Driving in Australia
can be an experience to be savored. The wide-open spaces and
magnificent natural scenery is well worth the extra time taken. This
guide aims to fully prepare drivers for an Australian driving
experience.
Introduction
Speed and distance in Australia are measured in kilometers. Australians drive on the left-hand side of the road.
Most Australians live on the coast . Roads within and between
the cities and towns are generally reliable and in good condition, as
are the main highways that join the state and territory capital cities.
Although highways between major cities are well-maintained, motorists
may travel for hundreds of kilometers between towns or road houses,
with no opportunities to re-fuel, purchase refreshments, or use
toilets. Road conditions can be difficult in remote areas and the large
and less populated areas in the middle of Australia (the "outback").
Not all roads are sealed, and may not be passable in certain seasons or
weather conditions. Motorists need to be self-sufficient and prepared
when travelling in remote areas. Permits may also be required to travel
through certain remote locations.
Legal issues and safety
Driving is regulated by a number of State-based government authorities:
- New South Wales: NSW Roads and Traffic Authority [1]
- Victoria: VicRoads [2]
- Queensland: Queensland Transport [3]
- South Australia: Transport SA [4]
- Western Australia: Department for Planning and Infrastructure [5]
- Tasmania: Transport Tasmania [6]
- Australian Capital Territory: ACT Road Transport Authority [7]
- Northern Territory: Northern Territory Transport Group [8]
Licences
Drivers in Australia require a valid driver's license. Licenses from
other countries may be accepted for limited stays in Australia; details
vary by State. Typically, foreign licenses in English are considered
valid for driving in Australia for visitors with visitor's visas. In
other cases, an International Driving Permit is required, issued in your home country before arrival in Australia.
Also, you are permitted to drive an American (left-hand drive)
car in Australia, providing that you have the license to do so. If you
are going to do so, and you are driving a GM car, you are able to get
support from Holden, a GM brand in Australia.
Seat belts
Use of seat belts is compulsory in Australia for drivers and all
vehicle passengers, and infants must be secured with approved safety
capsules and harnesses. Seatbelt laws are strictly enforced, and the
onus is on the driver to ensure all passengers are buckled in.
Penalties apply to the driver of the vehicle, and include demerit points, license suspension, and heavy fines.
Speed limits
The road rules are strictly enforced in Australia,
especially speed limits. Speed limits vary depending on road
conditions, area and State. Speed limits change at regular intervals so
keep an eye out for them.
Speed cameras are used in all states and territories of
Australia, with some jurisdictions preferring covert/hidden cameras,
others preferring very overt/obvious cameras. The strictest place for
speed limit enforcement is Victoria, with speed cameras being hidden,
and having a 6km/h tolerance. The cameras are mounted on the dash of
unmarked cars operated by private contractors. If you are familiar with
a stretch of road, presume that any newish cars that are not normally
parked there are speed camera cars. When booked by a camera in
Victoria, the detected speed is then deducted by 3km/h to give the
alleged speed. E.g; if detected at 57km/h in a 50km/h, a motorist will
be booked for traveling at 54km/h, hence the common misconception that
in Victoria, a mere 3km/h tolerance applies. Other states have a
tolerance of 10% or more.
In urban areas the speed limits change often. A default
50km/h speed limit applies in urban areas of all states and
territories, unless signposted otherwise. School zones typically have a
40km/h limit during school hours, which is signposted, with South
Australian school zones being 25km/h. School zones are vigorously
enforced.
In country areas the default speed limit varies from
State to State. In Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland and
South Australia, the default speed limit for country areas is 100km/h,
with freeways (except where lower limits are posted) and some stretches
of major roads having limits of 110km/h. In Western Australia
and the Northern Territory the default speed limit for country areas
and freeways is 110km/h, with the Northern Territory having speed
limits of up to 130km/h on major highways.
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has a blanket speed
limit of 50km/h on all public roads unless signposted otherwise. Major
urban roads in the ACT typically have speed limits of between 60km/h
and 80km/h, country roads and dual carriageways are typically posted at
80km/h to 100km/h.
Driving Whilst Drunk
Under no circumstances should you drive while under the influence of
alcohol in Australia. Police conduct random breath tests along major
routes, both in cities and in the country. A driver does not have to be
driving suspiciously, nor do they need to have committed any driving
offence to be stopped by police for a random breath test. Drunk driving
offences are considered serious. Penalties include demerit points,
license suspension, hefty fines, and imprisonment. Refusing a random
breath test is an arrestable offence and severe penalties apply.
In Australia, a Blood Alcohol Concentration limit of 0.05%
applies in all States and Territories. Special limits may apply to
certain driver types, such as learner drivers, public taxi and bus
drivers, heavy vehicle/dangerous goods drivers.
Random drug testing is also in place in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.
Accidents
In case of an accident involving injury or death to any person, the
police and appropriate emergency response authorities must be
contacted. Phone the Australian emergency number 000 from fixed phones, or 112 from mobile phones. Emergency numbers from other countries (such as 911) do not work in Australia.
The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident in which a person may be injured or killed is legally required
to stop and render assistance. The penalties for fleeing an accident
scene can be severe, even if you are not at fault, which can be up to
10 years imprisonment. You must contact appropriate emergency
authorities, but you are not required to give first aid if you have no
training.
Persons rendering first aid in good faith in Australia are
protected by law and are not at risk of legal action against them. If
you can help at an accident scene, always do so.
Motoring groups
Each State and Territory has a separate motoring group which offers
roadside breakdown assistance, as well as comprehensive road maps,
tourist guides, and useful motoring advice from their numerous branch
offices. You need to purchase an annual membership in one of these
associations to qualify for roadside assistance, but this can be done
when lodging a call for help (with an additional fee). Each State
association has reciprocal arrangements with the others, so a single
membership will do for all of Australia.
- New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory: NRMA [9]
- Victoria: RACV
- Queensland: RACQ
- South Australia: RAA
- Western Australia: RAC
- Tasmania: RACT
- Northern Territory: AANT
City driving
Traffic in Australia's major cities can be congested. As in any
other place, it pays to avoid, if at all possible, driving in or around
the Central Business District (CBD) during peak times when everyone is
trying to get from or to work.
One additional hazard unique to driving in Melbourne's CBD and
the inner suburbs are trams. Melbourne is known for its extensive tram
network (US speakers may know trams as streetcars). There are three
tram-related rules which may not be immediately obvious. Normally, cars
drive over the tram tracks, and there will be a dotted yellow lane
marker left of the "tram lane". The dotted yellow marker means cars are
permitted to drive in the tram lane. Sometimes, there will be a solid
yellow line next to the tram lane. This indicates that cars are not
permitted to drive in the tram lane. In this case, there is often a
sign overhead, in the gantry above the road that indicates possible
times when cars are not permitted to drive in that lane. Note also that
tram passengers have right of way when crossing the road to or from a
tram. So you can't drive a vehicle past a stopped tram.
Perhaps the most infamous amongst Australians, and Melbournians
in particular, is the "hook turn", which is unique in Australia to
Melbourne's CBD. As almost all roads in Melbourne's CBD have tram
tracks, turning right (remember, we drive on the left) suddenly
presents a problem, as while you are waiting to turn, you would be in
the tram lane, holding up several trams. To get around this problem,
the "hook turn" was invented. This involves turning right from the left
lane. To execute a hook turn:
- Approach the intersection in the left lane, and indicate to turn right.
- Proceed into the intersection as far left as possible
(avoiding the pedestrian crossing). Moving across until you end up
being perpendicular to traffic which is heading in the direction you
want to be (who are waiting at a red light).
- Observe the traffic lights to your right. Once green, you turn to your right and proceed as normal.
Parking
Parking in major cities can be difficult, especially in the CBD and
around tourist areas, such as beaches. Commercial parking lots charge
on an hourly basis, and their fee often depends on the time of day and
week you are parking. These can be very expensive in the CBD area.
Cities often have council operated on-street parking that
involves a fee payable into a meter next to the spot (or more
frequently these days, a machine a few spots down which operates for
multiple spots). These spots will have a sign indicating the maximum
amount of time you can park there (paying the appropriate fee), and at
what times the fee operates.
Parking is policed sporadically, with some areas regularly
patrolled and others rarely, but you are never entirely safe parking
illegally. Fines are of the order of $100. In areas signposted as
"Clearways", parked cars will be towed, at considerable extra expense.
If you are willing to park a few blocks away and walk, it is
often possible to find free on-street parking in residential areas near
attractions.
Major capitals usually have good public transport within the CBD itself, and this is preferable to driving for short distances.
Tolls
Some motorways, bridges, and tunnels in major cities require payment
of tolls of up to $8. In some cases, a cash payment can be made at
tollbooths on the road, but there is an ongoing trend to automating
toll collection with the use of radio transponders installed in
vehicles. Some roads only have facilities to collect tolls
electronically in this way. If you drive on such a road without a
transponder, a photo is taken of your vehicle's number plate, and you
have a day to phone a number and arrange payment (plus an additional
processing fee) before a fine is issued. Toll roads are clearly
signposted and offer opportunities to exit before reaching the tolling
point.
Avoiding toll roads may save you a few dollars, but you will
pay in substantial extra travel time, fuel cost, and navigation
difficulties. If hiring a car, ask the agency for advice on toll roads.
Roundabouts
If you encounter a roundabout and are from a country that doesn't have them in great number, like the USA, here's a quick guide:
The big rule: Always give way to vehicles already on the
roundabout. You may enter the intersection only when there is no risk
of causing a collision with a vehicle already on the roundabout.
If you're on a multiple lane road, arrows will be painted in
each lane to show which may you proceed in the roundabout. Turn your
left indicator on if you intend to go left, indicate left if before
your exit point, and indicate right if you intend to turn right or wish
to do a U-Turn. Although rare in Australia, some roundabouts are placed
at intersections where more than two roads intersect, i.e: there may be
five or more exits. If you find you are approaching one of these,
simply indicate left if you wish to take the first exit, for other
exits indicate left as you approach your exit.
To leave the roundabout, begin indicating left when you pass
the exit before the exit you wish to take. This is so that drivers who
are attempting to enter the roundabout know which cars are exiting
where, giving them an advanced chance to enter the roundabout safely.
Driving roundabouts gets more sensible every time you do it.
Rural driving
Outside of major cities and the coastal routes between some state
capitals, Australian highways are mainly two lane undivided sealed
asphalt roads. While less than 15% of Australia's population lives in
regional and rural areas, about 60% of fatal accidents occur on these
roads, because the speeds are freeway-like (speed limits vary between
100km/h and 110km/h) but the conditions are more dangerous than
freeways because there is no barrier or division from oncoming traffic.
Some rural highways have regular overtaking lanes but on others
you will need to pass slower traffic by pulling into the right hand
lane (the one with oncoming traffic). Obviously this should be done
when there is no actual oncoming traffic and when you have plenty of
visibility, and should be done as quickly as possible. Do not ever
overtake by pulling off the road to the left, Australian drivers won't
anticipate this even if the shoulder is sealed and it is very dangerous
and illegal to drive onto an unsealed shoulder.
Some less major rural roads, and outback roads, are unsealed
gravel roads. These are harder to drive on at high speeds and you will
have to contend with the odd stone being thrown up. Windscreen damage
is not unusual. Typically, rental car companies do not allow
their cars to be taken off sealed roads, even if the unsealed road is
an official minor road. Many gravel roads in the south are in good
condition and experienced drivers tend to drive on them as fast as they
would on the sealed roads. When on gravel it is essential to slow down
well before a corner or you risk skidding as you turn. Loose or
drifting gravel also poses a hazard as it will pull at your tyres. If
you feel you are losing control on gravel, slow down, but try to avoid
braking sharply. Roads in the northern tropics are often sandy, rocky
or corrugated.
Mobile (cell) phone coverage will probably be highly
intermittent even on relatively major highways unless you are near a
population center. Check the coverage of the network you are using.
If you can budget for it, a mobile phone car kit with an external antenna can increase your range. Again, consult the coverage charts to see where an external antenna may help.
Outside of major centres, do not assume that fuel will be available
at night, early morning, or in some cases even on a Sunday. Even on
major regional roads roadhouses can close late at night. If you are
planning a long drive overnight make sure you know where and when you
are going to get fuel.
Distances can be a problem for the unprepared
Australia
is a very big country, and while driving is a fun and interesting way
to get around, you have to remember that it is a long long way to get
from point A to point B. Taking the capital cities as an example, it is
easy to drive from Melbourne to Adelaide in a day (9 hours), and not very much further to Canberra (7.5 hours) but driving from Melbourne to Sydney is a good 10 hours solid driving. If you want to drive to Perth from Melbourne, you must use the Eyre Highway and cross the Nullarbor Plain,
which means driving for approximately 3,500 km, including 2,000 km on a
virtually dead straight, totally flat road with only a few roadhouses,
sometimes hundreds of kilometres apart. You will have to spend at least
one night on the road, so book in advance. The general advice is to have a rest every 2 hours 'Stop, Revive, Survive'. You should also be wary of your fuel,
distances between fuel supplies can be extreme, even on main roads.
Check that you have a map indicating gas stations, as outback
communities do not always have fuel supplies.
There is little traffic on those back roads, but what there is
will consist of a fair proportion of road trains (semi-trailers towing
up to three trailers). They won't brake, as their effective stopping
distance is far too great.
As an example, here are the distances from one state capital to another:
Driving times
| Cities | Route | Distance
|
| Sydney–Melbourne
| Hume Highway (National Highway 31) through Albury-Wodonga
| 860km
|
|
| Princes Highway (National Highway 1) through Batemans Bay and Sale
| 1043 km
|
| Sydney–Brisbane
| Pacific Highway (National Highway 1) through Coffs Harbour
| 964km
|
|
| New England Highway (National Highway 15) through Tamworth and Armidale
| 1018km
|
| Sydney–Adelaide
| Hume and Stuart Highways (National Highways 31 and 20) through Wagga Wagga and Mildura
| 1410km
|
|
| Mitchell and Barrier Highways (National Highway 32) through Dubbo and Broken Hill
| 1659km
|
| Melbourne–Brisbane
| Newell Highway (National Highways 31, 39, 42 and 15) through Dubbo
| 1681km
|
| Melbourne–Adelaide
| Western and Dukes Highways (National Highways 8 and 1) through Horsham
| 724km
|
|
| Princes Highway (National Highway 1) through Mt Gambier
| 912km
|
| Brisbane–Adelaide
| Newell, Oxley and Mitchell Highways (National Highways 15, 42, 39, 34 and 32) through Moree and Broken Hill
| 2031km
|
|
| Stuart Highway (National Highways 87 and 1) through Alice Springs
| 3019km
|
| Adelaide–Perth
| Eyre and Great Eastern Highways (National Highways 1 and 94) through Ceduna and Norseman
| 2695km
|
| Perth–Darwin
| Brand, North-West Coastal, Great Northern, Victoria and Stuart Highways (National Highway 1) through Roebourne and Katherine
| 4166km
|
Animals
Australia
is the land of kangaroos, emus, feral camels and horses, and cattle.
Normally they just sit or stand by the road, but sometimes wander onto
roadways. Kangaroos sometimes leap across roadways directly in front of
vehicles. Emus may also run across a road. Off the main highways many
roads run adjacent to farms that are unfenced, and stock on the road
are common.
Drive carefully when you spot these big animals and be ready to
use your brakes. Be careful to avoid braking heavily and suddenly as
animals such as kangaroos and emus may be flipped over the lowered
bonnet of a heavily braking vehicle and through the windscreen. A
damaged vehicle and dead animal is a better outcome than a wounded
animal and dead motorists. Swerving to avoid an animal can also lead to
fatalities, so if the choice is between hitting the animal or
potentially losing control of the vehicle, hit the animal.
A lot of accidents occur at night when some animals are more
active and most are less visible. Most car hire firms impose a curfew
on driving after sunset in Western Australia and the Northern Territory
for good reason. Try and be at your destination before nightfall in
remote parts of these regions. If forced to travel at night, keep your
speed down. Many animals caught in headlights come to a complete halt,
but a short blast on the car horn may help startle them into moving off
the road. Briefly switching off your headlights may also encourage them
to move on.
Many Australian vehicles in the bush have "bull bars", a rigid
steel frame, in front of the radiator. These are to protect passengers
and the vehicle in the event of a collision with an animal. They do not
discriminate and add to the risks on the road. Some vehicles are also
fitted with a "Shu-Roo" which, when attached to the front of a moving
vehicle creates a loud whistling sound (not audible to humans) that is
supposed to scare kangaroos away.
If you do hit a native animal you are legally required to stop,
if it's safe to do so, to check if they had any young in their pouches
as these animals are marsupials and some species are endangered. Groups
who take care of injured and orphaned animals vary by region, so check
local listings before you travel.
Another problem common to Australian roads arises when
dangerous insects disturb drivers by being unexpectedly present inside
the vehicle. Many major traffic incidents have been blamed on such
occurrences. This phenomenon is known in some states as the "Huntsmen's
surprise" after the somewhat fearsome looking, yet harmless Huntsmen
spider.
Outback driving
If you are driving in the outback, be prepared for anything. There
is little traffic, so it is unlikely that anyone will be able to stop
and help you should you break down. There are few towns/gas stations
etc, so motorists need to make sure that they carry adequate and
surplus amounts of food, water and fuel. The interior of Australia
is a true desert, so if your vehicle has no air-conditioning, you could
suffer day time temperatures of 45° Celsius (110° Fahrenheit). Night
time temperatures can drop to freezing.
Depending upon the estimated time of travel and the remoteness
of the roads, it is wise to take at least 10 liters of drinking water
per person per day of travel, and an additional 3-5 days of extra
drinking water per person, in case of breakdown. Shade material and
very thick warm blankets are also important survival tools.
Do not expect your mobile phone to work if you are in the
outback. While efforts have been made to 'cover' the populated areas,
large areas of the country do not have service. If you really go to the
back of beyond it is a good idea to buy or rent a two-way HF
radio (the Royal Flying Doctor Service web page lists outlets they can
be hired from) or a satellite phone.
Many outback unsealed roads require a true
four-wheel-drive vehicle for safe passage. One that is especially
prepared for the trip with suitable equipment depending on the length,
isolation, and roughness of the track. Advanced planning is required
for such trips, you cannot just hire a passenger sedan and go!
An SUV or soft road vehicle is not always suitable for roads marked as
requiring a four wheel drive. If in doubt, check with the local
authorities before starting out.
Temperatures can be extremely hot during the day, and can drop
drastically once night falls. Always go to the local police station
when you are going off the sealed (paved) highway, and tell them where
you are going and how long you expect to take. This will help them to
look for you if you are stranded. Never ever leave your car when it breaks down in the middle of nowhere.
In case of a long wait it gives you shelter and it is a lot easier to
spot than a person walking in the bush. Also, a person uses about four
times as much water when walking, and Australia is a dry country.
Beware of potholes and corrugations on gravel roads. Potholes
are not always visible on sandy roads. The road surface might seem
quite even, but hidden potholes hit with sufficient speed can overturn
a car. Corrugations are wavelike formations that form on a road surface
when enough cars have been driven over it. At low speeds the car will
be shaken to a degree that's almost unbearable. At higher speeds there
is a risk of losing control over the steering wheel. In most cases a
speed of 50-60 km/h is a happy medium; not too slow and not too fast.
Do not try to steer around lizards, etc, the car is likely to become
unsteerable with a high chance of crashing.
Dust can also be a problem on unpaved roads, and heavy vehicles
travelling at high speed often leave a trail of dust behind them,
severely impairing visibility in vehicles behind them. As a precaution,
do not tailgate. The significantly reduced visibility in dust storms
caused by vehicles in front can have deadly consequences.
Pay particular attention to the weather forecasts in outback
areas and be prepared to stay put for a while if the weather sets in.
Outback roads can be closed with little notice in the wet, isolating
communities, at any time of year.
Some two-way paved roads have only one lane paved, right down
the middle. When approaching another car both of you are expected to
move left off the bitumen onto the dirt at the side of the road, pass,
and then move back onto the black. Be wary immediately after passing,
as the other car will have stirred up a huge dust cloud which will
lower visibility for several seconds.
Road trains
Road trains are a special hazard on Australian roads. These
leviathans can reach lengths of up to 55 metres, with up to four
trailers, so treat them with care and respect.
Oncoming road trains should be given all the space they need.
On asphalt roads you should slow down and drive partly on the road
shoulder if possible.
A road train coming up behind you should often be allowed to
pass as well, since some drivers don't obey the posted speed limits. In
many cases overtaking a road train is not a good idea. If you have to
do it, be sure to choose a nice long stretch of straight road where you
can make sure that there's no oncoming traffic for about 2 km. On
gravel roads there's only one piece of advice: don't.
Sometimes a large truck will indicate right once or twice if
the road ahead is clear, allowing you to overtake. Treat this signal
with caution as sometimes there is not enough space between you and the
next oncoming car. Use your common sense. If you are equipped with a CB
radio you may be able to talk to the truckie and confirm the condition
of the road ahead for safe overtaking.
Staying awake
Once you are outside the metropolitan areas traffic tends to thin
out and driving becomes relatively boring. The long straight stretches,
the slowly changing scenery on many through routes and fine weather can
be a recipe for drowsiness. Make sure you stop every couple of hours
and, if possible, change drivers. On some routes local service clubs
provide coffee and there are bill boards with road safety advice. These
are there for a reason. People die on those routes from drivers falling
asleep.
When you arrive in Australia allow for "jet lag". Do not leave
your car heater or air-conditioner switched to "recycle" as this can
make you drowsy and watch for other signs of fatigue (blurred vision,
yawning). On summer evenings you can usually leave the windows open,
for the fresh air and smell of the bush.
Wet season
In the north of Australia, the period from November (sometimes even
October) to March is considered the Wet Season. Many remote communities
(and even some major towns on the Queensland coast) are completely
isolated during the Wet, unless they have a landing strip for light
aircraft. Rivers that are dry at other times of the year can overflow
their banks due to extremely high rainfall. Sometimes bridges are
washed out, or dirt roads are turned into muddy quagmires. Water levels
can rise quickly from nothing to flooding. Notably, the Bruce Highway,
which is the main road from Brisbane up through the Queensland coast to
Cairns is notorious for being cut for days at a time in many areas,
mostly near Innisfail and Tully, which are both just south of Cairns.
Travellers intending to drive around the North should contact
local authorities beforehand, as they will know the most about local
conditions. They will also be the poor sods called out to rescue you if
you get stuck, so be polite! In Queensland, it is possible to go from
Cairns to Cooktown via Mareeba or Mossman using an inland route, which
is suitable for regular cars. if you intend to take the coastal route
(starting just north of Cape Tribulation), you can't do it whenever it
is raining, unless you have a serious 4WD, preferably equipped with a
snorkel.
If travelling around the North on unsealed (unpaved) roads, a
powerful four-wheel drive vehicle is a must. Being bogged in the middle
of the outback can be fatal, although those who follow the rule of
informing local police where they are going will probably be okay. Stay
with the vehicle, unless it's rapidly sinking underwater.
See also
Routes
Information here (unless otherwise specified) are licenced
under a Creative
Commons Licence.
If you're gonna travel abroad, make sure you are prepared... take it from us, travel insurance is an absolute must!
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