Free camping in Australia is an excellent way to see our beautiful country without breaking the bank on accommodation, hotels or flights.
Solar panels and batteries have come along way in the past few years, which has made the idea of free camping much more achievable for those looking to try it. While these things aren’t necessary to camp freely, they do enhance the experience and make for longer stays, with fewer city stops possible. However, there are plenty of people who travel with nothing but a bag and a tent!
Read on to see our best tips on getting the most out of your free camping experience.
There are many different ways you can freecamp around Australia.
A lot of people opt for a motorhome, or car/4WD with caravan. However, you can also ride a motorbike with a tent or swag, sleep in the back of a car, or any other means you can think of!
Motorhomes and Caravans –
Motorhomes are readily available for hire, and there are plenty around if you want to purchase one.
There are many benefits of using a motorhome; onboard cooking facilities and water tanks, storage, and in some cases a shower and toilet. Most can be driven on a car licence, and fit into 2 car parks. If you have solar panels, depending on your capacity, you can run things such as a fridge, lights, laptops or even an air conditioner! Battery storage also allows you to run these things when the sun isn’t out. Water is typically easy to come by, and onboard tanks can be filled for free or a small fee at many locations.
One negative with a motorhome or caravan is finding parking in larger cities. Whilst most places have long vehicle parking, we have found that particularly in coastal towns there may not be a lot, and they can be quite busy.
A car/4wd and caravan has the benefit of being able to be unhitched, and is a great option for free camping Australia. This means you can park your caravan, and take the car where you need to go. Definitely a benefit around town.
The other benefits of a caravan are pretty much the same as a motorhome, with the exception you have a vehicle for around town. Just means you have to be comfortable to leave your van somewhere!
Camper, Car or 4WD –
Another option for free camping is a camper, car, or 4wd. Whilst these options may not have some of the luxuries of a motorhome or caravan, they tend to be cheaper, smaller, and easier to get around town in. You have the option to carry cooking facilities, a bit of water storage, a portable solar panel, and even a portable toilet. There are a lot of people who have already converted these vehicles for travel, and you can find them for sale quite easily. Being a smaller vehicle, there are more campsites that can accommodate you. Sometimes a larger vehicle can struggle, particularly if there is a tight bush or 4wd track.
Motorbike –
Then of course there is a motorbike. It might not sound like the most popular option, but a motorbike and swag/tent will do the trick. This is probably the most fuel efficient option available. Downside to this, is having to set up a swag or tent each place you decide to stay, and having to deal with this in different weather conditions.
These are just a few of the most popular options for free camping in Australia, all with their own benefits, and just a few negatives.
What are the biggest travel expenses?
Petrol –
The most expensive cost by far, is petrol. Australia is a large country, and in some places, towns are few and far between. This means large distances to travel to see everything. It is a good idea to be realistic when it comes to fuel costs. Whilst you are saving by not paying accommodation, you may spend a lot more in petrol than you expect, especially if your plan is to cover a lot of Australia.
Our tip here is to plan. Have a weekly budget you know is maintainable and stick to it. Work out your estimated costs, based on how far you want to travel prior to your trip so you have some sort of idea. After this, add in some miscellaneous fuel. There is only so far planning will take you, and you will always see a sign or something you want to check out that wasn’t on your original itinerary.
Something to also take note of is fuel costs in more remote places. For example, we found that diesel was anywhere up to 50 cents per litre more expensive on the Nullabor, as opposed to larger towns.
Remember to keep up your vehicle maintenance too. You don’t want to get half way around Australia and breakdown. Regularly check and top up your oil and coolant levels, tyres, and anything else you can think of. Be prepared if something does happen, consider roadside insurance, or have the tools to be able to fix most common problems yourself.
Food!
If you are anything like us, you will have good intentions of not eating out. You’ll buy cereal and bread for breakfast, have the stuff to make salad sandwiches for lunch, and all the goodies to cook for dinner. But then you see that amazing looking pizza, or that breakfast menu, that pie that claims to be the best in the state, and then it all goes through the window!
Food can be expensive. Especially if you have a partner, or family. It definitely adds up and can cost a lot more than you planned or budgeted for. Food can blow out your free camping around Australia trip!
So what’s our best tip here? We knew going away we would want to eat out. We decided to allow ourselves one expensive meal per week. So that means going out to a restaurant for dinner, or ordering that big, expensive, fancy pizza.
If we happened to walk past somewhere that looked amazing, but wasn’t planned, we would ask ourselves if we would prefer to eat here, or save it for a day we knew we would want to go out; in particular if we knew we were staying at a certain place coming up.
It’s not easy, but it is a good rule to follow to help save money.
Accomodation –
Accommodation is also something that can cost quite a lot. You are probably thinking why is there accommodation costs when I’m free camping around Australia? While you can almost free camp anywhere, there are places that have absolutely no free camping. Trust us, we have looked.
Most of these places tend to be cities, or some coastal towns, which is quite often where we want to spend a fair bit of our time. So for example, cities such as Melbourne and Sydney don’t offer free camping, and it is very difficult to find free camps around coastal towns like Margaret River in WA. There are rest stops outside of the cities, but if you want to spend more than one day in the area checking it out, this can be frustrating having to drive this distance everyday just to park.
So how much is it for accommodation? Well this varies.
Caravan/RV park fees typically vary from around $30-$60 per night, depending if you want access to power or not. If you are somewhere that has a showground, these tend to be cheaper at around $20-$30 per night, which often includes power and amenities.
Other times you may find areas requesting a donation. We have stayed at quite a few donation areas, and just put whatever cash we have into a donation box – typically this will be around $5- $10 a night.
There are also private Facebook groups such as “Driveway Sharing Australia“. These are private people who offer up their driveways for people to park. Some have restrictions, and do charge, so best to look and book beforehand.
So even though you are free camping, it is a good idea to put a little money away for accommodation just in case. Our tip here is to set aside enough money for one night’s accommodation per week. We quite often didn’t use our one night per week, and would save them up to spend a few nights in a city.
And finally, there is sightseeing –
There are information centres, and signs everywhere pointing out all the amazing things every place has to offer. Realistically, no one can afford to do every single thing, it just costs too much.
It is a good idea to chat to the team at the information centre, as there are a lot of free things to do which can be amazing – walks, hikes, beaches, sights etc.
If you know you are going to be wanting to do things that cost money like cruises, theme parks or other activities, it is a good idea to have a reasonable budget here and stick to it. Again, if you see something on a whim, ask yourself if you would prefer to do that now, or go to the place you had planned to pay for originally. At least that way you are deciding what means more for you.
So they would be the most expensive costs while free camping around Australia. Remember to keep a budget in mind, and allow extra for unplanned things.
What are the kind of places I can stay when I am free camping in Australia?
Roadside rest stops –
These are easy to find, generally have plenty of space, and most have a toilet available. Whilst they would not be our first choice of free camp, if you are looking for a quick stop they are definitely a good choice. Some roadside stops are near highways and can be a little loud, but when it’s free, who can complain!
Car parks –
There are a lot of places, in particular small towns that offer a car park for travellers to pull up and park for free. They could be at a sports oval, park, or just on the side of the road. This option may or may not have a toilet available, but most towns have public toilets close by.
Beaches –
Have a 4wd and a beach permit? Then the beach could be the perfect place for a free camp. Don’t forget to have everything you need in case you get stuck!
National Parks –
National parks can be a great place to stay. Some have entry fees, so make sure you do some research and know what you are getting into for each park. The last thing you want is a fine!
Even though national parks are beautiful, they can also be quite strict. If you have cats or dogs, you may not be able to stay. There are a lot of rules to protect the animals, and plants in the park.
Bush Camping –
This is similar to national parks camping, but without all the rules. There are quite a lot of bush tracks available and not all are for 4wds. We found we stayed quite often in the bush, however made sure we stuck to well-known areas.
RSL’s, Bowling Clubs, or Pubs –
And believe it or not, some RSL’s, Bowling Clubs, or pubs can offer free stays for self-contained campers. Some do ask that you dine in for dinner, others don’t mind. Either way, we find a free night for the cost of a meal really isn’t too bad!
Something to keep note of is to only park where you are allowed to. There are typically signs that say “No parking” or “No Camping”. These areas are generally patrolled by rangers, and can be quite strict.
So how do I find all these free camp places?
Wikicamps App –
We found the Wikicamps App by far the most useful app to find freecamping spots in Australia. Not only could we find heaps of places to stay, there was information on public toilets, laundromats, dump points, information centres, points of interest and more! You can download all the maps before leaving so that if you are somewhere without internet, you will still be able to access the information.
The app has a free trial, but after this it costs around $7 for a lifetime. We found this a little fee considering the amount we use it!
One thing we love about this app is there is a section for comments on each place. This is where people can leave photos and give honest information after being there. This is how we know if it is a good spot or not!
Campermate –
Campermate is similar to the Wikicamps App, however it is free. After looking at both, we found we gravitated towards the Wikicamps App due to its ease of use, and for us it appeared to have a lot more information. For a free option though, this is definitely worth a look.
Word of mouth –
Talk to people! You would be surprised at how many other campers we have spoken to that have told us about awesome places to stay.
Websites and Books –
And then of course there is websites and books.
Websites such as –
https://www.campsaustraliawide.com/
and
https://www.visitnsw.com/things-to-do/caravan-and-camping/free-camping-nsw
And each states National Parks website provide good information on camping and if it is free and what requirements there are.
Books such as Camps Australia Wide are awesome if you know you’ll be somewhere with no reception and like having a physical book.
So now I know where to free camp, and how to find a spot, what are the best things you should have?
The most important things to consider having while free camping are –
- Fresh drinking water – keep a drum handy in case of emergencies.
- Mobile phone or satellite phone – You never know what emergencies could come up so staying somewhere with mobile or satellite phone coverage is pretty important.
- A power source – If you have a mobile, laptop, fridge, or anything else that requires power, you may want to consider a power source. This could be portable solar panels or a generator.
- Cooking facilities – Unless you plan on just having snack food, a portable gas burner or similar is a good cheap way to cook meals. A fridge, or esky for food is a must!
- A portable toilet – Whilst this isn’t a necessity, a lot of free camps do not have a toilet available, so this is definitely a good idea to make your stay more comfortable!
- And lastly, a first aid kit, torch, tools, and any backup vehicle equipment like oil, spare tyre etc.
Where do I shower, do my washing and leave my rubbish?
It can be so exciting at the thought of free camping in Australia, that there are a lot of things you may not think of. All of a sudden you have been on the road a couple of days and realise you haven’t had a proper shower (those baby wipes only last so long!), have no clean clothes, and have a full bag of smelly rubbish.
So what can you do?
Surprisingly, finding somewhere to shower can be pretty simple. Some larger roadside service stations have showers available for truck drivers and just ask a small fee – maybe around $2-$5.
A lot of caravan parks also allow you to use the amenities without staying, and also charge a fee, typically around $5-$10.
Then of course we have seen the rare information centre that has amenities, and believe it or not but some country towns have public showers available.
If you are okay with cold showers, there is always the beach, just pop some swimmers on!
Alternatively you can carry your own portable shower with you. These can start from as little as around $20 and use the sun to heat up the water through black plastic. Easy!
Finding somewhere to do washing is pretty simple. There are laundromats available in most towns, but be careful, some can be a bit pricey especially for the dryer! And most caravan parks will again let you use the washing facilities for their fee.
It’s always a good idea to carry your own washing liquid or powder as over time the cost of purchasing single sachets can add up.
Otherwise, if you have the water, can always wash clothes in a bucket or the sink!
There is a very clear rule for travellers and rubbish – leave no trace.
What does this mean? Exactly what it says. If you are staying somewhere, when you leave, make sure you do not leave any sign or trace that you were there. In other words, take your rubbish with you. Not only is this the right thing to do and better for the environment, but if rubbish is left too often it can affect the campsites. A lot of good campsites have closed down due to the amount of rubbish left. So it’s really important to make sure that you take any rubbish with you.
Rubbish bins are literally everywhere; roadside stops, parks, dump points, information centres and more. Just make sure you are not dumping illegal or household waste and it is only what you use on the road and you should be fine. If you have toilet waste, this can only be dumped in designated dump points.
The good thing about the Wikicamps app is it will also tell you where to find showers, laundromats, and rubbish bins!
How to be safe while free camping
As you are not staying in caravan parks or places that may have security, you will more likely be in more remote places and need to be mindful of safety while free camping.
Things to consider –
- Mobile/satellite coverage
- First aid kit – consider doing a first aid course so you have the basic skills if something were to happen.
- Security – cameras, Crimsafe window covers, keeping doors and windows locked.
- Park in well-known or lit up areas; consider only parking where others are instead of alone, and staying by streetlights just in case.
- Let people know where you are and keep in contact, provide them with regular updates of your travels.
So what are our favourite free camps?
There are too many to choose from, but the first few that come to mind are:
Bunda Cliffs Campground –
This campground is literally on the edge of Australia. Off the Nullabor, this beautiful place overlooks the water, and you can see right off the cliff edge. We saw groups of dolphins playing in the water.
There is no phone reception or amenities and it can get pretty windy. It is a little harder for larger vehicles to enter (it was tight in our Coaster!), and can be a bit bumpy. If you can get in there though, it is definitely worth it!
Carcoar Dam –
Carcoar Dam is around 40 minutes South West of Bathurst. It is a large free campsite with toilets, and showers! There are plenty of spots to park. The spot has some breath taking sunsets and is very relaxing. There are a few people who live here permanently in vans and we found them all to be very friendly. It can get a little busy during the popular seasons.
Ponto Falls Reserve –
This hidden gem is located in between Dubbo and Wellington beside the Macquarie River. There is plenty of room along the river and it is suitable for all types of camping. There are a couple of drop toilets, bins, and a dump point. You can stay up to 14 days for free. Just be careful when driving as some of the holes can be quite big!
Bunjils Lookout and Maude Recreation Reserve –
Bunjils lookout is a small camping spot located in Victoria, around 1 hour 20 mins West of Melbourne. You are on top of a hill looking out over the valley. The sunsets and view are absolutely spectacular.
There is toilets and BBQ facilities available.
