I hired a rental car in Cairns and they were very clear about no unsealed roads and the geographical limits it could be driven in. Basically listing the points on all significant roads west of which it was forbidden to drive. Presumably to avoid you driving too far into the outback and being too far away if you broke down and got into difficulty. It was a few hours drive west of the coast where settlements got very small and far between. I did drive to Undara which I found was a few kilometres outside the limit, but fortunately there was no tracking...crazyknightsfan wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2020 01:13Lots of rental companies will let you take their 4WD vehicles on unsealed roads, I do it all the time. But the Tanami Road, and a handful of others, are specifically listed as 'no go' roads even for 4WDs in most rental company Terms.Berk wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2020 22:38 Not just there, anywhere. Except in Tas, they seem a bit more used to unsealed roads (although there aren’t that many more than on the mainland).
Working out where to go in Australia, it was crucial to understand which routes used sealed roads, and which ones didn’t.
Given that you’re not covered for “off road” stuff (and that includes unsealed roads), I decided to give them a miss. Maybe another time.
I don't think I encountered any motorways. The Townsville ring road was being upgraded and probably didn't count, and there's a short stretch of grade separated Bruce Highway approaching Cairns from the south but I don't think that counts either.