Australia’s favourite holiday park provider, BIG4 Holiday Parks, is adding a sweetener for those planning a spring getaway by offering a ‘Stay 4, Pay 3’ promotion during the months of September, October AND November.

 Holiday-makers can extend their long weekend by an extra day for free, at more than 40 participating BIG4 Parks located at some of Australia’s top tourist spots. Families and individuals may choose to follow the sun to warm Airlie Beach in Queensland, take in the breathtaking views of the Flinders Ranges at Port Augusta in South Australia, or enjoy a quiet weekend in quaint Queenscliff in Victoria – the options are endless.

 BIG4 Holiday Parks participating in the ‘Stay 4, Pay 3’ promotion include:

• BIG4 Narooma Easts Holiday Park, Narooma NSW
• BIG4 Moruya Heads Easts Dolphin Beach Holiday Park, Moruya Heads NSW
• BIG4 South Durras Holiday Park, South Durras NSW
• BIG4 Nambucca Beach Holiday Park, Nambucca NSW
• BIG4 Bathurst Panorama Holiday Park, Bathurst NSW
• BIG4 Valley Vineyard Tourist Park, Cessnock NSW
• Twofold Bay Beach Resort, Eden NSW
• BIG4 Lake Macquarie Monterey Tourist Park, Lake Macquarie NSW
• BIG4 Lakeside Holiday Park, Mulwala NSW
• BIG4 Saltwater @ Yamba Holiday Park, Yamba NSW
• BIG4 Beachfront Holiday Resort, Tuncurry NSW
• BIG4 Bungalow Park, Burrill Lake NSW
• Easts Beach Holiday Park Kiama, Kiama NSW
• BIG4 Broulee Beach Holiday Park, Broulee
• BIG4 Point Vernon Holiday Park, Hervey Bay QLD
• BIG4 Tweed Billabong Holiday Park, Tweed Heads QLD
• BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort, Airlie Beach QLD
• BIG4 Beachcomber Coconut Caravan Village, Mission Beach QLD
• BIG4 Port Douglas Glengarry Holiday Park, Port Douglas QLD
• BIG4 Brisbane Gateway Resort, Brisbane QLD
• Discovery Holiday Parks – Robe, Robe SA
• Port Augusta BIG4 Holiday Park, Port Augusta SA
• BIG4 Porepunkah Holiday Park, Porepunkah VIC
• BIG4 Parkgate Resort, Halls Gap VIC
• BIG4 Castlemaine Gardens Holiday Park, Castlemaine VIC
• BIG4 Beacon Resort, Queenscliff VIC
• BIG4 Port Fairy, Port Fairy VIC
• BIG4 Badger Creek Holiday Park, Healesville VIC
• BIG4 Swan Hill, Swan Hill VIC
• BIG4 Riverside Swan Hill VIC
• BIG4 Whiters Holiday Village, Lakes Entrance VIC
• A Shady River Holiday Park, Echuca-Moama VIC
• Ashley Gardens BIG4 Holiday Village, Braybrook VIC
• Geelong Riverview Tourist Park, Geelong VIC
• Golden River Holiday Park, Mildura VIC
• Boathaven Holiday Park, Wodonga VIC
• BIG4 Inverloch Holiday Park, Inverloch VIC
• BIG4 Waters Edge Holiday Park, Lakes Entrance VIC
• BIG4 Wye River Holiday Park, Wye River VIC
• BIG4 Phillip Island Caravan Park, Phillip Island VIC
• BIG4 Plantation Caravan Park, Carnarvon WA
• BIG4 Albany Gardens Holiday Resort, Albany WA
• Woodman Point Holiday Park, Fremantle WA
• Perth Vineyards Holiday Park, Swan Valley WA

BIG4 Holiday Parks’ General Manager of Marketing, Kari Hunter, says the promotion falls at a perfect time, giving people the opportunity to take a well deserved short break before their summer holidays come around in the lead up to the warmer months.

“The extra night allows another whole day of quality time together seeing the local sights and attractions, adding more value to a weekend away from home. The added incentive is a great motivation for everyone to treat themselves to a longer break than usual, something the average Australian doesn’t seem to do enough of,” Kari says.

 BIG4 Holiday Parks offers an impressive range of accommodation styles and facilities that are perfect for all groups. Those travelling light or in bigger groups can relax in luxury style cabins with private decks and spacious bedrooms. For caravanners or campers pitching tents, a spacious grassy powered site or convenient ensuite site will ensure a great night sleep is guaranteed under the stars.

For more information about BIG4 Holiday Parks around Australia, please visit BIG4.com.au

Australia has so many sights and attractions that are beautiful to view from the open road.  Cruising down the road, taking in the majesty that Australia has to offer can be a real thrill and camping with the family can bring you even closer to nature. Here are our top five most spectacular road trips not to miss across the wonderful and diverse land of Australia.

1. South – Southern Flinders Ranges – The ranges are a short drive due north of Adelaide near Crystal Brook.  This range makrs the beginning of the Outback, and stretches from the Spencer Gulf towards the Great Plains.  Hiking is a great pastime here thanks to the excellent rails and the clear markings.  But this place is not reserved just for the adventures by foot.  Bike trails are also spread throughout the area, adding another entertaining way to enjoy the area.
2. North – Nature’s Way –Starting at Darwin in the Northern Territory is a road called nature’s Way.  The drive moves beside the wetlands of Mary River and ends at the National Park in Cacadu.  All along the way you will see signs of the Aborigine roots that are scattered throughout this untamed area.  Once you reach the park you can witness crocodiles from the saltwater basking in the sun and moving about their native area. Lots of waterfalls and lookouts along the East Alligator River add more scenic pleasures throughout the park.
3. Simpson Desert – A real outback adventure awaits you on your travels through Simpson Desert.  When you prepare to leave, pack lots of food and water and top off your fuel tank.  The views will include awe inspiring sand dunes and colorful vegetation as far as the eye can see.
4.  West – Coastal and Esperance Trail – People who long for the beauty of the ocean and sandy beaches will feel like they are in heaven on this trail.  The route can take two days to cover in its entirety, but it is worth it.  Travelers can see the beautiful Southern Ocean as well as take in the sights of a small group of islands and terrific beaches.
5.  Victoria – Great Ocean Road – This route has a little something for everybody.  Due to the breathtaking views, this road is compared to some of the most luxurious areas in the world. The trip begins at Anglesea and goes all the way to Warnambool, including a pass by the Twelve Apostles.  Travelers will be amazed at the hillsides covered in eucalyptus and have their breath taken by the high cliffs.

Kristy writes for DriveMyCarRentals.com.au which can make enjoying one of these incredible road trips both cheap and memorable offering long term car rentals with everything from Holden’s to BMWs for hire. DriveMyCarRentals.com.au is a new peer to peer car rental community which provides access to more makes and models than any car rental company in the world from economy to luxury, from sports cars to classic cars, even caravans and with savings of up to 60% on traditional rental costs.

Most of you seasoned frequent travellers probably already know most of the tricks of travel in the most inexpensive manner possible– however, for those of you who might still need a few tips to make your travel less costly, here are some ideas that you might not have thought about:

1. Travel light – get your items into one bag if at all possible, one that you can carry-on and not have to pay the extra ‘bag’ fees, which can get pricey. Most frequent travellers have this down to a science – and know what they will use and won’t use, which develops in seasoned travellers.

2. Try to fly on a flexible schedule – most people who travel have specific dates in which they need to get to their destination, especially if it is a vacation. Some of us have specific vacation schedules – however, if you plan in advance, you can find some pretty amazing deals on airfare and other forms of travel. Sometimes, even flying into an alternate city can save hundreds on tickets.

3. Browse for the deals – when planning a trip, make sure you check every avenue available for travel. Even travel agents can have or know of some specific sales or discounts on plane fare, cruises or overseas travel. Check cheaptickets.com and Travelocity and places that offer specials. No doubt if you do your homework, you can find tickets to your destination for less than you expected.

4. Make sure you sign up for all of the available airline programs that you possibly can. For example, Qantas has a Frequent Flyer program that can help you to more a elite status, as well as United Airlines, Australia –which lead to more and more savings – and rewards come to those who sign up and stay in contact with the airlines, and I mean every airline you might use in the future. Frequent traveller programs vary for each airline and the rewards can be offered at different times as well. Those rewards really save you money in hotels, airfare, insurance, car rentals, upgrades, pre-boarding time and special vacation package deals.

5. Do the same with the car rental places. Sign up for every possible service they offer, such as the ‘Preferred Member’ service. It saves money, time and frustration when travelling. Membership is n ice because sometimes when the car rental place knows you are coming, as a member, you gain special benefits such as an agent starting your car to warm it up for you during cold winter months.

6. Sign up for credit card rewards – these can pay off big in many ways. Credit cards offer free travel and free hotel after you reach a certain status with their company, and American Express offers member rewards annually, sometimes minimal sometimes larger, depending on your expenditures, but these rewards save you money on travel.

7. Join frequent flyer forums, for info on the latest deals and sometimes even cheap or free tickets. A good one is Flyertalk –where frequent flyers meet and post their encounters and specific tips they have learned in years of travel. They claim “Flyertalk” is an interactive community that provides up-to-date information on travel-related loyalty reward programs. It’s the hub that brings everyone together — from leisure travelers to mileage junkies — to converse about programs, get the latest program buzz or discuss how to maximize points or miles. You’ll even get some good general travel information!” on their website – however there are many others available via search engine.

8. Carry food with you at all times. You never know when a delay will keep you waiting for hours, and we all know how expensive food can be at airports. Having snacks and foods with you will cut back on frustration, hunger pangs and save a bundle in food costs. Things like dried fruit, nuts, fruit leathers, and those individually wrapped cheese sticks are great, and keep for days.

9. Be nice at the airports and other travel agencies – the nice guy always wins in this situation. An airport agent who has been yelled at most of the day due to delays will welcome a smiling face, and has the ability to bump you to a higher class, for free. Always remember that when travelling, you get more with honey than you do with vinegar.

10. Last, but not least by any means, consider your ‘travel window’ and start looking at hotels and airline tickets at least 2 months in advance. The worst thing is to jump in and buy tickets, only to find out that they were discounted the following week. Know where to look, and check with travel agents, they sometimes have the inside info to future specials and deals, or better yet, check out Smarter Travel for tips on the best time to travel, and the best deals.

Using good old common sense will generally save you money, and planning ahead saves headaches. Always take more cash than you expect to use, but control spending as much as possible – and relax and enjoy the ride!

Ally is part of the team that manages Australian Credit Cards, a free travel money cards comparison service in Australia. Before joining ACC, she was a Media Planner with McCann Worldgroup Philippines, Inc., with award-winning executions, including the Levi’s 501 “Live Unbuttoned” global campaign.

Online campervan and car hire company DriveNow™ introduces their up-to-the-minute campervan and motorhome rental website to all travellers across Australia and New Zealand, comparing the lowest prices and guaranteeing the best option at the highest quality.

DriveNow.com.au partners with reputable campervan brands including Apollo, Backpacker Rentals, Britz, KEA Campers and Maui to provide road-trippers with all the best models under one roof. This means that those planning a trip away can choose from a great range of self-drive campervan rental vehicles at substantially discounted drive-away prices, on one easy to use website.

Vehicle pick-up is available from all major Australian cities and airports including Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, Cairns, Adelaide, Alice Springs, Hobart, Darwin and Sydney. With a great choice of vehicles, from luxury motorhomes to budget and 4WD campervans, DriveNow prices start from only $25 a day depending on the chosen vehicle and size of your family or group. 

Managing Director of DriveNow™, Russell Matters says that with different campervans and motorhomes available in the market, the selection of vehicles provided ensures that all travellers’ needs and budgets can be met.

“Motorhomes offer state of the art facilities to make your holiday a safe and comfortable one within a real ‘live-in’ environment, whereas campervans still offer comfort, but are smaller and have more basic  facilities,” explains Matters.

“Depending on your budget and requirements, you can book and pick up at any location, a 2 Berth campervan, complete with linen and cutlery, for as little as $35 a day. Alternatively, a high quality six berth motorhome that accommodates six people and comes fitted with double beds, a gas cooker, air conditioning, a shower and TV and DVD players can be hired for $90 a day.” he says

Offering convenience and comfort, DriveNow prides itself on the quality of its campervans so travellers can rest assured that they are cruising in the most reliable fleets available. There is no better way to see the Australian landscape than on the road in a trustworthy campervan and being in control of your own itinerary.

What better way to spend time with the family, than to hire a campervan and take the kids on a road trip. Hire a 4 Berth Campervan, for two adults and two kids for just under $750 for a whole week, or for a larger family, a 6 Berth Campervan for as little as $769 for a seven day period.  There’s no need to pack bedding or cooking utensils as these are all provided.  Other family benefits include baby booster seats for as little as $5.50 per day.

DriveNow.com.au donates $5 from each baby and child restraint booked through the site to Children’s Hospital Foundations Australia (CHFA), helping to make a real difference to sick and injured children nationally. These funds will be used for research, services and equipment within the main Children’s hospital in each state. DriveNow also offer their customers the option to make an additional contribution upon payment.

DriveNow also offers a “Double the Difference” lowest Price Guarantee. They will match any genuine price for an Australian and New Zealand based business and website. Not only that, you will get a bonus discount equal to DOUBLE the difference between the prices you have been quoted.

Making a booking at DriveNow.com.au is quick and easy online with instant confirmation. Alternatively, call 1300 547 214 to get helpful advice to secure your next Campervan Holiday.

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Start planning your road trip adventure.

www.travel-australia-planning-guide.com/road-trip-planner.html

For anyone deciding to travel to Australia, I think it must be compulsory to be given one of those maps that shows Europe fitting inside the country with room to spare.  I think the size of Australia is one of the most shocking aspects to tourists that come here with only a few weeks to explore as they quickly realize that it’s not all fun and games when trying to see as many of those iconic sights scattered about.    It takes planning to make the most of your time down under, which is why size matters immensely in Australia.

The Dilemma:  Flying versus Driving

I met a traveler the other day that had literally 5.5 days to spare, and he for some reason thought he was about to do the driving trip from Sydney to Cairns in that amount of time.  After being smacked back into reality, he then decided to take a cheap flight to Brisbane and start from there.  It was a much more reasonable plan that would allow him to actually see some sights along the way.

In some cases, such as this, catching a flight within Australia is necessary, but the problem is that – in my mind – the journey is one of the best parts.  There’s nothing like driving to the Outback and seeing the towns get smaller and  more spread out, and what about the curvy and jungle-encased roads of tropical north Queensland?  It’s the scenery that you really get to see when driving in Australia.

 It’s not only the scenery you miss when flying over driving; it’s the little fun bits in between.  Take, for instance, Granite Gorge.  Granite Gorge is a nature park near Mareeba (about an hour’s drive from Cairns) that tempts tourists to visit with the promise of seeing and feeding rock wallabies.  Adorable? Yes, and definitely worth it in my opinion.  However, chances are you will not make it to fun little places like this from the main cities unless you are self-driving.

It’s About Being Realistic

As in the driving example above, it’s about being realistic about your options.  If you are dead-set on driving through Australia and are on limited time, you will definitely be better off trying to narrow your focus by choosing one region or one state.  By doing so, you’ll get to really know that area as opposed to grazing over the surface.

On the other hand, flying from major city to major city and hitting all the big named places can be just as amazing.  I guess it all comes down to your personal travel preferences.  Here are some ideas to keep in mind:

• Your trip length.
• Your willingness to drive in a foreign country.
• The likelihood you’ll return to Australia.
• Your budget.
• Your love, or hate, of flying.

 All of these points should be considered when planning a trip down under, but I often feel that distance from one location to the next isn’t stressed enough.  Let’s face it, Australia is pretty gigantic.  And, I think it’s safe to say that this is one place where size really does matter.

About:  Brooke Schoenman is the expert author for WhyGo Australia, an online travel guide with life. 

She currently resides in Sydney, Australia and tweets about her Aussie life daily.

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Plan your own exciting holiday

www.travel-australia-planning-guide.com/travel-in-australia.html

We stayed with a family that we met at Ayers Rock Resort 10 years ago, so it was  a 10 year anniversary of when we met. Every year since we met we have arranged to meet them and holiday somewhere in Australia. We have been to the Kimberley, Central Australia twice, Fraser Island twice, Noosa several times, Murray River houseboat cruise and more. All wonderful trips and adventures.

As they are Sydney locals we went on several tourist drives that certainly gave a new outlook on Sydney and gave us a better understanding of how massive Sydney is.

 I had been to Sydney twice previously with my parents many years ago and with our local primary school to see the Paralympics in 2000 and had seen the popular highlights Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Which are of course stunning and worth seeing.

There are many  Things to do in Sydney, everyone that visits should visit the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. There ia also plenty more to see and do like the Rocks, go on a harbour cruise, visit Taronga Zoo and Luna Park.

Sydney has some beautiful very popular beaches to visit like Bondi as it very close to the city we also visited Cronulla beach and several other beaches which had a few brave surfers catching the waves! It was way to cold for swimming!

If you are planning to visit  Sydney and looking for more adventure how about an amazing full throttle  jet boat ride in the harbour, see the unique harbour views while going flat out sliding and aplashing in all directions.

If you want the best view of Sydney try the Skywalk on top of Sydney Tower only 260 metres above ground level. Of course you will be wearing Skysuits and harnesses for your own safety.  What A View!!

Many cruises on the harbour can be enjoyed as well as sea plane flights, aerobatic flights, sky diving, rock climbing in the Blue Mountains, drive a racing car around Eastern Creek race track, Harley rides, hot air ballooning and so much more.

Fathers Day is not far away so start thinking about a present sooner rather than later. The above  activities would make excellent Fathers Day Gifts as well as the more sedate adventure activities suitable for all Dads.

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Start planning your road trip adventure.

www.travel-australia-planning-guide.com/road-trip-planner.html

Sydney NSW Capital city of New South Wales

Great Barrier Reef QLD 2000 kilometres of coast from Bundaberg to Port Douglas

Tasmania Capital city is Hobart, well known for its wilderness areas

Melbourne VIC Capital city of Victoria

Uluru NT Also known as Ayers Rock in the heart of Central Australia

Red Centre NT Alice Springs and the surrounding areas

Great Ocean Road VIC A very scenic coastal drive

Kakadu National Park NT In the Top End of Northern Territory

Gold Coast QLD Stunning beaches, a surfing paradise and exciting theme parks

Fraser Island QLD The largest sand island in the world

The Kimberley WA Absolutely stunning unique landscapes in every direction

The Daintree Rainforest QLD Is the largest tropical rain forest in Australia

Whitsunday islands QLD Is in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef

Barossa Valley SA Well known for it’s wineries, cuisine and country views and walks

Ningaloo Reef WA Is one of the largest reefs in the world making an undersea paradise

Perth WA Capital city of Western Australia

Brisbane QLD Capital City of Queensland

Blue Mountains NSW Marvel at the majestic landscapes

Darwin NT Capital city of Northern Territory

High Country VIC The Victorian Alps is part of the Great Dividing Range

Adelaide SA Capital city of South Australia

Snowy Mountains NSW Are the highest ski fields in Australia

Broome WA Well known for pearls and the beautiful Cable Beach

Kangaroo Island SA Stunning beaches, forests, desert dunes and farmland

Phillip Island VIC Well known for its penguins, seals and the Grand Prix

Capricorn Coast QLD Includes 13 beaches from Yeppoon to Emu Park

Limestone Coast SA Perfectly sculpted beaches, towns include Robe & Beachport

Goldfields VIC Visit towns where gold was found & visit beautiful old buildings

Byron Bay NSW A very popular beach & holiday location

Yorke Peninsula SA Renowned for cruisy atmosphere and laidback lifestyle

That top 30 list showcases some of australia’s beautiful and interesting places, there so many others. What places would you recommend other travellers visit.

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Plan your own exciting Aussie holiday

www.travel-australia-planning-guide.com/travel-in-australia.html

There are many styles of maps and guides, they come in books like an atlas, folded maps usually of each state or territory or of more detailed areas like 4WD maps or topography.

Local tourist maps and local guides can be picked up from a Tourist Information Centre, Tourist or Holiday Park or other accommodation.

If you are 4WD driving it is worth getting the detailed maps that are available, sometimes they come with the information pack when you buy a National Park permit. They will also be available at camping stores or map stores online.

A Guide book is an invaluable tool when you are camping and travelling as they will give you information for the towns attractions, acommodation or area that you are visiting.

There are three types of guides that can be used to help you when camping and travelling.

Free Guide Books are usually available from Information Centres which are usually in every town or your place of accommodation. The maps show the town and local area, attractions shops etc.

Most tourist information websites have the same information, so you can search for a town, region, area, state or territory in most cases there will be a tourism site. They should have the most reliable and up to date information as they would be updated regularly with local events, attractions and local news. For example this is Australia’s Tourism website www.australia.com

Accommodation Guide Books sometimes can be bought that covers camping accommodation like Caravan, Holiday, Tourist parks or they may cover camping sites as well as hotels, motels, B&Bs, holiday houses, resorts etc.

4WD Guide Books can be purchased from bookshops or online, they give you itineraries and instructions to travel in particular areas for example ‘the Kimberley’ or the ‘Outback’. Usually these are made for 4WD trips, where you need a lot more detail in maps and instructions as there are fewer signposts for directions available. Also a lot more care has to be taken and safety becomes an issue so this type of guide will include a lot of vehicle and personal safety and communication information.

Next time you are planning a holiday or trip take the time to check out road maps and travel guides as they it will make your planning easier. While you are travelling you will have all the information you need for an Aussie Adventure.

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Start planning your road trip adventure.

www.travel-australia-planning-guide.com/road-trip-planner.html

Flights

http://www.webjet.com.au

http://wotflight.com

http://www.harveyworld.com.au

Travel Insurance

http://www.comparetravelinsurance.com.au

http://www.travelinsurancequotes.com.au

http://www.zippy.com.au

Car and Camper Hire

http://www.vroomvroomvroom.com.au

http://www.webcarhire.com

General Online Stores – Camping Equipment

www,myshopping.com.au

www,getprice.com.au

These travel compare websites will help you get the best price and deal so you can enjoy your next holiday and get a better value holiday for your money.

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Everyone appreciates saving money especially when planning a budget holiday in Australia.

http://www.travel-australia-planning-guide.com/budget-travel-tips.html

Thousands of people and hundreds of boats celebrated her home coming around the Sydney Harbour including the Prime Minister of Australia.

www.jessicawatson.com.au