Quitting your job to travel is something we have all dreamed of at one point. Actually making that a reality means getting savvy with your money. Free camping along Australia's East Coast was one of our best money saving hacks. Here's how we did it and some of my favourite (and not so favourite) camps we stayed at.
How?
Free camping in Australia is SO easy. If you're brave and in a normal car/van you can quite easily stealth camp (we never did this, but we discussed how easily we could do it if needs be). Stealth camping is when you spend the night in your van somewhere you shouldn't, like a residential area for example. If you arrive late, leave early, don't get out the van and keep lights/noise to a minimum it's easy peasy. I don't recommend doing this anywhere near national parks as rangers will probably clock you and you'll find yourself with a warning if you're lucky or a fine if you're unlucky.
The best, safest and legal-est way to free camp is to stay at free overnight campgrounds. To find these I highly recommend the Wiki Camps app. You can also use this app to find free showers, toilets and water.
Top tip: don't forget to check for donation camp grounds when looking to free camp- most donations are optional.
FREE campgrounds we stayed at
Let's go in chronological order and rate them as we go.
-Nungarry rest stop NSW
Our first night in the van. Not a bad stop, just off the highway. Not too loud but bright. Other campers were there which made us feel comfortable! Flushing toilets and drinking water.
-CPT 195/2 Road parking lot NSW
About 4 spots available for overnight camping so nice and quiet. Off the highway but not too much noise pollution and no light pollution at all! Overnight stay area is about a 90 second walk from the long drop toilets. No water.
-Reeves Beach VIC
Avoid at all costs! Boggy field, a lot of permanent campers who will stare at you. We felt so uncomfortable. 1 long drop toilets for the entire camp. No water. We did not feel safe and wanted out of there so badly.
-Longwarry rest stop VIC
Pretty decent rest area off the highway. Can be quite loud but it's got clean flushing toilets. Less than a 5 minute drive from a hungry jacks that's got free showers! No water.
-Meredith Park camping ground VIC
Really nice camping area on a lake! Can get quite breezy and busy. Flushing toilets. No water.
-Bredbo Inn VIC
Easily one of my favourite camps! It's in the back field of a pub/hotel. No need to spend in the pub but we had drinks and food in there. The owners are SO kind, so nice and friendly! Flushing toilet in the pub and camping area. No water. $5 for a hot shower.
-Old Ford Reserve NSW
Another amazing camp ground. We loved it and spent a few nights here. Beautiful creek running down the back where you can soak in the sun on the rocks. Limited water. 2 long drop toilets. Very quiet and dark.
-Cathedral Reserve NSW
A busy camp but ample space. 2 long drop toilets. Water available but I wouldn't drink it! We felt comfortable but didn't enjoy the feel of the camp, can't explain why...we just didn't!
-Wyong M1 service station NSW
Veryyy busy area, very loud and bright. Free hot showers though inside the servo. No water, toilets in the 24 hour McDonald's.
-Branxton Park NSW
This is supposed to be for self contained vans only...but we snuck in for one night! There's toilets available in the camp and we didn't dump any grey water onto the grass. No water.
-Boat Harbour NSW
Despite being eaten alive at this camp by bugs, I really enjoyed staying here! Right on the beach, cold showers and toilets. Drinking water available. Beautiful spot.
-Coopernook forest camping ground NSW
Not the easiest to access, pretty sure I drove through a farmers front garden to get there. Very quiet though and dark. Long drop toilets. No water.
-Lions Park Ferry Street NSW
Basically street parking! On the river but across the road from houses. Bright and busy. Flush toilets, no water.
-Braemar Park NSW
A very pretty, quiet rest area. Ruined by the bugs and the permanent campers opposite us who made us feel very uncomfortable. Water but not safe for drinking. 2 long drop toilets.
-Hugh Muntz Park QLD
We stayed here for the maximum 3 days. Don't let that trick you into thinking it's a good camp. Nay nay. It's so bad! Very very busy, very crampt, very loud but it's the closest free camp to Brisbane, Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise. Flushing toilets. Water available. Free showers about a 10 minute drive away.
-Tully Memorial Park QLD
The second closest free camp to Brisbane! Much nicer than Hugh Muntz. Quieter and bigger. Flushing toilets but no water.
-Cruice Park QLD
A lot of permanent campers here but they didn't make us feel uncomfortable like others we had encountered. Pretty quiet considering it's close to the road. Flushing toilets. No water. Can get boggy on the grass but there is some concrete areas.
-Mooloolah River national park QLD
Great stop if you're spending the day at Australia Zoo. Right off the Steve Irwin highway. Not much road noise but the camp can get busy and it's quite small. Flushing toilets. Water available.
-Carters Ridge RV camp QLD
Quite a way out. Pretty much in the middle of no where but very peaceful! Flushing toilet across the road in the playground. No water.
-Gunalda rest stop and camp QLD
Spacious area. Pretty quiet and for us it was dark but there was a big power outage in the area so that's probably why! Water available and flushing toilets.
-Apex Tramway park rest area QLD
It's a car park on the side of a railway...so just keep that in mind! The train doesn't run through the night but it's loud and consistent in the afternoon and evening. Big parking spaces. Flushing toilets a short walk away. Water available.
-Joan Tierney Park QLD
Very loud, busy rest area. No water but flushing toilets! Local pubs/hotels advertise $5 hot showers etc.
-Guthalungra road house QLD
Busy rest area just off the main road. Was nice and quiet until a family decided to pull in at 5am to use the toilets and shout at each other whilst honking the horn repeatedly!
Flushing toilets and water (not safe to drink).
-BP service station idalia QLD
Lots of traffic in and out at all times but the over night area is away from the lorry parking. Free flushing toilets. Paid showers and laundry. Can't use any open flames due to it being a gas station. Luckily there's a dominoes a 4 minute walk away! No water.
-Balgal beach campground QLD
A nice, small, breezy camp ground that backs onto a beach. No water. Flushing toilets. Very quiet, cosy and safe feeling (unlike the other free camp 5 minutes away called Vincent bushy parker park, don't go there).
-Japoonvale Liverpool rest area QLD
Enjoyed this one too. It was a bit boggy in places but super quiet and dark. Free hot showers a short drive away. Flushing toilets. No water. Backs onto a river that's home to Crocs!
-Boulders free camping ground QLD
Our last free campground! It was a good one. Free showers, flushing toilets and a big creek for swimming in. It's quite small and fills up quickly.
That's it for free camps. In amongst these we also stayed at donation camps, park fee camps and paid campgrounds. We had a good balance but mainly stuck to free/low cost camps.
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