【18-Day Campervan Self-Drive Tour in Southeastern Australia】

A family of 7 (6 adults and 1 child) took an 18-day campervan self-drive tour in southeastern Australia, covering over 3,000 km.

Total cost about 140,000 RMB, less than 20,000 RMB per person. Main expenses:

Flights: 57,000 RMB

Visa fees: 1,065 * 7 = 7,455 RMB

Transport (rental car, fuel): 32,000 RMB

Food (supermarket groceries): 8,000 RMB

Accommodation (campsites, city hotels): 20,000 RMB

Others (tickets, helicopter): 10,000 RMB

Self-guided travel requires preparation. For a holiday with limited time, advance preparation is especially important! The thoroughness of your preparation is directly proportional to how much you enjoy the trip! Plus, traveling with a large family, going with the flow is unreliable. To have a good time, thorough pre-trip preparation and a detailed itinerary are essential.

First, read various travel blogs and guides to learn how others plan their trips, what factors they consider, and what precautions they take. This gives you a feel for the unfamiliar destination, allowing you to start designing your own itinerary and research the specific attractions, hotels, campsites, routes, etc., along your route, gradually refining your plan.

Before departure, it's best to create a rough itinerary including important information such as flight numbers/departure times, hotel names and addresses, campsite addresses and phone numbers, so you can easily check and navigate during the trip.

Google Maps is a great tool. You can mark routes and attractions on the map for a clear overview, adjust them anytime, and even share with your family.

Tips for Australia Trip

After price comparison, we finally chose Ctrip: Malaysia Airlines with a transfer in Kuala Lumpur. Round-trip tickets for adults were about 8,500 RMB.

There's plenty of information online about how to prepare visa documents, so I won't go into detail. Basically, the Australian embassy wants you to provide materials as detailed as a financial disclosure. Cost per person: 1,065 RMB.

We booked the campervan directly through the Britz website. They offer 2-6 person campervans. Britz campervans are relatively older, with not-so-great interior facilities, such as slow drainage, loose refrigerator doors, etc. I suggest considering the slightly more expensive Maui campervans.

Since we had more than 6 people and couldn't rent just one 6-person campervan, and for safety and comfort, we decided to rent a fully equipped 4-person campervan plus a small car.

In Australia, because there are fewer cars, most roads have only one lane in each direction, and overtaking by crossing the center line is prohibited. There are overtaking lanes every few kilometers or so. If you want to overtake, you drive straight; if you want to let others pass, you move into the left lane.

Australia has a sparse population, and gas stations are rare along the roads, even on A-class highways (just below freeways). It's best to fill up in areas with several stations near towns. Missing a gas station can cause big trouble. I suggest developing the habit of refueling when the tank is half full: whenever the tank is about half, fill up at the nearest town.

Except for staying in a hotel in Sydney for convenience, we stayed at campsites the entire time. For comfort, we chose: 1 Cabin (with kitchen, shower, toilet, can accommodate 2-4 people) + 1 Powered Site (for the campervan, which can sleep 2-4 people).

Note: Hotels and campsites in Australia require checkout by 10 AM, not 12 PM as in China.

With a fully equipped campervan and a cabin with a kitchen at night, we cooked all three meals ourselves. We didn't eat out and ate fairly familiar food, so our stomachs didn't suffer. To do this, we stopped at a large supermarket every day to buy plenty of ingredients for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The most famous local supermarkets are Coles and Woolworths. Keep all your shopping receipts, as many gas stations offer discounts when you show a supermarket receipt. Alcohol is not sold in the supermarkets; it's available in dedicated shops next to them.

Breakfast usually included milk, cereal, bread, avocado, eggs, and bacon.

Every day at noon, we stopped at a rest area and cooked a quick but hearty lunch in the campervan using ingredients prepared the day before.

Dinner was the most important meal of the day and also the richest. We usually ate local steak and lamb, which tasted fantastic.

Since we are all Chinese at heart and love rice, but the campervan/campsite had no rice cooker, we decided to bring our old rice cooker from home. This turned out to be the smartest decision of the trip. Having hot rice every day was a real treat.

It's hard to find Chinese vegetables in Australian supermarkets, and they are extremely expensive. Vegetables are sold individually; three bunches tied together cost 2 or 3 Australian dollars. If you want to stir-fry a plate, you'd need 4 bunches, which would cost over 50 RMB.

Australia welcomes family travel. Many paid attractions offer family ticket discounts. A family typically means a couple plus two children under 16.

【Suggested items to bring】 Power strip, power bank, charging cables, car charger, rice cooker, chopsticks, ziplock bags, trash bags, laundry detergent, nail clippers, high-SPF sunscreen, walkie-talkies, binoculars, flashlight.

【Power sockets】 Australian sockets are rarely two-pin; most are three-pin, same as in China, with 220V voltage. Since most phone/camera chargers have two-pin plugs, you must bring a power strip with multiple two-pin sockets, or you'll go crazy.

【SIM card】 After clearing customs at the airport, go directly to the Optus counter and buy a SIM card, similar to China's Shenzhouxing card. A 15-day card costs 30 AUD, a 30-day card costs 60 AUD, both deducting 2 AUD per day for unlimited calls within Australia, enough for long chats with Australian friends.

【2014/1/25 Beijing via Kuala Lumpur (MH361) to Melbourne (MH129)】

On 1/24 at 10 PM, we booked a taxi via Didi to the airport. The plane was delayed nearly 1 hour, but we had enough transfer time. After about 6 hours of flight, we arrived in Kuala Lumpur, with over an hour to transfer to Melbourne. Then another 8-hour flight, arriving in Melbourne at about 9 PM local time.

Since we arrived late that day and planned to pick up the rental car the next day, we didn't book a hotel in Melbourne city but instead booked the Best Western near the airport. After arriving, we called the hotel, and a shuttle came within a few minutes. The hotel owner is Chinese, employing some international students on summer internships, so both the airport pickup and front desk staff were Chinese-speaking students.

【2014/1/26 Pick up cars, see little penguins】

The second day (1/26) of our 18-day round trip had the most stories, with twists and turns. It felt like a warning that the trip might be unlucky, but fortunately everything turned out fine, and the remaining 16 days went smoothly.

Since 1/27 was an Australian public holiday, all rental companies were closed, so we had to pick up the cars on 1/26 instead. The next day we took a large taxi big enough for 7 people and 4 suitcases. We dropped the non-drivers (5 people) at Queen Victoria Market, while we two drivers continued to the rental company.

We booked the campervan directly through the Britz website. They offer 2-6 person campervans. Since we arrived early at Britz, we had to wait half an hour to pick it up. The staff gave us free chairs and a tent. Britz campervans are relatively older with not-so-great interior facilities, such as slow drainage, loose refrigerator doors, etc. Suggestion: consider the slightly more expensive Maui campervans.

Driving a large campervan on the right-hand side of the road (left-hand traffic) is indeed not easy. The campervan almost fills the entire lane, and you feel like you're going to hit oncoming cars, instinctively drifting left. You have to consciously steer right, or you'll invade the left lane. Fortunately, we are experienced drivers with over 10 years of driving, so we adapted quickly. Just be extra careful when turning and every morning when you first start driving.

We booked the small car through Britz for convenience. That was a mistake. Britz doesn't own small cars; they just act as a booking agent. The actual car was from Europcar. Although I had already paid Britz online for the car, Europcar required a $1 deposit from my credit card for security. Unfortunately, Europcar does not accept UnionPay credit cards, and I only had a Visa card with a UnionPay logo. After many communications with Britz and Europcar without a solution, we had to cancel and try another rental company. Unfortunately, it was a long weekend (1/26 was Sunday, and 1/27 was an Australian public holiday), and all nearby rental companies had no cars available. Finally, we went to Avis. The first female receptionist said there were no cars, but then a male receptionist said there was one, but he jacked up the price to over 1,400 AUD (normally under 1,000 AUD). We had no choice but to accept the harsh terms. Suggestion: If you want to rent a small car, you can book directly through international brands like Avis, Hertz, Budget, etc. Avoid local brand rental companies, as they may not accept UnionPay credit cards.

For campsites, we heard there are many in Australia, so we could just call and book anytime. After picking up both vehicles, it was already after 4 PM, so we quickly called to book. But all campsites near our destination were fully booked due to the damn long weekend. Regardless, we drove to Phillip Island as planned to see the world's smallest penguins at the Penguin Parade. Afterward, we searched Google Maps for the nearest campsite and drove there to try our luck. We were lucky—there was one last powered site for $90. After that ordeal, we never had trouble finding a campsite again. We called every day after lunch to book that night's spot.

Suggestion: If traveling during holidays/long weekends, be sure to prepare everything in advance, including cars, hotels, campsites, supermarkets, etc. Unlike China, overseas, shops/attractions/rental companies close earlier on weekends/holidays.

【2014/1/27 Koalas @ Phillip Island】

We drove from Phillip Island via Melbourne to the Great Ocean Road, enjoying the ups and downs of Bell Blvd, the beautiful beaches of Bell Beach and Angelasea Beach, and arrived at Bimbi Park Camping Under Koalas (90 Manna Gum Dr, Cape Otway VIC 3233).

This campsite was specially recommended by a friend, mainly because koalas can be seen everywhere in the eucalyptus trees around the site. Indeed, in our 16 days in Australia, this was the best place to see wild koalas. Aside from koalas, the campsite had nothing to recommend: the grass was almost bare, all services were charged, and prices were high, e.g., $1 for a 3-minute shower.

【2014/1/28 Twelve Apostles on the Great Ocean Road】

We left Bimbi and continued along the Great Ocean Road, passing the famous Twelve Apostles and the beautiful town of Port Campbell. We stayed at Port Fairy Caravan Parks (111 Griffith St, Port Fairy VIC 3284).

Highly recommend this campsite. Surroundings 5: 2 minutes from the beach; Facilities 4: good public facilities, free showers; Price/Service 3: a bit expensive.

The helicopter ride over the Twelve Apostles, though expensive (145 AUD per person), is recommended for a completely different perspective.

【2014/1/29 Mt. Gambier】

We left Port Fairy and continued along the Great Ocean Road, passed the famous Nelson Lighthouse, and arrived at the first Big4 campsite near the beautiful town of Mt. Gambier: Big 4 Blue Lake Holiday Park (Bay Road, Mount Gambier, 5290).

Highly recommend this campsite. Surroundings 5: right next to the dreamy Blue Lake; Facilities 4: beautiful campsite, good public facilities, free showers; Price/Service 4: reasonable price, Cabin (with kitchen, shower, toilet) $123 + Powered site $40.

【2014/1/30 New Year's Eve Dinner @ Robe】

We left the dreamy Blue Lake, passed the lobster-rich Beach Port, and stayed at BIG4 Robe Long Beach Holiday Park (70-80 Esplanade, Robe SA 5276, Australia).

Highly recommend this campsite. Surroundings 4: next to the beach; Facilities 4: beautiful campsite, good public facilities, free showers; Price/Service 3: Cabin (with kitchen, shower, toilet) $149 + Powered site $40.

The whole family prepared New Year's Eve dinner.

【2014/1/31 Adelaide】

We left Robe and headed towards Adelaide. We took a break in a small town called Meningie to feed seagulls. Before entering Adelaide, we passed a salt flat area, presenting a completely different landscape, beginning several days of driving through salt flats. We settled in at Big4 Adelaide Shores Holiday Parks (1 Military Road, West Beach SA 5024).

This was the only campsite where we stayed for 3 nights. It was huge, with over 400 powered sites and over 100 cabins, yet still fully booked. Since we couldn't get a cabin, we had to use the campervan and a tent. Fortunately, the temperature was around 40°C during these days.

Recommend this campsite. Surroundings 4: next to the beach, close to Adelaide; Facilities 4: beautiful campsite, good public facilities, free showers; Price/Service 4: Powered site $85 AUD.

【2014/2/1 Adelaide Big4】

The local temperature reached 40°C, so we stayed at the campsite and watched the Spring Festival Gala on iPad.

【2014/2/2 Kangaroo Island】

Although it was still 41°C, we decided to go to Kangaroo Island anyway.

We originally planned to join a one-day tour of Kangaroo Island with pick-up and drop-off, but gave up after seeing the price. We drove ourselves instead. After driving over 100 km to the ferry terminal, we were lucky to arrive 5 minutes early and catch the 10 AM ferry, taking the car with us to the island.

From the ferry terminal, we drove to Remarkable Rocks, Admirals Arch, Cape du Couedic Lighthouse, etc. The one-way drive took over 2 hours. Since we hadn't seen any kangaroos yet, everyone was hoping to see them on Kangaroo Island. Unfortunately, we didn't see a single live kangaroo despite staring intently. The roadside was littered with dead kangaroos hit by cars. Everyone joked, "It seems there are no live kangaroos in Australia, only dead ones." History tells us that miracles often happen when you're about to give up. On the way back to the ferry after visiting the sites, we first spotted a lone kangaroo by the roadside. We stopped and took pictures like crazy, as if meeting a lover. History also tells us that miracles often come one after another. While we were still immersed in the joy of finally seeing a live kangaroo, a group of kangaroos appeared in the grass a little further away. We stopped again, screamed, and took photos.

Later, we gradually realized that because of the heat, kangaroos only come out from sunset until the next morning.

【2014/2/3 Yorke Peninsula】

We left Adelaide with the joy of seeing kangaroos and headed to the port town of Pt Victoria on the Yorke Peninsula. Along the way, we saw a completely different scenery: endless golden grasslands on both sides of the road, occasionally dotted with cows and sheep.

Originally we planned to stay at a campsite on the Yorke Peninsula, but to reduce the distance we needed to cover in the following days, we decided to drive more today. We chose Blanchetown Riverside Holiday Park (Sanders Street, Blanchetown SA 5357), 200 km away. Upon arrival, we found that we were the only guests in the entire campsite, giving us exclusive use of a separate kitchen and two separate shower/toilet facilities.

You can try this campsite if you get a chance. It's quiet, right next to the Murray River, with flocks of parrots in the trees and pelicans in the river. You'll definitely be woken up by bird calls in the morning. Surroundings 4: next to the Murray River, like a bird park; Facilities 4: small campsite but good public facilities, free showers; Price/Service 4: inland location makes it cheap, Powered site only $32, cabin discounted to $85.

【2014/2/3~6 Crossing the Southeastern Australian Interior】

Over 3 days, we drove 1,500 km crossing the southeastern interior (Yorke Peninsula > Blanchetown > Renmark (winery) > Mildura > Hay > Wagawaga > Canberra > Jervis Bay (beach, abalone picking) > Kiama). Originally we didn't plan to go to Canberra, but during the crossing, our son repeatedly expressed a desire to see the "tiny" capital of Australia, so we changed the route to pass through Canberra.

We thought the 3-day journey would be boring, but it brought us one surprise after another.

Surprise 1: The scenery changed constantly. For a stretch, it was salt flats, as desolate as a no-man's land; another stretch was endless golden grasslands similar to the Yorke Peninsula, like autumn; amidst the salt flats and golden grasslands, large vineyards often appeared like oases; from Canberra to Sydney, it was green and lush, like summer.

Surprise 2: We saw various animals along the way. Besides common cows and sheep, we unexpectedly saw many ostriches in the salt flats area; at the campsite in Canberra, we saw kangaroos that had wandered into the campsite at night, and in the morning, groups of kangaroos grazing nearby.

Surprise 3: The east coast was covered with abalone. After leaving Canberra and reaching the east coast, we found abalone all over the rocks on the beach.

First night campsite: Hay Big4 (4 Nailor Street, Hay NSW 2711, 02 6993 1875, haybig4.com.au?).

Second night campsite: Canberra Carotel Motel & Caravan Park (150 Aspinall Street, Watson ACT 2602). Rating 4, reason: kangaroos appear. Expensive due to proximity to Canberra.

Third night campsite: BIG4 Easts Beach Holiday Park (Ocean Street, Kiama NSW 2533, Australia). Rating 4, reason: right by the beach, very large campsite, full facilities.

【2014/2/7~9 On to Sydney】

We officially headed to Sydney, the final destination of our trip, passing through Wollongong (waves) > Coledale Beach (beach, waves, abalone picking) > Sydney.

We stayed at Medina Serviced Apartments Martin Place (1 Hosking Place, Sydney NSW 2000). If you come to Sydney and want to be close to all major attractions while being able to cook your own meals, this hotel is a good choice. It's located in downtown Sydney, within 5-15 minutes' walk from all attractions (Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Royal Botanic Gardens, Government House, Hyde Park, museums). After dinner, you can stroll to enjoy the stunning night views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

Day 1 walking route:

From hotel > Circular Quay > Sydney Opera House > Royal Botanic Gardens > Government House > Hyde Park > back to hotel.

Day 2 walking route:

From hotel > Hyde Park > Australian Museum > St Mary's Cathedral > Art Gallery of New South Wales > Circular Quay > Manly Island (ferry) > Darling Harbour (ferry) > Sydney Tower Eye > Queen Victoria Building > back to hotel.

If you have a child, don't miss Sydney's Sunday Family Funday ticket. With one child, the whole family (regardless of number or identity—aunts, uncles, etc.) can buy a transport pass for just $2.50 AUD per person, valid all day for unlimited travel on all ferries, buses, trains, etc. We happened to be there on a Sunday and used this pass to take ferries to Manly Island and Darling Harbour.

【2014/2/10 Return to Beijing】

From Sydney via Kuala Lumpur back to Beijing.

Reposted in May 2024 for more people to reference.