Author: Matt and Danielle
26 September 2023
Finding free camping spots in Queensland isn't too difficult...if you know how. We managed to find some incredible campsites. Places where we would pitch next to a serene lake, or somewhere conveniently close to a national park, beach or city. We managed to find some real gems, which we are going to pass on to you for your epic East Coast road trip.
We are going to share our favourite free campsites in Queensland. Along with a few cheap and unique places to stay and some handy tips on how you can find even more of your own amazing camping spots.
We drove a lap around Australia in a 2-wheel drive Toytota Hiace camper van, so all these free camps are 2-wheel drive friendly. It's important to remember that most free stop-overs have rules in place that rangers will pull you up on. It's common to find places that only allow you to stay for 24, 48 or 72 hours before you need to move on. There will be clear signage that will let you know how long you can stay on any of the campgrounds around Queensland.
With that being said, you can find some truly amazing and convenient places to pitch up as well as some hidden gems. Here are our top free campsites in Queensland.
If you're making your way up North along the East Coast then this is one of the first stops when you enter Queensland. It's not flashy, but it's clean, safe and a great free camp near Gold Coast and Brisbane. They have toilet facilities, BBQs, picnic tables and it's got plenty of greenery and open space. Not only can you camp for free, but there is a free hot shower not too far away as well. Head to Olivers Sports Complex for a nice hot shower, which will be very welcome if you've been on the road for a while.
Hugh Muntz Park has a 72-hour max stay during a 30-day period. It's likely not somewhere you'll want to stay for longer than that, but it's great for a few days to rest up.
Sublime Farm & Brewery is an awesome free campground about 30-40 minutes from Rainbow Beach.
It's a great place to stop where you will feel immediately part of nature. The farm and Brewery is covered in open green spaces, plant life and tall towering palm trees. Once you've explored the nearby Rainbow Beach you can come here for a delicious meal and some local beer. They often have live music as well. If it's a colder night then they have a roaring fireplace which is perfect for curling up next to.
The food is great, the beer is amazing and it's all an excellent price.
Another must on your way through Tropical North Queensland. The local swimming hole at Babinda Boulders is a popular tourist spot for good reason. It's a beautiful place to take a dip in clear, croc-free waters. The local free camping sites are only a hundred meters or so from the boulders so get your spot set up and head for a swim. It's not a huge site so we'd advise getting there early to secure your place.
Top tip: Get to the boulders super early in the morning if you want them all to yourself! The water is a little cold, but you get to appreciate the beautiful setting in peace.
"The best gravel pit I've stayed at in Australia" - This was the Google review that led us here. In fairness, it wasn't wrong...as far as gravel pits go it doesn't get much better than this! There is even a banana stand so make sure to stock up on some cheap fruit while you're here.
It's a gravel pit, so I don't need to highlight that it's very basic, but it's better than any gravel pit we found in the Outback. There are no toilets or showers here but it is close to Airlie Beach. A huge traveller hotspot in Queensland. If you're making your way to Airlie, or The Whitsunday's, then why not save a few dollars and sleep here for one night? rest up and make your way into town refreshed the next day?
This free camping area in Queensland is elite! We loved staying here and reminisced about it throughout the rest of our lap of Australia. If you only stay at one of these camps we recommend then make sure it is this one, because it's a great rest area. It has a bathroom and that is about it as far as amenities, so it is very basic but also beautiful.
It's a small space next to a beautiful freshwater creek where you can swim and cool off on a hot day. later in the evenings, you can then fall asleep to the soothing sounds of the river. Being only 30 minutes from Mission Beach also makes it the perfect stop after a day of exploring. Based on where this sits in Queensland you do have to be a little bit careful. It is a freshwater river so there is a small chance there could be crocs, depending on the time of year you visit. We didn't see any and we swam, jumped and played in the beautiful crystal clear waters. But, always be more and more careful the further North in Australia you go.
It really is one of the best, if not the best, free camping spots in Queensland. Remember to get there early if you want a good spot next to the river.
This was one of the more popular free campsites in Queensland that we stayed at, which is likely due to it being just 30 minutes outside of Cairns. There are usually plenty of travellers that fill the GordonVale Rest Area each day. It's quite large and there are usually sites available. We never struggled too much to find a space, even when arriving later in the evening.
If you want to make sure you secure a flat spot of land to rest for the night then get there early afternoon and take your pick. The bathrooms are clean and you can have a nice hot shower for a couple of dollars.
Spending nothing is all good and well, but sometimes you want better amenities or a little more comfort. Here are some amazing cheap and unique campsites in Queensland that we would highly recommend.
Cooroy RV Park is one of the cheapest paid campgrounds you're likely to find near Noosa. For $12 per night, you can rest somewhere safe and secure, and then explore the surrounding areas during the day. It's more basic than some of the free camps we have recommended above, but it is the cheapest thing you'll find near Noosa. It doesn't have toilets or drinking water, which is usually a given in a paid site, but it's nice enough.
While you're in Noosa you can always stop by the Noosa Civic Shopping Centre for a free hot shower. It's indoors, clean and a great opportunity to freshen up after being on the road.
Lake Proserpine is a spectacular serene lake that we fell in love with. If you like big gorgeous lakes, mountains and nature then this is the one for you. Want to hear the best part? It's only $8 per person, per night! I'm not sure you can find better value for money so it is definitely worth a stopover. This scenic lake can be found near Airlie Beach and is perfect for anyone who loves fishing or kayaking.
This is an incredible place to stay if you're heading to Magnetic Island. For $20 per person you get a night at a beautiful and popular campsite on Magnetic Island while you explore all that it has to offer. We stayed at Selina Magnetic Island for a few days and fell in love with it. They run some nature walks where you see koalas and other animals, and their happy hour is brilliant value. I'm not sure you can beat $15 for a pitcher of beer!
You can get to Magnetic Island with a ferry from Townsville, and we would highly recommend the trip.
Without a doubt one of the best Campsites in Queensland because you can see wild platypus playing in the nearby creek! Tall Timbers is only $25 per night and it's a beautiful serene campsite in nature where you are surrounded by trees, plants and animals. There is a lot of space, but for the best spots get here nice and early. You want to be down near the stream so you can wake up early to see the platypus all coming up to the surface to feed. We saw more than 10 of them around 6.30-7 a.m. It was such an incredible morning.
Cape Tribulation is a beautiful area in Far North Queensland and the furthest point North that we ventured in our 2WD campervan. It's full of amazing beaches, tropical views and the Daintree Rainforest. The oldest rainforest in the world! There are plenty of places you can stay, but we camped at Safari Lodge which was perfect. It's practically in the Daintree Rainforest and has a great kitchen as well as clean showers and bathrooms. It was $18 each per night for an unpowered campsite. So a good price for spending a few days exploring all the incredible places nearby.
How do you find the best free camps in Australia? Easy. Wiki Camps does all the hard work for you! It's the best $7.99 you'll spend. This handy little camping app shows you every single paid and free campsite in Australia. They have reviews so you can check out other people's experiences to help you feel more comfortable about where you eventually pitch up. You can even find places for a free or cheap shower, and where to top up your drinking water. It's essential for anyone driving around Australia.
Another incredibly helpful app would be Petrol Spy. This is so you can find the cheapest spots to fill up on your Australia road trip.
There you have it! That's our list of favourite cheap, unique and free camping sites in Queensland. We loved every minute of driving around Australia, and the East Coast is so special. From the amazing islands to the beautiful beaches, lakes, mountains...it's all so magnificent. Our campervan was not self-contained, so none of these sites need that and they're all either in ideal locations or beautiful places.
We hope you enjoy your van life trip in Australia as much as we did!
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