assuming we're allowed to travel by early 2022, we're considering a self drive Perth to Sydney, but veer down through Adelaide and Melbourne..... we're recently retired, and in no particular hurry, so we can take as long as we like, and plan to stop off at various towns / sites along the way..... I assume some legs will be 10+ hour drives and others, maybe 2 or 3 depending on what's ahead..... has anyone done this ? are hotel / motels / restaurants / gas stations readily available long the way ? any "must see" stops ? are nutz ? thanks in advance for any advice.... from Canada !

How abut the train instead?

https://www.seat61.com/Australia.htm

It's a long haul from Perth to Adelaide across the Nullabor with very few towns along the way (as Australians we've done it several times) so the suggestion to take the train is a good one. Hire a car in Perth to get your fill of WA, train to Adelaide and then hire a car for the rest of the trip.

If you do decide to do the road trip, there are roadhouses every few hundred km with motel accommodation, petrol, food etc. Some spectacular scenery - very different to Canada, but long days of driving.

thanks.... the train does sound like a better option, thanks..... Perth to Adelaide, and then rent a car to Melbourne then Sydney.... we've driven all over North America, so, road trips are not a concern, but the train is intriguing ! last time I was on an overnight train was when I was 8 yrs old, across Canada to Vancouver ! Train Perth to Adelaide seems a little pricey, $1,700 to $3,000 each though.... cheers

we've driven all over North America, so, road trips are not a concern

Yeah, but....WA and interior Australia are a whole different animal.

Don't underestimate the emptiness of the countryside Perth to Adelaide. This is not like driving anywhere else. There's no population.

The Nullarbor is interesting - but remember - Nullarbor = no trees! Not much of anything but the road.

It's doable - but don't even think of 10 hour days. You need to take very regular breaks - to alleviate the boredom. And you can't drive at dawn, dusk or at night.

Think again about the train.

Long distance trains in Australia are expensive. It also means you can't stop whenever you like, pros and cons I guess. I haven't driven the section between Perth and Adelaide but did it by train - a loooong time ago. The flight between Melbourne and Perth is about four hours, that may give you some idea of the distance. Another option would be to fly into Perth and hire a car for a few weeks to explore. Then fly to Adelaide and pick up another car. If you plan to drive all the way to Sydney, there may be one way drop off fees which can be steep. We like Hertz but you could look at a local company called NoBirds. We used them in the west years ago and were happy.

We did a six week trip from Brisbane to Cooktown in 2019 (click on my name to see the trip report and photos) and that part of Australia is a lot more populated than the area west of Adelaide (apart from Perth of course). The further north we went, we could drive for hours with nowhere to stop for food, drink or petrol and no toilets, no nothing . We learnt to always have some food and water with us and never bypass a loo without stopping. What you are planning could be a great trip and is done by many 'grey nomads' every year but don't underestimate the massive distances involved.

thanks for all the advice, after all, that's the whole purpose of this forum, so that we can learn from people that "know" first hand..... thanks again !

It sounds as though we are trying to discourage you from a driving holiday in Australia. There are some great places to visit - the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Far North Queensland, the beaches in northern NSW are just some - there are lots more. It's just that the road trip from Perth to Adelaide has lots of dull boring driving and you certainly don't want to drive very early in the morning or late in the day - think of camels, kangaroos and cattle on the road.

So once borders are opened again, please visit us.

yeah, we've pretty much decided against the Perth / Adelaide drive, and likely the train as well..... now looking more at Sydney to Melbourne, then to Adelaide, and then back across to Sydney.... we have lots of time, and will take the leisurely scenic routes.... I've check out a few excellent sites that have detailed itineraries,

Wikipedia points out a simple fact that emphasizes the lack of variety in the Nullarbor desert. It says the railway track crosses one stretch of 478 kilometres (297 miles) on the plain without a single curve. Mighty flat, too. But it genuinely is one tourist experience that must be seen to be believed.