Short answer
Free camping is legal in Australia only in places that allow it, and the rules change by state, council and even by the sign at the entrance. Powered sites at caravan parks start from around $40 a night at some parks and cost more at coastal parks and in school holidays. A realistic trip mixes both: free or cheap stops where signs permit, and a powered site every few nights for a shower, a charged battery and a camp kitchen. Some budget vans have a fridge that needs a 240V power point overnight, which changes how much free camping you can do.
Every comparison here is general guidance, not legal advice, and rules change. Check the sign at the site and your council’s website. 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.
Is free camping legal in Australia?
In places that allow it, yes. Camping is not allowed everywhere you can park, and fines apply where it is banned. The basics:
- Roadside rest areas are for resting and managing fatigue. In Queensland, unless signs say otherwise, you may stay in a general rest area for a maximum of 20 hours in a 24-hour period, and fines for breaking the rules run from $266 to $2,669 (RACQ). Heavy-vehicle rest areas are not for other vehicles.
- Council-approved free camps and RV-friendly towns are the reliable option. They list their rules on site and online.
- Beaches, town streets, car parks and national park roadsides are usually not allowed. Coastal tourist towns enforce this actively, especially in peak season.
- National parks have designated campsites, often with a booking and a fee.
- Signs beat apps. If a site is listed in an app but signed “No camping”, the sign wins.
Popular coastal towns watch for overnight parking, so on the Sydney to Cairns coast most backpackers rely on caravan parks plus the odd council camp.
What do powered sites cost?
Powered sites at caravan parks run from about $40 a night for two people at some regional parks (BIG4 lists powered sites from $40 at some of its parks), and more at coastal parks, in school holidays and over long weekends. Many parks charge extra for additional adults and add a peak surcharge. Check the park’s own price for your date.
What you get for it: 240V power for your fridge, lights and phone, hot showers, toilets, a camp kitchen and often a laundry. Compared with a hostel dorm bed, a powered site shared between two people is competitive, and you keep the van.
What do I need to know about power and the fridge?
Rental vans differ, and it matters:
- The Awesome Campers Compact’s 40 litre fridge runs on an inverter and needs a 240V powered site overnight. Without one, the fridge will not run all night.
- Spaceships’ Alpha has a fridge-freezer, a smart battery with USB ports, a 10 litre water tank, a rear awning and two free gas canisters. It also comes with a Camps Australia Wide book. Ask how long the battery runs the fridge before you plan a run of unpowered nights.
- Most campervans in our range have no toilet or shower. Our 2-seater, low-top, hi-top, roof-top tent 4WD and 4WD all list shower and toilet as No. A motorhome typically has both.
If you want to free camp often, ask us before you book and check the power setup on your van.
Which apps help me find a site?
- WikiCamps (paid, about $10 one-off at last check) lists caravan parks, free camps, rest areas, toilets and dump points with user reviews.
- CamperMate (free) lists toilets, dump stations and accommodation.
- Camps Australia Wide is a guide book, and Spaceships includes it in every van.
Use the app to find the site, then check the sign and the date of the latest review. A site that was fine last year may have been closed.
How do I camp well and keep sites open?
- Arrive in daylight and leave early. Rest areas are for resting, not for staying a week.
- Take every bit of rubbish with you, including toilet paper.
- Use a toilet block, not the bush. Without a toilet in the van, plan your stops around facilities.
- Keep noise and lights down after dark.
- Do not drive onto the beach or onto unsealed tracks outside your hire terms. Mighty and Apollo ban 2WD campers from all beaches and from unsealed roads longer than 12 kilometres.
- Pay the fee. Honesty boxes and online bookings fund the sites you rely on.
How should I mix free camping and powered sites?
A typical balance on a two-week East Coast trip is a powered site every second or third night, and free or council camps between. Sleeping in a hi-top at a rest area with a charged battery and a full water tank is fine for a night. A run of five unpowered nights with a van that needs 240V to keep its fridge cold is not.
Plan the budget around the powered nights. Six powered sites on a 14-night trip is $240 at $40 each, before any coastal or school-holiday premium, on top of the hire. Our how much campervan hire costs in Australia sets the hire price beside the running costs. Travelling solo and wondering whether a van is the right call at all? Read campervan vs bus pass vs tour, and pick a van with best campervan companies for backpackers. The Sydney to Cairns and Brisbane to Cairns route pages list the main stops.
FAQs
Can you sleep in a campervan anywhere in Australia?
No. Free camping is legal only where it is allowed, and fines apply elsewhere. Use caravan parks, council-approved free camps, national park campsites and rest areas where signs permit.
How much is a powered site in Australia?
From about $40 a night for two at some regional parks, and more at coastal parks and in school holidays.
How long can you stay in a rest area in Queensland?
Unless signs say otherwise, a maximum of 20 hours in a 24-hour period. Fines for breaking the rules run from $266 to $2,669.
Do I need a powered site every night?
It depends on the van. The Awesome Compact’s fridge needs 240V overnight. Ask how your van’s fridge is powered before you plan unpowered nights.
What is the best app for finding free camps?
WikiCamps is the most detailed and costs about $10 once. CamperMate is free. Whichever you use, trust the sign over the app.
Sources
RACQ, “New rules for use of roadside rest areas in Queensland” (20-hour limit, fines): https://www.racq.com.au/news/motoring/new-rules-for-use-of-roadside-rest-areas-in-Queensland. Queensland Transport Infrastructure (State-controlled Roads) regulation 2020 (default 20 hours). BIG4 park listings (powered sites from $40). Awesome Campers booking engine (Compact fridge and power). Spaceships van inclusions (fridge-freezer, smart battery, Camps Australia Wide book). Mighty and Apollo safety and driving FAQs (beach and unsealed road restrictions). App prices at last check, October 2026.
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