Driving in Australia

[DividendGuy]

Hello Everyone.

 

I am starting to plan a trip to Australia in April and will be renting a car and driving around the greater Perth area for two weeks with my family. I would like to ask a few questions first in order to make this an enjoyable trip;

 

*) Can I use my Thai driver's license in Australia to legally drive or do I need an international driver's license?

 

*) Since we will have our own transportation what sights shouldn't we miss and any favorite sights we should  pass on? Any towns we should definitely visit?

 

*) Any annoyances or dangers we should be cautious about? 

 

Thanks for your comments

 

[Ron19]

Kings Park in Perth should be on your list as well as Swan valley wineries.

Fremantle, in particular the Fremantle Market which is open Friday, Saturday 

and Sundays.

Depending how far you wish to travel and the sort of thing you like to see, 

there are many options.

Going to watch an Australian Rules Football game (which is played in a

great new stadium) and/or the Casino, both are almost side by side on the

edge of the city are worth it.

Driving in the metropolitan area can be as bad as Bangkok in morning and 

afternoon peak hours.

[Odysseus123]

Fremantle,Margaret River,Albany,Cape Esperance..the great timber forests of the South..

 

I hope that you enjoy wonderful wine and have a great trip!

Edited September 21, 2018 by Odysseus123

[DividendGuy]

To Ron 19: Since I am renting a car, we are going to travel up and down the the coast for a few hundred kilometers and probably go inland too. My wife loves the Aussie wines so we will go to Swan valley. Thanks again

 

To Odysseus123: Thanks for the info and we will visit the places you mentioned. 

[Baboy]

What area you staying in ? If you want to visit the Swan Valley & partake of the wine have a look at the Capt Cook or similar wine cruises. Jump on a boat in Perth drink on the way up the river lunch & wine tasting drink on the way back, no driving involved. Beware the authorities are rampant on drink driving down there. Probably the same for going down to Freo if you want to lunch & have a couple of ales can train or boat. From has some great restaurants lots of the smaller ones are fantastic, The Capri & Roma to name 2.  Fishermans harbor not a bad place to while away a couple of hours.

     If spending time around the Perth metro area look into opening an Uber account there. Taxi's a nightmare to get if during peak times, Uber is very handy. 

  My missus drives on her Thai License when down there for short periods of time usually when she is there less than a month. 

  Enjoy your time there.

[Thai Chi]

15 hours ago, DividendGuy said:

Can I use my Thai driver's license in Australia to legally drive or do I need an international driver's license?

 

In Australia, laws and driving regulations differ from state to state. Some states require you to carry an International Licence with your current foreign licence. Other states request you carry your current foreign driver's licence together with a formal translation of your licence into English.   (Oz Gov Information services)

 

For WA specifically .............

 

https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/licensing/visiting-from-overseas.asp

[DividendGuy]

To Thai Chi: Thanks for your reply and the correct e-mail address that answered my question regarding driving in WA (Perth area). When I checked with Wikipedia, it was not so clear about driving in WA, but now I know that I can drive with my Thai DL. 

[DividendGuy]

To Baboy: I talked to my wife about the cruise and she wants to go on it, plus we will definitely try the other smaller restaurants in From and Freo. Since we will rent a car, we are going to drive around the whole general area for 2 weeks up and down the coast to see the sights, that's why I am interested in the different smaller towns and cities to spend the night in if they have decent accommodations for around US$100 or so. The first three days and  nights we will stay in Perth, and any suggestions on hotel is much appreciated. Again thanks for your e-mail.

 

 

[4MyEgo]

I would suggest:

 

1) That it is a MUST to take out travel insurance for visitors, but not compulsory, besides its cheap enough, and trust me when I say you don't want to be without travel insurance in Australia, I mean just that.

You can also increase any loss of damage waiver, i.e. excess on the rental vehicle through your travel insurer if you want to, e.g. if it's 1 or 2 thousand dollars, you should up it to $4,000 to cover the loss of damage waiver in the event of an accident.

 

2) I would recommend you book through Avis as they are the only car rental company that accepts payment through your debit card, i.e. avoiding all the costs associated with credit cards, i.e. unless you want to collect points on your credit card. 

 

3) Have a look at increasing any loss of damage waiver through your travel insurer as I said in 1) as I believe the standard loss of damage waiver if $4,000Aus and they will charge that to your car in the event of an accident or damage to the car.

 

I am a non resident of Australia although am an Australian Citizen and will be heading to Australia in 4 weeks and will be taking out travel insurance for the family, and as I have done a fair bit of research on travel insurance for Australia, here is the link for you to decide which one you may wish to select if taking out travel insurance: 

 

https://www.comparetravelinsurance.com.au/travel-insurance-tips/visitors-to-australia-travel-insurance

 

Enjoy....

[Baboy]

On 9/22/2018 at 12:12 PM, DividendGuy said:

To Baboy: I talked to my wife about the cruise and she wants to go on it, plus we will definitely try the other smaller restaurants in From and Freo. Since we will rent a car, we are going to drive around the whole general area for 2 weeks up and down the coast to see the sights, that's why I am interested in the different smaller towns and cities to spend the night in if they have decent accommodations for around US$100 or so. The first three days and  nights we will stay in Perth, and any suggestions on hotel is much appreciated. Again thanks for your e-mail.

 

 

Have a look at Airbnb for apartments . Perth is so spread out. If it where me I would steer clear of Perth city itself as the CBD tends to shut down when the work day finished. South Perth, Victoria Park & out around the beaches are nice areas with easy access. Hotels are not cheap in Perth so maybe the Airbnb a better choice. 

    As for towns within a days drive I personally would look to the South West. Mandurah ( 35 miles ) , Busselton 110 miles, then onto places like Margaret river & around the south coast to Albany / Denmark Beautiful part of the world & many scenic drives thru the Karri Forrest of the south west. If you get as far as Albany going around the coast it is only a 5 hour drive back to Perth. Distances between towns around the S/west is not great usually about 35 to 40 miles. So always somewhere to stop & have a feed. The tourist information services in Perth are a good help as are the ones that most bigger towns in the S/west have. Not to sure when the whale watching is on down south but is a great day trip heading out of Augusta to watch the hump whales on their migration north

 

good luck

[gkroo]

Whilst on the subject of driving in Oz, has any members with a valid Thai license returning to Oz to live tried to transfer this over to a QLD drivers license ?? The QLD DMT website states that QLD do not accept Thai licenses but do not know if this is still valid and if so then do you need to resit for a driving test and complete questions and then if passed be subject to being a P plate driver. I do have an expired QLD license,would that assist me ?? thanks for any feedback 

[simple1]

On 9/24/2018 at 11:52 AM, gkroo said:

Whilst on the subject of driving in Oz, has any members with a valid Thai license returning to Oz to live tried to transfer this over to a QLD drivers license ?? The QLD DMT website states that QLD do not accept Thai licenses but do not know if this is still valid and if so then do you need to resit for a driving test and complete questions and then if passed be subject to being a P plate driver. I do have an expired QLD license,would that assist me ?? thanks for any feedback 

if your expired QLD license has not expired more than five years, can renew, otherwise will have to take a test within three months of arriving back in QLD with Thai license. Don't believe you will have to resit online rules test, can check when you get back. it's not difficult as Govt provides an online rules test platform for practice. Obtain a Thai IDP.

 

https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/licensing/driver-licensing/renew-replace/renew/person

Edited September 25, 2018 by simple1

[gkroo]

Thanks Simple1, kindly appreciate this feedback.

[TSF]

Unless the laws have changed, last I heard was in WA a tourist can drive up to 3 months on a foreign DL.

 

Agree with Baboy about not staying in the city center CBD, it's nothing like an Asian capital that has vibrant after-hours street life, once all the shops and offices close it's like a morgue except for gangs of louts. You'll be way better in one of the suburbs close to the city. 

 

Watch your speed when driving in Perth, cameras are all over the place and fines are stiff.

[TSF]

On 9/22/2018 at 4:48 AM, Thai Chi said:

 

In Australia, laws and driving regulations differ from state to state. Some states require you to carry an International Licence with your current foreign licence. Other states request you carry your current foreign driver's licence together with a formal translation of your licence into English.   (Oz Gov Information services)

 

For WA specifically .............

 

https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/licensing/visiting-from-overseas.asp

Good link, thanks. I'll be going to Perth next week with my TGF, and I want her to do some driving when I've had a few, according to that site she can use her Thailand car licence up until expiry date...well she has the 5-year licence, so she's got stack of time. But that doesn't matter as we're only staying 3 months. Her Thai licence is also in English, so no worries there. I'm sure the law previously was foreign DL for 3 months only, that's what my bro-in-law told me and he worked for Department of Transport. Guess it changed some time.

[DavisH]

Get on a boat from Fremantle and get over to Rottnest Island. Nice over there. Fremantle markets are good; picked up some nice coffee there. Wineries. We went to Sandalford wineries just north of Perth - they Thais I was with enjoyed the samples! Try Margaret River for nice beaches. Cervantes and Lancelin beaches are nice also. Monkey Mia is a long way, but if you have kids they may like to see the dolphins that come in close. When it's sunny its really sunny (actual blue skies) Take some sunglasses.