Getting the best deal on hire cars

Australian Traveller Australian Traveller
hero media
A guide to getting the best prices on hire cars in Australia

Driving a hard bargain

Our girl on the inside shifts from the skies to the dusty roads, bringing you all the best car hire tips for your next Australian adventure.

 

Renting a car can be a nightmare if you’re not careful. Even when you think you’re ahead of the game it’s often not the case: that traveller who leans across the counter to kiss the salesperson when his sedan has been upgraded to the 4WD he’s always dreamed of might not be laughing 500km later when he looks at his six-cylinder petrol bill. Overkill.

 

If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Read the fine print, delve deeper. The car rental industry is crazily competitive, but if you do things by the numbers, you’ll be fine. Begin with a thorough car inspection: treat it as your own, logging each and every blemish. If it’s not noted, it’ll be your dilemma to deal with on your return. And always end your journey by filling the tank with the cheapest rates in town. Hire companies are not afraid to charge more than two dollars a litre if they have to fill up themselves.

 

The Internet is increasingly becoming the way to book. Sounds obvious enough, but when you’re saving up to $5 a day, it’s worth noting. And do shop around. Broker sites like www.vroomvroomvroom.com.au will let you quickly compare all the rates out there. Also, the big five of Hertz, Avis, Budget, Thrifty and Europcar can manipulate their rates according to supply and demand; some broker sites like www.holidayautos.com have fixed tariffs that can’t fluctuate, making car rental during peak periods less daunting.

 

Don’t automatically search for a specific car. These might be booked out and, in finding one, the cost will sting. Settle for something similar: it might, for all you know, be superior. If it’s readily available, it’s more affordable. Bargain.

 

Renters and readers, reward yourselves. Use your partner membership cards – are you an ANZ MasterCard holder, an auto club member or even a Virgin Blue frequent flyer? There are massive savings and points to redeem, so ask up front who your chosen car company is in partnership with. In-flight mags are also a prime source of car rental vouchers. Scanning them just prior to landing will save you money.

 

Insurance is expensive, but we of course urge all travellers to be covered at all times. Many people aren’t aware, however, that a lot of credit cards actually come with their own travel insurance – negating the need to purchase car hire insurance altogether. If you’re not with a credit card company that offers travel insurance, it might be time to switch.

 

If you’re wheeling and dealing your way around the airport, renting from terminals can cost a bomb, sometimes up to 15 percent more than at a downtown branch. But all the booths are usually right there: why not press hard and negotiate one company’s rates against another? Late at night, agents might be keen to rid their remaining cars, bettering his competitors’ costs. Think of it like an airline palming off last-minute seats: discounted fares do occur, as long as you’re not too shy to try your luck.

 

Going against the flow can also work wonders. Like migrating whales, the movement of rental cars between dealerships is seasonal, so booking Broome to Perth or Sydney to Cairns out of season will earn you a rate that’s hard to beat. Moving in the opposite direction to the masses is amazing anyway: the destination is deserted and beaches are your own. Sit back and picture the queues in Thredbo as you cruise the open, empty roads in Queensland. What a ride.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

AI Prompt

Want to see more stories from Australian Traveller in your Google search results?

  1. Click here to set Australian Traveller as a preferred source.
  2. Tick the box next to "Australian Traveller". That's it.
Australian Traveller

Australian Traveller

View profile and articles
Paperback Bookshop in Melbourne, Vic
Australia

The 15 cutest bookshops in Australia

eCome for the reads, stay for the vibes at these cute and cosy Aussie bookshops.

Read more
Delta Aquariids meteor shower
Australia

A double meteor shower is about to light up Australian skies, but there’s a catch

Two separate meteor showers are set to peak on the very same night this year. The catch? A very bright moon might crash the party.

Read more
falls creek
Australia

Australia’s ski season is finally here, just in time for the school holidays 

After a dry spell in June, Australia’s ski fields are finally blanketed in snow – and there's more powder on the way.

Read more
Cabin Fever in Margaret River, WA
Australia

What’s on around Australia in July 2026

If 2026 won't slow down, we won't either. Consider your July calendar booked.

Read more
hero media

Unforgettable First Peoples tours and experiences in Victoria

    Angela Saurine Angela Saurine
    Continue
    From ancient aquaculture systems to sacred rock art shelters, Victoria’s First Peoples cultural experiences offer a powerful connection to one of the world’s oldest living cultures – where every site, story and smoking ceremony invites a deeper understanding of the land beneath your feet. 

    Victoria’s sweeping landscapes hold stories far older than any road map can trace – stories etched into stone, sung through generations and woven into every bend of river and rise of hill. From the lava flows of Budj Bim to the ancient middens of Moyjil/Point Ritchie and the volcanic crater of Tower Hill, the state is home to some of the most significant First Peoples cultural sites in Australia. These places, along with other immersive experiences, offer not only a window into a 60,000-year legacy, but a profound way of understanding Country itself. As more travellers seek connection over checklists, guided tours by Traditional Owners offer respectful, unforgettable insights into a living culture that continues to shape the land and the people who walk it. 

    Budj Bim cultural landscape  

    Budj Bim Cultural Landscape
    Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is on Gunditjmara Country. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Venture beyond the surf and sand of the Great Ocean Road to discover a deeper story etched into the volcanic landscape. At Budj Bim, ancient aquaculture channels built by the Gunditjmara people to trap, store and harvest kooyang (short-finned eel) reveal one of the world’s oldest living cultures. While you’re in the area, head over to the state-of-the-art Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre, where you can observe the eels in a special tank, wander the shores of Tae Rak (Lake Condah), and enjoy a bite at the Bush Tucker Cafe. Also nearby is Tower Hill, a dormant volcano reborn as a wildlife reserve, offering trails through bushland teeming with emus and koalas. 

    eel tank
    The kooyang (eel) tank at Tae Rak. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Dumawul Kooyoora Walking Tour 

    Dumawul walkingtour
    Guests are guided through Kooyoora State Park on the Dumawul walking tour. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Step into a timeless landscape with Dumawul’s guided tour through Kooyoora State Park, around an hour’s drive west of Bendigo in north-central Victoria. Led by Djaara guides, this immersive half-day journey breathes life into Country, weaving together stories, bush tucker and ancient rock art. Known to the Dja Dja Wurrung people as Guyura – the ‘mountain of light’ – this dramatic granite range is rich with cultural and spiritual significance.  The adventure begins with a meet-up at the Bridgewater Hotel on the banks of the Loddon River, before guests are welcomed onto Country with a traditional Smoking Ceremony – a powerful ritual that honours ancestors and cleanses those who walk the land. From there, it’s a gentle wander through rugged outcrops and open bushland, with sweeping vistas unfolding at every turn. Along the way, guides share their knowledge of how the Dja Dja Wurrung peoples have cared for and adapted with this land for generations, offering a rare and moving window into an ancient way of life that continues to thrive today.  

    Kooyoora walking tour
    Knowledge of the Dja Dja Wurrung is shared on the trail. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Kingfisher Cruises  

    Kingfisher Cruises
    Cruising the Murray with Kingfisher Cruises. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Glide quietly through the Barmah-Millewa forest – the nation’s largest river red gum ecosystem – on a scenic journey along the Murray River and into the Barmah Lakes with Kingfisher Cruises. Led by passionate guides who share stories of the cultural significance of this ancient landscape, these cruises reveal the stories, totems and traditional knowledge of the Yorta Yorta people. As you navigate narrow waterways and spot native birds, you’ll gain a richer understanding of how First Peoples have lived in harmony with this floodplain for tens of thousands of years. It’s a gentle, immersive experience that leaves a lasting impression – one where every bend in the river carries echoes of culture, connection and Country.  

    wawa biik 

    Taungurung leaders
    Exploring Nagambie with Taungurung leaders. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Translating to ‘hello, Country’ in the language of the First Nations People and Custodians of the rivers and mountains of Taungurung Country in Central Victoria, wawa biik guides a range of authentic and deeply immersive experiences. Leaving from either Nagambie or Euroa, the tours are woven with ancient stories of the Taungurung, telling how a sustained connection and responsibility ensures the continued health of biik – benefitting the people, animals and plants that live in and around the Goulburn River. During the wawa Nagambie experience, guests participate in a Welcome Smoking Ceremony, and enjoy lunch and conversation with two Taungurung leaders as they cruise through the wetlands of tabilk-tabilk (place of many waterholes). The 4.5-hour tour begins at Tahbilk Winery, which is set in the wetlands of Nagambie on Taungurung Country and collaborates with Taungurung Elders to share knowledge of biik. 

    Bataluk Cultural Trail  

    Bataluk Trail
    Cape Conran on the Bataluk Trail. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    The Bataluk Cultural Trail winds through East Gippsland like a thread stitching past to present, tracing the deep connection between the Gunaikurnai people and their land. Starting at the Knob Reserve in Stratford, visitors walk among scarred trees and ancient stone tools once used for survival and ceremony. At the Den of Nargun near Mitchell River, the earth holds stories of women’s sacred spaces, cloaked in myth and legend. Further along, Legend Rock at Metung tells of greed and consequence, its surface etched with ancient lore. At Cape Conran, shell middens lie scattered like breadcrumbs of history – 10,000 years of gatherings, stories and saltwater songs still echoing in the wind.  

    Healesville Sanctuary  

    echidna at Healesville Sanctuary
    Get up close with a resident echidna at Healesville Sanctuary. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Set on the historic grounds of Coranderrk Aboriginal Station, Healesville Sanctuary honours the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation through immersive storytelling and connection to Country. Along Wurundjeri Walk, visitors are invited to reflect on the land’s rich First Peoples history, with native plants revealing their traditional uses. Wurundjeri Elder and educator Murrundindi shares culture in-person with the Wominjeka Aboriginal Cultural Experience every Sunday, and most days during Victorian school holidays. Murrundindi’s smoking ceremonies, storytelling and bush tucker knowledge reveal the sacred relationship between people, animals and the environment. Bird-lovers can’t miss the incredible Spirits of the Sky show featuring native birds daily at 12pm and 3pm. 

    The Grampians 

    Rock art at Bunjil Shelter in The Grampians
    Rock art at Bunjil Shelter in The Grampians. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Known as Gariwerd to Traditional Owners, the Grampians is a place of immense cultural and spiritual significance. This rugged landscape holds more than 80 per cent of Victoria’s known First Peoples rock art, offering a powerful window into the region’s deep heritage. Visitors can respectfully explore five remarkable rock art sites: Billimina and Ngamadjidj in the Wartook Valley, Manja Shelter near Hamilton, Gulgurn Manja shelter near Laharum, and the Bunjil Shelter near Stawell, where the creator spirit is depicted. Each site tells a unique story of connection to Country, shared through ancient handprints, dancing figures and Dreaming narratives etched into stone.