Left Turns, Lost Papers, and a Little Suzuki: Our Aussie Driving Adventure

Achievement Unlocked: Car Acquired

If you’re moving to Australia or just curious about the process of getting on the road here, let us tell you—it’s not always as simple as you’d hope. What seems like a straightforward task quickly turns into a maze of paperwork, unexpected rules, and moments of pure confusion. From translation hiccups that made us question our own licenses to an identification process that felt like assembling an impossible puzzle, every step came with a new twist. And just when we thought we had it all figured out, the real challenge began: finding the right car. Spoiler alert—it’s harder than it sounds! Here’s how it all went down.

The Driver’s License Journey

Australia is generally pretty accommodating when it comes to foreign driver’s licenses, but as we quickly learned, there are some bureaucratic hurdles. Despite having valid European licenses, we could only drive for three months before needing to convert them to Australian ones. So, we decided to get it sorted early—only to hit an unexpected snag. One sentence on our Belgian licenses was in Dutch. That single line meant we had to get the entire license officially translated by a NAATI-certified translator. Yep, the whole thing.

Once that was done, the next step was proving our identity. In Australia, this means gathering at least five different forms of ID. Passport? Check. Visa? Check. Proof of address? Took a bit of effort. Medicare card? Yipyip. But in the end, we got our shiny new Western Australian licenses—success! Well, almost. Since Margaux hadn’t held her license for 1.5 years yet, she was given a probationary license, meaning she couldn’t drive a rental car.

Choosing Our Ride

With the licenses sorted, it was time for the exciting part: getting a car. We didn’t need anything fancy, just something reliable, affordable, and good for city driving. Enter our Suzuki Swift, a little automatic that’s perfect for navigating Perth’s roads (and for squeezing into tight parking spots).

Not having to worry about shifting gears in city traffic is actually kind of nice, and we quickly realized that driving an automatic is ridiculously easy. A welcome change, especially when adjusting to new road rules!

Driving Differences: Belgium vs. Australia

The biggest change? Driving on the left. It’s one thing to know you need to stick to the left, but another to rewire your instincts when turning or navigating roundabouts. Speaking of roundabouts—Australian ones flow in the opposite direction, which led to a few "Wait, which way are we going!?" moments in the beginning.

Another noticeable difference is the road signs. While Belgian signs often rely on symbols, Australian ones spell everything out—sometimes in great detail. And let’s talk about speed limits. In Belgium, going a few km/h over the limit is generally tolerated, but here? Nope. Speed cameras are everywhere, and they mean business. No casual speeding unless you want a hefty fine. Speeding to get to work is not an option, as the ticket would be more than what you earn in a day.

Final Thoughts

Getting our car and licenses sorted took a bit of patience, but now that we’re on the road, life has become so much easier. No more relying on public transport schedules or long walks in the heat—just the freedom to explore at our own pace.

So, if you’re planning to drive in Australia, be prepared for some paperwork, unexpected translation costs, and a bit of an adjustment period. But once you’ve got the keys in your hand, it’s all worth it.