Hire
Car hire for a park trip.
Most of the places we cover are a long way from a train line. Here is what to check before you book a hire car, and where to compare prices.
Car hire
Discover Cars is a car-hire comparison site. You search by pick-up place and dates, compare what the hire companies offer, and book with the company you choose.
Audacia earns a commission on qualifying bookings made through this link and widget, at no extra cost to you. Booking is with Discover Cars and the hire company, under their terms.
Before you book
- Sealed or unsealed road. Most hire agreements restrict or bar unsealed roads, and many bar 4WD tracks and river crossings. Check the access notes in our guide and the park authority's current road report, then check the hire company's terms for that road.
- Where you pick up and drop off. One-way hires and remote pick-ups can add fees. Airports and city depots usually have the widest choice.
- Distance. Some rates cap daily kilometres. Park trips in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia often cover long distances.
- Insurance and excess. Read what the excess is and what the policy excludes, especially for tyres, windscreens and unsealed roads.
- Fuel and phone signal. Many park roads have neither for long stretches. Fill up before you leave and download maps ahead of time.
Our guides give the road access for each park. Conditions change, so confirm road status with the park authority before you travel.
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