Hiring a car in Carrum

While Melbourne is exciting and beautiful, some of the region’s top attractions can be found outside of the city limits. Between trams, trains, and buses, public transport within Melbourne is great. But once you head outside of the city, transport can be hard to come by. A rental car will give you the freedom to visit all the places you want to go without relying on the schedule of public transport or a tour operator. See the region the way the locals do by renting a cheap car hire in Carrum, Melbourne. From Carrum, you’ll have easy access to some of Victoria’s hotspots, including the Mornington Peninsula and Phillip Island – areas that are best seen by car. Visit Webjet to compare cheap car rental in Carrum, and start planning your road trip in Victoria.

Things to know before hiring a car in Carrum

In order to rent a car in Carrum, drivers must be at least 21 years old and have a full driving license. Additionally, drivers younger than 25 may incur a young driver fee on top of their rental car charge. Visiting from abroad, you can rent a car with an international driving license as long as it is in English. If your license is in a different language, you must hold an international driving permit to drive in Australia. International driving permits can be obtained online for a small charge. While driving, be sure to keep both your international driving permit and your original driving license with you.

It’s important to have car insurance while renting in Australia. Some travel insurance companies extend rental car insurance to their customers, so you may already be covered. If your travel insurance does not include rental car insurance, you can purchase insurance along with the rental car. Companies offer various insurance plans in a range of prices and levels of coverage.

While driving in rural Victoria, you’ll need to stay aware of wild animals. You can often spot kangaroos, wallabies, and wombats while driving through the countryside. When you see one, slow down and pass it with caution as they can enter the road without warning. Not only will hitting an animal hurt it, but it could also injure you or harm the rental car. You are most likely to see these animals by the road at night, so be especially careful if you are driving after dark.

If you’ll be passing through central Melbourne with your rental car, it’s important to know the proper road rules when driving on roads with tram tracks. Do not overtake a stopped tram as there will likely be passengers getting on and off the tram. While in the CBD, you may also encounter hook turns. If you see a sign for a hook turn and hope to turn right at the upcoming intersection, get into the left lane. When the light turns green, enter the intersection and stay to the far left side, in front of the stopped cars coming from the perpendicular road. Stay there until the light turns green for the road on the right side, then carefully make your turn. Hook turns can seem daunting at first, but you will quickly get the hang of them.

What to do when hiring a car in Carrum

The Mornington Peninsula

Within about 20 minutes of departing Carrum, you can reach the start of the Mornington Peninsula. Due to its close location to Melbourne, it is a favourite destination among locals to escape the city without travelling too far. Along the Peninsula, you can visit gorgeous beaches along both Port Phillip Bay and the Pacific Ocean, including Mills Beach, Sorrento Back Beach, and St. Andrew’s Beach. Along the coastline, you can also see the Bay of Islands and London Bridge. The Mornington Peninsula is well-known for its Peninsula Hot Springs, which is home to lots of relaxing thermal pools. Animal lovers will also enjoy the wildlife that can be spotted along the Mornington Peninsula. Visit Highfield in the Mornington Peninsula National Park to spot kangaroos; to see koalas, head to the Briars.

The Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road is one of the most scenic drives in all of Australia, and it’s easily accessible from Melbourne. The drive hugs the Pacific Ocean for 243 kilometres (150 miles), offering up stunning views. Some popular spots to stop at along the drive include Bells Beach in Torquay, Anglesea, Lorne, Apollo Bay, Cape Otway, the Twelve Apostles, and Loch Ard Gorge. While making your way along the Great Ocean Road, also keep an eye on the trees above you; koalas can often be spotted in the eucalyptus trees. It’s possible to see the Great Ocean Road in a day, but you may feel rushed. To fully appreciate the coastal drive, plan to spend two or three days taking in the sights.

Phillip Island

Phillip Island is located about 110 kilometres (68 miles) southeast of Carrum. The island is home to some beautiful beaches as well as the famous Penguin Parade. The Penguin Parade takes place every night when about 1000 penguins make the trek from the ocean to their nests after spending the day fishing and swimming. The penguins are Little Blue Penguins, which are the smallest penguin species in the world. Some other popular spots to visit on Phillip Island are the Koala Conservation Centre and the Nobbies, where you can see Australia’s largest Fur Seal colony. To learn about the history of the island, head to the Churchill Island Heritage Farm. It’s a working farm that has been a part of Phillip Island since the 1850’s and looks almost identical to how it did back then.