The Travel Group

Road Travel

Australian traffic drives on the left hand side of the road.

Road speed limits differ between states but are generally 100-110kph on the highways and 50-60kph in built-up areas. Interstate highways are not of the same standard as USA and European highway systems but nor do they carry the same traffic volumes.

Be careful when driving on country roads at night in cold weather. Cattle and native animals such as kangaroos lie on the bitumen road surface which holds the warmth of the sun. Car lights blind and mesmerize the animals and they may just as easily run into your vehicle as run away from it.

Extra care is needed when sharing the road with road-trains. These are prime movers with multiple trailers of cattle attached and are about 50 meters (170 feet) long. Always give them plenty of room as the buffeting from displaced air as you pass in opposite directions can be quite severe. Allow at least 1 kilometer (3000 feet) of clear road before overtaking a road train.

Dust from passing vehicles on outback roads can obscure your vision. Don't take risks, slow down or stop until it settles.
A Canadian License is sufficient to drive in Australia.

More from Road Traffic Authority New South Wales