Camping in Australia is uncrowded thanks to Hipcamp
Camping in Australia just got a whole lot better thanks to Hipcamp. Say hello to uncrowded camping and goodbye to crowded campsites.
By Jessica Palmer,
November 26, 2021
Say a cheery hello to uncrowded camping in Australia and wave goodbye to sardine campsites where you can hear your neighbour’s bodily functions with thanks to Hipcamp.
I’m all for making friends and having a chat with my neighbours when on the road camping in Australia. To be honest though, I like it a lot better when there is a bit of space between our campsites. I don’t need to know every time my neighbour burps or breaks wind. I definitely don’t need to know that they sound like a congested bear when they sleep. Likewise, I’m sure they get sick of me hissing at the kids to stop wrestling and go to sleep.
This is where Hipcamp comes in. Say hello to plenty of space and say goodbye to crowded camping in Australia.
But what is Hipcamp?
Well, Hipcamp is basically camping on private property in Australia. There are currently over 3212 properties in Australia that offer land up as a campsite through Hipcamp and some of them are quite unique.
Take the farm I stayed at recently near Barcaldine in Outback Queensland. At McBrides Flowing Bore, I was able to fill up a giant yellow tub with hot artesian bore water, thus creating a hot tub under the stars “farm style”. The best part? The campsite can only be booked by one party at a time so we didn’t have to share it with anybody. This is camping in Australia at its best!
Hipcamp originally started out as Youcamp in Australia. Born around a campfire in NSW in 2013, it quickly took off in popularity before merging with Hipcamp in 2020 to offer more functionality, like a mobile phone app for booking.
Private landowners set their own rules which makes it really easy to search for a Hipcamp suited to your own needs and wants. You may wish to search for a great camping spot in Australia that allows pets, light a campfire, escape crowds or make a lot of noise. You may be completely self-sufficient, or you may appreciate a property that has a toilet and shower. Either way, the properties are varied and you’re sure to find one that suits you.
Sounds great .. How do I book?
Download the Hipcamp App (available on Apple and Android) or head on over to the Hipcamp website and create an account. Search a location for camping in Australia and refine the results even further if you wish. Make sure to read the property description and reviews and check out the photos to make an informed decision. Once you have found the perfect site, select the number of adults and children and your travel dates.
Some hosts allow instant bookings but others require that you send a request first. Any booking requests must be accepted or declined by the property owner within 24 hours and you won’t be charged until the booking is confirmed.
Any campsite suggestions for camping in Australia?
Yep, I sure do. Check out these great Hipcamps to start with!
Sarabah Camping in Queensland
Sarabah is located in the foothills of the Lamington National Park along the upper reaches of Canungra Creek. This 300-acre working cattle property features creekside camping with six different campsites to choose from.
Bunya Red Farm camping in Queensland
Bunya Red Farm can be found near Kingaroy, offering awesome views over the Bunya Mountains and farming land by day and a sky full of stars at night. Join farmers Allen and Mandy for a stroll around the farm, enjoy the massive communal fire pit area and feed the Alpacas in the evening. The farm grows capers, peanuts and corn crops.
Bolinda Vale Farm camping in Western Australia
Located in the foothills of the Darling Range in Keysbrook, Bolinda Vale is a family-run beef & sheep farm that has been in the same family since 1926. Campsites are offered on the banks of the Dirk Brook and on top of the hills.
Kick Back & Relax camping in the Northern Territory
The Kick Back & Relax camp offers a beachfront bush block at Dundee Beach. They only hire out the site to one van or travelling group at any one time so you’ve got the spot all to yourself!
Kiah Wilderness Camp in New South Wales
Kiah Wilderness Camp offers secluded sites on the Towamba River, around 10 minutes south of Eden on the Sapphire Coast. All of the campsites are close to the river, which you can swim in, kayak or fish for flathead and bream.
Hipcamp charges the camper 18.5% booking fee on all bookings, plus GST. That comes out at 19.8%, so let’s just call it 20%. You won’t see that fee until you get to the checkout stage (US consumers may be used to that, Australians – not so much). In addition, Hipcamp charges the landowner a booking fee of 10%. So a $50 camp is actually a $59.90 Hipcamp keep 24.8% of the total. In return Hipcamp provide a payment (3%) and booking service and some insurance for the landowner. I personally think the service fees are excessive and, like other 3rd-party services (e.g. Menulog, Expedia) are ripping off the providers and punters. It’s probably OK for city people who are desperate to escape the rat race for a couple on nights and willing to pay through the nose for the pleasure, but it’s a bit un-Australian in my opinion. Just another multi-national company (in this case California-based) fleecing the battlers.