Driving in Australia
Driving Licence
Anyone over 18 can drive in Australia with their local licence, providing it is valid and that you’ve been in the country for less than six months. If you’re spending longer in Australia you should bring along an international driving permit or apply for an Australian driver’s licence.
How long can I drive in Australia on my UK licence?
You can drive for up to 6 months in most states on the UK licence:
Handy web sites:
http://www.austroads.com.au/overseas.html http://www.australia.gov.au/TransportDriving in Australia is easy. Traffic drives on the left and roads are generally well-maintained but motorways are usually restricted to the approaches to major cities and heavily travelled routes such as Melbourne-Sydney and Sunshine Coast-Brisbane-Gold Coast. A regular car will take you virtually everywhere in Australia, but a four-wheel-drive is essential for beach driving or if you want to explore Fraser Island and the Cape York Peninsula.
There are some very long and boring stretches of road in Australia and fatigue is a big killer – make plenty of rest stops, drink plenty of coffee or cola and share the driving with someone else.
Speed Limits
Speed limits on most country roads are 100-110km/h, although the top speed limit is 130km/h on highways in the Northern Territory. On motorways the limit is usually 110km/h outside cities and 100km/h in built up areas. Minor roads in towns and cities are usually either 50km/h or 60km/h with an increasing number of towns adopting the lower speed limit.
Distances Miles
Sydney to Brisbane 584
Sydney to Adelaide 881
Sydney to Darwin 2474
Sydney to Melbourne 544
Sydney to Perth 2483
To calculate distances visit http://www.travelmate.com.au
Australia is a large country with a low speed limit. It often takes a long time between cities. The bonus is the roads are usually quiet.
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