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East Coast Car Rentals review

Updated October 17, 2026 · NomadCue Editorial Team

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Our verdict

East Coast Car Rentals is an independent Australian hire company known for city and airport rentals since 1979. For travelers exploring Queensland, New South Wales and other states, it gives you one-way options and terminal shuttles across a fourteen location network.

Key facts

Best for
Travelers planning interstate road trips around Australia
Products
Car-rental
Booking fees
No hidden fees↗
Cancellation terms
Full refund 7+ days before collection↗
Founded
1979↗
Support channels
Phone↗
Official website
eastcoastcarrentals.com.au

Facts checked October 17, 2026, 2 sources

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Operates fourteen airport and city depots across Australian states and Tasmania
  • Allows one-way hire between mainland locations for interstate road journeys
  • Runs terminal pickup shuttles that connect airports to nearby rental depots

Cons

  • One-way interstate returns do not extend to Tasmania from the mainland
  • Shuttle pickup depends on a phone call after luggage collection at the terminal
East Coast Car Rentals

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Scored 8.5 / 10 by NomadCue.

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Who it suits

  • Road trippers crossing Australian state lines
  • Flyers who want depot transfer from terminals

Who should look elsewhere

  • Travelers seeking rentals outside Australia

Airport and city depots

Depots sit at major airports and city centres across the country, including Perth, Darwin, Adelaide, Cairns, Sydney and Hobart. The network is set up so that a visitor arriving by plane can reach a counter with ease and move on to the road. Several locations are close to coastal cities, which makes the first leg of a holiday easy to plan. Travelers can compare the spread of places before choosing where the journey begins. Visitors planning a multi-stop route can use this spread as a starting point for a memorable drive. The mix of airport and city locations gives people flexibility over where the journey begins and ends.

An independent Australian brand

The company presents itself as a lively, independent firm with a clear Australian identity. Its message centres on iconic scenery and the feeling of an unforgettable road journey, which appeals to holidaymakers and business drivers alike. The tone is confident and upbeat, with the emphasis placed on the adventure of exploring a vast country by car. Its tone suggests that the journey matters as much as the destination, which gives the brand a relaxed voice.

Our full take

Independent Australian car hire company operating since 1979 with 14 airport and city locations and a free shuttle.

How East Coast Car Rentals compares

Frequently asked questions

What kind of rental service does East Coast Car Rentals offer?+

East Coast Car Rentals offers car hire for travel around Australia from airport and city depots. You can select a vehicle for local stays or longer touring between regions. The focus stays on simple hire for holidays, family visits and work travel across the country.

Does East Coast Car Rentals allow one-way trips between locations?+

One-way hire lets you collect a car in one mainland location and leave it in another. You could start in Queensland and finish in New South Wales when vehicles are available. Travel to Tasmania from another state is not part of one-way interstate movement.

How do airport shuttles connect you to the rental depot?+

Shuttles collect you at the terminal and drive you to the nearby depot. After you gather luggage, you call the depot team for your airport and wait for pickup. The link keeps arrivals moving from the terminal to the hire counter without a long walk.

Who benefits most from hiring with this brand?+

Travelers touring Australia by road benefit most, especially groups moving between cities and airports. You gain flexibility if you want mainland one-way travel and terminal transfers. The setup fits holiday makers and work travelers who plan multi-stop driving routes.

Which places can a holiday by road start from?+

Pickup usually begins at a major airport or a city depot, so the first stretch of a holiday can run smoothly. Travelers arriving in Sydney, Cairns, Hobart or Perth can start their journey from the airport counter. Setting off from a city depot works well for visitors who prefer to settle into town before driving on.

Sources

Compiled from 2 source pages, checked October 17, 2026. We did not open an account.

East Coast Car Rentals

East Coast Car Rentals

Travelers planning interstate road trips around Australia

8.5/10See alternatives