1. Freedom and Flexibility

Australia is a big country (as big as the USA without Alaska, and 3/4 the size of the whole of Europe). If you airport hop to the main cities, you’ll be missing out on some of our most stunning regions – pristine coastlines, waterways, mountains, wine growing districts, historical country towns, and ancient rainforests. The best way to experience all this is on a road trip. When you have a camper van, you can change your itinerary at a moment’s notice. If you see a road you like, take it. If you’ve found a patch of paradise, stay a while. There are no airport schedules, bus and train timetables, or hotel reservations to worry about.

2. Economical

When you have a camper van, your sleeping and eating arrangements are taken care of. That saves you money on hotels and restaurants. The average cost of a hotel in Australia is $115 per night, the average cost of dinner for two is $80, and petrol prices in Australia are almost half what they are in the United Kingdom. See my car versus campervan cost comparison.

3. Convenient

With a kitchen in the back seat, you can pull up at the most beautiful locations, whip up some lunch, and enjoy the views. There is no trekking up and down the city looking for somewhere to eat that fits everyone’s dietary requirements or your budget. Accommodation is also convenient. There are excellent caravan parks and campgrounds in Australia’s most beautiful locations. And as you’ll have everything with you in the camper van, there will be no packing and unpacking, no rushing to the airport and standing in airport queues, no flight timetables and delays and missed connections. You just tootle through an ever changing landscape, stopping where you like.

4. Get off the Beaten Track

Star studded night skies awash with the milky way, camp fire conversations, deserted beaches and coves with clear water and white sand, curious wildlife, ancient mossy forests and glow worm caves, misty valleys and waterways perfect for kayaking, catching a fish for dinner, picnic lunches with gob-smacking views, and whiling away the afternoon with a book in a hammock as waves lap at the shore. Our planet is full of beauty – diverse and magical. This is the sort of travel that nourishes the soul, that builds unforgettable memories, and makes you happy to be alive.

5. The Friendly Community

When you travel Australia (or indeed anywhere) as a road-tripper and camper, you run into a lot of friendly folks who are happy to share their knowledge to help you make the most of your road trip. As fellow road-tripper, Richard, said: “There is a camaraderie amongst those with vans or trailers. You will always find someone who is coming the other way who can give you great tips on what is just down the road.”

As a jet setter who hops from airport to hotel to airport, you are seeing the world from within a personal bubble. When you road trip, that bubble is gone. You get a better feel for the countryside, its people, and your fellow travellers. And that, for me, is what travel is really about.

More info:

• Campervan hire in Australia
• Map of Australia’s best campsites