Best East Coast campervan deals 2026
Short answer: The best Australian East Coast campervan deals, booked through Wanderlust (prices per van, AUD, checked 27 October 2026): Spaceships Alpha Sydney to Brisbane, 7 nights from $479 ($515 on Spaceships' own site), Spaceships Alpha Brisbane to Cairns, 10 nights from $779 ($832 on Spaceships' own site), Spaceships Alpha Sydney to Cairns, 14 nights from $899 ($958 on Spaceships' own site) and Awesome Campers Compact Sydney to Cairns, 21 nights from $1,449 ($1,530 on Awesome Campers' own site). Every price includes the one-way fee and basic cover, and is lower than the rental company's own website for the same van and dates. Drive north: Cairns to Sydney cost $2,152 for the same fortnight that Sydney to Cairns cost $959.
Prices per van, AUD, for the dates shown. Checked through our live quote system and on each rental company's own website.
The best East Coast campervan deals
These are our prices, not the rental companies'. Same van, same dates, same included cover and roadside assistance as booking direct, for less. Your dates change the price: each deal opens a live search for that route.
- 1. Best budget hire
Spaceships Alpha, booked through Wanderlust
Sydney → Brisbane · 7 nights · 10–17 Nov 2026
$479 with us
$515on Spaceships' own site Save $36The cheapest week on the East Coast we found: a 2-person campervan with a bed and kitchen, one-way fee and basic cover included, about $68 a night.
One-way fee and basic cover included. This price is only through Wanderlust.
- 2. Best Brisbane → Cairns
Spaceships Alpha, booked through Wanderlust
Brisbane → Cairns · 10 nights · 10–20 Nov 2026
$779 with us
$832on Spaceships' own site Save $53The Queensland half: Noosa, Rainbow Beach for K'gari, Airlie Beach for the Whitsundays, Mission Beach. 10 nights is a comfortable pace, about $78 a night.
One-way fee and basic cover included. This price is only through Wanderlust.
- 3. Best full East Coast, Sydney → Cairns
Spaceships Alpha, booked through Wanderlust
Sydney → Cairns · 14 nights · 10–24 Nov 2026
$899 with us
$958on Spaceships' own site Save $59The whole East Coast in two weeks for about $64 a night, one-way fee included. Byron Bay, the Gold Coast, Noosa, K'gari, the Whitsundays and the reef.
One-way fee and basic cover included. This price is only through Wanderlust.
- 4. Best for 3 weeks or more
Awesome Campers Compact, booked through Wanderlust
Sydney → Cairns · 21 nights · 10 Nov–1 Dec 2026
$1,449 with us
$1,530on Awesome Campers' own site Save $81Three weeks gives you time to stop: 21 nights for about $69 a night, with days off the road for K'gari, a Whitsundays sail and the reef.
One-way fee and basic cover included. This price is only through Wanderlust.
- 5. Best with standing room
MightyLITE HiLITE, booked through Wanderlust
Sydney → Brisbane · 7 nights · 10–17 Nov 2026
$1,269 with us
$1,334on MightyLITE's own site Save $65A hi-top: you can stand up inside, with an indoor kitchen. Worth it if it rains or you're on the road for weeks.
One-way fee and basic cover included. This price is only through Wanderlust.
- 6. Best Christmas and New Year deal
JUCY Cloudbreak, booked through Wanderlust
Brisbane → Sydney · 7 nights · 28 Dec 2026–4 Jan 2027
$1,099 with us
$1,162on JUCY's own site Save $63Peak season costs about double November, and the cheap vans go first. This was the lowest East Coast price we could book for the holidays.
One-way fee and basic cover included. This price is only through Wanderlust.
- 7. Best winter deal
Spaceships Alpha, booked through Wanderlust
Sydney → Brisbane · 7 nights · 8–15 Jun 2027
$549 with us
$600on Spaceships' own site Save $51Winter prices sit close to November's, far below Christmas, and it's the dry season up north: warm days in Queensland and the best time for the reef.
One-way fee and basic cover included. This price is only through Wanderlust.
- 8. Best van + tours package
East Coast by Campervan, 21 Days, Van + The Big Adventures, Sydney to Cairns
From $2,499 per person · 2 sharing a van · Sydney → Cairns, 21 days
The campervan plus the big East Coast trips in one quote: a K'gari 4WD tour, a 2-night Whitsundays sail, an outer reef day, a Byron Bay surf lesson and an Everglades cruise.
Find your cheapest East Coast campervan
Pick your route. The next page searches every van we can book for your dates and shows our price next to the rental company's own.
Return trip or another city? Search every van →
Every East Coast route: our price vs the rental company's
Cheapest van we could book for each route and date, per van, one-way fee and basic cover included. Checked 27 October 2026.
| Route | Dates | Van | With us | Their site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney → Brisbane | 7 nights, 10–17 Nov 2026 | Spaceships Alpha | $479 | |
| Sydney → Brisbane | 7 nights, 28 Dec 2026–4 Jan 2027 | JUCY Cloudbreak | $1,109 | |
| Sydney → Brisbane | 7 nights, 8–15 Jun 2027 | Spaceships Alpha | $549 | |
| Brisbane → Sydney | 7 nights, 10–17 Nov 2026 | Spaceships Alpha | $549 | |
| Brisbane → Sydney | 7 nights, 28 Dec 2026–4 Jan 2027 | JUCY Cloudbreak | $1,099 | |
| Brisbane → Sydney | 7 nights, 8–15 Jun 2027 | Spaceships Alpha | $549 | |
| Brisbane → Cairns | 10 nights, 10–20 Nov 2026 | Spaceships Alpha | $779 | |
| Brisbane → Cairns | 10 nights, 28 Dec 2026–7 Jan 2027 | Spaceships Alpha | $1,549 | |
| Brisbane → Cairns | 10 nights, 8–18 Jun 2027 | Spaceships Alpha | $709 | |
| Cairns → Brisbane | 10 nights, 28 Dec 2026–7 Jan 2027 | Spaceships Alpha | $1,519 | |
| Cairns → Brisbane | 10 nights, 8–18 Jun 2027 | Spaceships Alpha | $709 | |
| Sydney → Cairns | 14 nights, 10–24 Nov 2026 | Spaceships Alpha | $899 | |
| Sydney → Cairns | 14 nights, 28 Dec 2026–11 Jan 2027 | JUCY Crib Plus | $2,169 | |
| Sydney → Cairns | 14 nights, 8–22 Jun 2027 | Spaceships Alpha | $979 | |
| Sydney → Cairns | 21 nights, 10 Nov–1 Dec 2026 | Awesome Campers Compact | $1,449 | |
| Sydney → Cairns | 21 nights, 28 Dec 2026–18 Jan 2027 | JUCY Crib Plus | $2,949 | |
| Sydney → Cairns | 21 nights, 8–29 Jun 2027 | Spaceships Alpha | $1,349 | |
| Cairns → Sydney | 14 nights, 28 Dec 2026–11 Jan 2027 | Awesome Campers Compact | $2,249 | |
| Cairns → Sydney | 14 nights, 8–22 Jun 2027 | Spaceships Alpha | $979 | |
| Cairns → Sydney | 21 nights, 28 Dec 2026–18 Jan 2027 | Spaceships Alpha | $2,679 | |
| Cairns → Sydney | 21 nights, 8–29 Jun 2027 | Spaceships Alpha | $1,349 | |
| Sydney → Melbourne | 7 nights, 10–17 Nov 2026 | Spaceships Alpha | $579 | |
| Sydney → Melbourne | 7 nights, 28 Dec 2026–4 Jan 2027 | JUCY Cloudbreak | $1,109 | |
| Sydney → Melbourne | 7 nights, 8–15 Jun 2027 | Spaceships Alpha | $609 | |
| Melbourne → Sydney | 7 nights, 10–17 Nov 2026 | Spaceships Alpha | $549 | |
| Melbourne → Sydney | 7 nights, 28 Dec 2026–4 Jan 2027 | JUCY Cloudbreak | $1,459 | |
| Melbourne → Sydney | 7 nights, 8–15 Jun 2027 | Spaceships Alpha | $549 |
More detail per route, by van type and season: campervan hire prices and rental companies compared. Found one cheaper? Price Match Promise.
Found it cheaper, or want a better price?
Message me the trip and your dates. If you've seen the same trip cheaper on another Australian booking site, send the link and I'll do my best to beat it. The chat answers straight away and I pick it up from there; I reply within 24 hours.
Alex, Founder · How the Price Match Promise works
East Coast campervan deals: your questions
What are the best East Coast campervan deals right now?
Best budget hire: Spaceships Alpha, Sydney to Brisbane, 7 nights (10–17 Nov 2026), $479 booked through Wanderlust vs $515 on Spaceships' own website. Best Brisbane → Cairns: Spaceships Alpha, Brisbane to Cairns, 10 nights (10–20 Nov 2026), $779 booked through Wanderlust vs $832 on Spaceships' own website. Best full East Coast, Sydney → Cairns: Spaceships Alpha, Sydney to Cairns, 14 nights (10–24 Nov 2026), $899 booked through Wanderlust vs $958 on Spaceships' own website. Best for 3 weeks or more: Awesome Campers Compact, Sydney to Cairns, 21 nights (10 Nov–1 Dec 2026), $1,449 booked through Wanderlust vs $1,530 on Awesome Campers' own website. Best with standing room: MightyLITE HiLITE, Sydney to Brisbane, 7 nights (10–17 Nov 2026), $1,269 booked through Wanderlust vs $1,334 on MightyLITE's own website. Best Christmas and New Year deal: JUCY Cloudbreak, Brisbane to Sydney, 7 nights (28 Dec 2026–4 Jan 2027), $1,099 booked through Wanderlust vs $1,162 on JUCY's own website. Best winter deal: Spaceships Alpha, Sydney to Brisbane, 7 nights (8–15 Jun 2027), $549 booked through Wanderlust vs $600 on Spaceships' own website. Prices per van, checked 27 October 2026.
Is the $479 Spaceships Sydney to Brisbane deal on the Spaceships website?
No. $479 is Wanderlust's price for the Spaceships Alpha, 10–17 Nov 2026, one-way fee and basic cover included. The same van for the same dates was $515 on Spaceships' own website. Book it at wanderlusttravel.com.au/campervan-hire/sydney-to-brisbane, where the live search shows the price for your dates.
What is the cheapest way to drive the whole East Coast in a campervan?
Drive north, Sydney to Cairns, in a budget 2-berth van, outside the Christmas holidays. For 10–24 Nov 2026 the cheapest van was $959 on the operator's own site and $899 booked through us. Fuel and campsites are extra; the drive is about 3,000 km.
Is it cheaper to drive north or south on the East Coast?
North, by a lot. Brisbane to Cairns was from $820 for 10–20 Nov 2026; the reverse was from $1,645. Sydney to Cairns was from $959 for 10–24 Nov 2026; the reverse was from $2,152. Rental companies charge less to move vans the way they need them to go.
When is the cheapest time to hire a campervan on the East Coast?
Of the dates we checked, November was cheapest, with June close behind. Christmas and New Year cost about double, and the cheapest vans sell out first. June is also the dry season in north Queensland, so it's a good time for the reef and the Whitsundays.
What's included in these campervan prices?
The van, the one-way fee, the rental company's compulsory fees and its included basic cover and roadside assistance. Not included: fuel, campsites, and excess reduction, which is optional and about $30 to $75 a day depending on the brand.
Can I pick up or drop off a campervan in Cairns on a Sunday?
Not with Britz, Apollo, Mighty or Maui from 1 October to 31 March: their Cairns depot is closed on Sundays then. Plan a Saturday or Monday, or pick a brand that opens on Sundays; our live search only shows vans you can actually collect and return on your dates.
Are there $1 a day campervan relocations on the East Coast?
Sometimes, when a rental company needs a van moved. They come with a set pick-up date, only the days needed for the drive, usually a kilometre limit, and fuel on you. For your own dates and pace, a normal one-way hire is the better deal. We book normal hires, not relocations.
Do you charge a booking fee?
No. The rental company pays our commission, so the price we quote is the price you pay. Seen the same van cheaper for the same dates, or have a promo code from the rental company? Send it to me and I'll do my best to beat it.