Australia is easily one of the top destinations for campervan travellers from across the world. Not only does the country offer many thousands of miles of breathtaking countryside to explore, but it also offers large, thriving urban centres to visit and enjoy. The largest of these is Melbourne. For campervan travellers, it is true that large cities pose different types of safety issues than travelling through the countryside. Therefore, after you’ve made your campervan hire and are ready to set off on our adventure, you should keep the following in mind in order to keep yourself safe when passing through Melbourne.

Although Melbourne is known as a safe and clean city, like with all urban centres there are some protective steps that you should take in order to ensure your safety as a campervan traveller.

Lock Up

This may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised at the number of people who simply forget to lock up the campervan. Whether you’ve been travelling in the remote country and are not in the habit of locking up for quick stops or you just flat-out forget in the excitement of the city, leaving anything unlocked is an invitation for gear theft or, worse, the theft of your campervan entirely. So lock all doors and make sure that your load is locked in too whenever you leave the vehicle.

Park Safe

You are going to want to explore the city on foot, so make sure to find a safe place to park when you do so. If the neighbourhood is sketchy, then chances are you will not want to leave your campervan there for an extended period of time. Find a well-lighted, busy street in an upscale neighbourhood where there will be less chance of criminal activity. You may also want to invest in a garage parking space. This will cost you, but you will also have the peace of mind in knowing that your campervan and gear is safe in a protected garage while you explore the city.

Drive Alert

Driving in Melbourne is not like taking the wheel in the Australian countryside. Like with all city driving, in Melbourne you will have heavy traffic, pedestrians everywhere, and some drivers who may not be as courteous as in the rest of the country. This is why it is always recommended that Melbourne be explored on foot and by public transportation. Of course you can drive to different neighbourhoods and park, but exploring those neighbourhoods will be much more convenient on foot. While driving, just be aware of your surroundings, always being on the watch for darting pedestrians, aggressive drivers, streetlights and signs, and all the other hazards that come with urban driving. Since you will be driving a campervan, it may be more difficult to manoeuvre, so you should take your rig out for a few practice drives in your nearest town in order to get the feel for city driving.

Melbourne is known as a safe and clean city, but it does come with some added safety concerns. Make sure to keep these in mind when you hit this famous, bustling city.