When you’re a cash-strapped backpacker trying to make your budget go that little further, accommodation is a notoriously challenging area. Finding a place to stay is often circumstantial, and the more convenient it is, the more expensive it usually is too!
For our adventures around Australia, we aimed to live out of our car and sleep in our tent throughout the journey. Here are some of our experiences…
Home Is Where Your Tent Is
The decision to camp wasn’t taken lightly; we are relatively experienced campers and had been preparing for camping around Australia for at least a year before arriving. We were kitted with our trusty North Face Minibus 3 and a plethora of pre-tested lightweight necessities.
For us, camping was the ultimate escape from our city life in the UK, exposing us to the elements, the animals and the stars. It was also, theoretically, a cheap accommodation choice.
There are plenty of opportunities for camping in Australia, and we would categorise the choice of campsites into four main types;
- Chain Holiday Parks
- Independent Campsites
- National Park Campsites
- Free Camping
The “attractiveness” of either type of campsite depends on the level of comfort you are used to and/or willing to accommodate, location and seasonality; plus, your camping set-up and needs. Value for money can vary quite dramatically from campsite to campsite, state to state.
Choosing A Chain
There are two main networks across Australia; BIG4 Holiday Parks and Top Parks.
We had been told of the BIG4 Holiday Park network before arriving in Australia; a friend had recommended becoming a member so we could receive discounted stays and other perks. It was a good starting point for camping in an unknown country, and we quickly recouped the $50 membership fee on discounted stays at affiliated parks.
BIG4 Holiday Parks are, generally speaking, on the premium side of camping. Very comfortable and often spacious campsites, fully equipped camp kitchens, well-maintained facilities and other services. Parks are relatively consistent in their offerings, so we found they were reliable go-to’s for quality showering and laundry. Their prices are equally premium; so, while off-peak stays offer the best value for money (deals + discount) peak-season stays can be pricey and should be avoided when on a tight budget.
We received our Top Parks membership as part of a benefits package when we bought our car – apparently, it is a frequent add-on to car hire deals too. Their campsite network is expansive, perhaps more so than BIG4s. However, unlike the former, Top Parks vary in their standards of quality and available facilities… for us, that wasn’t such a bad thing. We found Top Parks had more “character” and were competitively priced, before discount, even in the peak season.
We stayed at many different networked holiday parks; they were easily some of our best stays. We were also lucky with our timing, often travelling out of season and getting the best off-peak prices and, in some instances, having the Park mostly to ourselves.
Our most memorable, if not favourite parks include: Denmark Ocean Beach (where we retreated from a heavy storm in their camp kitchen, ate chocolate cake and watched copious amounts of junk TV) / Iluka Holiday Park (beautiful spot overlooking Coles Bay, near Freycinet National Park) / Discovery Parks – Jindabyne (A ski resort almost entirely vacant in the Summer – we had the TV lounge to ourselves!) / Gracetown Caravan Park (Close to nature and full of Roos, Possums and Kookaburras) / and Kalbarri Tudor Holiday Park (brilliant facilities and close to the stunning National Park.)
Going Independent
Despite the vast network of BIG4 and Top Parks, they tend to be based on popular destinations, cities and coastal towns rather than remote or touring areas. We stayed at a handful of independents, mostly out of necessity; either they were the only option, had better reviews than their rivals, or were considerably cheaper.
Independents aren’t as easy to find as BIG4 or Top Parks unless you have a guide. At first, we used Camps 8 – a bulky printed guidebook that came with our car – and cross-referenced it with our Hema Driving Atlas. We found reviews and other details using TripAdvisor. It wasn’t an ideal, nor entirely reliable system of finding campsites in remote locations but it did the trick…
… Until we found something better: WikiCamps. A downloadable app with real-time (depending on when you last updated) comments, location info and pricing on all campsites in an area – both chain, independent, national park, and free. It became our essential guide for finding good quality, value for money campsites even when we had no phone signal or Wifi.
We had some surprisingly pleasant stays at Independent Campsites, including; White Gum Farm (an airfield near York with modern bathrooms) / Coober Pedy Clothing Barn (a spot behind the op shop, managed by an eccentric opal hunter) / and The Lea Scout Centre (very good value for money and new facilities.)
Staying in National Parks
Most, but not all, National Parks have campsite facilities. However, the facilities and cost vary significantly, not only park to park but state to state. This is due to a combination of Government funding and visitor revenue (park passes, camping fees, etc.) and its allocation for building infrastructure, Rangers to manage, etc.
We camped at around a third of the National Parks we visited, and usually for several consecutive nights – though, not always on the same site. For half of the parks, we paid on arrival; while some required pre-booking and a select few were free.
Parks such as Cape Range National Park near Exmouth, Western Australia require advanced bookings. Understandably too. There are ten campsites along the stretch of beautiful coastline spanning the Ningaloo Marine Park, each with (at least one) toilet and beach access.
We visited in July, peak season for Winter Sun destinations frequented by “Grey Nomads” and backpackers alike. Many campsites came with hosts – resident Nomads, essentially – to handle the demand and collect/share information with the rangers and guests. It was impossible to find a single site for a few nights. As a result, we had to book three different sites within the park and move accordingly.
Most other pre-book campsites, such as those at Karijini and Grampians National Parks were relatively straightforward to arrange; though, planning an accurate schedule and finding Wifi to book online was always the bigger challenge!
Paying on arrival (or pay as you feel, depending on the traveller…) was far more convenient, assuming you had the cash to hand. Often you would drive in, pick up an envelope from the Ranger’s station, complete the requested information (Park Pass No., Car Rego, No. Nights, etc.) and pop the envelope (containing your campsite fee) into a collection box. Nice and easy.
Facilities varied; drop or composting toilets were standard – but don’t expect any toilet paper – while bore or rain water ranks were considered luxury. Campfire pits were a regular feature, though fires were discouraged in areas prone to bushfires. Just three (Maria Island, Freycinet and Litchfield National Parks) had showers; and whilst gas or electric BBQs were frequently available, just two (Maria Island and Warren National Parks) had a discernible camp kitchen.
Rest Stops & Free Camping
Did I mention several were free? Some National Parks do not charge to stay in their remote campsites, those only accessible by hiking. For instance, while hiking the Cape To Cape in Western Australia, we stayed several nights in Leeuwin-Naturaliste along the cliffs and coastline. Others, such as Mt York Reserve in the Blue Mountains, offer free bush camping. Just keep in mind, facilities may be just a toilet (if you’re lucky.)
National Parks are not the only opportunity available to campers to get “something for nothing.” Our handy WikiCamps app informed us of other areas suitable for a quick overnight stop during our journey; usually, Rest Stops and areas popular with locals.
What is a rest stop? It’s an area at the side of the main road or highway, usually with a seated picnic table and toilet. They are designed to encourage drivers to take a rest, either during the day or overnight, to prevent accidents on the road. Some – not all, depending on the remoteness – allow vehicles to camp for one or two nights.
In some parts of Australia, overnight stays at Rest Stops are the best “accommodation” available when you’re en-route. If you’re driving late, starting early, or breaking up a long journey, it is much safer and convenient to pull into a Rest Stop than keep driving.
We, generally speaking, had good experiences with Rest Stops. We often found them to be a hive of activity and a good opportunity to meet other travellers on the road. We operated with the philosophy of “safety in numbers” and avoid secluded spots.
However, when there were no rest stops available, sometimes seclusion was the only choice. It can be incredible. We once spent the night at the foot of Mount Sheila, just west of Tom Price; it was a rough drive in, but we were rewarded with an entire area to ourselves. It can also be terrible. We once camped in an area swarming with Sandflies… without insect repellent. It was a nightmare!
With free camping, you often need to be self-sufficient and adhere to the principles of “leave no trace” to keep the areas clean and safe for fellow travellers.
So, if you’re thinking of camping around Australia, I hope this information has been useful to you. Of course, things don’t always quite go to plan, which will be covered in Part II… soon to follow!
Thank you for reading.
Michaela.
Beyond The Trail 
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