Australia Car Rental

Flying into Australia

If you’re traveling to Australia, you’re probably landing in one of the country’s four main airports:

  • Sydney International Airport (SYD)
  • Brisbane International Airport (BNE)
  • Melbourne International Airport (MEL)
  • Perth International Airport (PER)

Enterprise Rent-A-Car has branches in each of these airports, making it convenient to rent a vehicle and start your Australian road trip from the get-go.

Driving in Australia is the best way to soak in the incredible natural and urban landscapes at your own pace. If you’re travelling in a group, check out our people carriers. Want to explore the outback? Rent one of our practical SUVs.

Popular Destinations and things to do in Australia

Top places to visit in Australia

From golden sandy beaches with glistening blue waters, to red deserts, rushing rivers, tropical rainforests and mountainous peaks, Australia has no shortage of diverse landscapes to explore.

Beach-loungers and surfers alike will particularly enjoy ticking both Surfers Paradise Beach in The Gold Coast and Bondi Beach in Sydney off their lists.

If you're more interested in marine life below the water, be sure to make a stop at The Great Barrier Reef, where you can explore coral reefs and spot colourful clown fish as well as reef sharks.

To discover Aboriginal Australia, visit the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park to see one of the country's most magnificent sights.

Top things to do in Australia

Culture lovers:

Australia boasts four must-see cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites, namely: the iconic Sydney Opera House, the 18th century constructed Royal Exhibition Building & Carlton Gardens, Australian Convict Sites, and the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape added in 2019.

If you're looking to get involved in the country's art scene, you can visit the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in Sydney, the National Gallery of Australia, and many other museums for free. For festivalgoers, the annual Splendour in the Grass music festival in Australia will be a true highlight.

Sports lovers:

The best places to visit in Australia for sports lovers include Stadium Australia at Sydney Olympic Park, and the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.

Be sure to visit Melbourne too, to see some of Australia's premier sporting venues including the Melbourne Cricket Ground (the biggest cricket stadium in the world) and the Australian Sports Museum.

Surfers will want to hit the waves by Manly Beach in New South Wales, about a 20-minute drive from the centre of Sydney. Alternatively, a 2-hour drive away from Brisbane you'll find the famous Byron Bay, another excellent surf spot.

For families:

Amongst the many things to do in Sydney, kids will love the Taronga Zoo, where they'll see all of Australia's most-loved animals including koalas, kangaroos, and wallabies.

Some of the main attractions in Melbourne include the SEA LIFE Aquarium, the perfect place to learn about Australia's diverse marine life and come up close with some of the biggest sea predators.

For an outback adventure fit for the whole family, start your Australian road trip in Adelaide, where you can rent a family people carrier from our Enterprise Rent-A-Car locations by Adelaide Airport, Adelaide City or Adelaide Beverly branches. From here, make the 6-hour road trip to the UNESCO Mungo National Park where you can explore the area's mesmerising red soil, ancient archaeological site, and distinctive red soil.

Nature lovers:

Australia has over 140 botanical gardens to enjoy, including the Royal Botanical Gardens in Melbourne and Sydney featuring lush vegetation and colourful flowers like kangaroo paw and waratah.

For something a little off the beaten track, visit Kakadu National Park for stunning waterfalls, aboriginal rock art, and thick tropical rainforests. Rent a car from Darwin airport and the park is just under a 2-hour drive, in the north of the country.

Australian Food & Drinks

Many will agree that the most popular food in Australia is the barbie, Australia's take on the barbeque. On the grill you'll often find steak, pork chops, and snags (sausages), along with more exotic meats such as emu and kangaroo!

Other Australian national dishes include barramundi fish, meat pies, and vegemite toast, a breakfast staple. As for desserts, pavlova is a country-wide favourite topped with seasonal fruits. Coconut-coated chocolate lamingtons are recognised as Australia's national cake, so make sure to savour this sweet treat on your visit.

When it comes to Australian drinks, locals love indulging in beers like Coopers, Victoria Bitter or XXXX Gold. Australia is also world-famous for its wines, especially the shiraz, chardonnay, and cabernet sauvignon grape varieties.

Australia is also known for its hip coffee culture serving the long black, an Aussie variation of the Americano and the flat white, which was first served in the 1980s. Other soft drinks include the thirst-quenching lemon barley water.

Driving in Australia

To ensure your trip to Australia goes ahead seamlessly, it’s wise to familiarise yourself with some of the road rules and regulations. But first, you’re probably wondering: what side of the road do they drive on in Australia? In Australia, they drive on the left-side of the road, so take extra care if you’re not used to this.

To drive in Australia, you’ll need the following:

  • A full, valid driving license
  • An international driver’s permit
  • Vehicle insurance certificate
  • Registration documents
  • Your passport

To make your Australian road trip smooth and hassle-free, it’s worth noting what the speed limits in Australia are:

  • 24-37 mph (40-60km/hr) in urban areas
  • 49-58 mph (80-93 km/hr) in country roads
  • 68 mph (110 km/hr) on motorways

 

By law, all car passengers are required to wear seatbelts and the use of mobile phones when driving is prohibited and fined up to $1,000.

 

Road Trips in Australia

Driving in Australia is an excellent way to soak in the different sights at your own pace. Below, we break down the best Australia road trips, from short day trips to longer adventures:

Short Trips

  • Tasmania's East Coast
  • Queensland
  • New South Wales
  • Victoria

1-2 week Road Trips

  • Western Australia
  • South Australia
  • Northern Territory
  • New South Wales & Queensland

2+ Week Road Trips

  • South Australia and the Northern Territory

 

Are you ready to explore Australia? Check out our car rental options and prepare for a smooth drive through this spectacular country.

Australia Car Rental Locations

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is proud to serve customers in Australia. As part of the world’s largest car rental provider, which owns and operates more than 1.5 million vehicles, we’re sure to have a location near you or your travel destination. And while we are an internationally recognized brand, Enterprise remains family-owned with one goal in mind for our customers: to exceed your expectations for service and overall value.

With many unique attractions, such as Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Sydney Opera House, Australia is a popular destination with tourists and business travelers alike. No matter if you’re visiting for only a few days or staying for a month or more, you can count on us to provide the perfect vehicle for your transportation needs. Get your trip started by searching the map or browsing the locations below.