Eleven places to wake up somewhere extraordinary — beachfront, gorge-side and deep in the bush — with the facts on facilities, booking and season.
Camping is how a lot of Australia is best experienced: many of the country's finest spots have a campground and not much else, which is exactly the point. Falling asleep to surf or waking to kangaroos on the sand beats any hotel view.
We've spanned beachfront sites you can drive into, gorge campgrounds deep in national parks, and remote bush camps that need self-sufficiency. The popular national-park sites now almost all require advance online booking, often months ahead in peak season — don't just turn up. Carry water where noted, take all rubbish out, and check fire bans before you light anything.
Camp metres from squeaky white sand and turquoise water, with kangaroos lounging on the beach at dawn. Basic facilities (toilets, BBQs, limited water) in a stunning national-park setting near Esperance.
Book ahead — it's popular. Best in the milder months; summer is hot and busy.
A beachfront campground and holiday park in our home state where kangaroos and wallabies forage on the sand at sunrise. Powered and unpowered sites, on the coast north of Mackay.
Year-round, with the dry season most comfortable. Book the sunrise mornings ahead.
A large, well-serviced campground at the gateway to the Flinders Ranges' natural amphitheatre, with powered sites, a pool and tours on the doorstep. A comfortable outback base.
Cooler months (April–October) for walking and wildlife. Carry water on day trips regardless.
Campsites tucked behind the beaches of Freycinet National Park, within walking distance of Wineglass Bay's trailhead. So sought-after that peak summer sites are allocated by ballot.
Apply early for summer; the shoulder seasons are quieter and still beautiful.
A bush campground in the heart of Karijini, walking distance from Fortescue Falls and Circular Pool, surrounded by two-billion-year-old gorges. Basic facilities; the eco-retreat nearby offers more comfort.
Dry season only, and remote — carry plenty of water and fuel up before you arrive.
Camp among kangaroos and brilliant rosellas a short walk from some of the whitest sand in the country, in Booderee National Park (jointly managed with the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community).
Booked online; very popular in summer school holidays. Spring and autumn are ideal.
The big, beloved Tidal River campground anchors 'the Prom', Victoria's southernmost tip, with beaches, granite peaks, wombats and a network of walks from your tent door.
Peak summer sites go to ballot; book or apply early. Beautiful spring through autumn.
A string of basic beachfront campgrounds in Cape Range National Park, where the Ningaloo Reef comes right to the shore — snorkel from your campsite among coral and turtles.
Booked in advance and very popular in the dry season (April–October). No water on site — bring your own.
Camp at the mouth of one of Queensland's great gorges, with the main walking trail and its side canyons starting nearby. A wilderness lodge and a national-park campground (open in school holidays) provide the options.
Cooler months for walking. Check campground opening periods before you go.
Top End campgrounds beside spring-fed plunge pools and waterfalls at Wangi and Florence Falls — swim in croc-checked pools a short walk from your tent, near Darwin.
Dry season (May–October); some pools and roads close in the wet. Heed all crocodile and closure signs.
Beach and bush camping on the world's largest sand island, from fenced campgrounds to remote beach sites along Seventy-Five Mile Beach. A genuine wilderness experience close to our Fraser Coast base.
4WD and permits required. Be dingo-safe — secure all food. See our Fraser Coast guide.
Not a tent person? Cooee Tours runs guided touring across Queensland's wild places with the driving, planning and accommodation taken care of.
See guided Queensland toursIncreasingly, yes. Most popular national-park campgrounds now require advance online booking, and the busiest — like Freycinet and Wilsons Promontory in peak summer — allocate sites by ballot. Book months ahead for school holidays.
Lucky Bay in Cape Le Grand, Cape Hillsborough in Queensland, the Cape Range campgrounds at Ningaloo and the beach sites on K'gari all put you right by the sand. Some require a 4WD and a permit.
With preparation, yes. Carry plenty of water and fuel, tell someone your route, check road conditions, and be self-sufficient — remote campgrounds often have no water or supplies. Travel in the cooler, drier months.
A high-clearance 4WD, a vehicle access permit and a camping permit. Be dingo-safe by securing all food and never feeding wildlife. See our Fraser Coast guide for crossings and operators.
It depends on the region. The tropical north and outback are best in the dry season (April to October), while southern coastal sites are most pleasant in spring through autumn, away from the peak-summer crowds.
Cooee Tours acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and recognise that the places described here hold deep cultural significance for the First Peoples who have cared for them for tens of thousands of years.