Dear All,
Any tips for driving in New South Wales and Victoria?
Regards
Vercin
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I have driven in that part of the world on a number of occasions. If you can cope with the UK then this is really not much of a problem. Roadsigns, or lack of them, can be less than informative so a good map properly digested before setting off is a good idea. However there are fewer main roads between centres of population so going wrong is not so much of a problem. Long stretches of not very much so take plenty of refreshment with you and, particularly with the climate, make sure the car is up to it. Hire cars we found were very good and worked well. If you are driving from Victoria up to New South Wales you may want to think about avoiding the coast road as it can get very busy, but depends on your timescale. One thing I have found in Aus, more so in Queensland but I suspect all over, is that the police are very sharp indeed on speeding. They can even check your speed if you are oncoming traffic, and will certainly turn round and chase you if they feel so inclined. It seems to be a local sport. We found that people were very friendly and helpful if we asked directions and found our travelling over there to be very relaxing and enjoyable. Although the 11 hours from Sale to Yass was a bit taxing!
I am sure that with a little forethought and just using common sense you will have a great trip. Especially with the price of petrol!
MGs
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Driven a fair bit in Aus, last time was over Xmas. Very much depends on where you are driving. Rural and town wise, its much the same as the uk, speeds are in KMH. The road signs are not like the uk, but self explanatory, and drive on the left. All in all its a piece of cake for an experienced UK driver. The cops are red hot (speed traps) on speed and druken driving. Its fair to say the suburban Aussie police are real macho pigs.
Going out of town, its another matter. Watch out for game, specially at dusk, some of the species are big and hurt when hit at speed. If you are traveling a long way in the bush PLENTY of water with you. If you break down NEVER leave the car.
If traveling a long way into the country, and its not a freeway then the roads sometimes run out and end up as dirt. Its still a road tho!
When it rains (and when it does it comes down like waterfalls)
the roads get very greasy.
All in all - nothing to worry about.
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Not even ONE beer.
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Thanks guys for the info. I'll let you know how it pans out.
The no beer one is the one that hurts most.
Regards
Vercin
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The coastal highway might be busy but it is also scenic. Which ever way you go take plenty of breaks. Outback roads are long, straight and with not much traffic. Very easy to get tired and nod off. A big proportion of road accidents in the bush are one car accidents caused by people being tired and pushing on. When I am going a long distance in sparsely populated areas I take a vacuum flask and some snacks. When I get tired I don't push on to the next town - that could be another hour or more. I just stop and have a picnic there and then regardless of where I am. Police - I disagree with the comment above re macho attitudes. In WA I have always found them to be decent people trying to do a very difficult job. If stopped I always get out the car and approach them with a smile and a helpful attitude. I don't wait for them to come to me and treat them as if I am expecting trouble. Generally if you are friendly and helpful to them they will be fair to you. I expect the same goes for the UK police.
Have a good trip. You will really enjoy it (especially the price of fuel :-) ).
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I lived in NSW for a few years - a few things worth mentioning:
- Basic Hiway Code is very similar to UK but not identical. It is also different between different Australian states! There are some notable differences Eg. it is legal - even encouraged - to overtake on the inside in NSW.
- The NSW Police spend 99.9% of their time enforcing the speed limit with unmarked cars, mobile traps, etc. On a 200 mile drive you are likely to see several mnobile speed traps. So really make sure you keep your eyes open. We moan about revenue raising here but it is a fact of life out there.
- Take care driving in the country at night, some of the wildlife is very large and not easy to see in the dark!
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In regards to driving at night....some hire/insurance companies have in their small print a note about not paying out over damage caused by collisions with kangaroos / emus etc. These are the 2 species that are the most likely to be killed as they are extremely stupid! Several people I met avoided driving at night to avoid this problem.
If you are going to drive in Melbourne be aware that on the roads that have trams running along them, if you want to turn right at a junction you have to get into the left lane!
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If at first you do succeed, try not to look astonished
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On the 'alcohol' front, suffice to say that the limits are low, and the possibility of encountering a random test is high.
Enough said.
Important also to remember (if indeed I remember correctly), is that to commit an offence you don't even have to drive while over the limit, just being in charge of a car while over the limit is enough (e.g. sitting in it while in possession of the keys). I may be wrong, but better to be safe.
However (unlike our trans-Atlantic friends), it's not illegal to carry alcohol inside the car. Drive-through bottle-shops have been in existence since the 50's.
Oz (as was)
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I just remembered: STOP means STOP e.g. in South Australia, but the first time I obeyed a STOP sign in Melbourne according to the letter of the law, I was at severe risk of being rear-ended. Maybe things have changed.
Also as I remember, 'under-taking' is legal in Oz.
Others may disagree with the above?
Oz (as was)
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Vercin,
Sorry, have come to this a bit late, echo what the others have said.
I spent 5 years in rural NSW with a 450km drive to my base in Sydney.
Watch night time driving due to the wildlife and truck drivers (who are not expecting cars and dont need to slow down for roos).
Watch speed limits particularly on holiday weekends.....the road toll (human deaths) is a rather macabre news item detailing exactly how many have died on the roads over a holiday weekend....usally due to one vehicle collisions while tired or poor overtaking. To reduce this the police have become rather strict.
NSW Alcohol limit is 0.05 mg/litre (compared to 0.08 here in the UK)....watch even one drink. BUT it is zero for learners and truck drivers. Not sure about Victoria.
Hire cars from the major companies are fine, if you are driving long distances consider a rather larger car than usual in the UK.
As an example I recently spent 3 weeks in NSW, smallest car from avis was over A$800 for the 16 days I wanted increasing to over A$850 for the Camry sedan, but the next car up was a 3.8l Commodore at A$700 as they have loads of these. We got a top of the range Commodore Berlina which was great for the several thousand KM we drove.
Stay off the dirt roads in hire cars.
There is no equivalent of Little Chef, but most large towns seem to have Macdonalds which are at least reliable for a coffee. Although they now do a nice salad as well. Otherwise get used to Roadhouses at garages or in more touristy areas some coffee shops in the high streets. In the Hunter Valley (NSW) you can also stop at many of the wineries for a coffee and meal (but miss the wine if driving).
As an aside, be wary of the sheer size of Australia, for example I lived a 5 hour drive from Sydney (one short break) and Broken Hill took me 8 hours driving with Adelaide was another 4 or 5 beyond that but the roads were open and empty with perhaps only a few hundred cars in all that time (most in the cities at each end )!
If you want ideas for places to visit in rural NSW, particularly
the mid west of NSW between Narrabri and Parkes
if you have an interest in astronomy, just ask here or email me via the moderators.
cheers
Ian L.
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Vercin
Just to echo what some others have said.
Breath testing is random and can be very regular in some areas, particularly Gold Coast from what FIL tells me.
Also they are hot on speeding and they will chase you back to the UK for the fines, see the couple of links below for my FIL's experience a while back.
All I'll add is despite his little brush with the Aussie police it can't be too bad as FIL has now been back on a further three occasions and is going back for another three months this autumn, in fact I don't know why he doesn't just stay there!
Enjoy!
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=32...9
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=40...6
Cockle
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Another useful antipodean motoring tip, courtesy of Ian.L
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=21554&...e
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Dear All,
Many thanks for the tips and info. So far you all seem to be on the money, although I've yet to encounter Ian L's birds!!
Growler, sorry to read about the Growlette, I'll drink to her health (obviously without driving)
So far, have hired 1.8 auto Corolla in South Australia for a few days. Engine and gear box married up well and it had good visibility. Sadly no toys.
Thanks to all your observations, the only thing that has consistently thrown me (apart from indicator stalk on wrong side of wheel) has been the sudden disappearance of the left hand lanes after traffic lights, where you have to merge right into traffic with no space and/or be rear ended by a bus/road train/UTE. Am now in Sydney where road surfaces are poorer than SA (v good). Traffic heavy but moving, lot of P plate drivers (mostly young men) driving like loonies.
Nevertheless great fun! Unless there is a speeding ticket being sent to UK a la Cockles FIL.
Hope the waether is being decent, its great here,
regards
Vercin
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I forgot too mention that i noticed an artcle in the Sydney Morning Herald which stated that:
"Roadside drug test trap for legal users
Roadside drug tests are steering towards a legal minefield. Thousands of users of legally prescribed drugs, particularly sedatives and some anti-depressants, could be caught out by the random tests." Sydney Morning Herald 19/04/2004
These tests will be introduced later on this year.
Now I can't link this message to the website as there will be a cost. But those of you who want to delve further can go to smh.com.au and pay.
Regards
Vercin
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If you want ideas for places to visit in rural NSW, particularly the mid west of NSW between Narrabri and Parkes if you have an interest in astronomy, just ask here or email me via the moderators.
Ian,
Many thanks for the run down. I am now in NSW and would be delighted to read your tips even if the chances of me getting out to them are currently slim!
Kind regards
Vercin
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Vercin,
Hope you had a good flight!
I lived in a small town adjacent to the Warrumbungle National Park (look on the map.....the swear filter in the BR prevents me typing c***abarabran!).
In Parkes, the Parkes radio telescope has a wonderful visitor centre heavily influenced by the australian film 'The Dish'. I once spent the day climbing all over this radio telescope inspecting the high pressure helium line installation....great fun and a great view from the very top.
In Dubbo, the Western plains zoo is worth a day out.
In the Warrumbungle National Park...great walking at this time of year (cooling off a little) spectacular scenery even from the car! and dont forget the Siding Spring Observatory visitor centre and the viewing gallery for the 3.9m Anglo-Australian Telescope.
(I have a slight bias here as this is where I worked for 5 years)
In Narrabri the Austrlia Telescope (radio compact array) has a visitor centre which is apparently worth a look (my wife went but I never made it there)
All these towns are on the newell highway and no shortage of motels and places to stay.
Enjoy your visit, any more questions just ask.
cheers
Ian L.
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What car did you end up with? (to get things back to motoring!)
Ian L.
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"indicator stalk on wrong side of wheel"
Do you mean that stalk being on the right of the wheel being wrong?
General theory in Oz is that any car imported from Europe (eg. Astras, Golfs etc) will have the stalk on the left as it was designed for left hand drive Europe. Therefore for RHD markets, they haven't bothered realocating the ergonomics. Same goes for American cars.
Best thing about Oz is that some Japanese cars are made in Japan.
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Hi
SHMBO have been driving 3 types of Toyota: Corolla to Landcruiser via Baby Lexus. All indicators on right. For some reason (probably senility) we've been flicking the windscreen wipers on before changing lanes!
Doh.
Regards
Vercin
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