Car
The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) has
some useful information http://www.aaa.asn.au/touring/default.htm
Carnet de Passages en Douane
http://www.aaa.asn.au/touring/bringing.htm#carnet
You need a Carnet which is valid from the date
the vehicle is shipped to Australia. This means
the Carnet already runs for some time before
the vehicle actually arrives in Australia. Since
the Carnet expires after one year this will be
before the expiry of a one year travel visa.
This can get the tourist into situations which
are very difficult to handle without doing something
illegal.
See
our
transport and customs page for more details
Importing Your Car to Australia
Specific information on importing a motor vehicle
into Australia is available at
www.customs.gov.au
and
www.dotars.gov.au
After talking to many tourists it looks as not
all states handle the matter the same way.
To our best knowledge the procedure below is how
it is correctly done, but please get it confirmed
from officials!
When the vehicle arrives at the port the vehicle and its content is inspected by AQIS (Australian Quarantine an Inspection Service) and Customs.
One should then get a provisional permit that allows one to drive to the Road Safety Inspection where the vehicle is very broadly checked.
Ask how to get this permit. You are not allowed to drive the vehicle on Australien Roads now!
From there one has to go to the Licencing Departement to pay road taxes and the mandatory third party insurance. The vehicle is registered with its overseas license plate.
One is now allowed to legally drive the vehicle on the road, but if it is a motorhome two more checks are necessary: The gaz installation and the electrical system must be inspected by licensed installers. Road Safety can advise on this matter.
We met tourists which never were told to go to the Road Savety Inspection nor any other authority so they drove their motorhome in Australia illegally for several month.
Customs
Quick guide to customs for travelers
http://www.customs.gov.au
Quarantine
Steam clean your vehicle before shipping
it to Australia as otherwise it may be steam cleaned
by the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service
to ensure that no soil or pests are carried into
the country. Cost for inspection and steam cleaning
will have to be paid by you.
Details can be found at the "Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service" webpage.
http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/import/vehicles-machinery/motor-vehicles
Note:
If the vehicles and/or its content are not cleaned
properly the AQIS staff has the power to force re-exporting the vehicle.
Pack all items that could be a quarantine concern
in a separate box and declare them.
If items of quarantine concern are found your
personal effects will be treated, and you'll
be billed for the cost of the treatment.
Do not use: fruit, vegetable
and flower boxes, used egg cartons, straw and
sawdust to pack your goods!
All timber articles
including packing cases, handicrafts, furniture
etc. entering Australia are subject to inspection
or treatment on arrival. You may consider having
these items fumigated before transporting them
to Australia. And don't forget the certificate
for it!
Insurance
It is difficult to get an insurance for a vehicle temporary imported from overseas. We know of just two insurances offering such a service. The people we know used Lumley Insurances to cover for Third Party Property
Damage.
http://www.lumley.com.au/
Also Kings Cross Car Market Pty Ltd in Sydney
telephone (02) 9358 5000 offers Third Party Property
Damage Cover.
An overseas tourist cannot get an insurance that
covers for damage on his own vehicle.
Overseas tourists renting a car can get full coverage for the rented vehicle, but the insurance for damaging the own rented car is extremly expensive. The reason is, as we were told, that the rental companies carry the risk, since there is no insurance company offering this service for overseas tourists.
Fuel prices
http://www.aaa.asn.au/petrol.htm
The large grocery chains (Woolworth,
Cooles, etc.) have price agreements with large mineral oil companies (Coles - Shell; Woolworth - Caltex; a.s.o.).
If one buys goods of 30 $ or more a vaucher is printed at the botton of the receipt. This voucher allows to buy fuel to a reduced price of about 4 cents. The service stations accepting the vauchers are clearly labeled.
Caution: Some of this stations have higher prices
than normal. Compare the prices!
Another nasty habit of Australias service stations
is the fact that they normally increase the price
from Thursday to Sunday before reducing it back
to normal on Monday.
In the countryside many service stations provide
basic supplies.
Touring Information
http://www.aaa.asn.au/touring.htm
Private roads and roads through Aboriginal Land
Within the last few years huge blocks of land
have been given back to the Aboriginal traditional
owners. This Aboriginal tribes are allowed to
set up rules regarding the access to their land.
In most cases one needs a permit from the Land
owners to be allowed to drive on the roads within
the area even so the road itself may be a public
road (eg. Great Central Road or Outback Highway).
The access to the communities is almost certain
not allowed except to get fuel, food or water.
The subject is very confusing. The place to get a permit, the way the permit has to be issued, the time it takes to get a permit a.s.o are different for every area.
If one drives of the beaten track it is highly advisable to first consult a visiter centre in one of the larger towns in the area to get accurate information.
Tracks through pastoral land are private roads. One is not allowed to enter the area without first contacting the owner.
Exceptions are Stock Routes (yxz Stock Route)
and PAR (Public Access Roads) which are both
public roads - except if they go through Aboriginal
land (eg. the Canning Stock Route)
The best overview is given in the maps from HEMA (eg. Australia's Great Desert Tracks). The maps show all Aboriginal Land Trusts and all closed and permit roads are marked in the maps. |
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