Five ways to avoid massive petrol bills on your Easter road trips
The Easter long weekend and a road trip just go hand-in-hand.
There's no better time to pack up the car and hit the road, and this year, more Aussies than ever are choosing caravan or camping holidays to help keep costs down.
But there's one thing that will always throw a spanner in your budget-friendly itinerary: petrol prices.
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How good is an Easter camping trip? Getty
In the last week, fuel prices have soared, and questions have been raised about availability, as conflict in the Middle East impacts petrol supply.
The average price of fuel is now well over $2 per litre in most Aussie cities, with fears it will keep increasing.
So what does this mean for our Easter road trips?
Justin Hales, CEO and Founder of RV sharing platform, Camplify tells 9Travel that there are certain ways to plan your road trip that'll help keep costs down.
Your number one consideration, he says, should be the type of vehicle you use.
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Fuel prices are rising, but you shouldn't have to give up your holiday. Getty
1. Choose a fuel-efficient vehicle for your road trip
If choosing to hire a van from a platform like Camplify, he says, certain models are more fuel efficient.
"Whether that's choosing a smaller caravan, opting for a manual transmission campervan if you're comfortable, or even arranging to have a local caravan delivered directly to the campsite of your choice."
What to look for when you're browsing:
- Smaller 2 to 4 berth vans built on common van platforms
- Diesel engines, which are generally more economical on longer runs
- Manual transmission
- A less boxy profile
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Maybe you don't need a giant caravan. Getty Images/iStockphoto
2. Have your caravan delivered to your campsite
Again, if you're renting a campervan or caravan, you can have it delivered directly to the campsite where you plan to stay, rather than having to use fuel to drive it on the highway.
Plenty of Camplify caravan owners offer delivery straight to your caravan park. Just drive your car (or take a train) to the campsite, and it's all set up for you!
Delivery fees vary, but once you do the maths, it's often cheaper than driving it yourself.
Arrive and find everything all set up for you. Supplied
3. Or pick up your caravan near your destination
Say you want to have a long weekend in Hervey Bay. You'd think, 'ok, I'll pick up a campervan in Brisbane and make the five-hour drive north'.
But instead, you should search for available vehicles in the areas around Hervey Bay.
Drive up in your regular car, pick it up there, and you've saved a ton of fuel. Plus, you'll also then be able to drive around the local area in your own vehicle - again saving on costs.
4. Drive slower
There's a reason big rigs go slowly on the highway.
Driving at 90 to 100km/h instead of 110 can cut fuel consumption by 15 to 20 per cent. Over hundreds of kilometres, that's a lot of money.
So go slower, stick to the left lane, and take it as an excuse to eat even more road trip snacks.
Camping is a great low-cost travel option, and you really don't have to go far. Getty Images/iStockphoto
5. Go shorter (and stay longer)
This might sound like a no-brainer, but the closer you holiday to home, the less fuel you'll use.
Plus, less time on the road means fewer family squabbles and more time to actually enjoy your destination.
From Sydney, the Hunter Valley, Central Coast and Blue Mountains are all under two hours. From Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula, Warburton and Macedon Ranges are practically next door.
