This page covers what a trip actually costs, which van size to pick, how one-way and relocation deals work, when to travel, what the driving is like, and the five road trips first-timers choose most. When you are ready to see real vehicles and dates, use the search box at the top of the page.
New to campervans? Our beginner’s guide on how to hire a campervan in Australia walks you through a first trip step by step.
Compare campervan, motorhome and RV hire across Australia
“Campervan”, “motorhome” and “RV” get used interchangeably here. In practice, a campervan is the smaller van you can still park in a normal bay, a motorhome is the larger coach-built vehicle with a separate cab, and RV (recreational vehicle) is the word that turns up in American brochures. All of them have a bed, a place to cook, and usually a fridge and a sink; the bigger ones add a shower and toilet.
The vehicles on campervanhire.com are listed by their owners — private owners and small local rental firms — and you book them through our partner Outdoorsy. Every booking is insured, with payment protection. The same applies whether you are after a two-berth in Melbourne for a Great Ocean Road weekend or a six-berth motorhome out of Cairns for a family fortnight.
Two things make Australia a campervan country. The distances between towns are long enough that a vehicle you can sleep in removes the nightly scramble for a room, and the national parks and coastline sit well away from hotel strips, so camping puts you where you actually came to be. The trade-off is fuel and time behind the wheel — a campervan trip suits a route of one to three weeks, not a two-night city break.
Browse what is listed now on the search page, or read on if the shape of the trip is still forming. If you are weighing a van against a car-and-motels trip, our guide to hiring a campervan in Australia covers most questions you may have.
How much does it cost to hire a campervan in Australia?
The nightly rate is roughly half of what the trip costs once it is on the road. Budget the whole figure before you start comparing vans, and the rest of the planning gets simpler.
Nightly rate, from operator and comparison-site pricing published for 2026:
| Vehicle | Typical nightly range (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Basic 2-berth backpacker campervan | $30–$100 (low season at the bottom, peak at the top) |
| Mid-size 2–4 berth campervan (kitchenette, sometimes a shower) | $100–$180 |
| 4–6 berth motorhome | $150–$280 |
| Large or luxury motorhome | $180–$350+ |
| 4WD campervan | $130–$250 |
Treat these as a snapshot. Christmas and January, Easter and school holidays push rates well past the top of each band — comparison sites quote peak figures over $500 a night for larger motorhomes — while May to August brings them down.
The costs that catch people out:
- Insurance/liability reduction. The standard rental carries a high excess (often $5,000–$7,500). Reducing it to zero costs roughly $20–$80 a day depending on the operator and vehicle. Book this in advance rather than at the counter, where it is usually dearer.
- One-way fee. Picking up and dropping off in different cities is common but adds a relocation fee — anywhere from $150 to several hundred dollars, higher on long or one-directional routes like Darwin to Adelaide.
- Kilometre allowance. Many rentals include unlimited kilometres; some cap you at 100–200 km a day with a per-kilometre charge over that. Check before booking if your route is long.
- Refundable bond. $500 to $2,500 held on a credit card and released after the vehicle is checked back in.
- Campsite fees. A powered site at a holiday park runs roughly $40–$65 a night; unpowered and national-park sites are cheaper, and some bush camps are free.
- Fuel. Diesel and petrol often sit above $2 a litre, and higher again at remote roadhouses. A large motorhome uses a lot of it — work your route distance against the vehicle’s economy before you commit to a big loop.
A worked week. A mid-size 2–4 berth campervan for seven nights in the shoulder season, covering around 1,500 km, comes to roughly $1,400–$2,100 all in: the nightly rate, zero-excess cover, fuel, and four or five powered sites. Peak-season dates or a larger motorhome push that toward $3,000. Neither is “the” price — they are markers to budget against, and you should re-check live rates for your own dates in the search box above.
Types of campervan and motorhome you can hire
Five vehicle types cover almost every Australian rental. Pick by how many people are sleeping in it and how confident you feel driving something large. Our steer for a first trip: book one size smaller than you think you need — a tighter van is easier to park, cheaper to fuel, and you spend most of the day outside it anyway.
2-berth campervan
A compact van — often a converted Toyota HiAce or similar — that sleeps two and drives like a large car. Bed, small kitchen at the back, sometimes a portable toilet. This is the backpacker and couple’s van, the cheapest to rent and run, and the easiest to park in a city.
4-berth campervan
A high-top or slightly longer van sleeping two adults and two children, usually with a small bathroom. The common family choice for a first trip — big enough to live in for two weeks, small enough that a nervous driver settles into it within a day. Most operators build these on a van chassis you drive on a car licence.
4–6 berth motorhome
A coach-built motorhome with a separate cab, a full kitchen, a shower and toilet, and often a bed above the cab. Room for a family of four to six. More comfortable in bad weather and more to think about on narrow roads and in car parks. Still a car-licence vehicle in almost every case (under 4.5 tonnes).
4WD campervan
A four-wheel-drive vehicle rated and insured for unsealed roads. You only need one for routes like the Gibb River Road, Cape York or the tracks through central Australia — most first trips stay on sealed roads and don’t require this. Also includes rear seating and a rooftop or interior bed; two to four berths.
Luxury motorhome
The largest coach-built vehicles, with the most living space, a proper bathroom, and residential-style fittings. Worth it for a longer trip or a group where the extra room earns its keep; more vehicle than a first-timer usually wants to manoeuvre.
For a dedicated motorhome comparison, see motorhome hire. To see which types are available for your dates, search at the top of the page.
One-way hire and relocation deals
There are two ways to travel in one direction without doubling back, and they are not the same thing.
One-way hire means you choose your pickup city and a different drop-off city and pay a relocation fee for the privilege. Most operators offer it between the major depots — Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Cairns, Perth, Adelaide, Darwin, Hobart. It is what makes a Melbourne-to-Adelaide Great Ocean Road trip or a Cairns-to-Sydney east-coast run work as a straight line rather than an out-and-back.
Relocation deals are the operator’s problem becoming your bargain. When a company has too many vans in one city and not enough in another, it lists the vehicles that need moving at a nominal rate — often advertised at $1 a day — sometimes with a fuel allowance thrown in. The catches:
- A fixed route and a tight deadline (typically two to five days for a long leg), so there is little time to linger.
- A kilometre cap, with charges for going over.
- Dates you don’t choose — you take what is listed.
- Tolls and campsite fees are still yours.
Relocation hire suits a flexible traveller happy to drive hard in one direction. It does not suit a planned itinerary with fixed stops. Deals are listed on dedicated relocation platforms and by the big operators directly; use the search above for standard one-way availability on your dates.
Best time to hire a campervan in Australia
Australia’s seasons run opposite to the Northern Hemisphere, and the right window depends on which part of the country you are driving.
- Southern states and Tasmania (Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road, Adelaide, Sydney, Tasmania): November to March. Long days, warm evenings, and the alpine and coastal roads all open. December and January are also the most expensive and most booked-out weeks of the year.
- The Top End, the Red Centre and tropical Queensland (Darwin, Kakadu, Uluru, Cairns): May to September, the dry season. The wet season from November to April brings heat, humidity and flooding that closes unsealed roads and some highways in the north.
- Shoulder months — April, May, September, October — are the most forgiving nationally: milder driving, thinner crowds, lower rates, and everything still open. For a first trip, this is the window to aim for.
Book the vehicle three to six months ahead for December, January or Easter, and about six months ahead for Christmas, New Year and the school holidays; popular vans in the gateway cities sell out first. Outside peak, a few weeks is usually enough.
Driving a campervan in Australia
Less of a step up than the size suggests, if you pick a van you are comfortable with and take the first day slowly.
- Which side. Australia drives on the left, with the steering wheel on the right. If you are used to the other way round, give yourself a day of deliberate concentration at junctions and roundabouts.
- Licence. A current full car licence from your home country is accepted in every state and territory for vehicles under 4.5 tonnes, which covers essentially all rental campervans. If your licence is not in English, you need an International Driving Permit or an accredited English translation. An IDP is not required for English-language licences.
- Minimum age. Most operators rent from 21 and require you to have held your licence for one to two years. Some large motorhomes require drivers to be 25-plus, and drivers under 25 often pay a young-driver surcharge.
- Distances and fatigue. The gaps between towns are real — fuel stations can be 200 km or more apart on remote routes, so fill up whenever you drop below half a tank. Australian road-safety advice is to stop and rest every two hours; fatigue is the main hazard on long outback legs.
- Road trains. In the Northern Territory, Western Australia and outback Queensland you will meet road trains — trucks hauling three or four trailers, up to around 50 metres long. Only overtake when you can see a long clear stretch ahead, and ease off the accelerator when one passes you.
- Wildlife. Kangaroos feed at dawn, dusk and after dark, and a collision with a large one causes serious damage. Avoid driving on rural roads in the hour either side of sunrise and sunset, and after dark, wherever you can.
- Unsealed roads. Standard 2WD campervans are not insured off sealed roads, except for short, well-maintained access roads (usually under 12 km) into recognised campgrounds and attractions. Drive onto gravel or sand in a 2WD van and a single incident is yours to pay for. If your route needs it, book a 4WD camper that is rated for it.
Where to stay overnight
- Holiday parks. Chains like BIG4, G’day Parks and Top Tourist, plus hundreds of independents, cover the country. A powered site gives you mains electricity, a water tap and access to a dump point; most parks also have showers, laundry and often a pool. Book ahead over summer and school holidays.
- National and state park campgrounds. Cheaper, more basic, and often in the best spots. Each state runs its own booking system (NSW National Parks, Parks Victoria, Queensland, Parks Tasmania) and popular sites need reserving in advance. Many Australian national parks are free to enter, though some charge entry or vehicle fees; Uluru-Kata Tjuta charges a multi-day park pass — check the current fee on the Parks Australia site.
- Free and low-cost camping. Rest areas, showground camps and council-run sites across rural Australia allow an overnight stay, some free, some a few dollars. The WikiCamps and CamperMate apps map them, with reviews and facilities, and are the standard tools for planning where to stop.
A workable plan for a first trip: book powered sites at holiday parks with staff on site for most nights, and keep the free options as a fallback for a night when a park is full.
Best campervan road trips in Australia
Five routes take most of the first-time bookings. Each one lines up with cities where owners list vehicles on campervanhire.com, and each works one-way — pick up at one end, drop at the other, fly home. A sensible pace is four to five hours of driving on the days you move, with one day in seven that you don’t drive at all.
Great Ocean Road — Melbourne to Adelaide
About 900 km, 5–8 days, best November to March. The coast road west of Melbourne past the Twelve Apostles, then on through the Coonawarra wine country and the Coorong to Adelaide. Short daily distances and the most-photographed stretch of coastline in the country. Pick up in Melbourne, drop in Adelaide.
East Coast — Sydney to Cairns
About 2,500 km, 2–3 weeks, best April to October. Australia’s busiest touring corridor: Byron Bay, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and Noosa, Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays, Townsville, and the Great Barrier Reef towns, finishing at Cairns in the tropical north. Long enough to need a proper fortnight. Start in Sydney, pick up more vehicles in Brisbane, finish near Cairns.
Perth to Exmouth — the Coral Coast
About 1,250 km, 7–10 days, best April to October. North from Perth past the Pinnacles, Kalbarri’s gorges and coast, the dolphins at Monkey Mia, and Ningaloo Reef at Exmouth, where you can snorkel straight off the beach. Quiet roads and few crowds. Pick up in Perth.
The Red Centre — Darwin, Uluru and Alice Springs
About 2,000 km one way from Darwin to Uluru (1,500 km of it on the Stuart Highway), 10–14 days, best May to September. Kakadu and Litchfield out of Darwin, then the long drive south to Uluru, Kata Tjuta, Kings Canyon and Alice Springs. Big distances, dry-season only, and a trip where a bit of preparation on fuel and water pays off. Start in Darwin.
Tasmania loop — from Hobart
About 1,200 km, 10–14 days, best November to April. A full circuit of the island: Freycinet and Wineglass Bay, the Bay of Fires, Cradle Mountain, and the wilderness of the west coast. Most people pick up in Hobart or Launceston, or bring a van across on the Spirit of Tasmania ferry from Geelong. Compact, varied, and cooler than the mainland — pack layers even in summer. Hire in Tasmania.
Campervan hire locations across Australia
Vehicles are listed by owners in cities and towns across the country. Most trips start from a state capital or a coastal hub near an airport; pick your pickup point by state.
- New South Wales — Sydney, Newcastle, Byron Bay, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Canberra (ACT)
- Victoria — Melbourne, Geelong
- Queensland — Brisbane, Cairns, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Noosa, Townsville, Airlie Beach
- Western Australia — Perth, Broome, Exmouth, Margaret River
- South Australia — Adelaide
- Northern Territory — Darwin, Alice Springs
- Tasmania — Tasmania statewide, Hobart, Launceston
Heading across the Tasman as well? See campervan hire in New Zealand.
Campervan hire in Australia — frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to hire a campervan in Australia?
For 2026, nightly rates run roughly $30–$100 for a basic 2-berth backpacker camper, $100–$180 for a mid-size 2–4 berth campervan, $150–$280 for a 4–6 berth motorhome and $180–$350+ for a large or luxury motorhome. The nightly rate is about half the real cost — add zero-excess insurance at $20–$80 a day, a refundable bond, fuel above $2 a litre, and campsite fees around $40–$65 a night for a powered site. A mid-size van for a week in the shoulder season, covering about 1,500 km, works out somewhere near $1,400–$2,100 all in.
What licence do I need to hire a campervan in Australia?
A current full car licence from your home country is accepted in every Australian state and territory for campervans and motorhomes under 4.5 tonnes, which covers almost the entire rental fleet. If your licence is not written in English, you also need an International Driving Permit or an accredited English translation. An IDP is not required for English-language licences.
What is the minimum age to hire a campervan in Australia?
Most operators rent to drivers aged 21 and over who have held a full licence for one to two years. Some larger motorhomes require drivers to be 25 or older, and drivers under 25 often pay a young-driver surcharge. Check the individual listing before booking.
Can I pick up a campervan in one city and drop it off in another?
Yes. One-way hire between the major depots — Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Cairns, Perth, Adelaide, Darwin and Hobart — is widely available for a relocation fee, which ranges from around $150 to several hundred dollars depending on the route. Confirm the drop-off city and the one-way charge when you book.
What are campervan relocation deals?
When an operator needs vehicles moved from a city with a surplus to one with demand, it offers those vans at a nominal rate — often advertised at $1 a day, sometimes with a fuel allowance. In return, you accept a fixed route, a short deadline (usually two to five days for a long leg), a kilometre cap, and dates you don’t choose. Relocation deals suit flexible travellers driving hard in one direction, not planned itineraries with set stops.
When is the best time to hire a campervan in Australia?
For the southern states and Tasmania, November to March. For the Top End, the Red Centre and tropical Queensland, the May-to-September dry season. The shoulder months — April, May, September and October — are the easiest nationally, with milder driving, fewer people and lower rates. Book three to six months ahead for summer or Easter, and about six months ahead for Christmas and New Year.
Can I drive a hire campervan on unsealed roads?
Standard 2WD campervans are not insured on unsealed roads, apart from short, well-maintained access roads (usually under 12 kilometres) leading to recognised campgrounds and attractions. Driving onto gravel, dirt or sand in a 2WD van generally voids the cover, so any damage is yours. Routes that need gravel driving — the Gibb River Road, Cape York, many Northern Territory tracks — require a 4WD camper booked and insured for it.
Where can I stay overnight in a campervan in Australia?
Holiday parks (BIG4, G’day Parks, Top Tourist and independents) for powered sites with facilities, national and state park campgrounds for cheaper and more scenic pitches booked through each state’s system, and free or low-cost rest areas and council camps mapped by the WikiCamps and CamperMate apps. For a first trip, book powered sites at staffed holiday parks and keep the free options as a fallback.
Is the mileage unlimited?
Often, but not always. Many Australian campervan rentals include unlimited kilometres; others cap you at 100–200 km a day and charge a per-kilometre fee over that. If you are planning a long route, check the allowance before you book and choose an unlimited-kilometre listing where you can.
Can I take a pet in a hire campervan?
Some owners allow pets and some do not; those that do may add a cleaning fee and ask that the pet is kept off the beds. Filter for pet-friendly vehicles on the search page and confirm the details with the owner before booking.
Ready to see real vehicles and dates? Enter your pickup city and travel dates in the search box at the top of this page.
Planning a road trip? See our Great Ocean Road campervan road trip guide, with a day-by-day route, where to stay and driving tips, or browse more road trips.