Top 10 tips for traveling Australia in a campervan

Since leaving our cushty flat in Toowoomba 3 months ago, Joe and I have spent every night (apart from the one night we treated ourselves to a hotel room) in the back of a campervan, Safe to say I'm getting used to our new home, and now know all the ins and outs of living in a vehicle.

1. Freedom
Remember why you're doing it. Having a campervan means ultimate freedom, and this is the #1 reason why getting one is the best decision you'll make. One day you can be waking up to the surise over the beach, the next in the garden of a small rural pub after celebrating the rugby scores with the locals. You can up and go... anywhere, and take your whole house with you. Australia is such a big country, I would never have ended up in the places I've been by using public transport.

2. Expect every weather condition
In a van, there's not a lot between you and the outside. It'll definitely keep you dry, but hot and cold can sometimes be an issue. Over the past 4 days this winter we've gone from tropical north queensland with a night temperature of 22 degrees, to south queensland where the night reaches about 8. Not cold for UK standards, but sleeping in a van you really feel the difference at night. If it's hot, park in the shade so it's cooler for bedtime. If it's cold, put some more clothes on!

3. Maintenance
Don't ignore the mechanics advice. Service the vehicle routinely. Get clued up about the basics like checking oil, water, tyres etc. Set aside some money for emergencies. Think about breakdown cover. Don't get caught out. These are your wheels, but also your home so it's doubly important!

4. Wikicamps app
It's illegal to camp on the roadside or in non designated areas. Thankfully, Australia offers a number of free campsites, and these are all easy to find with the help of the wikicamps app. This is the only android app I've ever actually paid money to get, and it's probably the best thing you'll come across. It lists every campsite, caravan park, hotel, day rest spot and everything in between. You can filter by type or facilities available, and find out prices, guest reviews, and my new favourite past-time - reading the arguments between the backpackers and nomads in the comments section.

5. Living space
Possibly the biggest downside to living in a van is that you have a living space not much bigger than the double bed you sleep on. Clear out and tidy up regularly, for you own sanity. When tidy, it feels so much more comfortable. But remember that you won't be spending many of your waking hours in the van, as you'll be out exploring or enjoying your ever changing garden.

6. Being prepared for distance
Australia is huge. Sometimes you will be driving for hours. In the UK you would mentally and physically prepare for such a journey but in Oz it becomes the norm. The difference being that there isn't always a town nearby. The next fuel stop may be a long way away. There isn't always phone signal. Make sure you have enough fuel, food and water. Stay alert - Joe and I enjoy the trivia games that the Aussie highways place every couple of hundred kilometres - but thing like that can save lives. And most important, get a variety of CDs for when the radio signal cuts out!

7. Don't drive after dark
You will most likely hit a kangeroo. Seriously, they're everywhere.

8. Listen to locals and expect the unexpected
They know their country better than you do, and even better than your satnav. Don't go swimming in croc infested water. Don't attempt to drive through flooded roads. Know how to be fire safe, especially in summer. Many tracks are 4WD only - don't try it if you think your vehicle can't handle it.

9. Items you need but might not immediately think of:

• Laptop - You won't always have power, but charge it when you do so that you can snuggle up with a film in the evening.
• Books - Great for relaxing on the beach or before bed. Many places have a free book exchange for when you've read all yours.
• Cooking equipment - Camp stove, pots, pans, camp toaster, plates, bowls, cutlery, utensils. Use them, don't eat McDonald's every day.
• Washing line and pegs - The sun is there for a reason.  All you need is a bit of rope and you can tie it between your van and almost anything. 
• Battery/USB speakers - Always handy, especially if your vehicle doesn't have an aux input.
• First aid kit with snake bite bandages - Always be prepared. We don't consider this last one in the UK, but highly venomous snakes are common in Australia, and if you get bitten by one, you have 15 minutes to get an antivenom. With a snake bite bandage correctly applied, you have 1 hour. 

10. Have fun!
It's what you came here to do. The van is merely a tool to help you achieve that. Australia has some awesome cities and extraordinary stunning landscapes. Go and explore as much of it as you can, because with a campervan that's exactly what you can do.

Want to know more? Find out which were my 5 favourite campsites in Australia here!

See Melbourne through Beth's eyes - first impressions of Australia

6 days ago I landed in the city of Melbourne. Having never been to Australia before I had no idea what to expect other than what people had told me. Here's my observations of what I've experienced so far.

Wildlife
I may be in a city, which isn't home to kangeroos, koalas and other things I may expect to find in other areas of Oz, but the one thing I did notice were the birds. Palm trees litter the city, and taking refuge in their heights are thousands of Lorikeets.

The friendly fellow pictured above was from West Midlands Safari Park, the ones below from Melbourne.

As well as these chirpy little creatures, I also spotted a pair of cockatoos nesting in a palm tree this morning. The first time I'd seen something like that in the wild. The marina is home to little penguins and huge water rats - and the crazy fisherman who feeds and talks to them. The crows here make a weird noise, like they're laughing at you, and the pigeons actually dig in the dirt with their beaks to find food. No free chips for them round here! As of yet I still haven't encountered any spiders. I'm starting to think everyone was lying to me about those.

Bohemian
Currently I'm staying in a hostel in a nice little area of Melbourne called St Kilda. It's just outside the city centre, and full of bars, restaurants and beaches. It's very bohemian and reminds me a lot of my home city of Brighton, for it's quirky shops and bars. Down the road from the hostel is a veg garden
which looks a bit like allotments, and has privately owned patches, with accessibility for the public to view. People showcase their weird and wonderful homemade garden sculptures and its a nice place for nature and art.

Hostel Life
This is my second experience of living in a hostel dorm room. My first being in Paris, where the only stranger in the room was a very happy Thai man from Newcastle, who didn't actually sleep in his bed but told us when he got back in the morning all about his exciting night - though he didn't remember too much of it. Hostel life isn't all that bad once you get used to it. If listening to some poor drunk swedish guy throw up all night is your thing, then perfect! But seriously, it has it's good and bad points - no privacy, sharing with strangers; but it's also a great place to make friends and get advice from people who have been to the places you're going! It's a lot cheaper than booking private rooms or hotels and is good for short term. If staying in an area for longer, it's best to get a flat, or a job with accommodation, or the choice we've made - buy a campervan!

Active people
Everyone in Australia loves to keep fit. This is awesome to see and makes me almost want to take up jogging. Everyone is always jogging along the beach, or cycling, or swimming. The other day there was a kids triathlon going on down the road, with thousands attending to take part and show support. It was awesome to see so many young athletes loving keeping fit. Other than not being fat, Aussies are generally friendly and helpful, and a little bit crazy at times but that's why we love them.

Transport
Maybe I won't appreciate this so much when I realise how much I'm being taxed while I'm here, but the transport in Melbourne is great. They have buses and trains, though most people seem to use the tram service as it seems pretty frequent and reliable. On first trying the tram I found it was a little confusing. You have to purchase a card, and top it up with credit in advance, then scan it on the device in the tram when you get in. No tickets, no time wasting.

Money
I was told that Australia had a higher cost of living than in the UK, which isn't great when coming with the money made on our UK wages. But actually, Australia isn't all that expensive. Petrol is about $1.13 and diesel $1.09, which is the equivalent of about 60p in Sterling - ridiculously cheap. Most other prices of things work out similar, though going out for a drink is usually where you'll break the bank. About £4.50 - £5 equivalent for a pint of beer, and more for cocktails and spirits.

Weather
Australia is hot. Currently it is autumn, and today is a pleasant 33 degrees. Over the next few weeks, the temperature in Melbourne will decrease as we come into winter, and I've been told it actually gets cold! Which means for us it's the perfect time to hop in the van and head north.

To sum it up, Australia is awesome - and to prove it to you, here's a video of a moonwalking seagull.