Australia Campervan & Motorhome Hire

Day 1: Collect your van near Cairns Airport, allowing about an hour for the paperwork and walkthrough, and stock up at a big supermarket before leaving the city. Book two nights at a Cairns holiday park. In the late afternoon, swim in the free Esplanade Lagoon and walk the waterfront boardwalk, then browse the Night Markets for dinner.

Day 2: Leave the van at camp and take a Great Barrier Reef day trip from the Reef Fleet Terminal, choosing an outer reef pontoon, a sailing trip or the shorter run to Green Island. From November to May, many operators supply stinger suits. Back in town, restock and fill the water tank for tomorrow's drive south.

Day 3: Drive about an hour south on the Bruce Highway to the Babinda Boulders, swimming only in the marked swimming hole and keeping out of the restricted area. Walk to Josephine Falls at the foot of Bartle Frere, then carry on to Paronella Park at Mena Creek for its evening tour, staying at the park's own campground.

Day 4: Allow about 45 minutes to Mission Beach and slow down wherever signs warn of cassowaries crossing the road. Walk the long, palm-lined beach facing Dunk Island, or take a water taxi across to the island for the day. Book a holiday park close to the sand and listen for the rainforest birds at dusk.

Day 5: Drive about 3.5 hours south via Cardwell and Ingham, stopping at the Hinchinbrook lookout for views over the channel and the island's mountains. Stretch your legs at the Tyto Wetlands in Ingham, then continue to Townsville and book two nights near The Strand, the city's palm-lined foreshore.

Day 6: Leave the van and catch the passenger ferry from the Breakwater terminal to Magnetic Island, about 20 minutes across. Walk the Forts Walk to look for koalas in the gum trees, then swim at Alma Bay or Horseshoe Bay. Back in Townsville from November to May, swim only in the Strand rock pool or a stinger enclosure.

Day 7: Allow about 2.75 hours through cane and mango country to Bowen. Snorkel at Horseshoe Bay, where coral grows close to the shore, take a photo at the Big Mango and watch the sunset from Flagstaff Hill. Fill the tank and stay at a holiday park in town, a short drive from the Whitsundays.

Day 8: Drive just over an hour to Airlie Beach and check in for two nights. Swim in the free Airlie Beach Lagoon, a safe option in stinger season, then walk a short trail in Conway National Park. Only a few brands have an Airlie Beach depot, so if you would rather finish here, check one-way availability first.

Day 9: Join a day cruise or sailing trip to Whitehaven Beach and the Hill Inlet lookout, where the tide swirls white silica sand through turquoise water. Tours generally supply stinger suits from November to May. Back in town, refill the water tank and empty the waste tanks before tomorrow's drive.

Day 10: Drive about two hours south to Cape Hillsborough National Park, where rainforest-covered headlands meet the sea. Walk the mangrove boardwalk and the short headland trails, then stay at the beachfront holiday park or the national park campground at Smalleys Beach, which suits campervans and needs a permit booked ahead.

Day 11: Be on the beach at sunrise, when wallabies and kangaroos often forage on the sand, and give them plenty of space. Then tackle the longest day of the trip, about 400 km and five and a half hours to Yeppoon, with breaks every two hours at stops such as Sarina or Marlborough. Book two nights near the foreshore.

Day 12: Leave the van and take a ferry from Rosslyn Bay Harbour, about 10 minutes south of Yeppoon, to Great Keppel Island for white beaches, snorkelling and bushwalks. Back on the mainland, drive the coast road to the lookouts at Emu Park, then do a big shop and fill the tank for tomorrow's drive.

Day 13: Head inland via Rockhampton, stopping at the Tropic of Capricorn marker, then continue to Agnes Water, about 3.75 hours in all, with long gaps between fuel stops. Walk the Paperbark Forest boardwalk, swim between the flags at the main beach and book two nights in Agnes Water or the Town of 1770.

Day 14: Take a day cruise from the 1770 marina to Lady Musgrave Island to snorkel over coral in the lagoon, or ride an amphibious LARC tour to Bustard Head Lighthouse. Agnes Water marks roughly the southern edge of box jellyfish waters, so the stinger risk drops from here south. Watch the sunset from the 1770 headland.

Day 15: Drive about two hours south through sugar cane country to Bundaberg and tour the rum distillery or taste ginger beer at the Bundaberg Barrel. Continue about 15 minutes to the beach town of Bargara and book two nights at a holiday park. Cool off in the Basin, a sheltered rock pool on the foreshore.

Day 16: From November to late March, book a ranger-guided turtle encounter at nearby Mon Repos to watch loggerhead turtles nest or hatchlings head for the sea, as tickets sell out. Outside turtle season, snorkel at Barolin Rocks or walk and cycle the coastal path between Bargara and Burnett Heads.

Day 17: Allow about two hours via Childers to Hervey Bay, on the calm waters of the Great Sandy Strait. Walk the long Urangan Pier at sunset and follow the Esplanade path between the beachfront suburbs. Book two nights at a holiday park and confirm tomorrow's K'gari tour or, from about July to October, a whale watching cruise.

Day 18: Leave the van and join a guided 4WD day tour of K'gari, as the island's sand tracks need a high-clearance 4WD and hire campervans are not allowed there. Tours usually take in Lake McKenzie, the rainforest at Central Station and the Maheno shipwreck. In whale season, you could spend the day on the water instead.

Day 19: Drive about two hours to Rainbow Beach, staying on sealed roads. Walk out to the Carlo Sandblow for views over the coloured sand cliffs and Tin Can Bay, then swim at the patrolled main beach. Stay at a holiday park in town and enjoy a quieter evening before the busier Sunshine Coast.

Day 20: Allow about two hours via Gympie to Noosa and book a holiday park in Noosaville or Tewantin. Catch a local bus to Noosa Heads, as parking near Hastings Street is tight for a campervan, and walk the coastal track in Noosa National Park, watching for koalas in the trees and dolphins in the surf.

Day 21: Spend the morning at Australia Zoo near Beerwah, then drive about an hour to your brand's Brisbane depot. Refuel, empty the tanks and return the van before closing. Britz, for example, charges a $200 one-way fee between Cairns and Brisbane for pick-ups to 31 March 2027, so check one-way availability for your dates.

Day 1: Collect your van in Melbourne, where depots at Tullamarine and Somerton are close to the airport, and stock up on groceries. Drive about 1.5 hours south-west via Geelong to Torquay, the start of the Great Ocean Road. Watch the surfers at Bells Beach, then spend the evening at a holiday park learning the van's water, gas and power.

Day 2: Follow the coast through Anglesea to the Split Point Lighthouse at Aireys Inlet and the Memorial Arch at Eastern View, which honours the returned soldiers who built the road. Drive on to Lorne, under an hour of driving in all, and stay by the Erskine River. Walk to Erskine Falls or Teddy's Lookout for views over the coast road.

Day 3: Take the winding stretch to Apollo Bay slowly, about 45 minutes, using the pull-over bays to let faster traffic pass. Stop at Kennett River, where koalas are often seen in the trees near the caravan park. In Apollo Bay, book a powered site, walk the harbour and drive up to Mariners Lookout for the view.

Day 4: Walk the short rainforest loop at Maits Rest among myrtle beech and tree ferns, then turn down Lighthouse Road to Cape Otway, watching for koalas in the trees, and visit the historic lightstation. Continue about 1.5 hours to Port Campbell and book two nights, then head to the cliffs for sunset once the tour buses have gone.

Day 5: See the Twelve Apostles early, before the crowds, leaving the van in the main visitor car park and following the path under the road to the lookouts. Walk down the Gibson Steps to the beach and explore Loch Ard Gorge. Never park on the road beside a solid yellow line; use the signed car parks instead.

Day 6: Head west past London Arch, The Grotto and the Bay of Islands to Warrnambool, about an hour without stops, and visit Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. From about June to September, check Logans Beach for southern right whales. Drive 30 minutes on to Port Fairy and walk the Griffiths Island loop to its lighthouse.

Day 7: Refuel and drive about two hours north to Halls Gap in Grampians National Park (Gariwerd), passing Dunkeld and the southern peaks on the way. Set up for two nights at a Halls Gap holiday park and look for the kangaroos that graze the open grass around town in the late afternoon. Check Parks Victoria for track or road closures.

Day 8: Drive up to the Boroka and Reed lookouts for views across the ranges, then walk down to MacKenzie Falls, a steep track with many steps. Fit walkers can climb to the Pinnacle from Halls Gap for one of the park's best-known views. Get back to camp before dusk, as wildlife is active on the park roads.

Day 9: Allow about three hours south-west to Mount Gambier in South Australia, where clocks run 30 minutes behind Victoria. Walk or drive around the rim of the Blue Lake, which turns a vivid blue from about November to March, and visit the Cave Garden in town. After dark, look for possums in the lit gardens of Umpherston Sinkhole.

Day 10: Drive about 45 minutes north to Penola in the Coonawarra, known for cabernet sauvignon grown on red terra rossa soil, and visit a cellar door with a designated driver. Continue about 40 minutes to Naracoorte Caves National Park, a World Heritage-listed fossil site, for a guided cave tour. Stay at the park's campground or in Naracoorte.

Day 11: Drive about two hours west to Robe, a historic fishing town on Guichen Bay, and book a powered site, as Robe fills up in January and at Easter. Spend the afternoon on Long Beach, then walk out to the Obelisk on Cape Dombey for sunset. Treat yourself to local seafood, with southern rock lobster a speciality in season.

Day 12: Follow the Princes Highway north beside Coorong National Park, a long chain of lagoons behind the dunes known for pelicans and other waterbirds. Stop at the signposted lookouts, but leave the 4WD tracks across the dunes alone, as most hire terms exclude them. Stay at Meningie on Lake Albert, about 2.5 hours from Robe.

Day 13: Drive about 1.5 hours to Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills, a German-settled village with bakeries, smallgoods and cellar doors along its main street. Detour to Mount Lofty Summit for views over Adelaide and the gulf, then stay at a holiday park in the Hills or near the beach at West Beach or Glenelg.

Day 14: Leave the van at camp and spend the morning in Adelaide, as some city car parks have low height limits. Then refuel, empty the tanks and return the van by early afternoon, as several depots close at 3pm or 3:30pm. Britz, for example, charges a $200 one-way fee from Melbourne for pick-ups to 31 March 2027, so check one-way availability for your dates.

Day 1: Collect your van near Hobart Airport at Cambridge and stock up at the nearby supermarkets, then drive about 20 minutes to Richmond to see Australia's oldest bridge still in use. Continue towards Port Arthur, about 1.25 hours, stopping at the Tessellated Pavement and Tasman Arch near Eaglehawk Neck, and stay at a holiday park near Port Arthur.

Day 2: Spend the day at the Port Arthur Historic Site, which has a signposted car park for large vehicles and includes a short harbour cruise with entry. Tickets are valid for two consecutive days, so there is no need to rush. Drive out to Remarkable Cave in the late afternoon, then return after dark for a lantern-lit ghost tour, booked separately.

Day 3: Allow about 3.5 hours north via Sorell, Orford and Swansea to Coles Bay, stopping at the convict-built Spiky Bridge and Kate's Berry Farm. Buy a parks pass before you arrive: the Holiday Vehicle Pass costs $98.35 and covers up to eight people in all Tasmanian national parks for up to two months. Book two nights, as Coles Bay fills in summer.

Day 4: Start early for the Wineglass Bay Lookout, about 2.6 km return and 1 to 1.5 hours, with your parks pass on display. Fit walkers can continue down to the beach for a swim in clear, cold water. Spend the afternoon at Honeymoon Bay, then stay for sunset as the granite peaks of the Hazards glow pink above Coles Bay.

Day 5: Drive about 40 minutes to Bicheno to watch the blowhole spray across the granite and eat fresh seafood by the harbour. Book an evening tour to see little penguins return to their burrows, and stay at a Bicheno holiday park with powered sites and laundry, where you can refill the water and empty the tanks.

Day 6: Drive about 2.5 hours back to Hobart and spend the afternoon at Salamanca Place and Battery Point, using an open-air car park, as the Argyle Street and Hobart Central car parks have 2 m and 2.2 m height limits. If the summit is clear, drive up kunanyi/Mount Wellington, which closes in snow and ice, then stay at the Hobart Showground.

Day 7: Browse the Salamanca Market if it is a Saturday, then cross the Tasman Bridge outside the weekday peaks to the depots at Cambridge. Refuel, empty the tanks and return the van by early afternoon, as some depots close at 3pm or 3:30pm. Some brands add a pick-up fee in Hobart, such as $125 with Britz, so check your quote.