Access to free camping in Australia

Renting a campervan with Travellers Autobarn gives you access to thousands of free and low-cost camping grounds in Australia. Each campervan and station wagon comes with a FREE Campsite Directory that covers the whole of Australia – the ultimate guide for the budget traveller.

About the FREE campground guide

This comprehensive camping guide features thousands of campsites around Australia. It has all the information you need to find the nearest free, low-cost camping that allows overnight parking, national and state parks, rest areas and hotels and pubs which allow camping.

The best thing about this guide is that the authors have visited every single one of the camps, which means this is a first-hand account of all the facilities such as toilets, showers, BBQ, picnic tables and campground power. They also provide information on other essentials such as mobile phone signal, whether it’s suitable for a campervan and whether there is a maximum stay.

Top tips for camping in Australia

We recommend you follow the seven core principles of ‘Leave No Trace’.

• Plan ahead and prepare
• Travel and camp on durable surfaces
• Dispose of waste properly
• Leave what you find
• Minimise campfire impacts
• Respect Wildlife
• Be considerate to your hosts and visitors

Other things to consider when camping in Australia:

Road conditions

Some of the free campsites listed can only be accessed by roads that may be unsuitable for a rental campervan or station wagon. Remember that you are not permitted to drive your hired campervan or station wagon on an unsealed road. We recommend that you call the local authorities to inquire before you plan to camp.

Water

Although the water provided at the majority of Australian campgrounds is suitable for drinking, we strongly recommend that you always carry your own supply of drinking water with you. Carrying extra water can be used if you break down, for putting out small campfires and also to help other fellow travellers!

Firewood and campfires

It is advisable that you bring your own firewood if you plan on a campfire and bbq’s, rather than destroy any trees nearby. You should always observe the fire bans and restrictions and always make sure that the fire is completely dead before leaving a campground.

Overnight camping – Know the regulations

It’s important to remember that depending on the state that you are camping in there are different laws relating to staying overnight in a rest area.

At some of the bigger rest stops along Australian highways you will find that it’s often ok and legal to set up camp overnight (no fires though!). You can normally stay for 24 hours before moving on. Many smaller rest stops will allow you to stay overnight, as long as you don’t set up camp.

Whenever you stop make sure you read the information boards so that you are clear on what you can and cannot do. Some states and local authorities are more tolerant than others, who enforce the laws strictly and will move you on if you aren’t following the rules.

Take advantage of the free camping guide included with every Travellers Autobarn rental.

Get a quick quote and book your campervan today.