How To Travel Cheap in Australia

How To Travel Cheap in Australia

There's no denying that travelling Australia can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be. We're here to share our top tips on how to see the country on a budget.

Transport Costs

Transport and accomodation are going to be your two biggest costs. Domestic flights can be expensive, especially if at short notice and you have luggage. This is where vehicle relocations come in, combining travel and accomodation costs in one!

At Imoova we offer car, campervan, and motorhome relocations from only $1 per day, Australia wide. What's a relocation? Essentially, rental companies need their fleet moved after one way trips. Instead of putting the vehicles on a truck they put customers behind the wheel, giving them access to a luxury motorhome at a fraction of the cost of a rental. It's a win-win for both parties, especially as you'll be combining your transport and accomodation costs into one!

We upload hundreds of listings daily from all major Australian cities, as well as more regional locations. Depending on the urgency of the relocation the rental company can also offer fuel allowances so you can get anything from $50 to $800 reimbursed after your trip. You could visit Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns, Melbourne, Darwin, Perth, Broome, Adelaide & more. A road trip is hands down the best way to see Australia, there's nothing better than discovering hidden gems and visiting towns you've never heard of.

Another transport related tip is to use PetrolSpy when on the road, this site shows you all of the fuel stations near you along with the cost so you can always make sure you're getting the best possible price.

Utilise public transport as much as possible - Queensland recently introduced 50 cent fares across buses, trains and ferries! Note that in most cities you will usually need to purchase a travel card (Sydney - Opal, Melbourne - Myki, Brisbane - GoCard, Perth - SmartRider).

If you do need a taxi download the DiDi app, it's similar to Uber but the prices are often lower.

If you do need to take a domestic flight, make sure to use Skyscanner to find the cheapest flights for your chosen dates.

Attractions

Whether you're planning to climb the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge, or hold an adorable koala at the iconic Australia Zoo, you can often get discounted rates on attractions when you book through sites like GetYourGuide or Klook. If you're booking as a family, often places will offer discounted prices so make sure to make the most of this.

A lot of Australia's greatest attractions are nature based & free! With an Imoova campervan relocation you can tick off attractions like Uluru, The Pinnacles, The Great Ocean Road, Ningaloo Reef, The Blue Mountains, Great Barrier Reef & more.

Food & Drink

If you're coming to Australia on a Working Holiday Visa or planning to stay for a few months, it could be worth signing up to supermarket rewards programs such as Flybuys or Everyday Rewards so that you can make the most of member prices on groceries.

For eating out, we recommend downloading apps such as Eat Club, where you can get discounted rates at restaurants and bars in most major Australian cities. Restaurants list deals throughout the day and you have a certain amount of time to redeem them, you can get up to 50% off your bill.

Accomodation

As always, booking as far in advance as possible is going to get you the best rates. AirBnb's will usually offer discounts if you are staying for longer than a week. Booking.com also offer mobile only discounts. Also check out Hostel World, if you're not keen on being in a dorm room then private rooms are usually priced reasonably too. If you're going more regional, a lot of caravan parks also have cabins and have all the amenities you'd need such as showers, laundry rooms, a kitchen and a swimming pool.

If you're planning to free camp in a campervan then we recommend the Wiki Camps or Camps Australia app, they let you see nearby campsites, dump points, and free camping spots.