Campervan Relocation Deals in Australia: Are $1 a Day Hires Worth It?

Short answer: a relocation deal lets you drive a rental company’s van from A to B for as little as $1 a day, but you get a fixed number of days, a fixed route, a kilometre limit and no choice of drop-off, and fuel is on you. It is worth it if your dates and route match the deal and you can live with the limits. If you want your own pace, more than a few days or a choice of van, a normal one-way hire is the better deal, and on the East Coast some brands charge no one-way fee at all.

We compare live prices from the major operators, and on vans we can check, our price is lower than the operator’s own website. See live prices for your dates. Our live quotes cover normal hires, not relocation deals, which are listed by the rental companies and by relocation marketplaces.

How do $1-a-day campervan relocations work?

Rental companies end up with vans in the wrong city, because demand runs one way. Rather than pay staff or trucks to move them, they list the move as a rental at a token price. Typically:

• The price is about $1 a day. Some deals include a fuel reimbursement. One relocation marketplace gives $250 as an example of what an allowance can look like.
• The days are fixed. The listed number of days is the minimum needed to relocate the van safely. One marketplace’s Cairns to Brisbane example is 6 days. You can often add extra days at a higher cost.
• The route is fixed. You drive from the listed pick-up to the listed drop-off, and when you claim a deal you cannot choose a different return branch.
• Kilometre limits apply. Going over the allowance brings extra charges.
• Bookings are confirmed by the rental company, typically within about 48 hours, and deals are first come, first served.

Some deals add free insurance, bedding or a kitchen kit, and others do not include an excess reduction package. The terms vary by deal, so read each listing.

What does a relocation deal really cost?

Hire is the cheap part. What you still pay:

1. Fuel. Not included unless the deal states an allowance.
2. Insurance and bond. A bond is held on your card, and reducing it is extra unless the deal includes it. See campervan insurance and bonds explained.
3. Campsites and food. The same as any trip.
4. Extra days. If you want more time than the deal allows, or you return late (a penalty applies for each extra day).
5. Getting to the pick-up. You need to be in the pick-up city on the listed day.

How does a relocation compare with a normal one-way hire?

Normal one-way prices we checked on 22 October 2026, operator website all-in, driver aged 26:

On the hire line, a relocation can save roughly $600 to $1,800 against the cheapest vans above. In exchange you give up choice:

Spaceships, for one, argues that a normal one-way is better than a relocation, because one-ways come with unlimited days and kilometres and no fee. That is a rental company’s view, but it matches the numbers: if your trip is one way anyway, a brand with no one-way fee removes the main reason to chase a relocation. The fee breakdown by brand is in the one-way hire guide.

When is a relocation deal worth it?

It is worth it when:

• You can be flexible on dates, and the listed days are enough for the drive.
• The route matches where you want to go. Brisbane to Cairns and Cairns to Brisbane deals have been listed, but none is guaranteed.
• You are comfortable with a fast trip. At 6 days for roughly 1,700 kilometres you will spend most of it driving.
• You have a card with enough limit for the bond.

It is not worth it when:

• You want to see the Whitsundays and K’gari properly. A 6-day drive leaves little time.
• You need a particular date, a 4-berth or a van with a specific fit-out.
• You will pay for extra days, because the saving shrinks quickly.

What is the smart way to use one?

Treat a relocation as a bonus, not a plan. Fix your route and dates first, price a normal one-way hire, and then see if a deal matches. If it does, you save on the hire. If it does not, you have not delayed your trip. For the cost side, read how much campervan hire costs in Australia and best campervan companies for backpackers. The Cairns depot and Cairns to Brisbane route pages show what southbound trips involve.

FAQs

How do $1 campervan relocations work?

A rental company lists a van that needs to move between two cities at about $1 a day, for a fixed number of days and with a kilometre limit. You pay for fuel and any insurance, and you cannot choose the drop-off.

Are campervan relocation deals really $1 a day?

Many are, but not all. The price varies by company and listing, and some add a fuel allowance or extras.

Is fuel included in a relocation deal?

Not unless the deal says so. Some include an allowance, and you must keep your receipts for it.

Can I choose where to drop the van off?

No. A relocation has a fixed pick-up and drop-off, and you cannot choose a different return branch.

Is a relocation cheaper than a normal one-way hire?

On the hire line, yes, often by $600 or more on East Coast routes. But you give up your days, kilometres, route and choice of van, and fuel and insurance still cost you.

Sources

Relocation rules: Imoova (“How to road trip on a backpacker’s budget” and “How Imoova works”: $1 a day, fixed days, fuel reimbursement, receipts, confirmation timing); VroomVroomVroom relocation deals page (kilometre limits, fuel not included, excess reduction not necessarily included, no choice of return branch, late penalty); Spaceships relocation deals page (fixed days, comparison with one-ways). Prices: operator booking-engine quotes for Awesome Campers, JUCY, Spaceships and thl brands, pulled 21 and 22 October 2026. Read October 2026.

Get your price

Put your dates and route into /campervans for live prices from the major operators, with a Wanderlust price that is lower than the operator’s own website on vans we can check. Rather talk it through? Book a free call.