• ABOUT
  • Beth’s Book Club
    • BOOKISH BLOGS & REVIEWS
    • JOIN THE CLUB
    • Members Area
      • Login
      • Account
      • What We’ve Read
      • Beth’s Book Club Book Recycle
      • Lives, Q&A’s and Seminars
      • Small Business Directory
      • Random Acts of Kindness
  • LIFE
    • I’VE BEEN THINKING…
    • WELLNESS
    • MENTAL HEALTH
    • INTERIORS
    • BUDGETING
    • PRODUCTIVITY TIPS
    • BLOGGING TIPS
    • RECIPES
    • BOOKISH BLOG POSTS
  • STYLE
    • FASHION
    • BEAUTY
  • TRAVEL
    • DESTINATIONS
    • TRAVEL TIPS
    • VAN LIFE
    • SPENDING DIARIES
  • CONTACT
  • PRESETS

Beth Sandland

10 Things You Wanted to Know About Hiring a Campervan in Australia and New Zealand

09/11/2019 · AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, TRAVEL, TRAVEL TIPS, VAN LIFE

Byron Bay Campervan Life Hiring a Campervan in Australia and New Zealand

 

As you all know I am allllll about the #vanlife after my campervan adventures around Australia and New Zealand earlier this year. I’m a total convert to a minimalist existence on four wheels; something I never thought I’d say! Last week I opened up a discussion using the Instagram Q&A function in an attempt to ease, myth bust and encourage all your wildest campervan questions and concerns. There were just too many great topics to cover on my stories, so instead I thought I’d answer them here.

 

I’ve enlisted the help of my pal and campervan guru Sammy RatPack. Okay, that isn’t really his surname but it is the name of his awesome travel company and it sounds pretty bad-ass. RatPack Travel are my absolute go to experts for all things on hiring a campervan in Australia or New Zealand.

In an attempt to break down the impersonal, often extortionate face of the travel and rental industry, Sammy runs things very differently. In a nutshell: give him your dates, let him know who you are, who you’re travelling with and what kind of trip you’re after and he’ll do the rest. He runs a search comparing all the available vans on the market then brings you the best one. THEN (!) he cuts into his own commission and makes it at least 10% cheaper.

Yep, the guy gives away his profit so you have extra beer money for your epic roadie. Now you see why I shout about them so much?

Anyway, he also really knows his shit when it comes to vanlife having adventured off on many roadies of his own. His knowledge proved invaluable to me when I campervanned it around New Zealand and he’s forever answering all my weird and mildly irritating questions via WhatsApp. He’s a good egg.

 

 

10 Things YOU Wanted to Know About Hiring a Campervan in Australia and New Zealand

(ranked in order of popularity!) 

 

  1. How much does hiring a campervan in Australia or New Zealand cost?

Beth – 

This is easily the most frequently asked and the hardest question to answer. I totally know why you want to know exactly what your van is going to cost whilst you’re still in the planning stages of your trip. Here are some of the factors that make it so hard to give a definitive answer:

  • What time of year is it?
  • Where are you picking up from and dropping off to?
  • What style of van do you want?
  • Which company you go with: are you happy with an older model, or do you want something flashier?

To try and give you a really transparent idea, I asked Sammy to run a search for a 21 day road trip from Sydney to Cairns at the beginning of February (the height of Aussie summer). This is the most expensive time of year to do this journey.

I think you’ll be really pleasantly surprised by the price!

 

  • Pickup Location: Sydney, 1st February 2020

  • Return Location: Cairns, 21st February 2020

  • Youngest Driver: 19 years

  • Daily Rate: 21 days x $99 = $2079

  • Administration fee: $70

  • Sub total cost: $2149

  • RatPack Discount: 10% = $89 daily rental

  • Total cost: $1869 (£1,038)

 

So between 3 mates, that’s just £346 each for your TRAVEL AND ACCOMODATION for THREE WEEKS!

 

10 Things You Wanted to Know About Hiring a Campervan in Australia and New Zealand

Product image of actual van in relation to above quote.

 

 

  1. Where do you poo?

Beth – 

YOU GUYS! I poo in….a toilet. Dun, dun, duuuun.

I’ve never driven a self-contained van (one with a loo or shower in it) and simply do my number twos in gas stations, in a McDonald’s, in public loos etc. You’ll probably be surprised by the wealth of facilities on offer, especially in Australia. There are day use areas, rest stops and loos at the beach all over this massive country. People are used to doing long journeys so the facilities are there.

Even in the remotest part of New Zealand, not once did I ever shit in the woods. Sorry guys. 

As for wees, the great outdoors always sufficed. Ladies, the trick is squat super low and aim downhill. Nobody wants pissy Havaianas.

 

 

  1. Should I go for freedom camps or paid campsites?

Beth – 

Vanlife can be ultra cheap. One of the biggest things to decide that will massively dictate your spending is freedom camp or paid for campsite?

For a period I did the latter, then one night we got stuck after closing and ended up wild camping. IT WAS THE BEST. Waking up surrounded by total nature, no having to be in a set spot by a set time, finding some awesome places to spend the night by the beach, in forests and in secluded locations. All for free!

If freedom camping doesn’t float your boat (but do try it at least once or twice) then you’re looking at an average of around $40-50 (£20-25) for a powered pitch in the summer. Ouch.

Obviously if you pay for a campsite you will have facilities like showers, toilets and often communal kitchens, you may have wifi (though I wouldn’t count on it being any good) and you’ll have access to power should you want it.

 

The view from one of my favourite freedom camps, on the shores of Lake Pukaki on New Zealand’s South Island: do you really want to pay for a campsite now?!

 

 

  1. How do you wash if you’re freedom camping?

Beth – 

In Australia I found almost all of the beaches had facilities. Washrooms, outdoor showers and some even had indoor heated showers! We’d go for a morning walk on the beach or a swim, then shower off and get ready for the day. Sometimes just a bucket of water will do!

In New Zealand there are less beaches but more lakes, creeks and rivers! We would always choose freedom camps near some kind of source of freshwater for a morning or evening dip. At times it was freezing, at others literally glacial but it was always good fun and I always ended up clean.

Of course, it’s great to use the most eco-friendly products you can find for hair and body washing. Have a look at Ethique World shampoo, conditioner and body bars; they’re an ultra earth conscious kiwi brand.

 

Evening shower at Noosa National Park, Queensland

 

  1. How much does fuel cost and how far will a tank take me?

Sammy – 

CHEAPER than the UK let me tell you… 

The Facts (prices 11th September 2019)

  • Petrol price in the UK (per litre): £ 151.9 GBP ($2.72 AUD)
  • Petrol price in Oz (per litre): £0.78 GBP ($ 1.40 AUD)

The Estimates of a road trip between Sydney and Cairns:

  • An average Fuel Consumption is Approx 14L Per 100km
  • Price per 100 km’s = £10.92
  • The Km’s between Sydney and Cairns is 3140 km’s
  • Total price over the road trip = £342

 

 

  1. What are some easy campervan meals?

Beth –

I’m going to answer this more in depth in a separate post. Inevitably you’ll eat a lot of pasta. It’s just so easy, cheap and filling. However I started to get a bit more adventurous (and a bit healthier) when I realised I was slowly morphing into penne.

My top tip is to buy seasonings. Salt, pepper, some chilli flakes and maybe some kind of mixed green herb seasoning. 

  • Pasta variations
  • Soup and bread
  • Salad with cold meat
  • Potnoodles (sorry, not sorry)
  • Burgers
  • Fajitas

Basically anything you can make one pan! 

 

Sammy – 

#AUSSIEBBQ: as well as toilets and showers dotted all over, almost every beach has free barbies for you to chuck a few shrimp on. We don’t stereotype at all round here. Basically, Australia is just one huge campout. Get some SNAG on the BBQ (if you know, you know).

 

Things you need to know before hiring a camper van in Australia

Cooking up a storm (okay, reheating a pouch of soup…) on the banks of Lake Taupo, NZ

 


  1. I thought you had to connect to power every few days for the van battery to charge?

Beth –

I’m sure Sammy will correct me if I’m wrong but I reckon this is a bit of a myth. We definitely didn’t do this in New Zealand, even in a proper old banger of a van, and had no issues. The trick is to drive enough; driving charges the battery. If you’re going to stay in the same spot for 3 days then you’re going to need to plug in.

We always had enough power to use the houselights in the evening. We weren’t fussed about the plug sockets or microwave (which do require the van to be connected to a power source) and we would turn the fridge down overnight then back up when we set off again.

As for charging devices, we would do so during the day in cafes etc.

 

Sammy –

Thats correc,t each van has a second deep cycle battery to run the fridge (if you opt for a van with a fridge – which is highly recommended). This means that the battery is charged when the engine is running… Beth you are now a fully certified ROAD TRIPPier knowing this : ) *Beth bows*

 

 

 

  1. Is it realistic to campervan with children?

Beth –

Again, Sammy will be better equipped to answer this one than me as I’m sure he’s helped customers with sprogs. On the road I’ve seen plenty of families in a variety of vans (usually dependent on the number of offspring they have) and if you look on Instagram, there’s a pretty big movement of nomadic #vanlife families on the road. 

 

Sammy –

I’m not sure if I’m better equipped here hahahaha – a mini RatPacker has not appeared yet… 

NOOOOOO joking aside, I have helped a small amount of young parents book vans with little ones! With this, just 100% be sure to tell me when you get in contact as it is VITAL that the seats have the correct anchor point for the baby seat. You DO NOT want to choose a van without the right features; if you rock up in peak season and its not the right model of van, its highly unlikely there will be a spare one knocking around.

 

 

  1. How do I control the temperature at night?

Beth –

I have one distinct memory of being way too hot: camping in the outback during a 45 degree South Australian summer night. One of being too cold: underneath Mount Cook in New Zealand (also in the summer).

The first one was me being a mug. It was the worst night I had in the van (aside from #kevinthespider but I’ll save that story for after you’ve booked -ha!) The second could’ve been solved by being better equipped, but that’s tricky when you’re packing light. On that occasion, sleeping in jogging bottoms, socks, a jumper and in a silk sleeping bag liner under the duvet helped.

It’s tough in a rental. You don’t want to spend extra money on a battery powered fan so yes, it gets hot. One of my non-negotiable van qualities became having one with windows with good bug nets. Sleeping with them open makes all the difference! 

 

 

  1. How old do you have to be to hire a van?

Sammy –

Most direct sites charge extra if you are under 21.

I have contacts with all the companies to ensure that you will not be charged any extra providing you are 19 and over with a full licence.

If you are 18, still get in touch, just ensure you tell me when we are chatting about your trip as again, this is a vital piece of info as there are a few companies that will refuse to insure you : )

 

Extra: Sammy’s Top Tip

I say this year on year to people:

Campers are a little like booking flights; the longer you leave it, the more expensive it will be.

There is NO upside to waiting until the last minute.

AS SOON as you know your travel dates and those flights are booked HIT ME to start comparing rates and camper styles. The BEST thing with campers is that to secure a booking, the companies only require a small deposit, with the remaining balance only payable when you actually pick up the camper. This of course means that you are not out of pocket before the trip and it allows most people the luxury of being able to pre-plan a trip without forking out all the cash up front. 

 

For more information on hiring a campervan in Australia or New Zealand with RatPack Travel click here or WhatsApp Sammy here!

 

If any of your questions about hiring a campervan in Australia or New Zealand are still unanswered, DM me or RatPack on Instagram 

 

These posts may also help:

Things You Need to Know Before Hiring a Campervan in Australia

Things You Need to Know Before Hiring a Campervan in New Zealand

Ultimate East Coast Australia Bucket List

Great Ocean Road Trip Itinerary 

New Zealand North and South Island Itinerary Overview

New Zealand South Island: 3 Week Road Trip 

 

Posted In: AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, TRAVEL, TRAVEL TIPS, VAN LIFE

Get on the List

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I am a multi-award winning blogger, photographer and writer from London. I’ve travelled to over 38 countries, lived out of a backpack for a year and love to scuba dive! This site is a destination for all things travel, lifestyle and my successful online book club.

sign up to the newsletter

Grab a Cuppa

Fifty Fifty, Steve Cavanagh

How To Get Out Of A Reading Slump

SEARCH

MOST READ THIS WEEK

  • Our Intimate Wedding Day
    Our Intimate Wedding Day
  • Coming Off the Pill: How I Feel Three Months On
    Coming Off the Pill: How I Feel Three Months On
  • The Truth Behind Fashion Blogging on Instagram
    The Truth Behind Fashion Blogging on Instagram
  • The First Trimester: My Pregnancy Diary
    The First Trimester: My Pregnancy Diary
  • Pregnancy After Loss:  Coping in the First Trimester
    Pregnancy After Loss: Coping in the First Trimester
  • What to Buy from Beauty Pie
    What to Buy from Beauty Pie
  • Is Charlotte Tilbury's Famous Magic Cream Worth the Price Tag?
    Is Charlotte Tilbury's Famous Magic Cream Worth the Price Tag?
  • 10 of the Best Designer Dupes on the High Street
    10 of the Best Designer Dupes on the High Street
  • What if University isn't the Best Three Years of your Life?
    What if University isn't the Best Three Years of your Life?
  • 50 Things You Need to Know Before Travelling to Australia
    50 Things You Need to Know Before Travelling to Australia

AWARDS

  • Cosmopolitan Travel Influencer of the Year 2019 Winner
  • Blogosphere Travel Influencer of the Year 2019 Short List
  • Cosmopolitan Best Newcomer 2018 Shortlist
  • Blogosphere Lifestyle Blogger of the Year 2018

 

SHOP MY PRESETS

BOOK YOUR TRIP

Follow me on Instagram

Ziggy Rex William 🤍 26.03.21 ~ 21:28 ~ 5lb 1oz. Ziggy Rex William 🤍 26.03.21 ~ 21:28 ~ 5lb 1oz. Our perfect, brave little rainbow baby, NICU grad, stealer of hearts.
Some bunny is tube free for Easter (and a bit miff Some bunny is tube free for Easter (and a bit miffed that even hospitalisation doesn’t get him out of a silly hat...) 😍🐰
What a week. The best and hardest of my life all r What a week. The best and hardest of my life all rolled into one. So much to unpack. We’d do every second a hundred times over for you baby boy. 🧡🌈
5 days old 🤍 Our brave little boy has been more 5 days old 🤍 Our brave little boy has been more poked and prodded in a few days than most people are in their entire lives. Now that he’s extubated he’s busy charming all the wonderful NICU nurses with that beautiful little face. 😍 We’re making slow but steady progress; despite being born at 37 weeks, he has the lungs of a 32 week preemie so he needs lots of patience and a helping hand to adjust to life in the big wide world. This week we have the immense challenge of leaving the hospital with an empty car seat and returning to a crib that he likely won’t sleep in for a few more weeks. Not being able to freely hold or feed my baby is breaking my heart so I can’t fathom having to go home without him. However, we’ll do so knowing he is being so brilliantly cared for by our magnificent NHS. Thank you for keeping him in your thoughts and prayers, we tell him regularly that people all around the world are rooting for him. 🙏🏼❤️
MY SON ❤️ Our beautiful boy was born on Friday MY SON ❤️ Our beautiful boy was born on Friday. He was admitted to the NICU at 3 hours old where an incredible team of doctors and nurses have been working their magic ever since. I was quickly induced last week after one of our routine growth scans showed emergent concerns and his birth was an incredibly traumatic experience both physically and mentally. Although we just about made it to term, his little lungs are premature and need some extra help. We could not be more in love with him and can’t wait to be a family outside of the hospital but for now we’re all just taking life at a gentle pace as we heal together. Please keep our sweet boy in your thoughts, prayers and positive vibes. 💓🙏🏼🌈
AD: So ready for some down time 🧘🏼‍♀️🙏🏼 The Readly app - home to over 5000 magazines - is one of my absolute favourites so I’m thrilled that they’ve teamed up with Diet Coke to encourage you to take a break! Even if that’s just 10 minutes peace with a great article and a cold drink. You can get 2 months free Readly membership with promotional Diet Coke’s in supermarkets now. Plus, they’re giving 10 people a YEAR’S supply of both! Enter on the link in my bio 🤞🏼 What’s your favourite mag? @readly @dietcokegb
Can’t stop rearranging tiny things. Send help 💛🙏🏼
There’s not long left now ‘just the two of us’! Our evenings feel more sacred knowing that soon the needs of a tiny new family member will come first (doesn’t mean we don’t still ignore each other scrolling on our phones in bed/half-arsed Netflix watching from opposite ends of the sofa, but the thought is there. 😝)...So what’s your favourite bit of advice for couples about to have/with a new baby? ❤️
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
@victoriasomersethowphotography
How great is Spring though?! Even just the promise How great is Spring though?! Even just the promise of it! Daffodils, washing on the line, kids playing outside, vases of blooms, blossom trees, going outside without a coat, hot cross buns...🤞🏼☀️🌸🐣
Hospital Bags for Mum & Baby 🍼. This is everyth Hospital Bags for Mum & Baby 🍼. This is everything I've packed for myself for in labour and after birth, as well as for the new baby! I will also save in list form and linked where possible to a highlight and eventually to my blog too 😊

Bags:
@cathkidston Foldaway Overnight Bag
@jemandbea Jemima Black Changing Bag
@tibaandmarl Elwood Changing Backpack
@elizabethscarlett pouches
@eleanorbowmer pouches

Labour:
Water bottle with straw
Fairy lights + sky projector
@babycaretens TENS machine
Cooling spray + flannel
Lip balm
Hair bands
@spritzwellness aromatherapy sprays
Massage oil
Eye mask
Headphones
Large t-shirt/nightie
Comfy underwear
Slippers/flip-flops
Snacks + isotonic drinks
Dressing gown (for pool)
@placentaplus encapsulation kit

Post-Birth:
Disposable pants
Maternity pads
Large black knickers
Nursing Bra
Spritz for Bits
Nipple cream
Nightdress x 2
Thin robe
Towel
Toiletries
Peri bottle
Anusol
Fig syrup
Going home outfit
Chargers
Camera
@bbhugme feeding pillow
Own pillow
Some harvested colostrum

For Baby:
4 x vest in each size
4 x sleepsuit in each size
2 'normal' hats
2 cute hats
2 muslins
Jersey blanket
Knitted blanket
Nappies
Wipes + cotton wool
Nappy cream
Cardigan
Towel
Soft toy

Just in case:
Extra bag to stay in the car with extra nappies, pads, towel and clothes for mum and baby

Hope that's helpful! We all have different wants/needs but I'm feeling content that we've covered most eventualities 💕
I’ll really miss my bump. It’s such an odd shi I’ll really miss my bump. It’s such an odd shift; we spend years being told to strive for flat, toned stomachs, holding it in and angling ourselves in photographs, wearing things that don’t cling in the ‘wrong’ places. I live in an incredibly privileged body - I’m white and naturally slim. I don’t struggle to find clothes that fit me and I conform to the ‘norm’ of beauty standards both pre and during pregnancy, I recognise that. And yet I’ve still stood in front of the mirror countless times and prodded a size 8 stomach. Now I’m praised for how it’s ‘popped’, how beautiful and big and round it looks. I stroke it and talk to it and love it - it’s my baby’s first home. But it’s also the body I’ve physically felt the most confident in, probably because it’s praised for defying all those usual ‘goals’ of societal standards. As birth approaches I’ve started thinking about the other side. I’m nervous, because this is the body I’m comfortable in now. The pressure we put on ourselves - or is put upon us - to ‘regain’ a figure that has just been literally internally rearranged by the creation of an entire human being. Equally, the scrutiny and criticism we pile on women who appear to look ‘too good’ ‘too quickly’. A supermodel posts a photo selling a pair of pyjamas 10 days post-partum and gets ripped apart for it, like she owes a burden to society not to make other women feel bad. We seem to overlook genetics and circumstance entirely and assume we should all follow the same physical trajectories, without having any clue what’s going on in someone’s head either. Does “you look amazing!” come before “how are you really doing?”...I don’t know where I’m going with this anymore - feel free to chip in with your experience! 💛
I carried a watermelon 🍉 I carried a watermelon 🍉
36 WEEKS 💛✨ We’re into our final week of pr 36 WEEKS 💛✨ We’re into our final week of pre-term pregnancy. In less than a weeks time, bub will be welcome to make a grand entrance whenever they’re ready! Mama just needs that one more week to finish up work and tie off loose ends. I’ve got a little to do-list and then I’m very, very ready to slow down. From full term I’m calling it my unofficial maternity leave; no pressure, no deadlines, plenty of day time baths and naps and alllll the oxytocin I can muster! It’s an odd limbo period, feeling ready to welcome our little one earth side now but knowing that it could be a week or it could be six. I don’t want to wish away time or clock/calendar watch but I also just want my baby safely snuggled in my arms. 🌈🙏🏼
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The highs/lows of 36 weeks:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🐳 Everything aches, everything is swollen. Even my tongue?!
🥛 Colostrum harvesting: weirdly satisfying! But whoever said ‘don’t cry over spilt milk’ has never squirted a syringe-full all over themselves...
😴 Insomnia (aka that thing that makes you want to punch people who say “sleep while you can! 🤗”)
🧘🏼‍♀️ Keeping up the Hypnobirthing though our course has finished, had my birth preferences approved by the midwife and generally feeling excited and ready for the main event!
🥘 Batch cooking! Slowly filling up the freezer.
🧠 I’d like to say baby brain isn’t a thing and I’m still as sharp as ever but it’s just not true. Basic tasks are becoming much more of an effort!
🌪 Didn’t think I could get windier. Sorry husband.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#36weeks #week37 #thirdtrimester
Today I’m celebrating what - to me - is a big ca Today I’m celebrating what - to me - is a big career move. Last week I signed a contract to take on management and now have a lovely agent representing me and my little business! I started my blog in late 2016 and ever since it’s just been me (and my very supportive husband) behind the scenes. I don’t think people think of professional bloggers/content creators as small businesses, but that’s exactly what I run and I’ve done it single handedly from day one. I’ve learnt to wear many hats, I’m incredibly protective of what I’ve built and if I’m honest, I absolutely suck at delegating. Truly atrocious at it.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
However, the right person who I feel gets me and my ethos came along at what feels like very much the right time, with a new, tiny player about to join the team 👶🏼...
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It feels like the right step for my business but also for my family as I learn to navigate life as a working mama (as an aside; I had no idea how poor/impossible stat maternity pay is before researching it as a pregnant mum!) My business relies on all of you so without getting my cheese on, I’m forever incredibly grateful for the support and the fact that this space allows me to work for myself and provide for my family.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
We’ve got some big ideas for 2021 but first I’m very much looking forward to winding down over the next couple of weeks and protecting my energy ahead of our little persons big arrival. 🙏🏼✨
Just documenting that one time in 2021 that I wore Just documenting that one time in 2021 that I wore make up AND a bra AND blow dried hair simultaneously...in my living room 😝 I’m so ready to meet baby but I know I’ll really miss my bump. I’ve found it a lot easier to dress and feel comfortable with my body embracing the one part we always try so hard to hide. 🤰🏻
Bumpin’ into the weekend 🐡 #35weeks Bumpin’ into the weekend 🐡 #35weeks
See More Follow

Copyright © 2021 Beth Sandland · Theme by 17th Avenue