12 of Australia’s Best Camping Spots
Curl up under countless stars, drift off to the sounds of waves lapping the shore or wake up in the middle of a mountain range (or rainforest) that’s been a millennia in the making. Australia’s best camping spots offer front-row seats to the country’s most spectacular landscapes and wildlife.
BIG4 Iluka on Freycinet Holiday Park, Tasmania
1/13Roll into BIG4 Iluka on Freycinet Holiday Park and be within a 10-minute drive of the Apple Isle’s iconic Wineglass and Honeymoon bays. The grounds feature powered and unpowered sites that sit opposite the sandy white hem of Muirs Beach on Tasmania’s east coast. Dusk is when the real show begins: from the comfort of your campsite you can watch the pink granite peaks of The Hazards mountain range turn mauve as the sun dips over Great Oyster Bay.
Cooinda Campground, Northern Territory
2/13Find yourself among the floodplains, mangroves and monsoon forests of Kakadu National Park in Cooinda campground. Set within Cooinda Lodge resort, the grounds skirt the Yellow Water (Ngurrungurrudjba) billabong, just over three hours from Darwin. For croc spotting and birdwatching, the 300 campsites are within walking distance of Yellow Water cruise dock.
Halls Gap Holiday Park, Victoria
3/13The Grampians National Park in Victoria is known for its mountainous landscape, making it the ideal playground for adventurers. Base yourself at Halls Gap Holiday Park – it’s a three-hour drive from Melbourne and just two kilometres from the entrance to the national park – and hike the epic Pinnacle walk, go mountain bike riding or watch the sunset at Boroka Lookout.
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Wilpena Pound Resort, South Australia
4/13The Flinders Ranges is crowned by Wilpena Pound, an 800-million-year-old natural amphitheatre encircled by jagged mountains that covers eight times the area of Uluru. The best place to take it all in is from the nearby Wilpena Pound Resort, a five-hour drive north of Adelaide – a haven of towering river gums and rugged red-dirt campsites. Spend your days hiking and spotting emus, eagles, echidnas and kangaroos.
O’Reilly’s Campground, Queensland
5/13Dramatic lookouts and cascading waterfalls make O’Reilly’s Campground in Lamington National Park, the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, a must-stay. Drive an hour south from the Gold Coast and park your motorhome in one of the 15 powered sites available. It’s moments away from the 180-metre Tree Top Walkway, which is suspended around 15 metres above the forest floor among trees teeming with flowers, fruit and birdlife.
BIG4 Phillip Island, Victoria
6/13Wake to the fresh sea air at Big4 Ingenia Holidays Phillip Island, an idyllic getaway just a two-hour drive from Melbourne. The site has everything you need; the jumping pillow is a hit with kids but it's the beachfront location and wildlife that prove most exciting. The famous daily commute of little penguins marching up the beach each evening, known as the Penguin Parade, is within 25 minutes’ drive.
See more of Australia with Apollo. For a limited time, earn 10,000 bonus Qantas Points and save 10% off the daily vehicle rate when you hire a campervan, motorhome or 4WD camper in Australia. Visit apollocamper.com/qantas*
Le Grand Beach Campground, Western Australia
7/13Kangaroos lounge on pearly white sand and dolphins surf aquamarine waves at Cape Le Grand National Park, 60 kilometres south-east of Esperance. Within this sanctuary at the foot of Mount Le Grand is the waterfront Le Grand Beach Campground. Thrill-seekers will enjoy diving, kayaking, snorkeling and hiking along the 20-kilometre Le Grand Coastal Trail.
Tasman Holiday Park – Yallingup Beach, Western Australia
8/13Adventure calls from the moment you park in a grassy spot among banksias at Tasman Holiday Park – Yallingup Beach, approximately three-and-a-half hours south of Perth. Spend your day surfing beach breaks, exploring ancient Ngilgi Cave and hiking trails through Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. For a change of pace, float in Yallingup’s tranquil lagoon, sip local Margaret River wine and watch the sun set over the Indian Ocean.
Dales Campground, Western Australia
9/13Amid the two-billion-year-old arid red rock landscape of Karijini National Park in the Pilbara region (approximately two hours’ flight north of Perth) are some of Australia’s most picturesque swimming locations. From Dales Campground, trails including the Gorge Rim Walk and Dales Gorge Walk lead to scenic lookouts and the cool, fern-lined swimming holes Fern Pool and Circular Pool. A leisurely swim is a daily ritual for guests of the 140-site campground at the eastern end of Karijini National Park.
See more of Australia with Apollo. For a limited time, earn 10,000 bonus Qantas Points and save 10% off the daily vehicle rate when you hire a campervan, motorhome or 4WD camper in Australia. Visit apollocamper.com/qantas*
Big4 Ingenia Holidays Lake Conjola, New South Wales
10/13Discover serene lake vistas at the Big4 Ingenia Holidays campground on the shores of Lake Conjola in Shoalhaven, a three-hour drive south of Sydney. Swim laps in the heated swimming pool, hire kayaking equipment to explore the waterways, challenge friends at the tennis courts and let the kids go wild at the playground – or explore the bushland of Conjola National Park.
Lake Arragan and Red Cliff campgrounds, New South Wales
11/13Yuraygir National Park, sandwiched between Yamba and Coffs Harbour, 624 kilometres north-east of Sydney, guarantees the kind of salty-hair, sandy-feet camping holiday Australia is good at. Two campgrounds, shoulder-to-shoulder on the northern coastline and a short walk to stunning Red Cliff Beach, have a combined 89 leafy campsites scattered among paperbarks. Each has its own appeal: Arragan is a coastal lagoon system where visitors birdwatch, swim and fish while Red Cliff offers panoramic water views and secluded bays and beaches.
Atherton Tablelands Holiday Park, Queensland
12/13Basking in the cool spray of a towering waterfall, kayaking in the emerald-hued Lake Barrine – once an ancient volcanic crater – and mountain-biking in Atherton Forest Mountain Bike Park are just some of the ways to make the most of your time at Atherton Tablelands Holiday Park, an hour-and-a-half west of Cairns. Apart from its natural beauty (the campground is surrounded by lush rainforest) the property is well-equipped with a pool, wi-fi, laundry and kids’ playground.
See more of Australia with Apollo. For a limited time, earn 10,000 bonus Qantas Points and save 10% off the daily vehicle rate when you hire a campervan, motorhome or 4WD camper in Australia. Visit apollocamper.com/qantas*
*You must be a member of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program to earn Qantas Points. 10,000 bonus Qantas Points will be earned on eligible rentals. An eligible vehicle is a campervan, motorhome or 4WD camper from participating brands including: Apollo, maui, Britz, Cheapa Campa and Mighty. In addition to the bonus points, members will also earn 2 Qantas Points per $1 spent on the daily vehicle rate only. Bookings must be made between 00:01 (AEDT) 1 March and 11:59pm (AEST) 14 April 2024 for travel between 2 April to 23 September 2024 from participating brand locations in Australia. 10% off applies to the daily vehicle rate only. Frequent Flyer details must be provided between booking your vehicle and completing your road trip. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or promotion. Offer only available for Australian and New Zealand drivers license holders. Offers and vehicles are subject to availability at all times. All standard rental T&Cs apply. Visit apollocamper.com/qantas for further details.