NSW on a Campervan

[touchme]

<UPDATE> THREAD was meant to be an itinerary, but discussion deviated to Campervans in General/Worldwide. (Admin did not fulfill my few requests to change title either). Topic starts from Post#6

------------------------------------------------------------
One of my more exciting trips I had, this time as family of 4, 13 days, mid-end May 2013.

This is more of an outdoors/nature/driving/car-camping tour rather than the edmw-favored food/city/shopping or backpack travel threads. Trip was to share camping & hking xp with kids. This thread also shares some general tips about campervans , on request by a couple of campervan-curious edmwers here.

I won’t be sharing about Sydney here, as there are many good threads on Sydney.

Roadtrip (2000+km, 13 days):
Mainly the Pacific Highways, and into New England, Oxley and Waterfall Highways thru Oxley Wild Rivers NP and Dorigo NP Region, 1800 km round trip, north of Sydney



We repeated this trip which we rushdrived thru from Coffs to Sydney in a day 13 yrs ago. Back then, we felt the region has a lot to offer in terms of beautiful nature trails, waterfalls and magnificent views, we were right! (except our photoskills and mobilephones din do the place justice)

 

[touchme]

Mid-may, scooted to Sydney on $370 tiks, no luggage, A$20, 8km and 15 mins cab to Apollo camper depot to pick up A$30/day Hi-top campervan:

apollocampers.com.au or britz.com.au,
Singapore Class 3 can drive campervans and RVs.

Done car-Camping in Darwin/Perth/Europe/NZ/US/Melbourne/Tasmania, from stationwagon, 4-wheel pop-tops to 2/3 berths van to 6 berths trucks with shower/toilet ensuite. the Hi-top is the most efficient camper, accommodating up to 4 pax (thou specs is 3 only), and suitable, knowing there are good amenities for holiday parks. public toilets, beach with free showers, rivers with pristine/clean waters, so there is no need and a chore to carry your showeroom/toilet with you..
A camper ensuite would be truck-sized. A hassle when making u-turns/reverse (very often), noisy and gas-gustlling, rental above A$70 upwards.

A lot more info and personal tips of campervans to provide on request.

Day 1:

Chcked out camervan, headed to Sydney Mkts, dinner at Paddys’ pub/jackpot/gamehouse, then to Woolworths to stock up on nearly $200 on groceries (wife’s a chef), settled the night, parked by city river on public park for the nite. 20+24kg kids on top deck, adults below.

Pics to follow:


Day2 (Sunday): Headed to Scone (200km north of Sydney). for Annual Horse Fest. Into Hunter Valley vineyards, and bought a few bottles. Caught up with a 60-cars coal train, a treat for the boys, in between. Cooked lunch at "Who'd Have Thought of it' Hill Lookout, with a solo koala up a tree. Was late for horse fest. Campover at Burning Mountains, with 1 other old couple caravan, abt 5C temperature. No firewood nearby, and share theirs over tea and wine.

Day 3: Next day, woke up to realise the engine running heater overnight, consume 1/4 tank, leaving tank below 'E'. Luckily caught a small town within 20km along New England HW, and headed to Tia Falls and Tiara Walk in the Oxley Wild River NP (night).

(picture in day4)

 

[wang63]

One of my more exciting trips I had, this time as family of 4, 13 days, mid-end May 2013.

This is more of an outdoors/nature/driving/car-camping tour rather than the more favoured food/city/shopping or backpack travel threads, meant to share the wild life with the kids, and posted on request of a couple of campervan-curious edmwers here. I won’t share about Sydney here, as there are many good threads on Sydney.


Been to Sunshine/Goldcoast/Coffs Harbour/Sydney/Melbourne in 2000. Rushdrived from Coffs to Sydney in a day, had a glimpse of the attractions along WaterFall HW, before hitting Sydney at 3am. Back then, we knew Waterfall HW and New England HW had a lot to offer in terms of beautiful nature trails, waterfalls and magnificent views, we were right!
(except our photoskills and mobilephones din do the place justice)

13 years later,decided to make up for what's missed. The 2 above Highways thru Oxley Wild Rivers NP and Dorigo NP Region, 1800 km round trip, north of Sydney

Mid-may, scooted to Sydney on $370 tiks, no luggage, A$20, 8km and 15 mins cab to Apollo camper depot to pick up A$30/day Hi-top campervan:

apollocampers.com.au or britz.com.au

Done car-Camping in Darwin/Perth/Europe/NZ/US/Melbourne/Tasmania, from stationwagon, 4-wheel pop-tops to 2/3 berths van to 6 berths trucks with shower/toilet ensuite. the Hi-top is the most efficient camper, accommodating up to 4 pax (thou specs is 3 only), and suitable, knowing there are good amenities for holiday parks. public toilets, beach with free showers, rivers with pristine/clean waters, so there is no need and a chore to carry your showeroom/toilet with you..
A camper ensuite would be truck-sized. A hassle when making u-turns/reverse (very often), noisy and gas-gustlling, rental above A$70 upwards.

A lot more info and personal tips of campervans to provide on request.

Day 1:

Chcked out camervan, headed to Sydney Mkts, dinner at Paddys’ pub/jackpot/gamehouse, then to Woolworths to stock up on nearly $200 on groceries (wife’s a chef), settled the night, parked by city river on public park for the nite. 20+24kg kids on top deck, adults below.


Pics to follow:

Hi, Thanks for sharing the thread. Could you also share about cost, such as rental, caravan park charges, petrol etc?

Nice photos of the lovely places that you went.

Thanks.

 

[touchme]

Hi, Thanks for sharing the thread. Could you also share about cost, such as rental, caravan park charges, petrol etc?

Nice photos of the lovely places that you went.

Thanks.

Welcome here, my 1st interested reader after 3 days..lol.
All pictures from mobile phones only..so not the best that could illustrate.

A lot to share her on campervan xp, long story..advise here when I'm home. If you are going near around Sydney, best you ask peepee at her equally quiet thread.
http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/australia-trial-317/campervan-holiday-sydney-4195808.html?highlight=sydney+campervan
Mine is pretty far out north in the country. Accommodation and petrol vary quite a bit up there.

Perhaps you can share what you intending to do, and what company first, so that I can skew my comments and recommendation, more appropriately for you (with your exclusivity..lol). But I fully encourage a more wild outdoor adventure trip...which you won't get anywhere in trends of amenities near home/asia.

Write tonight.

 

[wuso]

I don't think there is no or little interested readers. Just that perhaps there is nothing to post/ask yet, or mabbe all waiting for more first.
I, for one, is always looking for useful info, and stashing it into my brainbank. Have always wanted to do campervan/RV/motorhome kind of travel, but need kakis, so meantime, just wanna get background knowledge etc.

Well, if u r looking for pple to plus 1, then, er....

+1



Meantime, just share whatever you can lor

Welcome here, my 1st interested reader after 3 days..lol.
All pictures from mobile phones only..so not the best that could illustrate.

A lot to share her on campervan xp, long story..advise here when I'm home. If you are going near around Sydney, best you ask peepee at her equally quiet thread. Mine is pretty far out north in the country. Accommodation and petrol vary quite a bit up there.

Perhaps you can share what you intending to do, and what company first, so that I can skew my comments and recommendation, more appropriately for you (with your exclusivity..lol). But I fully encourage a more wild outdoor adventure trip...which you won't get anywhere in trends of amenities near home/asia.

Write tonight.

 

[touchme]

Discussed about campervans couple times last time , all beated mosquito.

Guess NS has done a disfavour to many here, as many friends iterated, 'no thanks to bush walking, enough from army'.. lol...and the fear of driving in foreign lands.

Just treating this as my diary, and hopefully something from a fellow local to other locals:-
I'll be sharing about campervans in the following parts:

1. Pros and cons
2. Type of Campervans/RVs/Caravans
3. Choosing, Booking, Rental, Insurance, Pickup, Inspection
4. 'Customisation' and City/Country Driving
5. Parking, Car-Camping and Holiday Parks
6. Essentials (Guess what, GPS is not encouraged)

(Let me organise my tots, dunno which vehicle or country to start with..tbc)

 

[wang63]

Welcome here, my 1st interested reader after 3 days..lol.
All pictures from mobile phones only..so not the best that could illustrate.

A lot to share her on campervan xp, long story..advise here when I'm home. If you are going near around Sydney, best you ask peepee at her equally quiet thread. Mine is pretty far out north in the country. Accommodation and petrol vary quite a bit up there.

Perhaps you can share what you intending to do, and what company first, so that I can skew my comments and recommendation, more appropriately for you (with your exclusivity..lol). But I fully encourage a more wild outdoor adventure trip...which you won't get anywhere in trends of amenities near home/asia.

Write tonight.

Have done some read ups and will most likely pick on the same caravan that you used. Place of travel is not yet decided, although travelling out if Sydney is one of the possibility.

Anything you share will be most helpful. Thanks again.

 

[touchme]

Pros and Cons of Travelling on Campervan

Just to clarify some terms that have been used interchangeably by aussies and americans. Will move on to the NSW region tour after these campervan advices.

Campers/Campervans: Usually like the bigger vans/minibus in Singapore, but with hi/extended roof to 2.6m height, accomodating 2-5 pax

RVs : Truck or Bus size, with shower/toilets, accomodates 6-8 pax (3 - 3.6m height)

Caravans: Those independant cabins towed behind by SUV /car/station wagons, usually only for long term (1-6 months) rents/buy-sell, May not be applicable to us. But it has its own advantages..

Holiday/Caravan/Tourist Parks = Private Daily-paid Full Facilities Park, some with Swimming pools and TV living rooms.
Campsites/Campgrounds (public): Some payable, some self-donation, some free, Official ones all with toilets (no showers), wooden benches and tables, campfire pit with rewashable grill, free firewood, some with free electrical bbq and grill, housed under huts.

Trail/Tracking (NZ) = Bush-walking (OZ) = Hiking (US)

Like in this Trip, this thread is mostly in the context of Australia, under -10C to 20C, Cold weather Conditions
(why go out of singapore/holidays, for same/slightly cooler weather?)...I love the cold and chilling.

Brief Overview of Campervans/RV


*Van/Truck with Longer Floor Base, 5m up,inc Back Cabin (room) and with Extended Ceiling (7-9 ft) , to stand/walk comfortably in.

• 
  
  *Has extra 12V car battery behind, called Leisure battery, for back cabin.
  
  *Equipped with 10-20 litre Fridge (not cooler), Sink/Basin, Clean water tank, some with waste Water tanks, Crockery & Utensils.
  
  *All-round Full windows/Curtains and Room Lights, Propane Gas tank, some with Showeroom/Toilet (Gas-heated water), TV/DVD, Microwave and Toaster.
  
  *All run from its self-contained leisure battery or propane gas tank, except latter 3 needs to be plugged into mains. Wall AC sockets, also need to run from mains, for running your own AC appliances, eg. Boiler, hairdryer, wall ipad/phone chargers (latter can be charged from leisure battery with USB adapters)
  
  *Intelligent storage system with secure-lock for plates/crockery and lockup cabinets/drawers.
  
  *Easily convertible dining table to queen/king bed, and top deck or bunker beds for extra sleepers.
  
  *Beddings and linens provided (check before booking, cheaply available at stores)
  
  
  Pros and Cons of Scenic Travelling on Campervan
  
  Pros:
  
  1) No need to plan or pre-book accomodation.
  
  2) no need to rush thru our attraction visits to look for accdm, no OT night/gravel road drives, after an unexpectably long hikes out from the deep woods, just to find accdm.
  
  3) No need to plan = freedom of minds and souls and true leisure
  
  [4] Maximise daylight and time.
  
  [5] Able to park at the best views, or anywhere convenient you please and wake up to it. (not true that you can;t park anywhere, more on this later)
  
  [6] No need to bring personal effects in and out of car to hotel/motel/hostel. (sts in the cold or rain)
  
  [7] Sleep with your valuables and shopping treasures
  [8] Saves loads of time, packing out/up and checking-in/out. Check-out' anytime you like, at your own time, not 9-10am. Nua until noon, then set off.
  
  [9] Keep your cold snacks, yogurt/chocolates unmelted, and cold drinks/beer always at hand.
  
  [10] Able to explore the deepest ulu wild offtrack.
  
  [11] Higher profile, bigger windscreens = better views/shots, easier to get in and out for tall guys.
  
  [12] Set your own campfire next to RVs to keep warm/chat, c/w camping chairs/tables and own canopy if hot or drizzling.
  
  [13]Get to know other car-campers. Share campfire and boost, kampung style feel. Kids have loads of fun learning from other cultures/kids, getting teased by local child-loving old couples.
  
  [14] Can control your room temperature better than in hotel/motel/cabins/hostel.
  
  [15] Curtains for maximum privacy. Isolated parking, no adjacents 'walls' to leak or hear moans and groans. Convertible bed sturdy enough with enough width and height for piaks.
  
  [16] Lots of shopping storage.
  
  [17] Can give chiobus hitchikers rides, and pickup any big artefacts you find, eg. Discarded bikes.
  
  [18] Saves a lot.
  
  Will add as i recall.
  Cons...tbc

 

[touchme]

Pros and COns of Campervan Part 2

CONS
1. Slow. Who speeds while sight-seeing?
2. Clumsy parking/reversing in the cities and in the woods.
3. Cannot park in city-malls with MSCP, vehicle >2.7m high
4. Less petrol/diesel efficient than cars5
5. Lack of space and privacy if lodging with 4-6 pax

Non-Ensuite
5. No showers? No toilets? (see Solutions on next post)
6. Confined Space: the whole campground, wooden benches and table and campfire pit is your space. Cosy if raning.

Ensuite Toilet
7. Water supply is quite limited 50 litres and very lo-pressue, every one must stinch on usage...despite heated water, not shiok bath..
8. Pour/clear own or companions' shxt (for ensuite RVs), or waste water.
9. RVs is very heavy and big (truck-size) and noisy, even harder to manourve (u-turn, reverse), unless you used to driving trucks in singapore

(will add as I recall)

 

[touchme]

Solutions to Showers/Toilets, Room Heating and Device Charging

Showers/Toilets
Holiday parks, can just pay few bucks per head for showers, no park. Sts too late, manager not around, no one to pay to. On crowded seasons, nobody knows who is patrons = common kitchen/washing free-use, faster cooks/washes, saves your own gas/water. Nowadays more showerooms are code-locked.
Acty, you are supposed to leave your a note/names/fees under the locked office.

Cold places, easy day - may not even feel like bathing (too cold), just a wet towel body/face wipe suffice.

While hiking in waterfalls/rivers, there is always safe pools to take your shower tactically.

While on coastal, there are public beaces with free shower rooms.

While in ulu wild/woods, Shower bags/curtain kit provided with camper to bath in open dark wild.

Above are all cold baths, however, with provided shower bag, you can heat and premix hot water before hanging bag with tap, on your open tailgate, surrounding yrselves with the optional standee curtains. Best and most sexy way is still to park ulu-ly and bath openly. (Mind you, me and then gf has the most sexciting/wildest forest piak this way, always etched in our romantic minds)
If best parking spots choped, toilets may be a short cold/dark/wet walk away. Nevertheless can choose to irrigate (boys or girls) near van, but pls bear with the walk, if fertilising.


Room Heating/Cooling
Note that nowadays, RVs are walk-thru between front and back cabins, so you can run your engine to turn on driver's aircon/heater for room. Mid-setting can actually make you sweat, even when ambient is 0C. There are also 12V electric blankets (buy $20-30), if you are not the sleeping bag type, (like me).

Device Charging
Use car cigarette with USB (12v to 5v) charging devices tap from leisure battery
Use inverter ($10-$50) if you really need AC appliances, eg. hairdryer, hmmm.....?

Devices and Appliances recommendations on request.

 

[touchme]

Holiday/Caravan/Tourist Parks

They are meant for you to use their common showers/toilets/kitchen/dining/living/laundry rooms if needed, and for you to tap into their electrical mains when parked to operate the microwave/toaster/room heater (if you back cabin comes with a roof heater), top-up your leisure water (30-50l), and relax in their swimming pools/TV rooms. After your night's chat, you still sleep in your camper. Most caravan parks have cabins (usually not ensuite) minus linens, to rent for the night's sleep.

Many newbies have the misconception that campervans must check-into or park in caravan parks legally or logistically. As you could have deduced from the above, it is not true in both aspects.

Technically you need not caravan park as long as you have enough leisure water. (you can pay few bucks to top up too, if you din open your eyes for free public water). However, I still rcmd you to check-in parks/motels/cabins or hotels, once every few days to do your chores, have a change of your nightly environment and support their tourist industry.

Camping-Out or In Caravan Park?

Unless you need to do most of the above chores in a night or two, inc. a thorough hot bath, caravan parks are worthwhile and useful. In NSW, while cheaper than hotels/motels/cabins (low season $90-$120, hi season: $200-300), the park fees are not low either $30-50 for 2-4 pax/car lo-, $50-$80 hi- for restrictive camping.

You'll be parking in close quarters=cannot on engine too long if too loud, pr too rowdy when late, little/no space for personal picnic area. No campfires allowed for safety. For me, really not enjoyable

You (hmm..anyone) can use their living fireplace if needed. Oh ya, they have coin operated bbq pits laundry rooms too for patrons or public.

Parks are usually in built-up areas, near prime attractions, and usually away or obscured from the scenic lookout points. Campsites are nearer to the views, since it is unmanned.

Questions in most people's minds, that it is illegal to park freely at the a scenic spot, away from the designated free campsites:-.

You can dine out/picnic at your parked open scenic spots. In hyper-commercially popular NPs, like Blue Mountains, or the Coastal NP, just south of Sydney, or any other places around the world you may have rangers or patrols checking once every few hours, more esp. in summer holidays, Comes midnight, they may question you about staying out there, and if you are really in need to listen to the waves while sleeping, glimpse the stars in the silhouette of the mountains, or wake up to the view/sunrise/sea winds, just politley tell them: 'You just had a good dinner, but am just too drunk to drive'...they will llst, ask you drive away in the morning. You may try 'Let's talk over a Tiger!', but I'm not too sure it works there, haven't tried that.

We parked in Sydney's Riverside Park and City center Botanic Gardens, overlooking Opera House and Bridge, a few patrols whizzed passed from midnight to wee, didnt even bother to stop. Same when in Rome City Centre, a 6-Berth monster truck in a parking lot, by their main river canal, next to the vatican City, and in Florence on CityHill lookout carpark, not a single hew about us..

(Europe...different story, no public toilets/water/facilities, shops' toilets strictly only for patrons (some accept tips of E$1-2 for brief use.). Viewsites only has bench and tables)..Ensuite campers rcmd in Europe.

For me, I prefer the tranquility, freedom and scenery of the open wild, and fortunately my family shares the same views and are adaptable. Healthy for the kids too, in braving the dark, learning nature, admiring fireflies and thousands of bright stars/occasional shooting stars in totally balck skies and dead silent nights. (I hear their camping expeditions is in school compounds and no more campfires now?).

Moreover, when on travelling holidays, you want to wake up early 7-8 am to catch the warmth of the sun, and gives yourselves ample daylight to venture and explore. So by night, after dinner/wine/roundtable games/chats about 11pm, you are pretty tired, to even enjoy the TV or the pool. As such, Caravan parks only when necessary. But that's just me.

No holiday parks rcdm here, all quite the same to me

 

[touchme]

Types of Campervans/RVs/Caravans

As mentioned, I'll refer:
Campervans (ozzie term) to 2-4 berths,
- smaller, little walking space, easy to drive/manourve esp offtrack (officially not covered), gas efficient.
- tend to be more popular in OZ/NZ/EU

Rvs (american term) to 4-8 berths, more preferred in US..
- Campers or RVs seems to be older models/less developed in US.
- when housing 4-6, space as little as campervan.
- Beds are via convertible dining table/top deck and single bunkers. Choose your config accrdg to who sleepmate allocation.
- gas gustling, noisy, clumsy, very liable to scratch branches at the top.

Caravans - towed rooms or houses, equally popular everywhere.
- Spacious interior.
-Advantage of splitting company, i.e. one cooking/resting while the rest go hunting or shortfall grocery shopping.

The caravans/campervans industry is big in these countries, as good as our regular car sales/resales, specialising in improverising/retrofitting/repairs incorporating all sorts of household comforts into any size vehicles, with their own stockpile of parts/fittings/furnitures/accessories and appliances. I tend to think it is bigger in OZ/NZ than US/EU.

Shown above are the older models..there are very sophisticated RVs and caravans, that's 5 star hotel furnished, that are dubel-floored, can transform or expand sideways/backwards after parking. (seeyou tube). In short, they are mobile rooms or houses.

tbc...

 

[touchme]

Interiors of all sizes and comfort levels for all budgets.

 

[touchme]

After xp-ing a 6-7-Berth RV in Italy/Swi/Austria and Perth/Margaret/Albany, my suggestion is to avoid if possible, due to its clumsiness, fuel efficiency and space restrictions (when 6 is loitering inside), and lack of intra-privacy and rental costs.

If you have 6 travellers, and 2 drivers, better off renting 2x 3-4 berths campervans, gives you the flexibility of splitting company for different interests and joint efforts. The realistic fuel consumption, about 12 litres/100km, while Rvs may be about 4x.. Rental costs is about 5x. Deposit about 2-3x (more about tricky deposits)

2 campers also gives you double crockery and 2x bathrooms/toilets. (if ensuite). Relying on one with 6 pax, a big hassle/privacy issues and waste of time. It also provides the 3 travellers seated in front better views rather than sidewards views on a RV.

Caravans, I have not tried, but it is slower and have to be more careful towing it. I trust it is popular becos of lower costs of maintainance and modular upgradess, and the flexibility of driving SUV and house/boat behind, which I doubt we have the luxury of time to enjoy.

 

[lunn89]

Hi TS, i'm very inspired by your thread. I have zero knowledge about campervan/road trips but it seems super fun. I'm planning a backpacking trip next year with 2 other friends and 1 unconfirmed. We have a budget of 3k each. Do you think its doable to do a road trip tour for us??

Have driving licence, but only drove cars before! hows the road condition there?

 

[touchme]

Hi TS, i'm very inspired by your thread. I have zero knowledge about campervan/road trips but it seems super fun. I'm planning a backpacking trip next year with 2 other friends and 1 unconfirmed. We have a budget of 3k each. Do you think its doable to do a road trip tour for us??

Have driving licence, but only drove cars before! hows the road condition there?

Good to know that adventure seeking in edmwers still exists in rarity.

Campervan is nothing but a car with a room behind, even a stationwagon with a mattress behind is one. (Did that in Tasmania).

As for your budget, where are you going and for how long? What are your company likes'abd holiday lifestyles and what they wish to do there?..

Technically, apart from the commercialised or usual tourist indulgences, there is nothing to spend on, except petrol and groceries. The best things in life are indeed free.

If you are exploring Aussie wild and country for a week, I say you can prolly even buy your 2 friends and you the whole trip, airfares included, with your $3K...or have 3 trips this year.

 

[lunn89]

Good to know that adventure seeking in edmwers still exists in rarity.

Campervan is nothing but a car with a room behind, even a stationwagon with a mattress behind is one. (Did that in Tasmania).

As for your budget, where are you going and for how long? What are your company likes'abd holiday lifestyles and what they wish to do there?..

Technically, apart from the commercialised or usual tourist indulgences, there is nothing to spend on, except petrol and groceries. The best things in life are indeed free.

If you are exploring Aussie wild and country for a week, I say you can prolly even buy your 2 friends and you the whole trip, airfares included, with your $3K...or have 3 trips this year.

hmmm we're planning to go on a trip (haven't decided on location) for 2-3weeks, even 1month if budget allows.
We're intending to just enjoy sceneries, I'm hoping that we can do free camping since we do not intend to visit commercialised places or do expensive sports.

Actually we are thinking of either Aussie or NZ for road trip.... or taiwan for a mainstream holiday.
Personally i prefer road trip the problem is none of us have any experiences and might be afraid to try it out.

 

[lunn89]

As for aussie, i think it'll be Sydney - Melbourne - Adelaide?

As for NZ, I'm looking at south island.

Personally i prefer NZ for first timer because the road and traffic there should be easier for newbie like myself to handle.. Please correct me if I'm wrong. But I don't think 3k budget is enough for NZ....right?

 

[touchme]

hmmm we're planning to go on a trip (haven't decided on location) for 2-3weeks, even 1month if budget allows.
We're intending to just enjoy sceneries, I'm hoping that we can do free camping since we do not intend to visit commercialised places or do expensive sports.

Actually we are thinking of either Aussie or NZ for road trip.... or taiwan for a mainstream holiday.
Personally i prefer road trip the problem is none of us have any experiences and might be afraid to try it out.

Good that you have a mutual ustding with your friends on similar interests, to avoid conflict of interests.

Like i said in the NZ thread, it;s not healthy to just carcamp and eat in all the way. Indulge a little into adventures and tourist places to refresh monotality of sightseeing and car-camping, without having to splurge. Eatout and check in every few days, for a taste of diffferent travel lifestyles.

For a start, I suggest you guys make a short trip out to Malaysia first on a windowed van, eg Cameroun, Endau Rompin, Mt Ophir, Kinabaru first:
1) to gain xp on foreign driving
2) to check mutual interests and living habits
3) to realise what camp/outdoor stuffs you really need.

Thou with limited car-camping comfort in local vans, and (hot weather), just equipped yoruselves with camping gear/tents/table/chairs, which you will still need later on, anyway.

 

[touchme]

As for aussie, i think it'll be Sydney - Melbourne - Adelaide?

As for NZ, I'm looking at south island.

Personally i prefer NZ for first timer because the road and traffic there should be easier for newbie like myself to handle.. Please correct me if I'm wrong. But I don't think 3k budget is enough for NZ....right?

On the contrary, while NZ is more tourist-friendly and chop, OZ is better for car-camping first timers, as the land is flatter and road conditions are just as good. NZ is mountainous and thus more windy uphill/downhill roads. Moreover, it may be scenic-ly too overwhelming for 1st timers, like you stop every 20 mins of driving, instead of ever 45-mins in OZ. Thus going for your OZ trips in future, with too high expectations.

Moreover, NZ is smaller, so more driving tourists and thus stricter and more control on car-camping. So ulu spots may be harder to find or fenced up, or rather 'trunked up'. Though $3k is sufficient for NZ 20 days. Save the dough for last, with the best in NZ, when you have more car-camping experience.

Sydney (and north)-Melbourne-Adelaide is pretty good for 20-30 days.
Attractions include Oxley-Dorigo (on new england and waterfall highways, oops. which I was supposed to cover here), Grampians, Mt Buffalo, Mt. Baker, Philip Island, Great Ocean Route, etc. and if you can push to a short section into Olangatta Track (where the orange desert in the horizon meets the sky, 360 around, deafingly silent and dark, that you really can see shooting stars every 15 mins at night)...

Like I said, with party of 3 & good chef in budget camper in OZ, you prolly spend only $1.5-2k with airfare for 1 month (save half for NZ following year)..I trust your company has ladies? Check their ruggedness, culinary and survivability without good shopping, be it oz or nz.