Here for a quick laugh? Or you’re travelling/have travelled Australia and want something so relatable? Well you’re in the right place! Here are 20 truths about road tripping Australia.
We’ve been on the road for a little over 2 months with about 4 months left of our road trip around Australia, and having met many travellers on the road, some things keep popping up which are so relatable. Whether it’s the fuel costs, searching for a Woolies or break down costs, we’re sure one of these truths you can relate to too!
If you’re wanting more serious and informative blog posts on road tripping Australia head to our ‘Discover Australia Page‘, we’ve got you covered!
Without further ado:
20+ Truths About Road Tripping Australia
1.You’ll quickly fall in love with this country
Pretty much every day you’ll see something amazing!
2. You’ll be stocking up at every Coles and Woolies you see
Because let’s face it, IGA and other local stores suck for price and variety.
3. Paying for fuel will be your worst enemy
There were days we filled up 5 times, spent over $200 and saw $2.20 per litre, it happens to all of us.
4. Wiki-camps will be your godsend during your road trip
Think of it as your bible. Download it here!
5. Phone coverage is very bi-polar and you’ll get used to no coverage for days
It’s true, as soon as you hit the outback or head a few hours out of town, it goes from 100 to 0 real quick. Oh and make sure to use Telstra!
6. Scoring a hot free shower is the best thing ever
Ahhhhh the bliss! Bonus when it’s free but sometimes you’ll go the lengths and pay $3 for one!
7. Don’t get a “wizz-bang” (camper), 4WD is the way forward
Australias roads have come a long way, but there are still a ton of places that you can only access with a 4WD. If you value space over off-the-beaten-path-adventure/you’re a hippie, a camper will be just fine!
8. Instagram is a huge source of inspiration on where to travel to next
Go on the geo-tag of for example a national park or area that you’re heading to, and Instagram will show you a bunch of popular photos from that place.
9. Drop toilets are just another day at the office
They might smell and might be dirty, but they’re low maintenance and environmentally friendly. Oh and don’t forget to take toilet paper!
10. You’ll witness some of the most magical sunsets and sunrises
If you haven’t, where are you?
11. Yep its true, you will see the odd hippies playing the guitar around a camp fire
Guaranteed they’ll be British.
12. Planning where you’ll sleep/camp whilst driving a few hours before sunset
You never really know how much you’ll get done in a day or where you like it the most. A quick look at Wiki Camps a few hours before sunset will become a daily habit.
13. You come to realise how big Australia really is
You’ll set off, and after a week of travelling you’re still pretty much in the same place when you look at the Australia map on your phone.
14. An 8-9 hour drive is not uncommon
Australia is a whole lotta nothing (with a whole lotta cool stuff dotted all around it)!
15. You’ll see other travellers and wish you were as pro as them with their gear
How nice would it be to drive around in that brand new, lifted 4×4 with snorkels and winches, combined with an inbuilt fridge & freezer powered by the solar panel on top of their roof tent and so on…
16. Speaking of which, you’ll probably spend hundreds of dollars along the way upgrading your gear
Yep, stuff like an awning (or a roof rack or a fridge or solar panels or…) is very practical. At least you won’t struggle to find supplies, because in Australia even small towns still have some sort of 4WD or camping gear store.
17. You’ll break down and think why is everybody else’s car alright!?
Theirs aren’t either! Literally everybody we’ve spoken to has had at least few repairs done to their car, broken down in the middle of nowhere, and a whole lot of people have spent more money on the repairs than on the actual car!
18. You’ll loose track of how many weird bugs and insects you come across
A giant buzzing ant-shaped flying thing the size of a huge cockroach? Perfectly normal.
19. And yes, large spiders are another common animal…
You might not see them so much in the cities, but they like hanging around in some of those campsite toilets! We’ve had a few on our car as well…
20. Creepy noises at night are most likely kangaroos
Larger kangaroos make quite a bit of noise when jumping around and they can come right up to your car at night. Don’t freak out!
21. Driving at night outside of cities is a no go due to all the animals
When you’re camping it’s always nice to be done with driving a couple of hours before the sun goes down. Sometimes it’s hard because there’s so much stuff to see, but please don’t drive at night. Kangaroos, wombats, koalas, bandicoots, possums and many more swarm the streets after dark. You don’t want to kill them, and bumper / radiator / light repairs are annoying too! Dusk and dawn are just as bad, but at least you can see better.
22. Ants, ants and more ants
Stop at your campsite of choice for the night, open the door, look down, and chances are you’ll see ants running about. And even if not, they’ll come say hello not long after you’ve settled down.
23. Some free camps are better than the paid ones
There are some amazing free campsites out there. We’ve even come across one with a swimming pool! But that excitement quickly goes, when you find yourself in an area with no free campsites and you just paid 30 dollars for filthy amenities and a piece of dirt to put your car on.
Travel Insurance
This is a simple quote that sums it up pretty well: “If you can’t afford travel insurance, then you can’t afford to travel.” It’s really that simple. You may be thinking, nothing ever happens to me, I’ll be fine. Please don’t take the risk. Accidents happen all the time which may not always be your fault.
The price you’ll pay for insurance is a hell of a lot less than a hospital bill or the purchase of a new laptop/camera that was stolen.
We always travel without insurance, and quite frankly we’d feel nervous and anxious if we didn’t. The insurance provider we always use is World Nomads.
Read our review on why you need travel insurance with a more in-depth explanation about why we use this awesome company!
There you have it! 20+ truths about road tripping Australia! Have you got any more funny truths? Can you relate? Or waiting to set off yourself? Comment below, we’d love to know!
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Oh yeah, I could relate to almost all of them! Good one! The weird insects I didn’t even know existed are the worst for me… Australia is full of surprises, and most of them are good. But the insects and spiders are another story 😉
Hi Eloise,
Mine too, especially all the spiders!! Ew! But overall Australia is a pretty awesome country 😉
Happy Travels,
Emma
Hahah this is awesome! I am planning a road trip through Australia soon and wanted to read what might come up my way! Thanks for sharing, things are always funnier afterwards than when you are in them – like the car breaking down lol!
Hi Jacqueline,
Exciting! Australia is an incredible country to road trip around, don’t be put off by all the insects and bugs it’s not that bad I promise 😉
Happy Travels,
Emma
You have definitely convinced me that i will fall in love with Australia on road trips. I cannot wait to get there. Gorgeous photos!
Hi Ketki,
You will most definitely fall in love 😉
Happy Travels,
Emma