Melbourne Campervan & Motorhome Hire

Day 1: Collect your van from a depot near the airport, stock up at a big supermarket and skip the CBD on your first drive. Head south-east about two hours to Phillip Island and book two nights at a holiday park in Cowes. In the evening, watch the Penguin Parade at Summerland Beach, where little penguins come ashore at dusk, booking tickets ahead.

Day 2: Walk the Nobbies boardwalk for blowholes and views towards Seal Rocks, then visit the Koala Conservation Reserve. Spend the afternoon on Woolamai Beach or walk the Cape Woolamai circuit. Fill the water tank and empty the cassette before you leave, as tomorrow you head to Wilsons Promontory, where there is no fuel at Tidal River.

Day 3: Drive about 2.5 hours to Wilsons Promontory, filling up at Foster or Yanakie on the way. Book two nights at the Tidal River campground well ahead, as the Prom limits vehicle numbers on busy summer days. Tidal River is 30 minutes past the park entrance. Walk to Squeaky Beach, where the round quartz grains squeak underfoot.

Day 4: Walk up Mount Oberon for views over Tidal River and the offshore islands, or take the shorter track along Whisky Creek to Whisky Bay. Swim at Norman Beach, a few minutes' walk from camp. Parks Victoria asks visitors to avoid driving between dusk and dawn, when kangaroos, wombats and emus are out on the park road.

Day 5: Allow about four hours for the drive to Paynesville on the Gippsland Lakes, with a break in Sale, where the Port of Sale has cafes beside the old canal basin. Check in for two nights at a Paynesville holiday park and walk the foreshore at sunset. The lakes are a large network of inland waterways behind the dunes of Ninety Mile Beach.

Day 6: Leave the van at camp and walk onto the short ferry to Raymond Island, then follow the Koala Trail, where koalas are often seen in the gum trees. In the afternoon, hire a kayak or small boat on the lakes. Bairnsdale, about 20 minutes away, is a good place to restock, refuel and do the laundry before you head further east.

Day 7: Drive about 45 minutes to Lakes Entrance, where the lakes meet the sea through a man-made channel. Cross the footbridge to the ocean side for a walk along Ninety Mile Beach, then try fresh seafood from the local fishing fleet. Book two nights at a holiday park in town, as Lakes Entrance fills up in the summer school holidays.

Day 8: Drive about an hour inland to Buchan Caves Reserve and join a guided tour of the Royal or Fairy Cave, $27.30 per adult in 2026-27. Picnic by the river, where kangaroos often graze the lawns, then return to Lakes Entrance. If you would rather stay, the reserve's campground has powered sites from $31.80 a night, booked through Parks Victoria.

Day 9: Follow the Princes Highway east through Orbost and turn off to Marlo, where the Snowy River meets the sea, about an hour from Lakes Entrance. Continue to Cape Conran Coastal Park for rock pools and quiet beaches, and camp at Banksia Bluff, booked ahead through Parks Victoria, with sites from $22.20 a night.

Day 10: Drive about two hours to Mallacoota, a quiet inlet town surrounded by Croajingolong National Park. Stay at the large foreshore holiday park, walk the shoreline track around the inlet and look for sea eagles over the water. Many roads into the national park are gravel, so explore by boat or on foot rather than in the van.

Day 11: Cross into New South Wales and drive just over an hour to Eden on Twofold Bay. Visit the Eden Killer Whale Museum, which tells the story of the orcas that once worked with local whalers, and book two nights at a holiday park nearby. From about September to November, watch for humpback whales from the headlands as they head south.

Day 12: Explore Ben Boyd National Park south of town, keeping to sealed roads in a 2WD van, or join a whale-watching cruise from Eden's wharf in season. In the afternoon, drive north to Pambula for oysters from Pambula Lake, then on to Merimbula, about 30 minutes from Eden, to restock and do the laundry before the next leg.

Day 13: Drive north from Merimbula to Tathra, where an old timber wharf juts out into the sea, and continue to Bermagui, about 1.25 hours of driving in all. Book two nights near the harbour and watch the fishing boats come in. Before sunset, find the Blue Pool, a sea pool built into the rocks at the base of the cliffs north of town.

Day 14: Spend a slow day around Bermagui, with a swim at the Blue Pool and a walk on the coastal tracks of Mimosa Rocks National Park to the south. Pick up fish and chips from the harbour. Many short roads into the coastal parks here are gravel, so check your hire terms first or walk in from the sealed car parks.

Day 15: Stop at Central Tilba, a heritage village below Gulaga (Mount Dromedary) known for its cheese and old shopfronts, then drive on to Narooma, about 30 minutes from Bermagui. Book two nights at a holiday park on the inlet. In the late afternoon, walk the breakwall to Australia Rock, where fur seals often rest on the rocks.

Day 16: Join a boat tour to Montague Island (Barunguba) to see fur seals and, in season, whales, booking ahead with the tour operator. Otherwise, paddle the Wagonga Inlet or walk the Mill Bay boardwalk, where rays glide below in the clear water. Refill the water tank and empty the tanks, ready for the drive north tomorrow.

Day 17: Drive about an hour to Batemans Bay and stop for a walk on the Clyde River foreshore, then continue to Jervis Bay, about 1.5 hours further. Book two nights at a holiday park in Huskisson or Vincentia. The bay's beaches, such as Hyams Beach, are known for their very white sand, so arrive early in summer, as parking for big vans is tight.

Day 18: Spend the day in Booderee National Park at the southern end of the bay, buying a vehicle pass online before you go. Swim at Green Patch or Murrays Beach and walk out to the clifftop lookouts. Back in Huskisson, join a dolphin-watching cruise, as bottlenose dolphins live in the bay all year.

Day 19: Drive about an hour north to Kiama and watch the Kiama Blowhole send spray into the air when the swell is up. Walk part of the Kiama Coast Walk, then stay at a holiday park by the beach. Saddleback Mountain Lookout, a short drive inland, gives wide views over the Illawarra coast.

Day 20: Follow the Grand Pacific Drive north via Wollongong and across the Sea Cliff Bridge, which curves out over the ocean below the escarpment. Stop at Stanwell Tops for the view, then either drive through Royal National Park, which charges a vehicle entry fee, or take the faster motorway. Stay the night at a holiday park within easy reach of your depot.

Day 21: Refuel near your Sydney depot and empty the toilet cassette and grey water before you return the van. Allow time for the handover, as some depots ask you to arrive at least an hour before closing. This is a one-way hire, so check one-way availability and fees with your rental brand before you book.

Day 1: Collect your van, stock up on groceries and head south-west to Geelong, about an hour from the city, then on to Torquay, the gateway to the Great Ocean Road. Watch the surfers at Bells Beach, home of a long-running Easter surf contest, and book a night at a Torquay holiday park. Use the evening to learn your van's water, gas and power.

Day 2: Follow the coast through Anglesea to 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 at a holiday park 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 for the night, 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, about 40 minutes from Apollo Bay. Watch for koalas in the trees along the road and visit the historic Cape Otway Lightstation. Continue about 1.5 hours to Port Campbell and book two nights at its holiday park.

Day 5: See the Twelve Apostles early, before the tour buses, 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, then come back for sunset. 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. Visit Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, and from about June to September, check the viewing platform at Logans Beach for southern right whales and their calves. Stay the night at a Warrnambool holiday park.

Day 7: Visit Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve, set inside an extinct volcano, where emus and koalas are often seen from the walking tracks. Continue to Port Fairy, about 30 minutes from Warrnambool, and walk the loop around Griffiths Island to its lighthouse. Stay at a Port Fairy holiday park, and refuel and restock before you head inland.

Day 8: Drive north about two hours 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 any track or road closures.

Day 9: 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 10: Head east towards Ballarat, about two hours, stopping at Great Western, a small wine village known for sparkling wine and underground cellars. Choose a designated driver if you plan to taste. In Ballarat, admire the grand gold rush buildings along Lydiard and Sturt streets, and book two nights at a holiday park.

Day 11: Spend the day at Sovereign Hill, an outdoor museum that recreates 1850s gold rush Ballarat, where you can pan for gold and watch a gold pour. Visit the Gold Museum across the road, then relax by Lake Wendouree in the late afternoon. Restock in Ballarat before the short drive to spa country tomorrow.

Day 12: Drive about 45 minutes to Daylesford, the centre of Victoria's spa country, and book two nights at a local holiday park. Wander the cafes and galleries on Vincent Street and walk around Lake Daylesford. Book a bathhouse session at Hepburn Springs, where mineral springs have drawn visitors since the 1800s.

Day 13: Fill a bottle at one of the pumps in the Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve, then browse the Sunday market at the old railway station if your dates line up. Drive the back roads through the Wombat State Forest or visit a local cellar door with a designated driver. Get back to camp before dark, as kangaroos feed beside these roads at dusk.

Day 14: Drive about an hour east to Hanging Rock, the volcanic formation made famous by Picnic at Hanging Rock, and climb the short, steep summit track. Continue about an hour to Melbourne, refuel near your depot and empty the tanks. Aim to return early, as some depots ask you to arrive at least an hour before closing.

Day 1: Collect your van and drive about an hour east to the Dandenong Ranges, stopping in Olinda or Sassafras for tea among the tall mountain ash forest. Catch Puffing Billy, the restored steam train, near Belgrave, booking ahead if you want to ride. Continue to the Yarra Valley and stay two nights at a holiday park in Healesville.

Day 2: Visit Healesville Sanctuary to see platypus, koalas and other native animals, then spend the afternoon at the Yarra Valley's cellar doors with a designated driver, or leave the van at camp and join a local tour. Pick up cheese or chocolate along the way, and stop at a farm gate for fresh fruit in season.

Day 3: Drive about 1.5 hours south to the Mornington Peninsula and book three nights at a holiday park around Rosebud, Rye or Sorrento. Stop at Arthurs Seat for the view across Port Phillip Bay, taking the winding road slowly in a big van, or ride the gondola up from the bay. Spend the evening on a calm bay beach.

Day 4: Soak in the thermal pools at Peninsula Hot Springs near Fingal, booking a time slot ahead. In the afternoon, walk the boardwalk to Cape Schanck Lighthouse, where basalt cliffs drop into Bass Strait, or explore the cellar doors and berry farms around Red Hill and Main Ridge with a designated driver.

Day 5: Explore Point Nepean National Park at the tip of the peninsula, walking or cycling out to the old forts that once guarded the entrance to the bay. Swim at Sorrento's front beach, as the ocean back beaches can have dangerous surf. Book the Searoad ferry for tomorrow, giving your van's full height and length, including any roof fittings or bike racks.

Day 6: Take the Searoad car ferry from Sorrento to Queenscliff, about 40 minutes across the mouth of Port Phillip Bay, checking in at least 40 minutes before departure. Wander Queenscliff's heritage streets and Fort Queenscliff, then visit the beaches around Point Lonsdale. Stay at a holiday park on the Bellarine Peninsula.

Day 7: Drive about 30 minutes to Geelong and walk the waterfront past the painted bollards. Continue about an hour to Melbourne, refuel near your depot and empty the toilet cassette and grey water. Return the van early, as some depots ask you to arrive at least an hour before closing time, and the thl branch closes at 3:30pm.