Although most hotels and resorts are centrally located and virtually all tours offer pickup services the Cairns region has lots to see and do. Many people take advantage of this with a hire car. We are surrounded by waterfalls, national parks and beautiful beaches. The drive from Cairns to Port Douglas is simply stunning, with views out over the Coral Sea on one side and rainforest covered mountains on the other.

Model and Class of Car		1 day	2-3 days	4-6 days	7+ days
Budget  Kia Picanto,  (manual transmission)		$109	$89	$79	$69
Economy   MG3		$119	$99	$89	$79
Medium  Kia Cerato		$129	$109	$99	$89
Large*  Toyota Camry		$139	$119	$109	$99
SUV - small Hyundai Venue or similar		$139	$119	$109	$99
SUV MG Excite, ASX or similar		$155	$135	$125	$115
People Mover* Kia Carnival / Hyundai Imax (8 seats)		$205	$185	$165	$145
4WD* - Large - On Road Use Toyota Fortuner		$260	$240	$220	$200
Convertible* Ford Mustang (2 door, 4 seats)		$300	$280	$260	$240
Utilities/Pickups*  Hilux (2 seats - 2WD)		$105	$95	$85	$75
Utilities/Pickups* LDV Dual Cab (5 seats)		$260	$240	$220	$200
please note - Photo's are for illustration purposes only, actual vehicles may differ from those shown. Vehicles may be substituted for a similar style of vehicle as the rental fleet is upgraded. * This class of vehicle has limited availability

Insurance Information

Insurance is included in all car rental agreements. For standard vehicles with a driver aged over 25 an excess of $2500 is payable. This excess can be reduced to $330 for an extra charge of $20 per day. Did you know a travel insurance policy can cover this excess. Click here to get a quote from 1cover travel insurance  which will cover you for up to $5000 in car rental insurance costs, as well as the rest of your holiday, for usually less than the car rental companies own insurance!

Minimum Age & Licence Information

The minimum age required to rent a car is 21 years old. If you are between the ages of 21 and 25 your insurance premiums will be a little higher - see above. A travel insurance policy from 1cover will offer you up to $5000 cover and on multi day hires will often work out far cheaper than purchasing the car rental companies own excess reduction cover.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What are the boundaries I can travel?
      North to Cooktown (2 day minimum), South to Airlie Beach (4 day minimum), West to Chillagoe.

Is there a surcharge for credit card?
      There is a 5% surcharge for American Express and Diner Club Cards. Not on any other cards.

Do you have a separate excess for Single vehicle accidents in 2wd vehicles? 
      No, I think we are the only company that doesn't differentiate between different sorts of accidents. We do however have single vehicle excess on 4wd/convertible vehicles only to discourage people from trying crazy things.

Can you take your vehicles on gravel roads?
      Yes you can take them on graded gravel roads however you are not covered for insurance if you have an accident on an unsealed road unless you have a 4wd vehicle.

What are your area limitations?
      4wd vehicle is North to Cooktown and west to Chillagoe. 2wd vehicles is north to Cooktown via inland road only and south to Airlie beach and west to the Tablelands.

Do I have to fill up the car on return?
      Yes the cars are rented full of fuel and are to be returned full of fuel. If they are not then you will be charged for fuel used plus a refilling surcharge.

Do I still have to pay for the excess if the accident wasn't my fault?
      Yes you do until we retrieve the money owing from the offending party and then you are refunded.

How many extra drivers can we have?
      You can have up to 4 drivers for no extra charge

What is the minimum age to rent a car?
      21 years old

Is there an old age limit for renting a car?
      No, as long as you have a valid open licence we will rent you a car.

Can I leave the car at the airport?
      Yes you can leave the car in our car parking spot at the airport however we charge $30 for parking and retrieval. Alternatively if it is during business hours we offer airport transfers from our office for a small fee.

Driving in Cairns

In Cairns we drive on the left hand side of the road. This can take a bit of getting used to. The traffic is generally light with heavy traffic generally confined to the hours of 8am to 9.30am and 4pm to 5.30pm. However this nothing compared to the capital cities.

Roundabouts can be challenging if you are unused to them. 

• if a driver intends to turn left, then a left signal must be given as the vehicle enters and exits the roundabout
• if a driver intends to continue straight ahead, then no signal is required on the approach or entry. A left signal must be given as the vehicle exits the roundabout
• if a driver intends to turn right, then a right signal must be given as the vehicle enters. A left signal must then be given as the vehicle exits from the roundabout
• the signal must be cancelled once the roundabout is cleared.

Parking in Cairns

In the City Centre parking is metered and charged at $1.60 per hour. Parking charges apply from 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday, however it is charged until 10pm 7 days a week at the Esplanade/Lagoon Car Park. It is usually fairly easy to find a car space in Cairns.

Can I drive in Queensland with my foreign driver licence?

You are only allowed to drive in Queensland on your foreign driver licence if you:

• only drive the class of motor vehicle authorised on that licence
• comply with the conditions (if any) of your licence
• carry your licence with you at all times when driving and immediately show the licence and a recognised English translation (if required) to a police office when asked to do so.

Here's a link to Qld Transport for anything else you'd like to know