A Guide To The Best Free Campsites Around Australia

With an influx of ‘environmental’ stressors felt in our everyday lives, it’s no wonder people are searching for a way to get ‘off-grid’ and back to basics in order to slow things down and realign themselves.

Free camping, or ‘FREEDOM camping’ as so many call it, can have this very effect. There’s nothing quite like immersing yourself in nature and staring up at a star-filled sky in the quiet darkness to reinvigorate the soul.

To help you get your free camping fix, we’ve compiled a list of the best free camps that we, and other travellers alike, have found as we tour the diverse Australian countryside.

Queensland

Long Waterhole

With amazing sunsets over the billabong and surrounding trees offering shade, this peaceful camp with plenty of wildlife is around two kilometres from Winton on the Winton-Jundah Road in the heart of Queensland’s outback.

Housing only self-sufficient campers (as there are no facilities on site), the area is prone to being affected by rain and floodwater, so awareness is key during times of rainfall.

A perfect base camp while doing the Winton leg of Australia’s Dinosaur Trail, or attending the annual camel races.

Archer Point

A short drive from Cooktown in Queensland’s tropical north, these stunning secluded beach camps on Archer Point Road are spread along the shore all the way to the lighthouse.

Accessible to all off-road set-ups, you need to bring your own everything, as there are no facilities available.

Spot abundant marine life including fish, turtles, dolphins and other wildlife surrounding the camps, particularly during the magnificent sunrises over the Coral Sea.

Expect stunning secluded beach camps on Archer Point Road

New South Wales

Sandy Point Reserve

With a sandy beach in front of a safe swimming area, a ramp for those boat and water sport enthusiasts and facilities by way of barbecues, picnic tables and toilets, this little camp off Brunker Street in the southern NSW town of Hay will provide a relaxing short break.

Large gum trees provide shade over the spacious camping area, where you’re able to stay for up to three days.

A shared pathway that loops into town along the Murrumbidgee River houses some interesting artwork and abundant wildlife, and is well worth the trek.

Bingara River Camp

Found on Old Keera Road in northern NSW, this picturesque riverfront camp along the Gwydir River is a delightful spot to recharge your batteries.

Suitable for all camping set-ups, the area is clean, open, flat and spacious. There are no amenities available, so campers need to be self-sufficient.

The river and surrounds is full of birdlife, fish and wild brumbies – which you can spot grazing around the river. Be sure to take a blow-up tyre, kayak or paddleboard to float downstream on.

Australian Capital Territory

Brooks Hill Reserve

The sites just on the border at Brooks Hill Reserve in the suburb of Bungendore can make a great base for exploring our capital city.

Found on Kings Highway, the camp is accessible to all set-ups and offers toilets, picnic tables and bins for amenities. A popular place for hikers, there are some lovely bushwalks to trek where you’ll find some gorgeous views along the way.

Victoria

Barmah National Park

These secluded bush camps along river road in Yielima are a wonderful spot to lose yourself for a few days.

Located within a national park, the area is frequented by hundreds of kangaroos, emus and wild horses, giving it that unique ‘untouched’ bush feeling.

Enjoy cooling off in the river, fishing, or taking a stroll along some of the walking tracks nearby.

The secluded bush camps in Barmah national park are a wonderful spot to lose yourself

Gadds Bend Reserve

Along Murray River Road in Walwa, you’ll find a peaceful and quiet campground by the river, where you can simply sit – breathe – and watch the river flow past.

Take a kayak or paddle board for a leisurely cruise along the water, swim, or simply sit on the banks and flick a rod if that’s your preferred relaxation method.

Try to spot the owls and possums while you kick back around a fire and experience the magical sunsets and moon rise over the water.

Tasmania

Lake Mackintosh

You do need to be self-contained to use the camps at the impressive Lake Mackintosh along Mackintosh Dam Road, in Tullah on the West Coast of Tasmania.

A dog-friendly state forest, the scenery here will blow you away. Known as a fisherman’s paradise, it can get busy at times, so there is a second campground beside the boat ramp (which is closed when dam water is being released).

An incredible place to spot possums, wallabies, wombats and Tasmanian devils in the surrounding forest, and if you love a challenging bushwalk, the view from the summit of nearby Mt Farrell is just amazing.

Cockle Creek

A picturesque and protected little bay, the campsites on Cockle Creek Road in Recherche make a fantastic base point for those undertaking the South Cape Bay Trail.

With a heap of secluded sites, the pristine wilderness and unique mash up of forest, beach and mountain views will leave you in awe.

The camps are in a national park, offering various walking tracks, places to fish and swimming areas. You can pick your own deliciously fresh oysters here on low tide too.

Cocklecreek — The picturesque and protected little Cockle Creek bay

More…

Wan’t more beautiful campsites in Tasmania? Find our ultimate guide here…

South Australia

Plushs Bend

With sites right on the river frontage and well-maintained roads making it accessible to all set-ups, anyone can enjoy the gorgeous Murray River views at Plushs Bend.

Housing bins, toilets, a safe swimming area and easy access for small boats, canoes and kayaks, this camp on Plushs Bend Road in Crescent, South Australia is one of the fancier free camps around as far as amenities go.

Be sure to catch the pelicans and other birdlife soaring over the water, making stunning silhouettes as the sun fades below the horizon.

Freycinet Trail Campsite

These campsites on Fitzgerald Bay Road in Port Bonython offer million-dollar views across the bay. Self-sufficient campers are permitted to use these sites as there are no facilities, with semi-private spots all along the track.

The beach is rock, not sand, but still great for a cool off, and with walking tracks and 4WD tracks to explore close by, it’s a great place to base yourself for a few days or more.

Don’t forget to wake up for the breathtaking sunrises over the water, try your luck at fishing, and look for the dolphins that swim past regularly.

Western Australia

Buttons Crossing

Pull up camp along the Ord River and lose yourself in the beauty of the surrounding landscape while enjoying some recreational fishing.

Found off Parry Creek Road in Kununurra, you do need to stay croc safe around these waterways, as they’re located within the East Kimberley region of Australia.

4WD vehicles are recommended with the terrain difficult in areas, and with no facilities, only self-contained campers are permitted. Base yourself here while exploring the many waterholes and falls surrounding Kununurra.

Quondong Point

A fantastic camp close to the beach, these sites along Quondong Point Road in Waterbank provide the best of coastal camping, whale watching and turtle spotting.

Suitable for all self-sufficient and off-road set-ups, if you park up along the top of the cliff you’ll feel like you have the beach all to yourself.

There is a limit of 72 hours at this free camp, so be sure to use your time to explore the 4wd and walking tracks, the sandy beach and rock pools, as well as the dinosaur footprints and fossils close by.

More…

Wan’t more beautiful campsites in Western Australia? Find our ultimate guide here…

Northern Territory

Diggers Rest

For the diehard adventurers, the Tanami Road is a familiar bucket-list track, crossing from the middle of the Northern Territory across the border into Western Australia and testing not only your driving skills, but your rig’s capabilities too.

The Diggers Rest campground is found in the suburb of Anmatjere and is popular because it is frequented by wild camels and varied birdlife.

4WD and off-road set-ups are a must, as is bringing your own everything – as there are no facilities here. With hardly another soul in sight, you’ll have an unrivalled view of the incredible sunsets behind the old windmill.

Mt Connor Lookout

If you’re headed into the Red Centre then this campground along the Lasseter Highway in Petermann could be the perfect base before exploring Uluru.

With a magnificent view of Mt Connor – a large rock that many mistake for Uluru from a distance – and a surprisingly large salt lake over a sand dune across the road, it offers spectacular scenery.

Toilet facilities are available and trees provide some shade over the camp area, which is big enough to fit a few small caravans, or vehicles with rooftop tents.

Camping is always best enjoyed with your nearest and dearest – so go grab some friends and family and start planning your next stress-free holiday to one of these epic free camps.

While you’re at it, throw in some of these hiking tracks for an extra ‘off-grid’ challenge.

You’ll thank us for it later!

Located just an hour north-west of Melbourne, the largely undiscovered Macedon Ranges quietly pours some of Australia’s finest cool-climate wines and serves up some of Victoria’s best food.

Mention the Macedon Ranges and most people will think of day spas and mineral springs around Daylesford, cosy weekends away in the countryside or the famous Hanging Rock (of enigmatic picnic fame). Or they won’t have heard of the Macedon Ranges at all.

But this cool-climate destination has been inconspicuously building a profile as a high-quality food and wine region and is beginning to draw serious attention from oenophiles and epicureans alike.

The rise of Macedon Ranges wine

liquid gold barrels at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — Barrels of liquid gold at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

With elevations ranging from 300 to 800 metres, Macedon Ranges vineyards are among the highest in the country. This altitude, combined with significant day/night temperature swings, makes for a slow ripening season, in turn nurturing wines that embody elegance and structure. Think crisp chardonnays, subtle yet complex pinot noirs and delicate sparkling wines, along with niche varietals, such as gamay and nebbiolo.

Despite the region’s natural advantages – which vary from estate to estate, as each site embodies unique terroir depending on its position in relation to the Great Dividing Range, soil make-up and altitude – the Macedon Ranges has remained something of an insider’s secret. Unlike Victoria’s Yarra Valley or Mornington Peninsula, you won’t find large tour buses here and there’s no mass marketing drawing crowds.

Many of the 40-odd wineries are family-run operations with modest yields, meaning the wineries maintain a personal touch (if you visit a cellar door, you’ll likely chat to the owner or winemaker themselves) and a tight sales circle that often doesn’t go far beyond said cellar door. And that’s part of the charm.

Though wines from the Macedon Ranges are just starting to gain more widespread recognition in Australia, the first vines were planted in the 1860s, with a handful of operators then setting up business in the 1970s and ’80s. The industry surged again in the 1990s and early 2000s with the entry of wineries, such as Mount Towrong, which has an Italian slant in both its wine and food offering, and Curly Flat , now one of the largest estates.

Meet the new generation of local winemakers

the Clydesdale barn at Paramoor. — The Clydesdale barn at Paramoor. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Then, within the last 15 years, a new crop of vignerons like Andrew Wood at Kyneton Ridge Estate , whose vineyard in 2024 was the first in the Macedon Ranges to be certified by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia; Geoff Plahn and Samantha Reid at Paramoor , who have an impressive cellar door with a roaring fire and studded leather couches in an old Clydesdale barn; and Ollie Rapson and Renata Morello at Lyons Will , who rapidly expanded a small vineyard to focus on top-shelf riesling, gamay, pinot noir and chardonnay, have taken ownership of local estates.

Going back to the early days, Llew Knight’s family was one of the pioneers of the 1970s, replacing sheep with vines at Granite Hills when the wool industry dwindled. Knight is proud of the fact that all their wines are made with grapes from their estate, including a light, peppery shiraz (some Macedon wineries purchase fruit from nearby warmer areas, such as Heathcote, particularly to make shiraz) and a European-style grüner veltliner. And, as many other wineries in the region do, he relies on natural acid for balance, rather than an additive, which is often required in warmer regions. “It’s all about understanding and respecting your climate to get the best out of your wines,” he says.

farm animals atKyneton Ridge Estate — Curious residents at Kyneton Ridge Estate. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Throughout the Macedon Ranges, there’s a growing focus on sustainability and natural and low-intervention wines, with producers, such as Brian Martin at Hunter Gatherer making waves in regenerative viticulture. Martin previously worked in senior roles at Australia’s largest sparkling winemaking facility, and now applies that expertise and his own nous to natural, hands‑off, wild-fermented wines, including pét‑nat, riesling and pinot noir. “Wild fermentation brings more complexity,” he says. “Instead of introducing one species of yeast, you can have thousands and they add different characteristics to the wine.”

the vineyard at Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — The estate’s vineyard, where cool-climate grapes are grown. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Most producers also focus on nurturing their grapes in-field and prune and pick by hand, thus avoiding the introduction of impurities and the need to meddle too much in the winery. “The better the quality of the fruit, the less you have to interfere with the natural winemaking process,” says Wood.

Given the small yields, there’s also little room for error, meaning producers place immense focus on quality. “You’re never going to compete in the middle [in a small region] – you’ve got to aim for the top,” says Curly Flat owner Jeni Kolkka. “Big wineries try to do things as fast as possible, but we’re in no rush,” adds Troy Walsh, owner and winemaker at Attwoods . “We don’t use commercial yeasts; everything is hand-harvested and everything is bottled here, so we bottle only when we’re ready, not when a big truck arrives.” That’s why, when you do see a Macedon Ranges product on a restaurant wine list, it’s usually towards the pointy end.

Come for the wine, stay for the food

pouring sauce onto a dish at Lake HouseDaylesford — Dining at Lake House Daylesford is a treat. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

If wine is the quiet achiever of the Macedon Ranges, then food is its not-so-secret weapon. In fact, the area has more hatted restaurants than any other region in Victoria. A pioneer of the area’s gourmet food movement is region cheerleader Alla Wolf-Tasker, culinary icon and founder of Daylesford’s Lake House.

For more than three decades, Wolf-Tasker has championed local producers and helped define what regional fine dining can look like in Australia. Her influence is palpable, not just in the two-hatted Lake House kitchen, but in the broader ethos of the region’s dining scene, as a wave of high-quality restaurants have followed her lead to become true destination diners.

the Midnight Starling restaurant in Kyneton Ridge Estate Winery — The hatted Midnight Starling restaurant is located in Kyneton. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

It’s easy to eat well, whether at other hatted restaurants, such as Midnight Starling in the quaint town of Kyneton, or at the wineries themselves, like Le Bouchon at Attwoods, where Walsh is inspired by his time working in France in both his food offering and winemaking.

The beauty of dining and wine touring in the Macedon Ranges is that it feels intimate and unhurried. You’re likely to meet the winemaker, hear about the trials of the latest vintage firsthand, and taste wines that never make it to city shelves. And that’s worth getting out of the city for – even if it is just an hour down the road.

Delicate dishes on the menu at Midnight Starling. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

the accommodation at Cleveland Estate, Macedon Ranges — Stay at the Cleveland Estate. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Soak up vineyard views from Cleveland Estate near Lancefield , embrace retro charm at Kyneton Springs Motel or indulge in lakeside luxury at the Lake House .

Eating there

Enjoy a four-course menu at the one-hatted Surly Goat in Hepburn Springs, Japanese-inspired fare at Kuzu in Woodend or unpretentious fine dining at Mount Monument , which also has a sculpture park.

Drinking there

wine tasting at PassingClouds Winery, Macedon Ranges — A tasting at Passing Clouds Winery. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Settle in for a tasting at Boomtown in Castlemaine, sample local drops at the cosy Woodend Cellar & Bar or wine-hop around the many cellar doors, such as Passing Clouds .

the Boomtown Winery and Cellar Bar signage — Boomtown Winery and Cellar Bar. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Playing there

a scenic river in Castlemaine — Idyllic scenes at Castlemaine. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

Wander through the seasonal splendour of Forest Glade Gardens , hike to the summit of Hanging Rock, or stroll around the tranquil Sanatorium Lake.

purple flowers hanging from a tree — Purple flowers hanging from a tree. (Image: Chloe Smith Photography)

With an influx of ‘environmental’ stressors felt in our everyday lives, it’s no wonder people are searching for a way to get ‘off-grid’ and back to basics in order to slow things down and realign themselves.

Long Waterhole

Bingara River Camp

Brooks Hill Reserve

Victoria

Barmah National Park

Gadds Bend Reserve

Lake Mackintosh

More…

Plushs Bend

Freycinet Trail Campsite

Buttons Crossing

Quondong Point

More…

Diggers Rest

Mt Connor Lookout

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Located just an hour north-west of Melbourne, the largely undiscovered Macedon Ranges quietly pours some of Australia’s finest cool-climate wines and serves up some of Victoria’s best food.

The rise of Macedon Ranges wine

Meet the new generation of local winemakers

Come for the wine, stay for the food

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Eating there

Drinking there

Playing there