Guide to free camping in Victoria this summer

Have you heard? Stays at 131 of Parks Victoria’s bookable campgrounds will be free this summer, and beyond!

From 1 December 2024 to 30 June 2025, thanks to the $9 million free camping initiative from the Victorian Government, you will be able to camp in some of Victoria’s most special places for free.

Read on to discover how to secure your free spot and ensure you have an enjoyable and safe camping trip into nature.

Friends relaxing in front of their campsite at Stapylton Campground, Grampians National Park

Stapylton Campground, Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park

 

What you need to know about free camping in Victoria

Camping in 131 of Parks Victoria’s paid campgrounds will be free of charge between 1 December 2024 and 30 June 2025. This means that you don’t have to rush to take advantage of free camping during the busy summer period. You have until the end of June 2025 to enjoy your free camping trip.

 

What campsites are included?

This initiative covers all Parks Victoria-managed, bookable campgrounds. Explore all 131 Parks Victoria campgrounds across the state. This is in addition to the already free 250+ camping areas in Victoria's state forests.

Fees will continue to apply for Parks Victoria managed accommodation like huts/cabins, Discovery Tents at Point Nepean National Park and hike-in campgrounds along the Grampians Peaks Trail.

Consider taking the opportunity to travel a little further and experience a new campsite at a park you haven’t visited before. Expect popular campgrounds to be busy, especially during school holidays and long weekends.

Read more: Best Alternatives to Popular Victorian Campgrounds

 

How do I book?

Even though camping is free, you cannot show up without a booking – bookings are essential. It's easy to make a booking online on the Parks Victoria website.

When making a booking, have your details including name, address, phone number, email address, and your vehicle registration handy. There is a booking limit of two sites per campground in a single transaction.

If you can no longer make your camping trip, ensure you cancel your booking.

 

How do I cancel?

You can easily change or cancel your booking by clicking ‘manage my booking’ in your confirmation email. Once you’re in the booking portal, click ‘view bookings’ and then ‘request cancellation’ under ‘itinerary alterations’. On the review page, scroll to the bottom of the page and select ‘process cancellation’.

Cancelling your booking helps avoid ghost camping (when a camper books a campsite but doesn’t show up). It ensures campsites don’t sit empty and more people can access a free camping adventure in nature.

When a booking is cancelled, the site is made available online for someone else to book – this means that someone who missed out might still get the chance to go.

Read more: Booking information

Campfire at Lake Elizabeth Great Otway National Park

Lake Elizabeth Campground, Great Otway National Park

 

Best free campgrounds in Victoria

Some of the best campgrounds in Victoria are those that require you to travel a little further afield to lesser-known locations.

Popular campgrounds will be busy and may be booked out this summer, especially during the school holidays (23 December 2024 to 28 January 2025). Check regularly for last-minute cancellations if your preferred site is not available at the time you want to go.

For the best experience in nature, plan a mid-week trip outside of school holidays. Camping is free until 30 June 2025 – so there’s plenty of time to make the most of the initiative. 

Types of campgrounds in Victoria

There are many options available for campers, learn more about the campgrounds that are family friendly, dog friendly, close to the beach and remote access.

Family kicking a football outside their tent

6 top family friendly campsites

Here’s our pick for some of the best family-friendly camping destinations up to four hours from Melbourne. If you’re new to camping or need a few bare necessities with facilities, we’ve got you covered!
A couple in their thirties play with their dog at Johanna Beach Campground next to their tent and campervan.

Dog-friendly campgrounds

Discover the best campsites where you can bring your dog. From beachside camping at Banksia Bluff to the serene Lerderderg State Park there are plenty of options for your next pet-friendly escape.
A man looks out of his tent towards his partner walking towards him with the coast in the background at Johanna Beach in the Great Otway National Park.

Beach campgrounds

If you’re looking for an ocean view, our coastal campsites are the perfect spot to pitch a tent. Fall asleep to the sounds of waves rolling into the shore and start your day with a morning walk along the beach.
A 4WD drives through a body of water.

4WD campgrounds

Looking for a remote adventure? Our campgrounds accessible only by 4WD offer the most authentic and scenic bush camping in Victoria.
Two friends set up their tent at Duwul hiker camp at the end of central section 4

Hike-in campgrounds

Put on your hiking boots, overnight backpack and get ready to go further than most are willing to go with overnight hiking. Hike-in campgrounds are available to book all year round.
Two women camp in the Alpine National Park at twilight.

Dispersed camping in Alpine

The Alpine National Park offers some of the most authentic and scenic bush camping opportunities in Victoria. Camping in the park is suited to experienced hikers and campers that are self-sufficient.

How to be prepared and stay safe while camping

You can make the most of your free camping trip into nature by being prepared and following these 10 important tips.

  1. Test out your gear – if you’re new to camping, or if it’s been a while, do a practice run at home so you feel confident when you get to your campsite.
  2. Know what to packview our handy packing checklist to ensure you have everything you'll need.
  3. Check your site’s campfire rules – make sure you know if campfires are allowed and get familiar with these campfire safety rules before you light a campfire.
  4. Check the Parks Victoria website – for up-to-date information, or any alerts, related to your camping location before you go.
  5. Leave your dog at home – dogs aren’t allowed in national parks to help protect wildlife. Many regional parks do allow camping with your four-legged companion. Visit our dog-friendly camping page for more information.
  6. Don’t forget to look up – set up your campsite away from trees as wet weather can make trees and branches more likely to fall.
  7. Be a good neighbour – respect other campers by keeping noise to a minimum after 11pm.
  8. Keep wildlife wild – human food can harm wildlife, so please don't feed them. Store food where animals can’t break in.
  9. Keep our waterways clean – camp, wash dishes, and set up camp showers 50-metres away from any water (this includes rivers, lakes and the sea!).
  10. Take out what you bring in – rubbish bins are not provided at campgrounds, so you will need to take your own rubbish home with you. 

 

Are you a first-time camper? Download our Beginners Guide to Camping (PDF) to help you prepare for your first camping trip.

Find park information in Easy English, हिन्दी, ကညီကျိ, ਪੰਜਾਬੀ, 简体中文, 繁體中文, Türkçe, Tiếng Việt, العربية, or  فارسی.

We want you to stay safe and enjoy the warmer months outdoors. So have fun, and don't forget to Pack Your Summer Smarts!

 

Camping in Victoria FAQs

  • How can I book?

    Go to https://bookings.parks.vic.gov.au/book

    We know that not everyone is confident online, or people may have differing levels of access to the internet. To provide more equitable access to booking, you can also call 13 1963 if you need further assistance to make a booking.

  • Are bookable campgrounds now free?

    Camping in 131 of Parks Victoria’s paid campgrounds will be free of charge between 1 December 2024 and 30 June 2025. Existing bookings for this period will be honoured and refunded.

    Bookings are essential, even though there is no charge. There is a maximum booking limit of two sites per campground in a single transaction to ensure more people can enjoy camping in nature during his time.

    Fees will continue to apply for roofed accommodation like cabins and huts at Wilsons Promontory, the unique pre-pitched Discovery Tents at Point Nepean National Park, and remote hike-in campgrounds along the Grampians Peaks Trail.  

  • Do people who have already booked during this time get a refund? When will that happen?

    Existing bookings for between 1 December 2024 and 30 June 2025 will be honoured and refunded.

    We are putting the necessary steps in place to implement refunds for the 15,700 bookings impacted. We will contact people in the coming weeks who already have a camping booking with more information about when refunds will be processed. We appreciate your patience.

  • Do I still have to book if it's free?
    Yes, if it is a bookable campground, it is crucial you make a booking. Even though it is free, you cannot just show up without a booking. For campgrounds where no booking is required (also called ‘free’ or ‘dispersed’ camping) you don’t need to make a booking.
  • How has the booking system been improved?

    Parks Victoria is committed to a fair and efficient booking system that is easy to use. We have improved the system due to challenges experienced last year and taken community feedback into consideration. 

    The immediate improvements to the system are:

    • Technology improvements to manage high traffic to the site and better privacy and security.
    • A more flexible cancellation and refund policy. For cancellations made 30 days or more prior to the first day of your trip a 100% refund applies. For cancellations made between 8 and 29 days before your stay a 50% refund applies. Cancellations made within 8 days of your arrival/start date are non-refundable.
    • You can also change your camping booking details up to 48 hours before the booking begins, or 7 days for accommodation bookings. This change aims to reduce empty campsites during peak times. When a booking is cancelled, the site is made available online for someone else to book.
    • Camping bookings will be released four times a year, rather than once.
    • A maximum of two campsites (in the same campground) can be booked per transaction. This gives more people the chance to book during peak periods.
    • A better, more secure online booking ‘cart’. Once selected, sites are held in the cart for 20 minutes for you to complete your booking.
    • Camping permits no longer need to be printed and displayed during your stay. However, make sure the car registration associated with your booking is correct.
    • Improved email communication so you receive better information well before you arrive.

     

    Some further improvements need time to be developed and tested. Parks Victoria will continue to review and improve the system.

     

  • Can I change or cancel my booking?

    We’ve updated the cancellation and refund policy making it more flexible. The new policy applies to all camping and accommodation bookings (new and existing) from 1 July 2024. You will receive:

    • 100% refund: if you cancel 30 days or more before the first day of your trip.
    • 50% refund: if you cancel 8 to 29 days before the first day of your trip.
    • Cancellations made within 8 days of your arrival/start date are non-refundable
    • You can also change your camping booking details up to 48 hours before the booking begins, or 7 days for accommodation bookings. No refund is available on these modified bookings.

     

    This change aims to reduce empty campsites during peak times. When a booking is cancelled, the site is made available online for someone else to book.

  • How many campsites can I book at once?

    For the free camping period from 1 December 2024 to 30 June 2025, there is a maximum booking limit of two sites per campground in a single transaction to ensure more people can enjoy camping in nature during his time.

    Outside of this period you can book up to three campsites at the one campground in a single transaction.

  • What are the minimum and maximum booking lengths?

    Wilsons Promontory National Park - Tidal River Campground
    Melbourne Cup 2024: 4 night minimum stay (arrival Friday)
    Summer Peak Season: 7 night minimum/14 night maximum stay from Friday 20 Dec 2024 - Friday 24 Jan 2025 (arrival/departure Fridays only)
    Australia Day Long Weekend: 3 night minimum stay (arrival Friday 24 Jan)
    Labour Day Weekend: 3 night minimum stay (arrival Friday)
    Easter: 4 night minimum stay (arrival Thursday)
    Melbourne Cup 2025: 4 night minimum stay (arrival Friday)

    Wilsons Promontory National Park - Wilsons Prom Accommodation
    Melbourne Cup 2024: 4 night minimum stay  (arrival Friday)
    Summer Peak Season: Cabins - 7 night minimum/maximum stay from Friday 20 Dec 2024 - Friday 24 Jan 2025 (arrival/departure Fridays). Group Lodges, Huts and Units - 7 night minimum/maximum stay between Thursday 19 Dec 2024 - Thursday 23 Jan 2025 (arrival/departure Thursdays)
    Australia Day Long Weekend: 3 night minimum stay (arrival Friday 24 Jan) for Cabins.  4 night minimum stay (arrival Thursday 23 Jan) for Huts, Group Lodges and Units
    Labour Day: 3 night minimum stay (arrival Friday) 
    Easter: 4 night minimum stay (arrival Thursday) 
    Melbourne Cup 2025: 4 night minimum stay arrival Friday)
    All year: 2 night minimum stay for Just Inside The Gate and Tidal River Group Lodges
    All year: 2 night minimum stay for Tidal River Cabins and Units for Saturday nights

    Cape Conran Coastal Park - Banksia Bluff Campground
    Melbourne Cup 2024: 4 night minimum stay (arrival Friday)
    Summer Peak Season: 7 night minimum, 14 night maximum stay from Saturday 21 Dec 2024 – Saturday 25 Jan 2025 (arrival/departure Saturday)
    Labour Day Weekend: 3 night minimum stay (arrival Friday)
    Easter: 4 night minimum stay (arrival Thursday)
    Melbourne Cup 2025: 4 night minimum stay (arrival Friday)

    Great Otway National Park - Blanket Bay Campground and Johanna Beach Campground
    Summer Peak Season: 7 night minimum, 14 night maximum stay from Saturday 21 Dec 2024 – Saturday 25 Jan 2025 (arrival/departure Saturday)
    Labour Day Weekend: 3 night minimum stay (arrival Friday)
    Easter: 4 night minimum stay (arrival Thursday)

    Discovery Bay Coastal Park - Lake Mombeong and Swan Lake campgrounds
    Summer Peak Season 2 night minimum stay from Thursday 26 Dec 2024 to Saturday 4 Jan 2025
    Labour Day Weekend: 3 night minimum (arrival Friday)
    Easter: 4 night minimum (arrival Thursday)

    Lower Glenelg National Park - all campgrounds accessible by vehicle
    Summer Peak Season:  2 night minimum stay from Thursday 26 Dec 2024 to Saturday 4 Jan 2025
    Labour Day Weekend: 3 night minimum stay (arrival Friday)
    Easter: 4 night minimum stay (arrival Thursday)

    Corringle Foreshore Reserve campground
    Easter: 4 night minimum stay (arrival Thursday)

    Mount Buffalo National Park - Lake Catani Campground
    Summer Peak Season: 7 night minimum, 14 night maximum stay from Saturday 28 Dec 2024 – Saturday 11 Jan 2025 (arrival/departure Saturday)

    Buchan Caves Reserve - Buchan Caves Accommodation
    2 night minimum stay all year round except Labour Day, Easter and Melbourne Cup
    Melbourne Cup: 4 night minimum stay (arrival Friday)
    Summer Peak Season: 3 and 4 night minimum stays depending on dates booked from Friday 20 Dec 2024 – Tuesday 28 Jan 2025. 3 night bookings arriving Tuesdays and departing Fridays. 4 night bookings arriving Fridays and departing Tuesdays. 
    Labour Day Weekend: 3 night minimum stay (arrival Friday)
    Easter: 4 night minimum stay (arrival Thursday)

    Point Nepean National Park – Point Nepean Discovery Tents
    AFL Grand Final Weekend 2024: 2 night minimum stay (arrival Friday)
    Melbourne Cup Weekend 2024: 2 night minimum stay (arrival Saturday)
    Summer Peak Season: 2 night minimum stay from Fri 20 Dec 2024 – Sun 2 Feb 2025
    Labour Day Weekend:  2 night minimum stay (arrival Saturday)
    Easter: 3 night minimum stay (arrival Friday)
    AFL Grand Final Weekend 2025: 2 night minimum stay (arrival Friday)
    Melbourne Cup Weekend 2025: 2 night minimum stay (arrival Saturday)

  • Why do some campgrounds have a minimum booking length?

    Some popular campgrounds have a minimum length stay in peak times, such as Christmas and Easter. This helps manage traffic at those sites, ensure safety of campers and provide a more enjoyable experience within the campground.

  • Do I need to print my booking confirmation (permit)?

    You no longer have to print and/or display your Camping Booking Confirmation (permit) during your stay. However, make sure the car registration associated with your booking is correct. You can update your car registration at any time by 'manage booking' in your confirmation email.

  • How does the booking system work?

    The booking system enables you to reserve any available bookable campsite online via the Parks Victoria website. For specific instructions on how to make a booking, visit How to book camping online.  

    Bookings will be released four times per year, for bookings approximately six months in advance. When bookings are first opened and there is high demand for popular periods, a pre-queue and waiting room system will be implemented to manage traffic to the booking system.

    The pre-queue will be available 20 minutes prior to bookings opening. When bookings open at 10am, people will be randomly selected from the pre-queue to enter the waiting room (or directly into the booking system if demand is lower). As this is done randomly there is no advantage to being in the pre-queue for longer. Once in the waiting room people will be advised of their place in the line to book and their approximate wait time.

  • What details will I need to complete my booking?

    To complete your booking you will need the following information: 

    • Car registration – registration of the vehicle you will be travelling in. If you don’t know it at the time of booking you can select 'TBC' or 'Hire Car' and then you must add it later via the ‘Manage your booking’ link in your confirmation email
    • Personal details – name, address, phone number, email address
    • Credit card details – a valid Visa or Mastercard 
  • Will there be a ballot for peak season?

    No, ballots have not been reintroduced. Peak season will be managed on a first-come, first-served basis. The system has been improved to increase fairness by reducing the maximum number of campsites bookable (from 10 to 3). Parks Victoria will review the way peak season bookings are managed in future years.

  • Is there a waitlist for peak times if others cancel?

    The system is live in real time, so if someone cancels a site or accommodation it becomes available immediately. We encourage you to continue checking the website for available sites and accommodation closer to your preferred travel dates.

  • When can I book for dates from 1 June 2025?

    Bookings will be released four times per year, for bookings approximately six months in advance.

    Next camping and accommodation bookings release:

    From 2 - 6 December 2024, bookings will open for 1 June to 31 August 2025.

    View release schedule here.

    To stay informed with all that’s happening in Victoria’s national parks, including future camping releases, sign up for our ‘Outdoor Inspiration’ e-newsletter.

  • How have you responded to community feedback?

    During last summer Parks Victoria held community engagement on the booking system and received feedback from more than 3,000 people. Based on this feedback, we are improving the process and booking system. 

    The key changes as a result of the feedback are: 

    • Booking system technology improvements, such as cart reservations more reliably holding what’s in your basket, improved security, and a system to manage high traffic to the site. For example, the Virtual Waiting Room that was used when bookings were released last August and performed effectively.
    • A more flexible cancellation and refund policy. For cancellations made 30 days or more prior to the first day of your trip a 100% refund. For cancellations made between 7 and 29 days before your stay a 50% refund. You can also change your camping booking details up to 48 hours before the booking begins, or 7 days for accommodation bookings. This change aims to reduce empty campsites during peak times. When a booking is cancelled, the site is made available online for someone else to book.
    • A maximum of two campsites (in the same campground) can be booked per transaction. This gives more people the chance to book during peak periods.
    • Camping permits no longer need to be printed and displayed during your stay. However, make sure the car registration associated with your booking is correct.
    • Communications changes – so the information you receive prior to your stay is relevant and easier to understand.

    Improving the booking system is an ongoing process. We will continue to listen and gather community feedback to make the booking system better.
  • How do I keep informed of future camping and accommodation booking releases?

    To stay informed with all that’s happening in Victoria’s National Parks, including future camping releases, please sign up for the ‘Outdoor Inspiration’ e-newsletter and follow our social media channels, Facebook and Instagram.

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