Australia's bestCamping Holidays

Are you a first-time camper or caravanner looking for some top tips and insight on the where, how, and why to camp in Australia? Check out our range of articles featuring some of the best individual campsites around Australia, how-to’s on van life and driving, guides for saving money while on a camping trip and much more.

Canberra may be a slick and modernly-designed city, but our nation’s capital also just happens to be bordered by a huge and dense array of Aussie alpine and bush environments ideal for camping escapes. As a result, you won’t have to drive far from the city to encounter some quality campgrounds, with some of the most popular spots less than 30 minutes’ drive out of the Canberra CBD.

Several national parks can be found to the capital’s west, with Namadgi National Park offering an easily accessible spot to immerse yourself in natural surrounds, spot kangaroos and much more. Regional getaway spots such as Tharwa (40 minutes’ drive from Canberra) and Tidbinbilla (just over an hour) provide a range of quality campsites and campgrounds ideal for experiencing these national parks.

With a low population and plenty of incredible colours, terrains and rock formations to explore, the NT is a “wild” camper’s dream with an increasing amount of comfort available for the fussier among us. Famously clear night skies and a heap of fascinating culture don’t hurt, either. If you stick to Darwin there are multiple holiday parks as little as 10 minutes drive outside of the city centre – yet it’s further out where the NT’s camping scene really comes into its own.

Both Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks are not only national icons, but offer a great selection of campgrounds ideal for both single and multi-day stays. Experience the rugged gorge environments with a camping experience at Katherine. Camp next to the unique rock formations of Karlu Karlu / The Devil’s Marbles, or go all-out and camp within visible distance of Uluru – among countless other choices.

Queensland offers a range of terrains and views that some of the other states of Australia simply can’t compete with, including slices of ancient rainforest and panoramas of World Heritage sites from both the mainland and on-island campsites.

Just outside Brisbane, multiple picturesque islands such as Bribie Island, Moreton Island and North Stradbroke are popular go-to spots for locals to escape for a short-term camping trip. The luscious Scenic Rim provides camping in a verdant non-coastal environment, while further inland camping spots centred around lovely lakes await.

Exploring the Great Barrier Reef from destinations further north at 1770, Gladstone, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns – as well as the islands which sit offshore – give campers a range of wonderful panoramas of vivid greens and azure blues.

South Australia offers an incredibly diverse range of camping and caravanning opportunities, and while Adelaide itself isn’t a hotbed for campers it serves as an easy springboard to numerous top spots for a camp within easy reach. These range from destinations within striking distance of the city such as McLaren Vale and Gawler, further north to the magnificent Flinders Ranges or down south-east to the pretty Murray Bridge region.

Camp at Mannum for a dose of history, Port Pirie for maritime scenery and architecture, the Eyre Peninsula for seafood, and many more popular camping destinations. Alternatively, head all the way down to Ceduna on the state’s far west before the Nullarbor kicks in. If you’re after secluded camping that’s noise-free, SA offers some of the best.

Perhaps no other state in Australia offers such an ease for campers to gain access to such a wide range of pristine environments than Tassie. Both the east and west coasts of Tasmania provide ample quality camping spots courtesy of its charming coastal towns and seemingly endless national parks, or base yourself near Hobart for your pick from the high quantity of top-notch holiday parks nearby.

Camp in the immediate surroundings of historic Port Arthur before branching out to camp in the Tasman National Park, or head further up the East Coast to numerous pristine areas such as Freycinet, Bicheno, St. Helens and Low Head.

Further out west, both Stanley and Strahan offer unique natural environments and views, with distinctive rock formations and World Heritage wilderness – for unforgettable camping backdrops.

Boasting a host of different regions each with different characters, yet all within a pretty compact package, Victoria is definitely a “something for everyone” state as far as camping and caravanning is concerned. There are a handful of quality camping destinations all within around a 2 hours’ drive radius of Melbourne with several on and around the Mornington Peninsula that are particularly popular.

Anglesea, Dromana, Queenscliff, and other regional towns in the area all have quality holiday parks nearby, while Phillip Island and main township Cowes are likewise highly regarded spots for a camp. Whether it’s the coastal, wildlife and scenic mix of everyone’s favourite, Wilson’s Promontory; the mountain-adjacent escapism of Halls Gap & the Grampians; or the goldrush-era intrigue of Ballarat and surrounds, Victoria’s nothing if not an eclectic place for a camp.

Western Australia’s combination of sheer size and empty space offers a nearly endless cavalcade of camping spots for both the adventurous and conservative. The only limit to camping WA is your free time and petrol tank; play it safe and stay at the multiple quality holiday parks in Perth, Fremantle or the adjacent Swan Valley, or head as far up as Broome or Derby (a full 24 hour drive away from the capital) for some rugged coastal camping.

As one of the prettiest and most brightly-coloured coastal sections of Australia, camping anywhere down from the south west between Bunbury and Esperance opens up incredible, secluded campsites with one of the lowest population densities in the world to share it with. Margaret River, Augusta, Denmark, Albany and even Bremer Bay are renowned seaside camping destinations, with the Indian Ocean and the Great Australian Bight as potential backdrops.