinerary so that you can travel from place to place in your own time. Using a hire car will also mean that you can explore the country in comfort. It can get very hot during the summer in Australia (December until March), particularly inland, so hiring an air-conditioned car will be far more comfortable than travelling on public transport.

Car Hire in Australia - Holiday Hotspots

There are many places to visit in Australia, so work out what you want from your hire car holiday before choosing your destination.

Do you want to hit the beach and get surfing? If so, then Bondi Beach and Manly Beach are just a short hire car journey away from Sydney.

Are you looking for thrill-packed entertainment for the family? If so, then Brisbane might be the perfect destination for you, as it will take you less than an hour to reach the Gold Coast's theme parks from there in your hire car.

If you're a culture lover, then you may want to stay in Melbourne, which is known for its galleries, museums and festivals.

To help you to plan your trip to Australia, we've produced guides to some of the most popular destinations, together with details of some of the attractions that you can visit when you hire a car. Click on the links for more information:

• By-Car Hire Guide to Brisbane

Car Hire in Australia - Hints and Tips

Getting around Australia by hire car is fairly straightforward. However, here are some hints and tips to help you on your Australian hire car holiday:

• Remember to drive on the left.
• Holding a valid driving licence from your own country entitles you to drive a hire car freely in Australia. Holding an International Driving Permit by itself does not.
• You must carry your licence at all times when driving your hire car.
• You must always wear seatbelts when travelling in your hire car.
• Motorways have a speed limit of 100 -110kph/60 - 68mph.
• Dual carriageways have a speed limit of 100kph/60mph.
• You must limit your speed to 50 - 60kph/30 - 35mph when driving your hire car in built-up areas.