Visiting Melbourne’s bright lights can definitely be done with your caravan or camper in tow. We’ve found the best caravan parks to unhitch the van within an hour of the Melbourne CBD. Keep reading to check them out.
Melbourne Discovery Park
The Melbourne Discovery Park is the perfect caravan park option for those wanting to be as close as possible to Melbourne’s main attractions. You will be just half an hour away from the hustle and bustle of the city, where you can check out the Melbourne Star, aquarium and loads of trendy cafés. We can’t forget some of Australia’s best shopping, including the Queen Victoria Markets. And a bonus for sports fanatics –the MCG and Etihad Stadium are close to this great Melbourne caravan park.
There are all the features you’d expect of a Discovery Park, including an activity room with games, a TV and reading lounge, a camp kitchen, barbecues, a playground, a swimming pool, laundry and a dump point.
Distance from CBD: 11 kilometres / 30 minutes. This is one of the closest caravan parks to the Melbourne CBD.
Getting to the CBD: You can either take State Route 32 or State Route 8 to get to the CBD. With moderate traffic should take around half an hour.
Address: 129 Ashley St, Braybrook Vic 3019.
Big4 Melbourne Holiday Park
If you stay at the Big4 Melbourne Holiday Park, you’ll be in a prime position to explore the city and its surrounds from the comfort of your caravan. It’s only half an hour from the CBD, and even less than that to Melbourne Zoo, which makes for a fun family day out. Or why not enjoy a picnic on the picturesque banks of the Yarra River, where you can also throw a line in from one of the jetties or embark on one of the many trails, either via bike or simply take a stroll.
In typical Big4 fashion, this Melbourne caravan park supplies its guests with premium facilities, including a solar-heated swimming pool and spa, adventure playground and indoor playland, recreation room, modern camp kitchen, laundries with washing machine and dryer, and even a gym. There are plenty of powered, unpowered and ensuite sites to choose from, set among shady trees and manicured gardens.
Distance from CBD: 11 kilometres / 30 minutes. This is one of the closest caravan parks to the Melbourne CBD.
Getting to the CBD: There are a few different ways you can reach the CBD from this park, with the fastest being via Lygon Street. You can also take the M2, which adds roughly five minutes to your journey.
Address: 265 Elizabeth St, Coburg Vic 3058
Five Ways Caravan Park
Situated in Dingley Village, Five Ways Caravan Park offers pet-friendly powered and unpowered sites to pull up the van in Melbourne. You will have access to toilets, showers, a dump point, washing machines and a camp kitchen. Although this Melbourne caravan park isn’t as flashy as some of the other bigger parks around, the service is friendly and accommodating and the park is well-maintained. It’s also in a great location central to shops and restaurants with an easy drive to Melbourne city.
Be sure to explore Dingley Village during your stay. In particular, Braeside Park is worth a visit and it’s only a 10-minute drive from this Melbourne caravan park. Braeside boasts a wonderful natural environment of wetlands, heathlands and red gum woodlands, making it easy to forget that you’re on the outskirts of a major city. As for fun activities, Dingley Village has plenty, including adventure mini-golf and SuperZu, an exciting indoor play park for the kids.
Distance from CBD: 40 kilometres / 45 minutes
Getting to the CBD: Despite the name of this caravan park, there are three ways to get to Melbourne CBD, and each has tolls. The M1 is usually the fastest route.
Address: 597 Lower Dandenong Rd, Dingley Village Vic 3172
Crystal Brook Tourist Park
Crystal Brook Tourist Park is popular with travellers thanks to its peaceful, shady grounds that offer plenty of room to spread out and relax. You will have use of modern facilities at this Melbourne caravan park. This includes a well-equipped camp kitchen, a covered outdoor eating area with free barbecues, and a laundry. There’s plenty to keep the kids occupied too, including a shaded swimming pool, bouncy pillow, adventure playground, and a games room complete with table tennis, arcade games and a big TV.
Located in Doncaster East, the Melbourne caravan park is near plenty of shops, supermarkets, restaurants and cafes. There are plenty of surrounding parks to explore too, including Ruffey Lake Park and Doncaster Reserve. To see a treasure trove of history, visit Schramm’s Cottage Museum, just a 10-minute drive from Crystal Brook Park. Better yet, the park is only 30 minutes from some of Melbourne’s best wineries, less than an hour from the must-see Dandenong Ranges, and just 45 minutes from the CBD.
Distance from CBD: 27 kilometres / 35 minutes
Getting to the CBD: Simply merge onto the M3 in Blackburn North from State Route 13, then take Rathdowne Street/State Route 46 to Elizabeth Street in Melbourne. All up, it shouldn’t take you more than 45 minutes to reach the heart of Melbourne from this caravan park.
Address: 182 Heidelberg-Warrandyte Rd, Doncaster East Vic 3109
Werribee South Caravan Park
Werribee South Caravan Park offers 34 powered sites that can accommodate even the largest motorhomes and caravans. With sites up to 15 metres long, this Melbourne caravan park is a top pick for those with big rigs. It’s less than an hour’s drive from the CBD and you don’t have to leave the pets at home. In addition to the usual facilities, the park also has tennis courts, playgrounds, a barbecue area and laundry. There’s even easy access to one of Melbourne’s best walking trails, the Bay Trail.
When you’re not out exploring the inner-city attractions, why not take a day to see what Werribee South has to offer? Across from this Melbourne caravan park is some great fishing spots that have pier and boat ramp access. If that’s not your thing, there’s also the Werribee Open Range Zoo, where you can experience an African safari-style adventure, or the K Road Cliffs, which boast magnificent views of the Werribee River.
Distance from CBD: 40 kilometres / 45 minutes
Getting to the CBD: Merge onto the M1 from Diggers Road and Duncans Road/C108, take exit 3 from Citylink/M2 and continue on State Route 32.
Address: 39 Beach Rd, Werribee South Vic 3030
Frankston Holiday Park
Stay just 50 minutes from the city at Frankston Holiday Park on one of their pet-friendly concrete or grass sites. This Melbourne caravan park boasts sites large enough to accommodate fifth-wheelers as well. Make use of the park’s amenities block, coin laundry, dump point and undercover barbecue area with sink, table and bench seats. Plus, you can cool off in the outdoor pool during the summer months. The local area has hundreds of parks and reserves, with walking and bike tracks, creeks, bushlands and wetlands.
You will be just 20 minutes from the Mornington Peninsula, with its waterfront restaurants and cafes, beautiful gardens and galleries, and bays that are perfect for sailing, scuba diving, fishing, kayaking and more. Don’t forget to tour the wineries while you’re there. Even if you’re not keen on wine tasting, there are some impressive gardens and country scenes that are sure to impress, or at the very least, offer some great photo opportunities.
Distance from CBD: 50 kilometres / 50 minutes
Getting to the CBD: Get on Mornington Peninsula Freeway/M11 in Seaford, then follow Eastlink/M3 and M1 to Kings Way/State Route 60 in Southbank. Take the Kings Way exit from M1 and continue on State Route 60.
Address: 1325 Frankston – Dandenong Rd, Carrum Downs Vic 3201