Driving

The following points are noted for observers driving cars in Australia. Your stay in Australia will be longer and much more enjoyable if you drive on the left-hand side of the road. The speed limit wherever there are street lights is 50km/hr (60km/hr in some regions) and on the open road is 100km/hr, unless otherwise indicated by signs. Be careful when driving at dawn, at early evening or at night. Kangaroos, which are very common outside cities (especially near the observatories), tend to wander on to the road and become confused by headlights. Remarkably, they seem to be even less intelligent than sheep, however move faster and less predictably. Consequently, they are much more dangerous to drivers and have caused serious accidents. Driving to the Mopra or Narrabri Observatories takes about seven and a half hours. Country roads can be poorly surfaced, with narrow, rough edges, so be careful. Try to avoid driving anywhere in Sydney during rush hours: 7-9am, 4-7pm Monday to Friday. Directions on how to get to any of the ATNF sites are available from the ATNF visitors page.