Free camping in all states of Australia is possible. There’s no disputing the fact that we all love a bargain. If we can find one, camping for free is one of the best bargains when you are travelling around Australia.
Perhaps this is why free camping in Australia has become so popular. There are now many places around Australia where free campsites are available, giving both the budget-conscious camper and the off-grid caravaner a whole range of new choices.
In the caravanning community, most people prioritise having their van set up for free camping. This generally means water tanks, solar panels, a toilet and shower, and now quite often, a grey water tank.
Having previously travelled in a camper trailer, we hadn’t had many free camping opportunities. On our shakedown trip, we certainly took advantage of our self-contained status and found a couple of awesome free camps to spend a night or two.
Being new to free camping, we weren’t sure what to expect, but we learned some new tricks while away. These are our top 7 free camping tips.
1. Be Water-Wise
Water, when used sensibly, will last for several days, depending on the size of your water tanks. We find that we use about seven litres for a basic shower.
When I wash my hair, I use about ten litres. You will save a lot of water when showering if you turn off the taps while washing your hair or body and then turn them on again to rinse off.
We were pleased with how long our water tanks did last. We always carry a couple of drinking water bottles just in case of a problem.
2. Powering Your Set Up
To free camp successfully, you will need a power source. Many people opt to carry a generator, but these are often frowned upon in free camps because of the noise. Another consideration is the extra weight of carrying a generator and the need to carry fuel for one.
Many caravanners and campers have abandoned generators and now use portable power stations to charge appliances, charge phones, and cook.
The most common option is to have solar panels and extra batteries fitted. If you get a decent amount of sunlight during the day, a 150-watt solar panel and 100-amp hour-battery will be enough to power your lights and your fridge
Double that, and you should be right for power most of the time. Running an air conditioner, air fryer, or hair dryer will draw more current and therefore, you will use more power.
As a general rule, most vans these days come fitted with at least one 9kg gas bottle. Many caravans have two fits, which is the better option if you intend to do a lot of free camping. Gas will provide you with hot water to cook your food.
If you have a 3-way fridge installed, it will run best on gas. In our opinion, a compressor fridge is a better option, as they do not seem to have the issues that some 3-way fridges have, especially in tropical areas of Australia.
3. Toilets
Having a toilet on board is undoubtedly super convenient. If there is a toilet nearby, we will generally use it instead of the one in the van. It’s surprising how often there is at least one toilet in free camps, even if it is just a long drop.
Some campers use the Walex-brand pods in their toilet cassette as they find they work very well at breaking down the waste and helping to keep any smell at bay. You can use regular toilet paper and you won’t have any trouble with it not breaking down properly.
We have a Nature’s Head composting toilet in our caravan. If I were to build a new
4. Finding Free Camps
So many books and camping apps are available now that finding a free camp is relatively easy. We love WikiCamps for helping us find great places to camp, but we also use our Camps Australia-Wide book a lot.
It also comes in an app, but we like carrying our books just in case we are in an area with no phone service.
There are also lots of great Facebook groups and pages like ours to help you find spots.
You may find that free camps in popular areas fill up quickly, so it sometimes pays to arrive a little early or have a backup plan.
5. Meals
We like to keep our meals simple when we are travelling. After a day on the road or exploring, we don’t want to spend ages cooking, so a BBQ and salad suit us fine.
We don’t have an oven, so we do all our cooking outside on our Sizzler BBQ. Keeping meals simple also means less washing up, which means less water usage—a win when you are free camping.
Sometimes, you will even find a free camp with a barbeque, which will save you using your gas.
6. Phone And TV Reception
Don’t expect phone service or decent radio or TV reception in some regional areas. We have found several spots where there was no reception until you were almost inside the town limits.
Even Telstra doesn’t work everywhere you go. Therefore, some books or a few board games or even something crafty might be needed to keep you or the kids occupied for an evening.
If you have Starlink (as we do), then you will have no problem with reception and making calls. Unless you have obstructions such as a tree in the way of the dish connecting to the satellite.
7. Leave No Trace
If you are planning on free camping, you must leave no trace. This means taking all your rubbish with you if no bins are provided.
If fires are permitted, use a designated fire pit or a spot with a fire on it. Don’t make a new site, and as always, make sure the fire is fully extinguished with water before leaving.
If you have to take rubbish away, a spare wheel bin bag is ideal for storing smelly rubbish.
What other tips do you have for free camping?
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With years of experience travelling Australia in a caravan, I’m passionate about helping others embark on their own unforgettable adventures. From off-grid camping tips to expert advice on planning the ultimate big lap of Australia, I share stories, practical hacks, and inspiration to make your journey stress-free and exciting. Whether you’re a seasoned traveller or just starting out, join me as I explore the beauty of Australia, one road at a time!
Thanks Mel. Top tips that we’ll employ when we get on our way.
Glad you found them useful!
Much valuable info there thanks allaroundoz
Thanks very much Huub!
Thumbs up for the toilet paper comment. We have been on the road over a year and love having an onboard toilet, but we never add paper into the cassette. Like you, we use Nappy Sacks, and either burn or dispose paper. Although it is never pleasurable, it makes disposal of the toilet cassette contents painless. Just another job on the road, that neither one of us minds doing. The benefits of traveling Australia far outweigh the small inconveniences of visiting a dump point.
Couldn’t agree more Vicki. We are two months in and it’s just another job that has to be done. We always try and use campground toilets at least during the day too.
I love your informative tips and real pics. Thank you for sharing us such nice tips.
Great tips Melissa. I agree with everything you have said. I particularly like your tip for the toilet paper. With all our travels around Australia we enjoyed so many free camps. We free camped as often as we could. For us, this was less than half the time we were on the road.