Sydney Campervan & Motorhome Hire

Day 1: Collect your van from a depot near Sydney Airport or at Bankstown Aerodrome, allowing about an hour for paperwork and a walkthrough, then stock up at a supermarket. Head north on the M1 Pacific Motorway across the Hawkesbury River to The Entrance, about two hours. Arrive by 3:30pm for the daily pelican feeding on the waterfront, then stay at a holiday park nearby.

Day 2: Climb the Skillion headland at Terrigal for views along the coast, then swim at a patrolled beach such as Avoca or Terrigal. In the afternoon, follow the shore of Lake Macquarie north for about an hour, stopping at a lakeside park for a picnic, and book a holiday park near Newcastle for the night.

Day 3: Walk the Bathers Way in Newcastle, from Nobbys Beach past the ocean baths towards Merewether, and look over the harbour from Fort Scratchley, where ships pass close to shore on their way into port. After lunch, drive about an hour to Port Stephens and book two nights at a holiday park near Nelson Bay.

Day 4: Take a dolphin-watching cruise from Nelson Bay, then climb the Tomaree Head Summit Walk for views over the bay and offshore islands. See the huge Stockton Bight sand dunes on a guided 4WD or sandboarding tour from Anna Bay, as hire agreements do not allow campervans on sand.

Day 5: Drive north around Myall Lakes National Park to the small surf village of Seal Rocks, about two hours. Walk up to Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse for views over the coast, and look out for whales between June and November. Stay at a holiday park in Seal Rocks, which fills up quickly in summer.

Day 6: Swim or surf at Number One Beach in the morning, then drive about 45 minutes to Forster. Climb the Cape Hawke lookout tower for wide views over Booti Booti National Park and Wallis Lake, and try local oysters straight from the lake. Stay at a holiday park in Forster or Tuncurry.

Day 7: Enjoy a slow morning in Forster, then drive about 1.5 hours north to Port Macquarie and book two nights. In the evening, stroll the breakwall, where locals and travellers have painted the rocks with messages and artwork, and watch the sun set over the Hastings River.

Day 8: Walk the Port Macquarie Coastal Walk past a string of beaches to Tacking Point Lighthouse, then wander the rainforest boardwalk at Sea Acres. Koala Conservation Australia runs the town's well-known koala hospital, which has been redeveloping its Lord Street site, so check where and when to visit before you go.

Day 9: Drive about 1.25 hours north to South West Rocks and visit Trial Bay Gaol, a 19th-century stone prison on the headland in Arakoon National Park. Swim in the calm water of Trial Bay, look for dolphins off the point, and stay at a holiday park in town or beside the gaol.

Day 10: Follow the Pacific Highway north, then turn inland to Bellingen, about 1.25 hours, a relaxed river town with cafes, galleries and a monthly community market. Swim or paddle in the Bellinger River and stay at a holiday park nearby, ready for the climb up the escarpment tomorrow.

Day 11: Drive the Waterfall Way up the steep, winding escarpment to Dorrigo, about 30 minutes, and stop at Dangar Falls on the edge of town. Walk a rainforest track in Dorrigo National Park, checking NPWS alerts first, as the area around the Rainforest Centre is being redeveloped. Head back down to Coffs Harbour, about an hour, for two nights.

Day 12: Walk from the marina along the breakwall to Muttonbird Island for views back over the harbour and town, then stroll out along the historic Coffs Harbour Jetty. In the afternoon, call into the Big Banana, one of Australia's best-known big things, or swim at Park Beach.

Day 13: Drive about 1.75 hours north to Yamba, a relaxed fishing and surf town at the mouth of the Clarence River, and book two nights. Walk up to the lighthouse on the headland for coastal views, then swim at Main Beach or Pippi Beach, which are patrolled in the warmer months. In the evening, eat fresh fish and prawns from the local fishing fleet by the river.

Day 14: Spend the morning at Angourie, a short drive south, where two freshwater quarry pools sit just behind the surf beach. In the afternoon, follow the river inland to Maclean, a town proud of its Scottish heritage, with tartan-painted power poles along its streets.

Day 15: Drive about 1.5 hours north and stop at Ballina to see the Big Prawn, then continue to Byron Bay. Book a holiday park well ahead, as Byron fills up fast and sleeping in vehicles on its streets is not allowed. Spend the evening in town or watching the sunset from the beach.

Day 16: Walk the Cape Byron walking track to the lighthouse at the most easterly point of mainland Australia, watching for dolphins, and for whales from June to November. Parking at the top is limited and charged by the hour, so walk up from the beach. Spend the afternoon at Wategos or Clarkes Beach.

Day 17: Head inland to Bangalow, a village of heritage shopfronts and cafes about 20 minutes from Byron, then follow the back roads north through the green hills of the Northern Rivers. Continue to the Tweed Coast and book two nights at a holiday park at Kingscliff or Cabarita Beach.

Day 18: Walk around Norries Headland at Cabarita for views down the beaches, then drive inland to Murwillumbah to see the Tweed Regional Gallery and the Margaret Olley Art Centre. The volcanic peak of Wollumbin rises above the valley, but its summit track is closed, so enjoy the views from the gallery.

Day 19: Cross into Queensland at Coolangatta and stop at Point Danger, where a lookout straddles the state border. Queensland does not use daylight saving, so from October to early April its clocks run an hour behind NSW. Continue to Burleigh Heads for a walk around the headland, then book two nights on the southern Gold Coast.

Day 20: Spend the day on the beach or at a theme park, or drive into the Gold Coast hinterland, where the roads up to Springbrook and Tamborine Mountain are steep and winding. Walk to the Natural Bridge in Springbrook National Park, then return to the coast for the night.

Day 21: Drive about 1.5 hours north on the M1 to your Brisbane depot, leaving extra time for traffic. Refuel, empty the waste tanks and return the van before the depot closes, as some Brisbane branches close at 3:30pm. Brisbane drop-offs are a one-way hire, so check one-way availability and fees when you book.

Day 1: Collect your van and drive south through Royal National Park, which charges a $12 vehicle entry fee, on the Grand Pacific Drive. Stop at Bald Hill lookout above Stanwell Park, then cross the Sea Cliff Bridge, which curves out over the ocean. Continue through Wollongong to Kiama, see the Kiama Blowhole and stay at a holiday park in town.

Day 2: Walk a section of the Kiama Coast Walk and visit the Little Blowhole, then drive about an hour south to Huskisson on Jervis Bay. Book two nights at a holiday park in Huskisson or Vincentia, and take an afternoon dolphin-watching cruise from the wharf, as bottlenose dolphins live in the bay all year.

Day 3: Walk the White Sands Walk from Greenfield Beach, then spend the afternoon in Booderee National Park at the southern end of the bay, where a day vehicle pass costs $20. Swim at Murrays Beach or Green Patch, and keep an eye out for kangaroos and wallabies on the drive back at dusk.

Day 4: Drive about 50 minutes to Ulladulla and watch the fishing boats in the harbour, then swim or walk at nearby Mollymook Beach. Continue south for about 50 minutes to Batemans Bay on the Clyde River, where you can try local oysters, and stay at a holiday park beside the water.

Day 5: Drive about an hour south to Narooma and book two nights. Walk out along the breakwall to see Australia Rock and the fur seals that often rest on the rocks, and book a boat tour to Montague Island, home to a historic lighthouse, seals and seabirds, which runs only when the weather allows.

Day 6: Visit Central Tilba, a heritage-listed village of timber shopfronts below Gulaga mountain, with local cheese and sweets. In the afternoon, drive on to Bermagui to swim in the Blue Pool, an ocean rock pool below the cliffs, then return to Narooma for the night, about 45 minutes away.

Day 7: Follow the coast road south past Bermagui and Tathra, where you can walk out on the historic wharf, about 1.5 hours of driving in all. Some roads into Mimosa Rocks National Park are unsealed, so check your hire terms before you turn off. Stay in Merimbula and walk the lakeside boardwalk at sunset.

Day 8: Drive about 30 minutes to Eden on Twofold Bay and book two nights. Visit the Eden Killer Whale Museum to hear the story of the orcas that once helped local whalers, then look out from the headland, as humpback whales pass close to shore from September to November.

Day 9: Explore Beowa National Park, formerly Ben Boyd National Park, south of town, with its red cliffs and coastal walks. Some park roads are unsealed, so check your hire terms first. Alternatively, take a whale-watching or bay cruise from Eden wharf in season, then enjoy fresh seafood in town.

Day 10: Cross the border into Victoria and turn off at Genoa for Mallacoota, a quiet town on a large inlet surrounded by Croajingolong National Park, about 1.25 hours from Eden. Walk the foreshore, hire a boat or kayak on the inlet, and stay at the waterfront holiday park.

Day 11: Drive west through the tall forests of East Gippsland to Lakes Entrance, about 2.75 hours, with a detour to Marlo, where the Snowy River meets the sea. In Lakes Entrance, cross the footbridge to the dunes of Ninety Mile Beach and book two nights at a holiday park.

Day 12: Spend a day on the Gippsland Lakes, visiting the waterside village of Metung and taking a lake cruise or hiring a boat. Drive to Paynesville and take the short ferry to Raymond Island, where koalas are often spotted in the trees along the walking trail. Return to Lakes Entrance for fresh seafood from the fishing co-op.

Day 13: Leave early for the longest drive of the trip, about four hours west to Wilsons Promontory. Book a site at Tidal River through Parks Victoria well ahead, as summer dates book out fast. Walk to Squeaky Beach for sunset and watch for wombats around the campground at dusk.

Day 14: Walk up Mount Oberon early for views over the Prom, then drive about 3.5 hours to Melbourne. Refuel, empty the waste tanks and return the van before the depot closes, as many close mid-afternoon. Melbourne drop-offs are a one-way hire, so check one-way availability and fees when you book.

Day 1: Collect your van and drive west on the M4 and Great Western Highway, about 1.5 to 2 hours, stopping at Wentworth Falls for the lookouts over the Jamison Valley. Book two nights at a holiday park in Katoomba or Blackheath, and pack warm layers, as mountain nights are much colder than Sydney.

Day 2: Arrive early at Echo Point to see the Three Sisters before the paid car park fills, then ride the cable car or railway at Scenic World. Browse the shops and cafes of Leura Mall, and finish at Govetts Leap lookout in Blackheath for sunset over the Grose Valley. Book a powered site, as heating helps on cold nights.

Day 3: Head down the steep Victoria Pass to the historic village of Hartley, with its sandstone buildings from the 1800s, then on through Lithgow and the Castlereagh Highway to Mudgee, about 2.5 hours of driving. Book two nights at a holiday park in Mudgee and stroll the town's wide streets of heritage buildings, stopping for local produce and coffee.

Day 4: Spend the day at Mudgee's cellar doors, many of them small and family-run, with a designated driver or on a local tour, as the NSW limit is under 0.05 for full licence holders and zero for learner and P-plate drivers. Later, visit Gulgong, a gold rush town about 30 minutes north.

Day 5: Drive east across the Great Dividing Range to the Hunter Valley, about 3.5 hours via the Golden Highway and Denman, through farmland and sandstone country. Fill up in Mudgee first, as towns are small along the way, then book two nights at a holiday park in or near Pokolbin.

Day 6: Rise early for a hot-air balloon flight over the vines, then tour the cellar doors around Pokolbin, best known for semillon and shiraz, with a designated driver or a local tour. Stop at Hunter Valley Gardens or a cheese and chocolate shop along Broke Road, and pick up supplies for a final night's barbecue.

Day 7: Enjoy a last cellar door or a walk among the vines, then drive back to Sydney, about 2.5 hours via the M1, where the NorthConnex tunnel is tolled. Refuel, empty the waste tanks and return your van before the depot closes, as some Sydney branches close at 3:30pm, so leave Pokolbin by late morning.