If your only experience of Australia is an old Simpsons episode and Fosters beer commercials, hereâs a couple of things you need to know.
For one thing, Australia is big. Extremely large, in fact. A lazy 7.6 million square kilometres, which isnât too much smaller than the continental USA. Hereâs another one: weâve got one of the highest costs of living in the world, which we tend to measure by coffee inflation (AUD $4 a cup⊠and counting). Combine distance with dollars and you could be looking at a pretty expensive vacation, even factoring in some sweet currency conversion.

A group tour can take you to places you wouldn’t find on your own.
So how do you do Australia on the cheap? Hereâs our ultimate guide.
1. Do a group tour

Getting around is even easier when someone else takes care of the driving.
You may not think of yourself as the âgroup tourâ sort of person, but itâs a very cost-effective way to see certain parts of the country. For one thing, you get transport, accommodation, some meals and petrol included. And trust me, on long road trips (and all Australian road trips are long) petrol costs can balloon out of control. This country chews through petrol. So being able to sit back on an air-conditioned minibus and watch the road roll out ahead of you is certainly a nice perk.

Firing up the barbecue.
More than that though, youâre getting a proper local guide who can show you the best pubs, the best swimming holes, and the local stories you wonât get on a solo trip.
EXPLORE AUSTRALIA ON A SMALL GROUP ADVENTURE NOW – CHECK OUT OUR TRIPS HERE
2. Make use of camp sites

It’s camping, but not as you know it.
Intrepid’s Australia tours usually include a mix of farmstays, dorm accommodation and camping, with the latter obviously being the cheapest option. Australia has literally thousands of national parks and conservation reserves, and most of them (especially the larger, well-established ones) have dedicated camp grounds. Generally you can get an unpowered site for around AUD $20 a night (for power, allow around AUD $60). Most small towns around the country will also have a camp ground or caravan park as well, especially along well-travelled costal routes like The Great Ocean Road, Margaret River or around Head Of Bight.
WATCH THE SUN RISE OVER ULURU ON OUR 17-DAY DARWIN TO MELBOURNE ADVENTURE – DETAILS HERE
3. Donât forget the swag

Swaggy.
If you really want to rough it (and weâre talking sandpaper rough), consider getting a swag and trying a little spontaneous camping. A swag, if you werenât aware, is like a tiny tent for one. Imagine a sleeping bag with architecture. Theyâre cheap, portable and can be chucked down almost anywhere. Facilities: zero. Adventure: maximum. You have to be a bit careful though: roadside camping is usually prohibited in national parks and conservation zones, and you canât do it on private property. Itâs best to check local council and government websites, because each State has different laws around where you can and cannot sleep. Hereâs a good general guide.
SHAKE OUT YOUR SWAG ON OUR 10-DAY PERTH TO BROOME OVERLAND ADVENTURE – MORE INFO HERE
4. Plan smart

Learning about the land from a local.
If youâre determined to do Australia solo, you can certainly save a few dollarydoos by planning ahead and being smart. If you have to buy petrol, wait until itâs cheap, then fill a jerrycan (average prices vary from place to place, and youâll generally pay a bit more outside the capital cities. Anything under AUD $1.20 a litre is pretty good). Itinerary also plays a big part. For example, if you want to visit Uluru, donât bother driving: itâs a billion miles and will cost a fortune. Fly into Yulara instead (not Alice Springs) â Jetstar often has cheap flights, and thereâs decent motel accommodation in town.

Swap your morning latte for a tea from the billy.
Consider shoulder or off-season travel too, when accommodation will be a little cheaper. For most of the country, thatâll be between April and October.
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5. Get out of the cities

How you order a beer in Australia is a whole other story.
Most of Australiaâs 25 million people live in big cities on the coast, where the heat is slightly less scorching. In between, there are large areas of nothingness, punctuated by pubs and sheep. Youâll want to hit up big ticket items like Sydney and Melbourne, sure, but youâll save money by venturing out of town. If youâre visiting Melbourne, consider a few nights in Geelong, Torquay or Lorne. If youâre hitting up Adelaide, try the Fleurieu Peninsula. Instead of spending all your time at Sydney Harbour, consider Wollongong or Katoomba. There are plenty of great vacation spots surrounding the major cities, and theyâre usually slightly cheaper. Win/win.
Want to do Down Under on the cheap? We may be biased, but we think the best way to see Oz is with us. Check out our full range of small group tours here.
1 comment
Wow, cool. Thank you for your tips. This summer im gonna visit this country, and now im in search really useful stuff. đ
Thanks again!