shalz
Member Since: 02 Feb 2013
Location: London
Posts: 70
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Hi all,
We are planning on doing two fairly lengthy road trips this coming December in Australia - 1. Perth to Exmouth and back and 2. Cairns to Daintree and then to Brisbane/Melbourne.
We would ideally like to get a 4x4 capable vehicle to visit some of the parks along the way but the international rental companies are silly expensive and the closest we get is the Nissan Dualis (Aus equivalent of Qashqai)...
Does anyone local know where we can hire a decent off-road vehicle at a good price - don't care about age as love driving a 15 year old Toyota LC as much as a 1 year old D4?
And if anyone has any great suggestions of nice places (hidden or just not well known) to visit other than those listed in Lonely Planet they would also be much appreciated.
Thanks!
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 3rd Apr 2014 9:42 am |
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motolite
Member Since: 18 Mar 2013
Location: Sydney
Posts: 931
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hi shalz,
a quick search came up with this mob. http://australian4wdhire.com.au
Exmouth temps for December can vary between 36-45. Be careful out there!
We're heading over to the Pilbera in the cooler months of July/August to trip around the Karijini and Millstream/Chichester NP(it's also the start of the wildflower season). After that over to Exmouth and down the coast to Perth.
hope this helps 
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| 5th Apr 2014 10:09 am |
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garrycol
Member Since: 06 Dec 2010
Location: Canberra
Posts: 1130
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Not the best time to be travelling by road up north - in the North West it will be hot, real hot so I would not be venturing off the main roads.
In Cairns it is the rainy season so it will be almost not stop tropical rain - hot, humid and wet.
Have fun
Garry
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| 5th Apr 2014 10:14 am |
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gje
Member Since: 09 Mar 2014
Location: world
Posts: 488
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on the drive to Exmouth stop at Shark Bay, and the Hamelin Pool stromatolites ( not sure if thats in the LP) itst off NWCH on the 353.
Murcheson gorges just north of Kalbarri are also scenic - but as noted get serious amount of sunscreen a hat & take lots of water. It WILL be up on the high 30's that time of year.
Carins to daintree is good too, many years ago we stayed in the Daintree Crocodylus Village, tented style lodges in the middle of nowhere really and it was great.
We did the above in an Avis landcruiser, at the time it wasnt too expensive.
for a cheap option try :http://www.wicked4x4rentals.com/
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| 5th Apr 2014 10:30 am |
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shalz
Member Since: 02 Feb 2013
Location: London
Posts: 70
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Thanks all for the suggestions will take a look and now might reconsider our west coast part of the trip if it is going to be that hot as we would like to do a little hiking but not in silly conditions.
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| 7th Apr 2014 6:39 am |
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motolite
Member Since: 18 Mar 2013
Location: Sydney
Posts: 931
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good idea. a teenager died from dehydration in the Pilbara last year while hiking in 40 deg temps.
If you get to the Sydney area and want to go hiking pm me 
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| 7th Apr 2014 7:25 am |
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shalz
Member Since: 02 Feb 2013
Location: London
Posts: 70
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thanks motolite.
We are there in November and think we are only going from Perth to Exmouth so avoiding Pilbara and Karijini but will still do some research on the climate conditions to be sure.
Thanks for the offer on Sydney, will keep that in mind. I know we are visiting the Hunter Valley so we will see what timing is like and try fit this in.
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| 7th Apr 2014 8:39 am |
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disco4x4au
Member Since: 19 Jan 2006
Location: Perth
Posts: 409
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That time of year up north, off-road travelling really isn't a good idea any distance from the ocean. Cyclone season starts late November, and recently has been pretty active. If you get flooded out inland, there probably won't be anyone to help get you out. At least around the coast there'll still be a few travellers.
From Perth, I'd take a leisurely drive up the coast via the Indian Ocean Drive and the Pinnacles Desert through to Geraldton, stop in Kalbarri (see some of the gorges). Move on to Monkey Mia (dolphins, sail an afternoon on the ocean-cat), Denham - visit Cape Peron and drive up to Bottle Bay (track will be hot and flyblown, but the beach views from the car are postcard). Maybe on to Coral Bay (great snorkelling, fishing) and check the conditions of the Yardie Creek track to Ningaloo - camp the night on one of the beaches by the track. Spend a few days on the Ningaloo peninsula, and drive around/over to Exmouth.
We did this trip over the December/Jan period - hot and humid (45deg in Exmouth), but well worth it, as therer are less tourists to trip over! There's a bit of off-roading in that, but nothing too serious, and you can always hightail it to the South if the weather turns nasty 
Cheers,
Gordon ex - 2006 D3 TDV6 SE, silver, with lots of stuff - R.I.P.
ex - 2009 D3 TDV6 SE, silver, had lots of stuff too!
Now - 2010 RRS 3.0 TDV6, rimini red, 18" rims + Cooper LTZ, rear eLocker, Spider tuning box, GOE protection plates and rock sliders, GOE 3way shortened rods.
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| 8th Apr 2014 1:11 am |
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shalz
Member Since: 02 Feb 2013
Location: London
Posts: 70
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Gordon, thanks for the useful info.
Our north trip broadly follows that route and we've only got 3/4 days in Coral Bay and Exmouth so hopefully we will get the main stuff done. Avoiding going inland and will leave that for another trip.
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| 8th Apr 2014 6:22 am |
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