Brisbane Campervan & Motorhome Hire

Day 1: Collect your van from a depot near Brisbane Airport, allowing about an hour for paperwork and a walkthrough, then stock up at a supermarket before leaving the city. Head north on the toll-free Gateway Motorway and Bruce Highway, about an hour, to the Glass House Mountains. Watch the sunset over the volcanic peaks from the Glass House Mountains Lookout, then stay at a holiday park near Beerwah.

Day 2: Spend the morning at Australia Zoo in Beerwah, about 10 minutes away. In the afternoon, take the steep, winding range road up to Maleny and walk the rainforest at Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, with views back over the Glass House peaks. Continue down to the coast, a little over an hour, and book two nights at a holiday park in Noosa or nearby Tewantin.

Day 3: Leave the van at your holiday park and catch a local bus to Noosa Heads, as parking near Hastings Street and the national park is tight for a campervan. Walk the coastal track in Noosa National Park to Tea Tree Bay and Dolphin Point, watching for koalas and dolphins, then swim at Noosa Main Beach. On a Wednesday or Saturday, start the day at the Eumundi Markets, about 20 minutes inland.

Day 4: Drive about two hours via Gympie to Rainbow Beach, staying on sealed roads, as the beach route from Noosa North Shore needs a 4WD. Walk out to the Carlo Sandblow for views over the coloured sand cliffs and Tin Can Bay, then swim at the patrolled main beach. The K'gari barge at nearby Inskip Point is for 4WD vehicles only, so save the island for a tour from Hervey Bay.

Day 5: Drive about two hours via Maryborough to Hervey Bay, a calm stretch of coast on 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 mid-July to October, a whale watching cruise to see humpbacks resting in the bay.

Day 6: Leave the van at camp and join a guided 4WD day tour of K'gari, as the island's sand tracks need a high-clearance 4WD with low range and hire campervans are not allowed there. Tours usually take in Lake McKenzie, the rainforest at Central Station and the Maheno shipwreck on the eastern beach. In whale season, you could spend the day on the water instead.

Day 7: Drive about 1.75 hours north to Bundaberg, set among sugar cane fields, and tour the Bundaberg Rum distillery or taste ginger beer at the Bundaberg Barrel. Continue about 15 minutes to the beachside town of Bargara and book two nights at a holiday park. Cool off in the Basin, a sheltered rock pool on the Bargara foreshore, and walk the coastal path at sunset.

Day 8: From November to late March, book a ranger-guided Mon Repos Turtle Encounter, a few minutes from Bargara, to watch loggerhead turtles nest or hatchlings head for the sea. Tickets go on sale in September and sell out, so book early. Outside turtle season, take a day trip by boat or plane to Lady Musgrave or Lady Elliot Island on the southern Great Barrier Reef.

Day 9: Allow about two hours to Agnes Water through farmland and bush with few fuel stops, so fill up in Bargara or Bundaberg first. Walk the Paperbark Forest boardwalk, swim between the flags at the main beach, then drive on to the Town of 1770 to watch the sun set over the water from the headland. Book two nights at a holiday park in either town.

Day 10: Join 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 the Bustard Head Lighthouse. From here north you are in box jellyfish waters, with the highest risk from November to May, so swim at patrolled beaches, use stinger nets where provided and wear a lycra suit.

Day 11: Allow about three hours to Rockhampton on the Bruce Highway, stopping at the Tropic of Capricorn marker on the way into town. Continue about 45 minutes to Yeppoon and book two nights near the foreshore, with its swimming lagoon and cafes. You are now in crocodile country, which starts at the Boyne River south of Gladstone, so obey warning signs and keep away from the water's edge.

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-sand beaches, snorkelling and bushwalks. Back on the mainland, drive the coast road to the lookouts at Emu Park. Do a big grocery shop and fill the tank tonight, as tomorrow is the longest drive of the trip.

Day 13: Set off early for the longest day, about 400 km and five and a half hours north on the Bruce Highway, with rest breaks at roadside stops such as Marlborough, Clairview or Sarina. Turn off north of Mackay to Cape Hillsborough National Park, where rainforest-covered headlands meet the sea, and stay at the beachfront holiday park, booked ahead as it is small.

Day 14: Be on the beach at sunrise, when wallabies and kangaroos often forage along the sand, and give them plenty of space. Walk the boardwalk through the mangroves, then drive about two hours north to Airlie Beach. Check in for two nights at a holiday park and confirm tomorrow's Whitsundays cruise, as popular trips book out in winter and school holidays.

Day 15: Join a day cruise to Whitehaven Beach and the Hill Inlet lookout, where the tide swirls white silica sand through turquoise water. Many trips include snorkelling and supply stinger suits in season. Back in town, swim in the free Airlie Beach Lagoon, a netted-off alternative to the sea, then eat out along the main street.

Day 16: Allow about an hour to Bowen for a swim and snorkel at Horseshoe Bay and a photo at the Big Mango. Continue about 2.75 hours to Townsville and book two nights at a holiday park near the city or The Strand. If you would rather finish the trip in Airlie Beach, few campervan brands have a depot there, so check one-way availability before you book.

Day 17: Spend a slow morning on The Strand, Townsville's palm-lined foreshore with a rock pool and water park, then walk up Castle Hill for views over the city and Magnetic Island. Restock and do the laundry in the afternoon. Swim only in the Strand rock pool or a stinger enclosure from November to May, and never in rivers or creeks, which are crocodile habitat.

Day 18: Leave the van at camp and take the passenger ferry from the Breakwater terminal to Magnetic Island, a crossing of about 20 minutes. Walk the Forts Walk to spot koalas in the gums and see Second World War gun emplacements, then swim or snorkel at Alma Bay or Horseshoe Bay. Catch an afternoon ferry back and pack up for the run north tomorrow.

Day 19: Allow about 3.5 hours north via Ingham and Cardwell to Mission Beach, stopping at the Hinchinbrook lookout on the range above the channel. Slow down where signs warn of southern cassowaries crossing the road. Walk a stretch of the long beach facing Dunk Island and stay at a holiday park close to the sand.

Day 20: Head about 45 minutes to Paronella Park at Mena Creek, a 1930s Spanish-style castle set among waterfalls and rainforest. Continue to Josephine Falls at the foot of Bartle Frere, Queensland's highest mountain, for a short rainforest walk, then drive about an hour to Cairns. Stay near the city and stroll the Esplanade and its swimming lagoon.

Day 21: Refuel, empty the waste tanks and return the van to your brand's Cairns depot, leaving time for the inspection before it closes. With a later flight, add a night and book a Great Barrier Reef day trip. Brands such as Britz charge a one-way fee from Brisbane, $200 for pick-ups to 31 March 2027, so check the total in your quote.

Day 1: Collect your van near Brisbane Airport and head south to the Gold Coast, about 1.5 hours. The quickest route from the airport side crosses the tolled Gateway Bridge, so ask your hire company how tolls are billed, and avoid the M1 in the weekday afternoon peak. Stay at a beachfront holiday park at Burleigh Heads or Tallebudgera Creek and walk the headland at sunset.

Day 2: Spend a beach day at Burleigh and Currumbin, with a visit to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary for koalas and lorikeet feeding, or a theme park day if you are travelling with children. Leave the van at camp and use buses or the G:link light rail to reach Surfers Paradise, as high-rise car parks have low height limits.

Day 3: Drive about 45 minutes into the hinterland to Springbrook National Park on narrow, winding roads, taking the bends slowly. Walk the short rainforest circuit to the Natural Bridge, where a waterfall plunges through the roof of a cave, and watch for glow worms if you stay until dusk. Return to the coast and restock before crossing into New South Wales tomorrow.

Day 4: Cross into New South Wales, where clocks go forward an hour from October to early April, as Queensland has no daylight saving. Stop at Kingscliff or Cabarita Beach for a swim, then continue to Byron Bay, about 1.5 hours of driving in total. Book two nights at a holiday park, as sleeping in vehicles on Byron's streets is not allowed and parking is tight.

Day 5: Walk the Cape Byron Walking Track to the lighthouse at mainland Australia's most easterly point, watching for dolphins and, from about June to November, migrating whales. Walk from town or camp rather than driving up, as the lighthouse car park is small and paid. Spend the afternoon at Main Beach or Wategos and the cafes in town.

Day 6: Drive about 20 minutes inland to Bangalow, a village of heritage shopfronts and cafes in the green Byron hinterland. On the way back, stop at The Farm Byron Bay for lunch and a wander through the gardens. Spend a final evening in Byron, refilling water and emptying the tanks at your holiday park before tomorrow's drive south.

Day 7: Drive about 1.75 hours south on the Pacific Motorway to Yamba, at the mouth of the Clarence River. Swim in the ocean rock pool at Main Beach, eat fresh prawns at the harbour and walk up to the lighthouse for sweeping coastal views. Stay at a holiday park in town, and check Live Traffic NSW before you leave tomorrow for roadworks or crashes.

Day 8: Allow about two hours to Coffs Harbour, stopping at the Big Banana on the way into town. Walk the breakwall out to Muttonbird Island Nature Reserve for views over the harbour, a good place to spot whales in season. Book two nights at a holiday park, and buy food and fuel for tomorrow's day trip into the mountains.

Day 9: Drive about an hour via Bellingen and the steep Waterfall Way up to Dorrigo National Park. Walk out on the Skywalk above the rainforest canopy and follow the Wonga Walk to Crystal Shower Falls, where the path passes behind the waterfall. Stop for coffee in Bellingen on the way back down to Coffs Harbour.

Day 10: Drive about two hours south to Port Macquarie, with a lunch stop at Nambucca Heads if time allows. Visit the Koala Hospital, where staff and volunteers care for injured koalas, then walk the coastal path past the painted rocks of the breakwall. Stay at a holiday park near Town Beach or Flynns Beach.

Day 11: Continue about 1.5 hours to Forster on Wallis Lake, known for its oysters and calm water for kayaking and paddleboarding. Walk up to the Cape Hawke lookout for views over the lakes and coast, then swim at Forster Main Beach. Stay at a holiday park in Forster or Tuncurry.

Day 12: Leave Forster on The Lakes Way past Booti Booti National Park, then continue to Nelson Bay in Port Stephens, about 2.5 hours. Join a dolphin watching cruise in the bay or a guided 4WD tour of the Stockton Bight sand dunes, as hire vans are not allowed on the sand. Stay at a holiday park in Nelson Bay or Shoal Bay.

Day 13: Drive about 1.5 hours inland to the Hunter Valley and spend the day at the cellar doors around Pokolbin, with a designated driver or on a local wine tour. Stay at a holiday park among the vineyards or in nearby Cessnock. Check your Sydney depot's address and closing time tonight, ready for tomorrow's return.

Day 14: Allow about 2.5 hours to Sydney, then refuel, empty the tanks and return the van, leaving time for the inspection. Sydney's motorways, including NorthConnex, are tolled, so check how your hire company bills them. Brands such as Britz charge a one-way fee from Brisbane to Sydney, $200 for pick-ups to 31 March 2027, so check the total in your quote.

Day 1: Collect your van and drive about 1.25 hours south to Tamborine Mountain, taking the steep climb onto the plateau slowly. Walk to Curtis Falls through palm-filled rainforest, then browse the shops and cellar doors along Gallery Walk, using the larger roadside car parks. Stay at a holiday park on the mountain and run through the van's water, power and gas before dark.

Day 2: Descend through Canungra and head west about an hour to Boonah, a country town in the farmland of the Scenic Rim. Continue to Lake Moogerah for a swim or paddle with the peaks of Main Range behind, and stay at a lakeside holiday park or campground, booked ahead in school holidays. Watch for wallabies on the back roads at dusk.

Day 3: Climb the Cunningham Highway over Cunninghams Gap in Main Range National Park, a steep road shared with heavy trucks, and stop at the crest for a short rainforest walk to a lookout. Continue to Warwick for lunch, then south on the New England Highway to Stanthorpe. Book three nights at a holiday park, as the Granite Belt sits high and nights get cold.

Day 4: Drive about 30 minutes south to Girraween National Park for granite boulders, balancing rocks and spring wildflowers. Climb the steep granite dome of The Pyramid, or take the easier walk to Granite Arch, and watch for wallabies around the day-use area. Camping here needs a Queensland Parks permit, booked before you arrive, and pets are not allowed in national parks.

Day 5: Spend a slow day tasting cool-climate wines at the cellar doors around Ballandean, with a designated driver, and pick up cheese, apples and other farm gate produce for the road. Nights from about May to August can drop below freezing, so check whether your van has diesel, gas or mains-powered heating, and book a powered site.

Day 6: Drive about two hours north on the New England Highway to Toowoomba, perched on the edge of the Great Dividing Range. Walk through Queens Park and the city's heritage streets, then watch the sunset over the Lockyer Valley from Picnic Point. In September, the Carnival of Flowers fills the gardens, so book a holiday park early.

Day 7: Descend the steep Toowoomba Range on the toll-free Warrego Highway, as the tolled Toowoomba Bypass skips the city and is not needed on this route. Allow about two hours back to the depot, stopping at a Lockyer Valley farm stall on the way. Refuel, empty the tanks and return the van, as some depots ask you to arrive an hour before closing.