Distances can be a problem for the unprepared in Driving in Australia
Australia is a very big country, and while driving is a fun and interesting way to get around, you have to remember that it is a long long way to get from point A to point B. Taking the capital cities as an example, it is easy to drive from Melbourne to Adelaide in a day (6 hr), or Canberra to Sydney (3 hr) but driving from Melbourne to Sydney is a good 10 hrs solid driving. If you want to drive to Perth from Melbourne, you must use the Eyre Highway and cross the Nullarbor Plain, which means driving for approximately 3,500 km, including 2,000 km on a virtually dead straight, totally flat road with only a few roadhouses, sometimes hundreds of kilometres apart. You will have to spend at least one night on the road, so book in advance. The general advice is to have a rest every two hours 'Stop, Revive, Survive'. The trick is to get as far and fast as possible in those 2 hrs, so your stamina and energy is sustained. Don't be governed by a number written on a signpost, let common sense prevail. You are the driver, and your time of arrival at your destination is in your own hands. If you are comfortable driving at 80km/h on a windy road while the speed limit has a ridiculous 100km/h signage, continue on at 80km/h and enjoy the scenery. If you encounter a length straight section of road, dry conditions and good visibility, there is no reason why you cannot exceed 100km/h at your discretion to consume the distance while keeping your mind alert. It has been studied that 100km/h for prolonged distances on straight sections of road can cause sudden fatigue, and in extreme cases hallucinations. You must slow to the limit if you spot oncoming vehicles, simply because there may be another vehicle just about to overtake the said vehicle, or equally worse, the vehicle may be a police patrol (mobile tax collection vehicle). Always expect the unexpected and drive to the conditions. You should also be wary of your fuel supplies and always allow a generous reserve for unexpected contingencies. A good rule of thumb is to carry sufficient fuel to be able to turn around and return to the place you were last able to secure adequate provisions. Distances between fuel supplies can be extreme, even on main roads and conditions can change without warning. Check that you have a map indicating fuel outlets, petrol stations (gas stations) and local fuel depots providing either petrol or diesel fuel. Outback communities do not always have fuel supplies or they may be limited. LPG (liquid petroleum gas) may be un-available in some areas and in remote areas it is very unlikely to be found.
There is little traffic on back roads, but what there is will consist of a fair proportion of road trains (semi-trailers towing up to three trailers). They will not necessarily be able to quickly reduce their speed, as their effective stopping distance is often far too great. Do not expect a road train to be able to take rapid evasive action to avoid your vehicle, even if you have a technical right of way never pull out in front of a heavy vehicle, slow down rapidly or stop without ensuring you have left a clear path for the larger and much heavier vehicle to proceed unhindered.
In years past Australian motorists travelling on outback and isolated roads had a tradition of stopping or slowing to enquire as to another motorists welfare or assist if they were in difficulties. This sort of behaviour is declining and motorists now tend to travel at much greater speeds and with much lesser regard for the plight of others. You should always ensure you have adequate skills, resources and knowledge to deal with the prevailing situation on your own. If you do experience difficulties stay with your vehicle, do not wander off or set off cross country to summon assistance.
As an example, here are the distances from one state capital to another:
Driving times
| Cities |
Route |
Distance
|
|---|
| Sydney?Melbourne
|
Hume Highway (National Highway 31) through Albury-Wodonga
|
860 km
|
|---|
|
|
Princes Highway (National Highway 1) through Batemans Bay
|
1,043 km
|
|---|
| Sydney?Brisbane
|
Pacific Highway (National Highway 1) through Coffs Harbour
|
964 km
|
|---|
|
|
New England Highway (National Highway 15) through Tamworth and Armidale
|
1,018 km
|
|---|
| Sydney?Adelaide
|
Hume and Sturt Highways (National Highways 31 and 20) through Wagga Wagga and Mildura
|
1,410 km
|
|---|
|
|
Mitchell and Barrier Highways (National Highway 32) through Dubbo and Broken Hill
|
1,659 km
|
|---|
| Melbourne?Brisbane
|
Newell Highway (National Highways 31, 39, 42 and 15) through Dubbo
|
1,681 km
|
|---|
| Melbourne?Adelaide
|
Western and Dukes Highways (National Highways 8 and 1) through Horsham, Victoria
|
724 km
|
|---|
|
|
Princes Highway (National Highway 1) through Mt Gambier
|
912 km
|
|---|
| Brisbane?Adelaide
|
Newell, Oxley and Mitchell Highways (National Highways 15, 42, 39, 34 and 32) through Moree and Broken Hill
|
2,031 km
|
|---|
|
|
Stuart Highway (National Highways 87 and 1) through Alice Springs
|
3,019 km
|
|---|
| Adelaide?Perth
|
Eyre and Great Eastern Highways (National Highways 1 and 94) through Ceduna and Norseman
|
2,695 km
|
|---|
| Perth?Darwin
|
Brand, North-West Coastal, Great Northern, Victoria and Stuart Highways (National Highway 1) through Roebourne and Katherine
|
4,166 km
|
|---|
| Sydney?Perth
|
Hume, Sturt, Eyre and Great Eastern Highways (National Highways 31, 20, 1 and 94) through Wagga Wagga, Mildura, Port Augusta, Ceduna and Norseman
|
3,942 km
|
|---|
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Driving in Australia
