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[jenanddanrtw]

Hi Guys... I was wondering if anyone had driven from Sydney to Cairns. We will be doing the trip and wanted to rent a campervan. Is this the most cost effective way to do it? taking into account campsites, petrol etc? Has anyone bought a van or even a car? and stayed in hostels along the way - does this work out better?

We want to be able to move around freely but want to keep the costs down, anyone who has done this a rough estimate may be nice, we are there for 2 months.

Thanks

Jen and Dan.

[rossport]

G'day Jen and Dan, The road distance between Sydney and Cairns is roughly 2700km and as a straight drive would take you roughly 4-5 days but as u are going to be doing it in 2months then the cost of hiring a camper for two months is fairly high as is the cost of diesel it is in fact dearer than petrol and 90% of campers run on diesel, it is a fun way to travel but there are less and less free camping spots left now (Fines do apply) so you would be forced to stay in caravan parks so an added cost again. here is a list of camper van hire companies that u cna check out the costings etc

http://www.britz.com.au/

http://www.wickedcampers.com.au/ (Caution needed with this one cheap but very cheap)

http://www.maui.com.au/

http://www.apollocamper.com/

http://www.cheapmotorhomes.com.au/

http://www.discovery-campervans.com.au/

http://www.backpackercampervans.com.au/

http://www.uzoom.com.au/

The other alternative is you may get a bus from Sydney to a destination on the coast and then catch the next one when u are free to travel.

Then there is Car hire plus staying in back packer accommodation on your way up the coast to cairns

this is a good site for booking bus travel very informative

http://www.nomadsworld.com/productlist.asp...pack=bus+passes

http://www.ozexperience.com/ (This one i have heard both good and bad reports so it is a case of if it happens it happens )

Ok hope this gives you food for thought and gets the brain running in over time am sure other Aussies will help as well good luck and have a bloody good time

Cheers Stewart

[jenanddanrtw]

Thank you for all the information provided, thats really helpful - lots to mull over

Jen and Dan

[missalicia]

Hi Jen and Dan,

Most cost effective way is to hire a motorhome that is fully self contained at an all inclusive price. This ensures that you receive full cover in the event of an accident and you can save on campsites by being able to freedom camp it in areas that allow it only. Both Britz and maui are good companies who can fit the right vehicle to your needs at a good rate. The earlier that you reserve a motorhome/campervan the cheaper it is and depending on when you travel, usually you can pick up a good deal during off peak (May - Oct/Nov outside of school hols and events).

A good webbie to go to is www.motorhomesandcars.com, it allows you to compare price/standard of a wide range of motorhomes and rental companies for both motorhomes/campervans and cars.

Have fun.
Alicia

[ashuuu]

Hi Guys... I was wondering if anyone had driven from Sydney to Cairns. We will be doing the trip and wanted to rent a campervan. Is this the most cost effective way to do it? taking into account campsites, petrol etc? Has anyone bought a van or even a car? and stayed in hostels along the way - does this work out better?

We want to be able to move around freely but want to keep the costs down, anyone who has done this a rough estimate may be nice, we are there for 2 months.

Thanks

Jen and Dan.

Hi.........
drive from Sydney to Cairns is a perfect combination of adventure and leisure. It real cost effective if you want to experience a 2 day 4WD Safari on Fraser Island, horse riding at Kroombit Cattle Station, hike remote Carnarvon Gorge, and sun-bathe, snorkel etc. But it's going to be really full of adventure and fun...have fun.

[toloan]

That must be a very interesting trip.
Cairns is a regional city in Far North Queensland, Australia, founded 1876. It is located about 1,700 km (1,056 mi) from Brisbane, and about 2,700 km (1,678 mi) from Sydney by road. Cairns is located on the east coast of Cape York Peninsula on a coastal strip between the Coral Sea and the Great Dividing Range.
It is a popular travel destination for foreign tourists because of its tropical climate.