Archive for the ‘Australia Travel Tips’ Category

Car Hire Tips for Melbourne

Friday, March 10th, 2023

Melbourne is among the most popular cities in Australia. Filled with natural attractions as well as architectural wonders, this city leaves travelers wanting more. And, with a rental vehicle, it’s much easier to explore it as well as nearby areas. By booking a self-drive car rental in Melbourne, you can explore every nook and corner of the city at your own pace. Whether you need a rental from the airport location or the downtown area of the city, you can book the best car hire of your choice with us.

While planning to rent a car, there are a certain aspects you need to keep in mind that will help you to reserve the best deal. We have collected a few points like popular car rental types, best companies and some tips, to make your Melbourne car hire journey smoother:

Popular Types of Car Hire Deals in Melbourne

One-Way Car Rental – Book a one-way car hire in Melbourne for taking a road trip from the city to other stunning parts of the country. For reserving a one-way trip, select a location in the city as your pick-up point and a different place in the country as your drop-off location. Such a trip requires a renter to pay a one-way fee, which is a conveyance fee charged by a supplier to arrange the return of the car to the original location. Reserve a one-way rental trip on our website and take these popular road trips from the city –

Best Car Hire Companies in Melbourne

Several leading rental suppliers offer their services in Melbourne. The topmost rental brands in the city include –

  • Alamo
  • Europcar
  • Sixt
  • Thrifty
  • National
  • Enterprise
  • Keddy

Tips to Book the Best and Cheapest Car Rental in Melbourne

Popular Categories for Car Hire in Melbourne

Intermediate/standard car rental is the most frequently booked rental category in Melbourne. Apart from this, travelers can also choose from car types such as economy, luxury, SUV, or van/minivan, depending upon their itinerary.

Top Car Rental Locations in Melbourne

Tips for Driving a Melbourne Car Hire

Top Attractions in and around Melbourne

There are several popular tourist spots in Melbourne. Some of the best attractions you can get around in your Melbourne rental car include – 

Car Rental Melbourne to Adelaide

Wednesday, February 26th, 2020

Car hire Melbourne to Adelaide

Renting a car from Melbourne to Adelaide is a popular choice among all sorts of travelers. Our rewarding association with the best car hire suppliers in Australia translates into bigger savings for you as you’ll pay no booking fees, no airport surcharge, no premium location fees, or no credit card processing charges. Moreover, you can choose the cheapest car rental Melbourne to Adelaide from a wide selection of vehicles of various makes and models such as compact cars, economy cars, minivans, vans, and 4WD SUVs. Whatever your travel plans are, Australia Rent Car has the right car for your leisure holiday or business trip. For first time visitors, you may please read our Australia car rental tips and requirements blog to make your car hire experience a memorable one.

Car rental Melbourne to Adelaide one way

Australia Rent Car can help you find one way car hire specials and as well as long-term car hire deals for your road trip. Having networked with several local and international car rental companies gives us the benefit of offering cheap car rental Melbourne to Adelaide at several locations. With Australia Rent Car offering a perfect answer to the question of how to get cheap one way car rentals, all you need to do is make a reservation now. Given below are our car rental suppliers’ popular locations in both the cities, giving you a convenient option of car rental Melbourne to Adelaide return.

Popular car hire pick-up locations in Melbourne Melbourne Airport, Melbourne Downtown, Frankston Port, Geelong, South Melbourne, Southern Cross Railway Station
Popular car hire drop-off locations in Adelaide Adelaide Airport, Adelaide Downtown, Klemzig, Plympton, Adelaide Railway Station

Melbourne to Adelaide car hire suppliers

Alamo, East Coast Car Rentals, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz Car Rental, National, and Sixt are our car hire partners that offer car rental Melbourne to Adelaide one way deals. Please note that relocation car hire Melbourne to Adelaide is solely at the discretion of the rental car supplier that you select. Australia Rent Car does not guarantee a free car rental from Melbourne to Adelaide.

Melbourne to Adelaide car rental free inclusions

Have a look at the common free rental inclusions that our rental car partners offer.

Melbourne to Adelaide routes information

Your one-way Melbourne to Adelaide drive in one go via the shortest route could consume about 8 hours. However, as all the routes offer a plethora of worth seeing places to discover, you may plan a road trip with overnight stays at places of your choice. However, let’s not forget that Melbourne and Adelaide are in different time zones. Plan your journey accordingly as Adelaide is 30 minutes behind Melbourne. You can drive from Melbourne to Adelaide via either of the following three routes.

Melbourne to Adelaide Distance Route Time
727 km (451.73 miles) National Highway A8 7 hours 54 minutes
750 km (466.02 miles) Western Hwy/A8 and National Highway A8 8 hours 16 minutes
924 km (574.14 miles) Calder Hwy/A79 9 hours 58 minutes

Whether you are a leisure tourist or an avid sports fan, Melbourne holds special importance for everyone. As the city is the home of the Australian Open, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Australian Grand Prix, and Australian Football, you can become part of as many sporting extravaganzas as you want. The journey outside Melbourne is as exciting as the city itself. Hit the Great Ocean Road that takes you around the 12 Apostles, wilderness reserves, and beautiful beaches before entering Adelaide. With so much to explore on this route, you can easily stretch this journey to 2-3 days, depending upon the route that you choose. Choose Australia Rent Car to book cheap car hire so that you can save money on your road trip.

Road Trip in Tasmania – Hire a Cheap Car From Top Suppliers

Tuesday, September 3rd, 2019

Plan a road trip in Tasmania in a rental car

Situated just south of mainland Australia, the island of Tasmania is known for its beautiful coastal region, mountainous landscape, and rich wildlife. Tasmania’s compact size makes it a perfect place to plan road trips. Nowhere else you will see so much of natural beauty without covering hundreds of kilometers in one day. However, car rental in Tasmania is a must to explore the island at your own pace. As Tasmania is predominantly hilly, it offers tremendous opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and trekking.

Arriving in Tasmania

Rental car companies in Tasmania

Sixt Car Hire, Europcar, Alamo Rent a Car, Thrifty Car Rental, National Car Rental, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and East Coast Car Rentals are our rental car partners in Tasmania. Our partner suppliers offer rental vehicles at the following locations in Tasmania.

Car Rental Supplier Location Address
Sixt Car Hire Tasmania Launceston Airport 129 Evandale Road, 7212 Launceston
Europcar Tasmania Hobart City 112 Harrington street, 7000 Hobart
Hobart Airport Strachan St Cambridge TAS 7170
Launceston City 80 Tamar street 7250 Launceston
Launceston Airport Terminal building, Launceston Airport 7212 Launceston
Burnie Wynyard Airport Terminal building, Burnie Wynyard Airport, 7325 Burnie – Wynyard
Devonport Airport Terminal building, Devonport Airport, 7310 Devonport
Devonport City 11 the esplanade, opposite ferry terminal, 7310 Devonport
Devonport Ferry Ferry terminal building, 7310 Devonport
Alamo Rent a Car Tasmania Hobart Airport Car Rental Hall, Strachan Street Cambridge, Hobart TAS 7170
Launceston Airport In Terminal 201 Evandale Road Launceston, TAS 7212
Thrifty Car Rental Tasmania Hobart Airport Terminal Building, Hobart TAS 7170
Hobart City 65 Argyle Street, Hobart TAS 7000
Launceston Airport Terminal Building, Launceston TAS 7250
Launceston City 1A Hudson Fysh Drive, Launceston TAS 7212
National Car Rental Tasmania Hobart Airport Strachan Street Cambridge, Hobart 7170
Launceston Airport In Terminal, 201 Evandale Rd, Launceston 7212
Enterprise Rent-A-Car Tasmania Downtown Launceston 151-153 St John Street, Launceston, 7250
Launceston Airport In Terminal 201 Evandale Rd, WESTERN JUNCTION, Launceston, 7212
Hobart Airport Car Rental Hall Strachan St, CAMBRIDGE, Hobart, 7170
Downtown Hobart 67a Argyle Street, Hobart, 7000
East Coast Car Rentals Tasmania Hobart Airport 273 Kennedy Drive, Cambridge, TAS 7170
Launceston Airport 129 Evandale Drive, Western Junction, TAS 7212

A brief overview of the road trip

The best time to visit Tasmania is from December to March. Your road trip will start from Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, and while covering around 1,193 km (741 miles), it will end in Hobart. This ultimate Tasmania road trip is comfortably doable in about 2 weeks. Opt for a long-term Tasmania car hire to save on rental car costs. For the fact that Tasmania is largely made up of protected wildlife areas, hiring a 4WD car is recommended. Read our guide on 4WD car rental in Australia for more information.

Travel tip: Please note that national parks in Tasmania carry an entry fee. An easier option is to buy a pass for 8 weeks from the visitor center located at Cradle Mountain. National park permits’ prices range from $22 to $56 per vehicle.

Hobart

Hobart is one of the oldest cities in Australia. Owing to its location, Hobart happens to be the starting point for most of the leisure tourists arriving in Tasmania. The city is also known for its historic architecture, which dates back to the Victorian and Georgian eras. The most popular tourist attractions in Hobart include the following.

Attraction Address Hours open Car parking
Mount Wellington South East Tasmania, Australia 8 AM – 8 PM Pinnacle Rd, Wellington Park TAS 7054, Australia
MONA 655 Main Rd, Berriedale TAS 7011, Australia 10 AM – 5 PM (Tuesday closed) MONA car park
Salamanca Market Salamanca Pl, Hobart TAS 7001, Australia 8:30 AM – 3 PM (Opens on Saturday) Trafalgar Pl, Hobart TAS 7000, Australia
Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens Lower Domain Rd, Hobart TAS 7000, Australia 8 AM – 5 PM Lower Domain Rd, Hobart TAS 7000, Australia
Cascade Brewery 131 Cascade Rd, South Hobart TAS 7004, Australia 10 AM – 5:30 PM Village Cinema Car Park

Launceston

Situated in northern Tasmania, Launceston is settled on the confluence of North Esk and South Esk rivers. Another old city in Australia, Launceston is known for its well-preserved historic buildings. Located about 200 km away from Hobart, the city is an important tourism hub. Don’t forget to visit these places during your stay in Launceston.

Attraction Address Hours open Car parking
Cataract Gorge Reserve 74-90 Basin Rd, West Launceston TAS 7250, Australia 24 hours Basin Rd, West Launceston TAS 7250, Australia
Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery University of Tasmania, Inveresk Campus 10 AM – 4 PM 2 Invermay Rd, Invermay TAS 7248, Australia
Launceston City Park 45-55 Tamar St, Launceston TAS 7250, Australia 7:30 AM – 7 PM 48 Elizabeth St, Launceston TAS 7250, Australia
Tasmania Zoo 1166 Ecclestone Road, Riverside TAS 7250, Australia 9 AM – 4:30 PM Tasmania Zoo Car Park
James Boag Brewery Experience 39 William St, Launceston TAS 7250, Australia 9:30 AM – 5 PM 28 Seaport Blvd, Launceston TAS 7250, Australia

Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park

Located in Tasmania’s Central Highlands, Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is about 141 kilometers away from Launceston. The wilderness reserve is popular for its numerous walking trails. Part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, the national park is home to Cradle Mountain, Barn Bluff, Mount Pelion East, Mount Pelion West, Mount Ossa, and Lake St Clair. Driving from Launceston, you’ll reach the park’s northern entrance located at Sheffield Town in about 1.5 hours.

Freycinet National Park

Located on Tasmania’s east coast, Freycinet National Park is about 125 kilometers northeast of Hobart and 149 km southeast of Launceston. Named after Louis de Freycinet, a French navigator, the wilderness reserve is one of the oldest national parks in Tasmania. The park area is widely renowned for its pink granite formations, white sandy beaches, Wineglass Bay, and amazing birdlife. Your drive from Launceston to Freycinet National Park via the A3 Tasman Highway will take around 2.5 hours.

Port Arthur

A former convict settlement and small town on the Tasman Peninsula, Port Arthur is a heritage area. An open-air museum, the site features 11 penal sites built in the 18th and 19th centuries. Port Arthur is about 189 km south of Freycinet National Park. Port Arthur visitor center and ticket office open by 9 AM. Guided walking tours, Convict Water Supply Trail, Isle of the Dead cruise tour, and ghost tours at night are the most sought after ones among leisure tourists.

Bruny Island

Located off Tasmania’s southeast coast, Bruny Island is also called Lunawanna Allonah. Separated from mainland Tasmania by D’Entrecasteaux Channel, the island is famous for its panoramic views and wildlife. For taking your rental car to Bruny Island, you’ll have to first reach Kettering Town. Once you arrive here, the next step is to wait for your turn to get into the Bruny Island Ferry, which takes not more than 20 minutes to cross D’Entrecasteaux Channel. Please note that the ferry service begins at 6:30 AM until 7 PM on all days. Given below are the famous tourist attractions on Bruny Island.

Attraction Address Hours open Car parking
Cape Bruny Lighthouse Tours 1750 Lighthouse Rd, South Bruny TAS 7150, Australia 10 AM – 3:30 PM 1750 Lighthouse Rd, South Bruny TAS 7150, Australia
South Bruny National Park Bruny Island TAS 7150, Australia 9 AM – 5 PM Near Cape Bruny Lighthouse
Bruny Island Cheese Company 1807 Bruny Island Main Rd, Great Bay TAS 7150, Australia 9 AM – 5 PM 1807 Bruny Island Main Rd, Great Bay TAS 7150, Australia
The Neck Lookout North Bruny TAS 7150, Australia 24 hours North Bruny TAS 7150, Australia

Mount Field National Park

Situated just 64 kilometers northwest of Hobart, Mount Field National Park came into existence in 1916. The oldest national park in Tasmania features world-famous attractions such as Russell Falls, Horseshoe Falls, Lady Barron Falls, and Lake Dobson. Park area’s other prized possessions are one of the world’s tallest trees. Besides offering an abundance of flora and fauna, the protected area provides a great opportunity to enjoy stunning outdoor locations.

Whether you arrive in Tasmania via Hobart or Launceston, you can start with this road trip without any delay. Australia Rent Car, through its network of trusted suppliers, is always ready to offer low-cost car hire deals in Tasmania. Please go through our guide to a car rental in Australia If you need more information on car hire requirements, documentation, etc.

Australia Car Rental Tips & Requirements

Monday, September 17th, 2018

Quick Links

Guide to a car rental in Australia

If you plan to rent a car in Australia then getting familiar with the rules of the land is a sensible idea.

Renting a car in Australia requirements

Age- 19 is the minimum driving age in Australia whereas the minimum rental age varies according to suppliers, generally, it is 21 years. Car renters below the age of 24 years might have to pay a young driver’s surcharge. The car rental age varies according to the car category.

Driving license- In Australia, driving licenses in English are acceptable but provisional license are not accepted. If you are a tourist then the maximum time frame for which you can use your driving license which is in English is 3 months. In case, the license is not in English then the renter needs to carry an International Drivers Permit (IDP). In any situation, carrying an IDP along with your native driving license always benefits if you wish to drive in a foreign country.

Renting a car in Australia with US license – You can hire a car in Australia with a US driver’s license. As stated above, an international visitor, with his/her native driving license in English, can drive a rental car in Australia for three months.

Renting a car in Australia with Chinese license – You can hire a car in Australia with a Chinese driver’s license. Rental car companies ask for your original Chinese driving license and a NAATI-certified translated copy of your license. NAATI stands for National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.

Should I rent a car in Australia?

1. ) Driving in Australia is sheer pleasure as the panorama is broad and extremely beautiful.

2. ) Moreover, Australian drivers are well-mannered and drive safely.

Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Cairns are the most popular car rental locations in Australia but there are many more locations where you can rent a car in Australia.

Road trip Attractions
Melbourne to Adelaide (Great Ocean Road) The Shipwreck Coast, the Twelve Apostles & Naracoorte caves
Sydney to Melbourne Mimosa Rocks National Park, Mornington & Philip Island
Brisbane to Cairns Noosa, Fraser Island, Airlie Beach & Mission Beach

One-way car rental in Australia

one-way-Australia Car-Rental

You can go for one-way rentals in Australia by paying an extra charge, applied by most of the suppliers. The most-popular one-way trips in Australia are Hobart to Launceston, Melbourne to Adelaide, and Melbourne to Sydney. Through our car hire partners in Australia, we offer value for money 1-way car rentals from cities, downtowns, airports, and several remotely located suburbs. Please note that the one-way car hire fees is not levied in case you return your rental car at the same location from where the pick-up was made.

Booking a cheap car rental in Australia

booking-a-cheap-car-australia

Where to book from? – A wise way to book a rental is through a website where you can get deals from multiple suppliers and can compare them easily using helpful filters. One such website is australiarentcar.com which lets you book comfortable rental cars in any part of Australia.

Car rental suppliers- The most popular and reputed brands operating in Australia are Ace Rental Cars, Alamo Rent A Car, Apollo Car Rentals, Atlas Car Rental, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Europcar and National Car Rental.

Payment- Book early to get better quality vehicles at a cheaper price. Just like most of the other locations, car rental suppliers in Australia ask you to pay via credit cards. In case you obtain a fine for speeding then it will be charged to your credit card by the car rental suppliers and your details will be submitted to the law enforcing agencies.

Most of the car rental suppliers expect you to return the car with a full tank, failing to do so can result in extra charges to your card. This charge usually comprises of the cost of the petrol plus service charge.

Rule of the road- Australia drives on the left-hand side of the road while most of the cars have their steering wheel towards the right-hand side. Make sure you follow the speed limits: 50 km/h (crowded city areas), 70-90 km/h (open roads) and 100-110 km/h (highways). All the distances and the like are measured using metric units in Australia i.e. meters, kilometers and km h.

Driving to the Outback

Driving-to-the-Outba-Australia

1. ) Distances can be overwhelming especially on the Outback so always carry ample of drinking water, snacks and first-aid kit while travelling in this region of Australia.

2. ) Keep your car equipped with fuel as the fuel stations are usually shut in the night.

3. ) As a precaution, always inform your hotel or friends before heading out on a road trip as the networks are weak in most of the areas.

4. ) The Outback can turn out to be nightmarish if you aren’t well-prepared with precautions like a spare tyre, enough of drinking water and snacks.

Also, the internet coverage is pretty bad in many regions of Australia, especially, the Outback so make sure that you have all the needed information available offline.

Top 5 Tourist Attractions in Hobart

Thursday, March 31st, 2016

Hobart, the capital of Tasmania Island in Australia, is a place where you always find something new to do and see. Formerly known as Hobarton or Hobart Town, it is also the largest city on the island and houses almost 40% population of the island. Moreover, Hobart is the perfect base from where you can begin your journey to the other fascinating parts of Tasmania Island. Following are some place which you must visit in Hobart:

1. Museum of Old and New Art (MONA)

The Museum of Old and New Art was established in 2011 and it exhibits modern and contemporary art along with antiquities. In just few year from its inception, MONA has become one of the most popular museums in Australia for its unique collection. Every year, many exhibitions are held in the museum which are changed regularly. The only permanent exhibition here is Monaism which showcases the highlights of museum’s collection.

Museum-of-Old-New-Art

2. Cadbury Chocolate Factory

Located outside the city, the Cadbury Chocolate Factory is the one of the most visited place by kids and all the chocolate lover in Hobart. In this factory, not only you will get to taste the chocolate, but you can also see and understand that how it’s made and molded into bars. You can also buy all your favorite Cadbury chocolates from the gift shop located at the factory at discounted rates.

3. Mount Wellington

Rising 4,163 ft above the sea level, the Mount Wellington is an essential experience of Hobart. Locally, it is also known as “the mountain”. At the pinnacle of the mountain, you can see incredible views in all the directions. There you will also find a glass building, a gazebo and promenades. The weather at the mountain changes very fast and suddenly. It may snow at the top even when there is a mild climate in the city. Tourists can enjoy various activities here including hiking, rock climbing, biking and horseback riding. A picnic can also be enjoyed here.

Mount-Wellington-Hobart

4. Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

At Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, you will find Australia’s some of the most popular creatures such as kangaroos and wallabies. The park was opened in 1981 and since then it is providing shelter to some of the most endangered species in the country. There is a lot to see and learn about wildlife conservation and rehabilitation while strolling through the park. The animals at the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary are kept with adequate care close to nature.

5. Penitentiary Chapel

This chapel was built in 1830 to accommodate the male convicts. This chapel has many isolated rooms and 36 hidden punishment cells with poor ventilation and no light. This prison was used to torture the convicts and they were kept here under inhumane conditions. Later in 1849, the chapel was closed. Now, this historic site is open for visitors and many guided tours are also available.

Penitentiary-Chapel

These are the most popular attractions in Hobart, but plenty of other interesting places are also available there to explore. To make most out of your journey, book a car rental in Hobart Downtown and start to explore. The best time to visit Hobart is between November and March. It is the time during which the city hosts numerous festivals dedicated to culture, art and gastronomy.