Driving in Australia

Which side of the road?

Australians drive on the left-hand side of the road (the steering wheel is on the right hand side of the car and the gears are operated with the left hand). If you plan to hire a car but are not used to driving on the left, then it may be a good idea to hire a car with an automatic transmission.

General road rules

In general, Australian road rules will seem familiar to most people; however there are a few main points to remember:

• Give way (yield) to all traffic on your right at intersections and roundabouts.
• In cities and towns the speed limit will normally be 50km/h, but some areas may be signposted at either 40km/h or 60km/h. Freeways and highways will normally have a 100km/h limit (but it may vary from 70 to 110km/h depending on the road and conditions).
• You are only permitted to turn left on a red light at intersections signposted as such.
• The maximum legal blood alcohol level is 0.05%. Drink driving laws are very strictly enforced in Australia.
• Overseas drivers' licenses are acceptable, but if you have any doubts either contact your preferred car hire agency before leaving home or obtain an international license.

The Australian Road Rules are available online.

Car hire

Most of the major international car hire companies have a reservations desk at Brisbane airport. For more information, either speak to your travel agent or visit the following web sites:

• Avis Australia
• Budget Rent-a-Car
• Hertz
• National Car Rental
• Thrifty Car Rental

Distances

Driving is a great way of seeing Australia, but if you do plan to drive to other parts of the country during your stay, please remember that it is a very big country. Travelers are often unprepared for the distances they may encounter. For example driving from Brisbane to Sydney without break may take around 12 hours; from Brisbane to Cairns may take 30 hours or longer.

Please also remember that in more remote parts of the country, many roads are unsealed and may only be suitable for four wheel drive vehicles. Please check with your car rental firm whether your agreement excludes driving in certain conditions.