Hi,
this is going to be little bit off topic but is related to my kite-surfing trip to Australia (coming from Europe).
I will arrive to Brisbane mid of Oct and will go to Sunshine Coast by rental car.
I was just acknowledged that to get out from Brisbane I need to go through toll road and there are no gates (!!!).
I need to somehow(!) prepay it before I start or pay after I use (max 3 days).
The problem is how can I know that I am on the paid road and how do I recognize it specific name for later reporting and where do I pay for it ?
My guess is that there is a huge net of paid roads and as I am a newcomer I may get lost on the beginning.
I have also found whereis.com.au that actually can route me with toll free ways but its longer.
In general - I have no problem to pay a few dollars for better and faster road but how can I pay it and how can I find out what specific pay road/roads I have used ?
Thanks in advance for any advices 
Edit: I will start from: 330 Nudgee Road Hendra (Ace Rental Cars, next to Airport) to Sunshine Coast.
The govia website needs updating so viewing the map they have doesnt show toll points added from 2011 onwards
When u pick up your rental car,prepay 10 or 20 bucks in tolls if you want to go south of brisbane airport over the river ($4.60 one way i think?). No toll on the M1 if you get on it north of the river.
So just get on the M1 from ace rentals and avoid turning left onto the east west arterial road to avoid any tolls heading to the sunny coast.
The only time a toll will save you time in brisbane is out of peak hour.
M1,head north and your all good
Select to expand quoteEdit: I will start from: 330 Nudgee Road Hendra (Ace Rental Cars, next to Airport) to Sunshine Coast.
There is no tolls for this journey in both directions. Get on the Gateway Motorway northbound and go - unless it is mid to late afternoon, in this case it is get on the motorway and sit in gridlock....
Just don't speed there are 3 fixed cameras on that route and you'll get a massive "toll" if caught out over 100km/h (1st) & 110km/h (2nd & 3rd) plus often a dark coloured van parked off on the side somewhere..
Here’s the site gcdave is talking about; basically it’s the company that looks after tolls around Brisbane. I think the last time I rented a car in Brisbane the rental company back charged me the tolls I accidently went through
on return of the vehicle, so check with your rental company (saves prepaying as I don't think they will credit back unused toll prepayments). Happy holidays
www.linkt.com.au/brisbane
Heaps of ways to get around brissy without tolls.
Your best bet is to use google maps and select "avoid tolls"
But as has already been said, going north from the airport should be trouble and toll free
You are awesome people here :D
Thanks for all advices.
whereis.com.au also shows to me that there are no toll roads to Sunshine Cost...
See here:
However, by looking at:
www.linkt.com.au/brisbane
I can see that Gateway Motorway is actually toll road and at some point I must go into it...
How is that for real ?
Should I also expect toll roads around Sunshine Coast and up north ?
Cheers,
czezz
ok czezz it's pretty simple. As long as you're north of Brisbane river there's absolutely no tolls all the way to cairns unless you go over 2 bridges over the brisbane river or in a long tunnel.
You don't need to take any tunnels, surface roads work fine, tunnels are to save time. (side note: around brisbane, don't drive 6:30am-9:30am or 3pm to 6:30pm - peak hour sucks, very slow)
There is the go-between bridge near bris, from milton to west end. clearly marked toll.
Also the gateway bridge (M1 over brisbane river)
If you go over one of these bridges you can get on web within 3 days and pay with credit card. or call them. no need to panic. I don't know all tolls on southside but I'll draw the only toll routes on map in bris.
Yes true stories Brisbane airport to sunshine coast no toll. Brisbane airport to gold coast toll at gateway bridge.
Alright! Thanks a lot for all advices here.
@kiteboy dave - special thanks for this map :D
Hi czezz, I'm not familiar with Ace rentals or what arrangements you have made but just letting you know there is a bus that goes every hour from Brisbane Airport to the Sunshine Coast.
pm me if you would like their details or if you have any questions you'd like answered by a sunny coast local.
Hey guys, czezz did pm me .... He's after mainly flat water, so who has the better flat water - Sunny or Goldy ?
What is the usual wind direction at that time (between 19.10 - 06.11) ?
Im thinking also to spend some time in Hervey Bay but that part is little bit covered from E and SE.
