Driving from Melbourne to Adelaide

[Guest rami.helmy]

Hi Guys,

I've been recently granted a permanent visa, and will validate it on coming November. I will take a flight to Melbourne with my family including 2 children aged 2, and 4.

I'm thinking about staying for a couple of days in Melbourne then Drive to Adelaide by a rented car. Is that a wise idea regarding safety?

 

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Rami

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

I have only made the trip once and it was ok...not much to see...but if you come the coastal route there will be much more to see but i think it maybe be a bot longer....just make sure you have a camera to hand as you never know what you might see..

 

HG

[Diane]

Or you can come via the Grampians which is lovely. Can recommend a great place to stay near Wartook if you decide on that route too...http://www.emuholidaypark.com.au/

 

The owner also runs the local native fauna rescue service, and often is hand/bottle feeding a couple of orphan 'roos - your kids will adore it, and may get to help too! Wartook is not far from Halls Gap, and you are guaranteed to see kangaroos and emus as you drive there - a great start to your life here!

[tina&steve]

do it but take a few days, go via the great ocean road, magnicifent drive soooo lovely stay at different places on the way, motels or campsites!! look it up and plan it well and you will have a fantastic experience

[Guest Matey]

do it but take a few days, go via the great ocean road, magnicifent drive soooo lovely stay at different places on the way, motels or campsites!! look it up and plan it well and you will have a fantastic experience

 

Agree with this, it's well worth the detour. If you haven't got the time you may as well fly - Tiger have some discounted fares down to about $25 in November (though they'll probably charge you 3 times that for the privilege of taking your luggage with you)

[Guest Alipally]

Beware! It's a really long drive. If the point of the journey is to get from Melbourne to Adelaide and not to enjoy the journey with lots of stop offs and perhaps an overnight somewhere (I recommend Lorne or Port Fairy!) then I would seriously consider flying.

8 hours of driving at no more than 110kph with not much to look at will drive you and probably your kids insane too.

I've done the journey quite a few times.... It's not my preferred way to get to Melbourne!

[Guest sarahtwinn82]

we drove from Sydney to Adelaide when we arrived 8 weeks ago with an 11 yr old and a 16 yr old. It took 2 long driving days and we saw lots and drove through the NSW outback which was exciting. We thought it was a brill adventure.

[Guest Alipally]

Each to their own I guess, but I've also driven to Sydney a number of times from Adelaide... Everytime I do, I swear that I never want to do it again!!! Add to that the fact that the POLICE hide in bushes and in dips trying to catch you for speeding it makes it quite stressful if you don't have Cruise control... We last did this in December.... A total of 5 speed cameras were pointed at us and DH was breathalised en route! (Happy to say that I wasn't speeding and DH hadn't had a drink!)

 

I'm also guessing that you didn't go across the Hay Plain.... There really is NOTHING there.... After a few hours on that road I get excited when a bit of tumble weed crosses my path!!

 

On the other hand, when we first came to Australia we drove all the way from Brisbane to Cairns.... Admittedly we took 3 weeks to do it, but that was a big adventure and we did and saw things that we still talk and think about now...... The driving was arduous, but the adventure made it a worthwhile trip!!

[Guest lippy]

Hi Rami

 

We too arrived in Melbourne and drove to Adelaide with a then 2yr old via the Great Ocean Road.

 

With no accomodation booked and no idea where we were going other than the Ocean Road (which was to the south!) we set off for Adelaide in the midst of storm. There were trees strewn all over the road and the rain was mucky... We took approx 3 days to get to Adelaide - taking in the sights but as the weather wasn't great - not hanging about anywhere in particular. To us this was the start of our new life and what a start!!!

 

We have driven the Ocean Road twice now and driven Adelaide to Melbourne and back again in 24hrs (not overly recommended) plus driven Adelaide to Perth across the Nullaboor (4 days x 8-12hrs driving each way) and every time our son has been with us and not been a problem - dvds and colouring books at the ready, he's happy.

 

There is wildlife on the roads and you do have to be aware of it, but driving in daylight reduces your risk.

 

Hope some of this helps you to make a decision - good luck!

 

Julie

[Guest rami.helmy]

Thanks a lot for all these good advices and suggestions

[Anne B]

Alternatively you can get the train, The Overlander, which runs 3 times a week. It leaves Melbourne at about 8am and gets into Adelaide about 6pm, no hassle, no need for an overnight stop, plus you can watch the scenery from the window.

 

There are 2 classes of seat, the cheapest is $90 adult, $45 child

The more expensive one is $134 adult, $90 child

 

Driving long distances in Australia can be fairly boring, plus you have to watch out for the police, your children might get fed up being in the car for so long and you may be jet-lagged, so plane or train would be less hassle. Driving at night can be a problem with animals straying on the road, I don't know whether the road to Melbourne gets many kangaroos but they love to jump out in front of the car!!

[Guest sarahtwinn82]

I did a return trip to Sydney over three days at the begining of September to pick the cats up from quarantine. Yes it is a long way but it is in no way undoable (is that a word?). I left Adelaide at about 6.30 in the morning and was in Yass by 9pm (with the time change too). Did a round trip to the outskirts of Sydney then back to Yass, that was a nice short day, only 6 hours driving. I then left Yass at just before 6am and was back here by 9pm. Got held up at an accident because of the bad weather that weekend.

I would say that driving here is far easier and less stressful than in the UK. Yes, there are very few motorway type roads and the speed limits in places are lower than we are used to but the roads are so empty outside the cities that you can actually maintain a higher average speed than in the UK.

My reccomendations:

1) Buy and Australian Sat Nav. This was one of the first purchases we made in Australia and it proved invaluable on the first journey from Sydney and for learning the way round Adelaide.

 

2) Rent a larger car than you physically need. The extra space will make things much more comfortable.

 

3) Take regular breaks. I drive 4-41/2 hrs then break for 45mins. If you are not used to driving long distances rest more frequently. I use the timer on my phone as I find driving here is so easy it doesn't actually seem that long and the temptation to keep going is very strong. If you rest before you get tired you can go further overall.

 

4) As someone else said, watch the wildlife. I haven't had a roo argue with me on the road but I did have an emu decide to run at me along the road.

 

5) Use the cruise control. It is invaluable. Don't risk speeding, I have been told the fines are much higher for foreign licence holders. Its not necessary anyway.

 

Peter (Using my wife's log in)

[ShaunWilson]

Done it quite often. Drive Melbourne to Adelaide takes just over 8 hours sticking to speed limit, so no worries there. And Sydney to Adelaide via hAys plains about 14 hours. Depends if you want to stop and see stuff. As said, not the most scenic routes ever, but i guess when your starting a new life, and never seen ths type of scenery before, it is a great way to begin a new chapter in your life. Good luck.

[Guest rami.helmy]

I did a return trip to Sydney over three days at the begining of September to pick the cats up from quarantine. Yes it is a long way but it is in no way undoable (is that a word?). I left Adelaide at about 6.30 in the morning and was in Yass by 9pm (with the time change too). Did a round trip to the outskirts of Sydney then back to Yass, that was a nice short day, only 6 hours driving. I then left Yass at just before 6am and was back here by 9pm. Got held up at an accident because of the bad weather that weekend.

I would say that driving here is far easier and less stressful than in the UK. Yes, there are very few motorway type roads and the speed limits in places are lower than we are used to but the roads are so empty outside the cities that you can actually maintain a higher average speed than in the UK.

My reccomendations:

1) Buy and Australian Sat Nav. This was one of the first purchases we made in Australia and it proved invaluable on the first journey from Sydney and for learning the way round Adelaide.

 

2) Rent a larger car than you physically need. The extra space will make things much more comfortable.

 

3) Take regular breaks. I drive 4-41/2 hrs then break for 45mins. If you are not used to driving long distances rest more frequently. I use the timer on my phone as I find driving here is so easy it doesn't actually seem that long and the temptation to keep going is very strong. If you rest before you get tired you can go further overall.

 

4) As someone else said, watch the wildlife. I haven't had a roo argue with me on the road but I did have an emu decide to run at me along the road.

 

5) Use the cruise control. It is invaluable. Don't risk speeding, I have been told the fines are much higher for foreign licence holders. Its not necessary anyway.

 

Peter (Using my wife's log in)

 

Thanks Peter (who is using his wife log in)

Do you recommend a certain brand for the Sat. Navigator (GPS)?

[tina&steve]

Each to their own I guess, but I've also driven to Sydney a number of times from Adelaide... Everytime I do, I swear that I never want to do it again!!! Add to that the fact that the POLICE hide in bushes and in dips trying to catch you for speeding it makes it quite stressful if you don't have Cruise control... We last did this in December.... A total of 5 speed cameras were pointed at us and DH was breathalised en route! (Happy to say that I wasn't speeding and DH hadn't had a drink!)

 

I'm also guessing that you didn't go across the Hay Plain.... There really is NOTHING there.... After a few hours on that road I get excited when a bit of tumble weed crosses my path!!

 

On the other hand, when we first came to Australia we drove all the way from Brisbane to Cairns.... Admittedly we took 3 weeks to do it, but that was a big adventure and we did and saw things that we still talk and think about now...... The driving was arduous, but the adventure made it a worthwhile trip!!

 

 

good to see the police are out there keeping the roads safe! :policeman: