With Holidays, long weekends and Christmas fast approaching it’s the time to start planning those getaways with the family. If only it was this stress-free. Alongside many flights sky rocketing in cost and the rest of the population deciding to travel on the exact same day as you, numerous flights become delayed and a lot of accommodation booked out – creating a sure sign that the escape you once dreamed of is no more.

These holidays why not organize a driving trip to a location throughout Australia, not only does it leave you and the family without the hassle of passports, checking in bags and international airports, but a driving tour can be just as exciting and adventurous, as a vacation overseas. With Australia providing us with a playground of famous attractions and theme parks to visit, our great country also caters for low cost budgets.

Below I have covered three locations in different states and next blog I will further cover the remaining states.

Canberra – ACT

3 – 4 hour’s drive from Sydney and providing plenty of opportunities to stop, refuel or even take a scenic route, it makes sense why many people choose to visit Canberra. Not only is the drive easy, the City of Canberra itself delivers an array of cool things to do and see. Auto Europe also provides Car Hire collection depots from all major cities and Airports in the Australia Capital Territory.

The most famous attraction to visit in Canberra is The Australian Parliament House. Only 7.5 Kilometres drive from Canberra Airport, Parliament House offers historic collections of memoirs from throughout the years of parliament, art collections and stunning landscapes surrounding the building. Make sure to stop by and have a photo at Capitol Hill.
North of Parliament House lays Questacon, situated on the banks of Lake Burley Griffin is a science house which offers visitors of all ages the chance to take part in experiments, discover and learn. For a small fee you can enter the fun world of Questacon daily.

Just 5 kilometres drive north of Questacon rests the Australian War Memorial. The War Memorial displays history from WWI, WWII, colonial history, ANZAC history and The Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier. Free Guided tours are offered at the War Memorial and will have you leaving being much more aware of Australian War History and the conditions soldiers endured.

Approximate distances from Canberra city centre:

Sydney – 286 Kilometres (3 hours, 9 minutes)

Wollongong – 243 Kilometres (2 hours, 50 minutes)

Canberra Airport – 9.6 Kilometres (13 minutes)

Byron Bay – NSW

Located in far north NSW, Byron Bay is a great option for all ages to enjoy a beach holiday. If a beach holiday is not your idea of an escape, Byron still offers many more activities to see and do.
A great attraction to check out why around Byron is the Macadamia Castle; the charming park has been open for nearly 35 years and features an animal fun park, mini golf, train rides, daily entertainment and a café. Between Byron Bay and Ballina off the Pacific Highway this pleasant park is great for a day trip with the family.

Just West of Byron Bay sits Ballina’s Olympic Pool and water sides; it’s great if you don’t want to go to one of the many beaches in the area. Ballina’s Pools are open daily and have two exhilarating waterslides located in the Pools grounds. The grounds are supervised and also situated on the grounds is a great little kiosk.

For a rewarding day trip take off in your hire car 30 kilometres North West of Byron Bay, here sits Crystal Castle. Crystal Castle was originally hectares of land which now has been converted into a spiritual utopia of gardens, temples, and rooms. If you are visiting Byron Bay for a relaxing peaceful holiday Crystal Castle’s is a great place to rejuvenate relax and take in the stunning views around you.

If these attractions seem a bit pricy check out the Nightcap National Park and Minyoun Falls or the rock pools at Lennox Head. Either way Far North NSW has plenty to share.
Hire cars can be picked up at Ballina Airport upon arrival or at Byron Bay City office.

Approximate distances from Byron Bay city centre:

Gold Coast – 104 Kilometres (1 hour, 31minutes)

Ballina Airport – 31.5 Kilometres (34 minutes)

Sydney –864 Kilometres (11 hours, 21 minutes)

Mornington Peninsula – VIC

Located 1 hour south east of Melbourne’s CBD, the Mornington Peninsula holds a vast collection of activities targeted for all ages. Beautiful gardens, seaside views and stunning wineries are just a snippet of what the Peninsula has to offer visitors. Car hires can be collected at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport or at one of the many downtown city offices throughout Melbourne and the Peninsula.

Just a drive south of the Peninsula is Ashcombe Maze and lavender gardens, discover the amazing scenery with trees on the property being up to 100 years old. Each season the garden offers a unique portrait, with spring and summer being the most popular. Get lost amongst the hedge maze, stop and smell the roses or run through the woodland gardens and at the end make sure you stop by the souvenir shop.

The Mornington Peninsula is also famous for their vast range vineyards. When touring around in your hire car make sure to stop by Box Stallion Cellar door to experience the range of varietal wines. At the cellar door taste the variety of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and many more.

If you’re into golf take a day or two and use your car hire to experience the 18 different courses the peninsula provides such as Portsea, Mount Martha, Sorrento and RACV Cape Schanck resort.
If your holiday has a smaller budget, why not soak up the rays at one of the many beaches or bays on offer or take off and enjoy a free walk through the peninsula why enjoying the unique views, and natural flora and fauna.

Approximate distances from the Mornington Penisula city centre:

Melbourne – 73 Kilometres (1 hour,6 minutes)

Melbourne Tullamarine Airport – 99 Kilometres (1 hour,23 minutes)

St Kilda – 58 Kilometres (1 hour,8 minutes)

Always Remember to Stop, Revive , Survive

Take a Look at Auto Europe Australia’s latest Car Hire Specials!

Normally being aged under 25 is generally seen as a good thing; however this doesn’t really apply when hiring a car. Renting a car may sound easy and be a lot more convenient than catching public transport while you’re overseas but if you are under 25 here are a few things you need to take into consideration.

Young Drivers Surcharge: This is a mandatory fee charged by the supplier at the time you collect your vehicle. These fees can be quite high however prices differ from supplier to supplier and depend on where abouts you are renting your car.

Additional Driver: Signing on as an additional driver might seem like a good way to get out of paying the Young Driver Surcharge but this is not the case. Not only will you have to pay the Young Driver Surcharge but you will have to pay for being an Additional Driver as well (unless your rate includes Additional Drivers).

Vehicle Type: Due to age suppliers will normally restrict the type of vehicle you are allowed to hire. SUV’s, Luxury and Sport’s cars are, in general out of the question,
stick to smaller cars such as economy and compact car groups.

Credit Card: All car rental suppliers require you to have a credit card. This is used for the security bond, again this differs from supplier to supplier and, depending on your vehicle type can be quite high. Suppliers will not allow debit cards but some do allow cash rentals which are on a request basis only.

Insurance: For drivers over 25 years additional insurance is an optional extra however for drivers under 25 years additional insurance can be mandatory. Like most of the other charges this can be quite pricey and won’t always reduce your excess to Nil.

Drivers Licence: A clean, valid driver’s licence is required for a minimum of 1 year however depending on car type this can be as high as 3 years. Also keep in mind this doesn’t include P Plates so you will have to have a full drivers licence.

Statistics show that drivers under 25 years old are more likely to be involved in an accident due to having less driving experience than someone over 25 years. If you’re travelling with someone over 25 years old why not let them do the driving, saving you money which means more money to spend on yourself.

Are you under 25 years and have rented a car? Did you find any of the additional fees off-putting? Tell us what you think.

With the great choices and varieties of cars available to us, it’s no surprise that they are often bought for looks and reputation rather than purpose. Since the early days of motoring, there have been associations with types of cars and their drivers. Be it a sports car, 4WD, people mover or ute, there is always a certain image projected by the car, a stereotype that just seems to stick.

Some assumptions are of course based on the purpose that the car was designed for. For example a ute or van could imply a worksman or delivery driver, while a people mover or station wagon could be the family car.

While some drivers can choose whatever style of car they fancy to drive, the owners of these cars often have little choice, as they need a vehicle for a specific purpose.

Even so, those who must drive a ute or people mover now have the countless options to customize their rides, giving it a character of its own. From the colour of the car to custom number plates, and flashy wheels to humble bumper stickers, there is a wide world of car features and accessories to effect the impression given by your ride.

From plain and simple, standard cars, to overly modified cars which more closely resemble art, there is a greater variety on the roads these days than ever before, and each one will have a story of its own.

What does your car say about you? And did you customize it or buy it as it is?

Without a doubt one of the worst things to have happen when enjoying a nice leisurely drive, is the car breaking down. While there are varying levels of inconvenience that can happen, from a mere fuse blowing to total system meltdown, it’s never fun when our mode of transport stops working.

There are different ways people deal with a breakdown. Some are automotive experts, finding out what the problem is in minutes, and sometimes fixing it too. Some people are completely clueless, flagging down passers by for help only to reach the conclusion “yes, you have broken down”.

Luckily there are services in place to help us with breakdowns, offering assistance when we are roadside and in desperate need. For our own cars, we can take out membership with various motoring associations that include breakdown services in their benefits. The NRMA or RACV are examples in Australia and their mobile helpers can determine problems on the spot, often fix them, or organize a tow truck.

When traveling in a rental car, things are even better. Most suppliers have breakdown cover on all their cars, meaning if you do have the unfortunate luck of breaking down, there will be a phone number for you to call, with an operator at the other end who will organize everything. In the worst case scenario the car has a major fault, a replacement will be provided to you asap, so be sure when booking your holiday car hire, you check to make sure this is included.

With the rising costs of living and travelling always rising, going on a holiday or even a simple daytrip seems to cost a fortune these days. Luckily though, many cities do still feature things to see and do for free, and Sydney just happens to have its own share of fun without a price tag. Here are some of our favourites:

The Beach:

With over 50 beaches to choose from, locals and visitors alike have the luxury of a great coastline there for our enjoyment. While many beaches do charge for parking, public transport is available to most, and there’s not much better than a hot summer day of fun in the sun and surf.

Royal Botanical Gardens:

Open 365 days a year, the Royal Botanical Gardens are a must for anyone visiting Sydney. Located in the heart of the city, the gardens are now almost 200 years old, and feature an impressive range of plants from around Australia as well as overseas.

The Opera House and Circular Quay:

Located right next door to the Botanical Gardens is the Sydney Opera House, an icon of the city. You can explore the outside of the building at your own leisure, and at nearby Circular Quay you’ll find street performers, as well as ferries heading to various points around the harbour. Nearby you can also visit The Rocks, a historic part of Sydney which features shops, restaurants, cafes and bars inside buildings from colonial times.

Sydney Harbour Bridge:

Equally as iconic as the Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is an impressive site indeed, especially considering it was built by hand in the 1920s and 30s. You can walk across the bridge between the north and south halves of Sydney, and see great views of the city around you, perfect for taking some holiday photos.

There’s not much better than being on the open road, whether you’re in your own car or a rental, a great time can be had with beautiful scenery around you and no traffic slowing you down. Driving outside of the gridlock that comes with city life is for most of us, a pleasurable, relaxing experience.

Every now and then though, there comes a time when you’d much rather be the passenger. These are the times when the driving isn’t quite as relaxing and enjoyable as you imagined, and you can’t wait til you get to your destination.

You may be driving in unfriendly weather like rain or fog, perhaps tired, or maybe just sick of all the other drivers on the road. The one that can be a true ordeal though, is when you have a LONG way to go, and the drive can be summed up with one word; BORING.

Australia is lucky enough (or is that unlucky enough?) to have a few drives like this, stretches of road that just seem to go on and on, and there’s two in particular that take the cake.

The first is the Bruce Highway in Queensland. While a great road, the stretch between the cities of Mackay and Rockhampton, has managed to remain a truly boring drive, with little to see and the same scenery repeating itself for over 250km. Along this drive you’ll find one petrol station and one rest area, just enough to keep you going until you reach one of the great cities at either end.

The second is the Eyre Highway, the longest straight road in Australia and possibly the world. Covering over 1200km, the highway itself does have many great scenic sections, the nasty part though is when you cross the Nullarbor Plain. This is where you’ll find “90 Mile Straight”, 146km of dead straight, featureless rd. There’s only so much desert driving most people can tolerate before it’s time to take turns! I suppose it’s lucky these days we have air con and CD players. The drive would have been much worse in the 1960s or 70s.