Australia on a French Licence — The Side Switch, an IDP for the French Licence & Camera Country

Australia rewards a road trip, but a French driver has two things to settle first, starting with the side of the road. France drives on the right; Australia drives on the left, which reverses the first glance at a junction, your lane position and the direction you take a roundabout. Practise somewhere quiet before main roads, and watch your positioning when you tire and old habits return. In a right-hand-drive car the indicator and wiper stalks are often swapped, so expect a few accidental wipes.

The licence needs an English companion

Australia has no single national rule; each state sets its own. New South Wales lets overseas visitors drive on their licence for up to six months, and a licence not written in English must be carried with an International Driving Permit or an English translation. Queensland also asks for a recognised English translation. A French licence is in French, so for you this is a requirement, not a nicety. Apply for the IDP through ANTS well before departure and carry it with your licence and passport. The Driving Permit Checker covers other countries.

Speeds, cameras and alcohol

Towns default to 50 km/h; outside them, limits are set by each state and road, and they are generally below France’s 130 km/h motorways. Cameras are common, both fixed and mobile, and fines and demerit points vary by state; the Speeding Fine Calculator gives an idea. The alcohol limit for fully licensed drivers is 0.05, the same as France, and random breath testing is routine.

The outback

Distances are long and services thin. Animals on the road are a real risk at dawn, dusk and after dark, so plan long rural legs for daylight, carry water on remote stretches and fuel up when you can. The emergency number is 000 (Triple Zero). The state-by-state detail is on the Australia driving guide.

Sources

• Transport for NSW, visiting NSW from overseas (six months; English translation or IDP for licences not in English): nsw.gov.au
• Queensland Government, driving in Queensland on an overseas licence (recognised English translation): qld.gov.au
• ANTS, international driving permit (permis international): ants.gouv.fr
• WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, Australia profile (0.05 g/dl; 50 km/h urban; random breath testing): who.int
• WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, France profile (0.05 g/dl; 130 km/h motorway): who.int
• Australian Government, Triple Zero (000): infrastructure.gov.au