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Our guide to the best Warrnambool caravan parks and camping spots

Jade RaykovskiBy Jade Raykovski
A trip to the beautiful regional city of Warrnambool doesn’t have to break the budget.

This last major stop on the Great Ocean Road is worth a few nights’ stay for its natural beauty, ocean views and rich maritime history. Luckily there are plenty of camping spots and caravan parks to choose from in Warrnambool, offering a range of accommodation from beachside sites to self-contained cabins and villas. It doesn’t matter if you’re travelling solo or with a partner, friends or family; it’s time to pack up the car and hit the road.

In short

If you only stay at one caravan park in Warrnambool, make it NRMA Warrnambool Riverside Holiday Park. You’ll fall in love with its peaceful riverside location, plus it’s got a fantastic range of accommodation and things to do.

Surfside Holiday Park

coastal views at Surfside Holiday Park, Warrnambool
Surfside Holiday Park offers direct beach access.

Nestled between Warrnambool’s foreshore, Surfside Beach and the popular Lake Pertobe Adventure playground, Surfside Holiday Park really is about location, location, location. The family-friendly park provides both unpowered and powered sites (large enough to accommodate motorhomes, fifth wheelers or large vans), plus a range of fully contained cabins. Go with the beach chalets; they’re just 50 metres from the beach and feature full kitchens, linen, reverse-cycle air conditioning and raised decks, ideal for sunny breakfasts to sundowners.

Meanwhile, all the amenities are taken care of, including a camp kitchen, showers and toilets, gas BBQs and coin-operated laundry facilities. If you’re on one of the powered or unpowered sites, you can bring your fur babies along for the holiday – just not during peak summer season.

Address: 120 Pertobe Rd, Warrnambool

Shipwreck Bay Holiday Park

Shipwreck Bay Holiday Park, Warrnambool
The Shipwreck Bay Holiday Park is renowned for its prized waterside location. (Credit: Road Tripping Faucetts)

Part of the Surfside Holiday Park but only open seasonally, Shipwreck Bay is located about 500 metres down the road from Surfside. The roads can be a little more tight, however the pet-friendly site gives campers and caravanners easy access to the beach and walking trails – your own gateway to the natural beauty of the area. Plus kids will love the mini golf across the road (as will competitive adults).

Note that this site has no camp kitchen; there’s an on-site kiosk with the essentials, and you’ll find the usual bathroom and laundry facilities.

Address: 42 Pertobe Rd, Warrnambool

Discovery Parks – Warrnambool

Also located off Pertobe Road, not far from the hot springs and a ten-minute walk from Lake Pertobe, Discovery Parks ticks all the boxes for families looking for a fun stay by the coast. With pedal karts, a playground, activity room, swimming pool and on-site activities, you’ll be hard-pressed to get the kids to leave (did we mention it’s also dog friendly?).

For those camping or caravanning, powered sites include ensuite options for those who like their creature comforts, while self-contained cabins and motel rooms sleep 1-6 guests (including an accessible option with ramp access). And don’t be put off if you’re a couple; the superior spa cabin features a double spa bath, perfect for soaking in after a long day of exploring. A camp kitchen, kiosk, BBQs, bathroom facilities and laundry round out the on-site amenities.

Address: 25 Pertobe Rd, Warrnambool

BIG4 Tasman Holiday Parks – Warrnambool

a cabin at BIG4 Tasman Holiday Parks – Warrnambool
Book a two-bedroom cabin stay at BIG4 Tasman Holiday Parks – Warrnambool.

This centrally located holiday park is only ten minutes from the town centre, with its pubs, cafes, restaurants and shops. And while the beach is a little further away, it makes up for it with an indoor swimming pool, tennis court and pirate-ship themed playground.

A variety of budgets and holiday styles are catered for here. Pitch a tent or set up the caravan on a tree-hemmed powered or ensuite site (grass or slab), or book into one of the one-, two- or three-bedroom cabins. On-site facilities include a camp kitchen, BBQs, laundry and fire pit. Pets are welcome (apart from select cabins), and make sure to check their website for deals before you book.

Address: 33 Lava St, Warrnambool

NRMA Warrnambool Riverside Holiday Park

NRMA Warrnambool Riverside Holiday Park from above
Set up your caravan or tent by the Hopkins River.

Fun and relaxation go hand in hand at this tranquil holiday park positioned along the Hopkins River, a ten-minute drive out of town. Keep cool in the indoor or outdoor pools, try your hand at tennis or mini golf, or let the kids burn their energy on the playground and water slide (they also offer activities during the school holidays). When you need some quiet time, head down to the river for a stroll or cast a line from the jetty.

There’s plenty of accommodation options to choose from: set up your caravan or tent on a powered or ensuite site, or book into a self-contained studio, family cabin or three-bedroom villa. Many feature private verandahs, where you can relax over brekkie or afternoon drinks. Pets are welcomed in the campsite and select cabins, and the essentials – amenities block, camp kitchen and BBQ area, plus kiosk – are all covered.

Address: 125 Jubilee Park Rd, Warrnambool

Warrnambool Holiday Village

If you’re looking for a quieter place to stay close to the town’s shops and restaurants, the well-maintained Warrnambool Holiday Village is for you. This smaller, recently redeveloped park offers a range of accommodation, from one-bedroom deluxe cabins to two-bedroom villas, complete with modern fittings and fixtures.

Camper and caravans will have their choice of unpowered or powered sites, with access to a camp kitchen and BBQ area, amenities block and laundry. Dogs are allowed in the campsite too, just not the cabins. Kids will adore the sandy playground area, featuring a new jumping pillow, but there’s plenty of adventures awaiting just outside, including the botanic gardens and aquatic centre just a few blocks away.

Address: 81 Henna St, Warrnambool

Warrnambool Holiday Park and Motel

Warrnambool Holiday Park and Motel interior
The superior ensuite cabin can fit up to six guests.

Just a short stroll to the Hopkins River – and less than a minute’s drive to a boat launch – this friendly holiday park is the perfect base for those coming down to fish for the weekend. The park offers free boat storage, fish fillet storage, and bait and ice is available from reception.

Not into fishing? No problem. From a solar-heated swimming pool to a playground, jumping pillow and games room, there’s plenty more to entertain. All types of holiday goers are catered for here, including couples, big groups, campers and those who prefer modern comforts. Choose from powered grass sites, ensuite sites, or studio cabins all the way through to family apartments. Communal facilities include electric BBQs, camp kitchen, coin-operated laundry and amenities block.

Address: 83 Simpson St, Warrnambool

Jade Raykovski
Jade Raykovski is a freelance travel writer from Melbourne, Australia whose wanderlust began from immersing herself in the fantasy worlds of her favourite books as a kid. She started off her career as a graphic designer, before making the switch to copywriter, and now – in what you could say is the role she was always destined for – travel writer. Along with Australian Traveller, her bylines include National Geographic, BBC Travel, Escape and NZ Herald. And while she loves writing about home, she'll never pass up the chance to sip a spritz in Italy.
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Deep Blue Hotel & Hot Springs from above
Warrnambool

The best accommodation in Warrnambool

While holiday parks abound in Warrnambool, there are also plenty of options for those seeking a little more comfort and style.

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Film lovers need to add these Victorian theatres to their bucket list

    Ricky FrenchBy Ricky French
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    Theatres have always been a cornerstone of regional Victoria, reflecting the character and history of their local communities.

    From grand, gold rush-era masterpieces to Art Deco wonders to repurposed prisons, we’ve rounded up four of Victoria’s best regional theatres to catch a show at next time you’re travelling through.

    Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat

    Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat 
    Her Majesty’s Theatre in Ballarat has been standing for 150 years. (Image: Michael Pham)

    A monument to the immense gold rush wealth flooding through Ballarat in the second half of the 19th century, Her Majesty’s Theatre (‘Her Maj’ to locals) celebrates its 150th anniversary as the city’s premier performing arts venue this year.

    Built in a classical style and immaculately preserved (thanks largely to a recent $16-million restoration), this Lydiard Street landmark is the oldest continuously operating theatre in mainland Australia, notable for its double balcony and a stage that slopes towards the front, making it one of the most audience-friendly venues in the country to see a show.

    The Capital, Bendigo

    The Capital Theatre, Bendigo
    The Capital in Bendigo was built in 1873 as a Masonic Hall. (Image: Michael Pham)

    Denoted by its distinctive Corinthian columns, more reminiscent of ancient Greece than regional Victoria, The Capital theatre in Bendigo has been through several iterations since the first stone was laid in 1873.

    Originally a Masonic hall, the renaissance revival-style building became a theatre in the 1890s, falling into disrepair for a time during the 1970s, before being restored and reopened (as the Bendigo Regional Arts Centre) in 1991. Today, the 480-seat venue hosts everything from comedy to cabaret to traditional theatre, dance, opera and live music.

     Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo

    a look insideBendigo’s Ulumbarra Theatre
    Inside Bendigo’s Ulumbarra Theatre, a former prison. (Image: Michael Pham)

    Bendigo has busted out as a regional performing arts hotspot, so it’s fitting that one of its newest venues is housed within a former prison. Meaning ‘meeting place’ or ‘gather together’ in the language of the local Dja Dja Wurrung people, the $26-million, 950-seat auditorium rose from within the red brick walls of the historic Sandhurst Gaol in 2015.

    It’s an eerie feeling as you approach the imposing granite facade, pass beneath the old gallows and pick up your ticket from the box office occupying a repurposed cell block. With the building playing a main character in the show, this is performative architecture at its finest.

    Rex Theatre, Charlton

    the Rex Theatre in Charlton
    The 1938-built Rex Theatre in Charlton is an Art Deco gem. (Image: Jenny Pollard)

    Regional theatres don’t come more romantic than this Art Deco gem in the river town of Charlton, in north-central Victoria. Built in 1938, the 350-seat community-owned theatre provides an essential entertainment outlet for residents in the Wimmera Mallee region, as well as visitors making the trip up the Calder Highway from Melbourne.

    The volunteer-run venue is the last remaining purpose-built cinema in regional Victoria, and hosts the Charlton Film Festival every February, plus three weekly film screenings (Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday).