There’s nothing better than rolling up to a campsite and realising you’re the only ones there. If you haven’t experienced that sense of freedom and serenity that comes with off-grid and free camping, think having the river, beach, or bush all to yourself, then you’re in for a treat.
Free camps are a brilliant resource for travellers all around Australia and a fantastic way to hit the road on a budget. They come in all shapes and sizes, from designated national park campgrounds to carparks you’re allowed to sleep at overnight and little pockets of natural wilderness. Combined with proper off-grid preparation, free camping can be one of the best experiences you’ll have on the road.
With a bit of knowledge and preparation before you go, you’ll have the confidence you need to camp remotely. This guide covers everything from finding free camps and understanding the rules, to preparing your setup for extended off-grid stays. Let’s get into it.
Free camping at Notch Point. Image: Eva Davis-Boermans
Understanding free and off-grid camping
Before we get too far into this, it’s worth clarifying what we mean. Free camping generally refers to camping spots where you don’t pay fees, whether that’s official rest areas, national parks with free zones, or unofficial spots. Off-grid camping means camping without access to mains power, water, or facilities, relying entirely on what you bring with you.
Often these overlap, you’re free camping and off-grid simultaneously, but not always. Some free camps have water and toilets, and some paid campgrounds are entirely off-grid. This guide covers both aspects because mastering them together opens up the best camping Australia has to offer.
Planning your free camping adventure
With off-grid and free camping, seclusion is a reality, so before you head off into the wild, do your research. My off-grid camping experiences started more than 25 years ago, from travelling through the Northern Territory with kids to camping next to gorges in Central Australia. It’s fair to say I’ve learnt a lot about going off the map.
Where to find free camps in Australia
Free camps exist across Australia, but finding them requires some research. The best resources are specialist apps like WikiCamps or apps and books by Camps Australia Wide. These crowd-sourced apps show thousands of free and low-cost camping spots with user reviews, photos, and up-to-date information about facilities and restrictions.
National parks often have designated free camping areas, though permits may be required. Local councils increasingly create and manage campgrounds for very low daily fees with basic facilities. These are excellent options for testing your off-grid setup before heading to more remote locations.
Off-grid camping at Lasseter Highway rest stop, Northern Territory. Image: Glenys Gelzinis
Understanding state-by-state regulations
Free camping regulations vary significantly across Australia. Some states are more permissive than others, and popular tourist areas often have stricter rules. In places like Byron Bay and Broome, free camping is completely banned within a certain radius of the town centre. These regulations exist because previous campers took advantage of free spots, leaving rubbish and causing problems.
Always check local signage and regulations before setting up. What’s allowed in one region might be prohibited in another. When in doubt, ask at the local information centre or council office. They’ll know current restrictions and can often suggest legal alternatives nearby.
Essential preparation for off-grid camping
Off-grid doesn’t have to mean leaving all creature comforts behind, but without access to power and water, you need to think about how to do things differently. Here’s what you need to sort before leaving home.
Power solutions for extended stays
Reliable power is fundamental to comfortable off-grid camping. We have a solar panel on our van and dual batteries to store the energy produced. This powers 12-volt lights in the van, and we haven’t had the need for a generator yet. If you only intend to use a generator for short periods, quieter generators that don’t disturb the peace are available.
Solar panels are the most popular solution for extended off-grid stays. A 200-300 watt solar setup with a quality MPPT controller can keep batteries topped up for lighting, water pumps, and running a 12V fridge. For larger power needs like air conditioning or microwaves, you’ll need either a bigger solar array or a generator.
Slimline lithium batteries from Renogy have become increasingly popular, offering a quiet alternative to generators with the ability to recharge via solar, vehicle, or mains power when available.
Water management and storage
Saving water is imperative for a long stay. We buy boxes of water for drinking and cooking so that water carried can be used for dishwashing and short showers. Before leaving home, make sure your gas bottles are full, water tanks are full in your vehicle, and pack spare water containers to top up if needed.
Water tank setup at Pildappa Rock, Eyre Peninsula. Image: Glenys Gelzinis
There can be opportunities to get water on the road, but it pays to be prepared and not assume this. Some local town ovals are happy for people to use the water available there, and you can enquire with a town’s information centre or local council for other places where this is possible.
Calculate your water needs realistically. A family of four typically uses 80-120 litres per day for cooking, washing, and short showers. Carry more than you think you’ll need, especially for remote locations.
Cooking setups for off-grid use
For cooking, a kettle barbecue and a butane stove can enable you to cook everything from breakfasts through to desserts, all outdoors. When the weather’s unpleasant, we opt for the gas oven in the caravan. To make cooking easier, I recommend creating a folder or book of recipes for quick, easy, and cheap camp meals. Having a few staple items in a pantry cupboard or crate will also make meal preparation easy.
Off-grid camp kitchen at Louth Bay campground, Eyre Peninsula. Image: Glenys Gelzinis
When it comes to coffee (and let’s be honest, this is important), we love brewing with a travel press mug. No electricity required, and it makes excellent coffee.
Ablutions and toilet solutions
Ablutions are always an important consideration, and that’s the reason our caravan has an onboard toilet and shower, which makes off-grid camping very comfortable. These days, there are many camping areas fitted with basic toilets and cold showers. We’ve found that more local councils are creating and managing campgrounds, and for a very low daily fee, you have use of toilet facilities as well as rubbish bins.
Basic bush toilets at Barkers Rocks, Yorke Peninsula. Image: Glenys Gelzinis
National Parks are another great source of well-managed campgrounds. Other options are to bring a portaloo and a shower tent with a portable shower setup. Look for the closest dump point to where you’ll be camping so you know where you can empty the toilet canister as needed.
Temperature control solutions
One of the trickiest parts of camping without power can be keeping cool or warm. Thankfully, these days you can get terrific free-standing 12-volt and battery-powered fans that can help in the heat. Our choice of heating is diesel in the caravan, which is quiet, efficient, and a safe means of keeping warm. Otherwise, don’t forget the thermals and blankets.
Final checks before leaving home
Before leaving home, make sure your gas bottles are full, take battery-powered lamps with new batteries, and let family members know your rough itinerary for safety. Have water tanks full and pack spare containers. When we’re sitting outdoors at night, we use battery-powered lanterns, and a campfire helps when it’s not fire ban season in Australia. Have a couple of torches handy just in case.
Evening campfire at Stenhouse Bay campground, Yorke Peninsula. Image: Glenys Gelzinis
Rules and regulations for free camping
They might be free, but free camps aren’t a free-for-all. In fact, free camps often have fairly strict rules, so it’s good to check them in advance. Understanding and following these rules keeps free camps open, clean, and safe for all campers.
Following official campground rules
Some free camps require you to be fully self-contained with your own toilet. Others have a strict time limit, often 24, 48, or 72 hours. Many have strict rules around fires and dogs. If you camp in unofficial spots like carparks, back streets, or in the bush, check all signage and regulations around overnight sleeping carefully.
Self-contained certification is increasingly required at free camps. This means your vehicle must have an onboard toilet, grey water storage, and fresh water tanks. Some councils issue self-contained stickers after inspecting your setup. If you’re not self-contained, your free camping options will be more limited.
Guidelines for unofficial free camps
If you’re lucky enough to find an unofficial free camp (bush clearing, beach, or park with no regulations on overnight parking), it’s important to have respect for people who live nearby and the natural surroundings. This means only taking up a single carpark, not hanging your washing off public fences or trees, only staying as long as you need to, not encroaching on people’s homes or yards, and not bringing 20 of your mates to the same spot for a party.
Don’t leave rubbish everywhere or be loud into the night. When people are disrespectful or take advantage of these spaces, overnight sleeping can be explicitly banned, ruining it for everyone else.
Free camping etiquette
Regardless of where you end up sleeping, there are unwritten guidelines we should all follow. These help keep free camps open, clean, and safe for all campers.
Respectful free camping at Coles Point. Image: Eva Davis-Boermans
Spatial awareness and consideration
Free camps are often undesignated, meaning there are no marked-out sites; you just park wherever you want. But this doesn’t mean you should spread out across the whole campground or take up multiple sites if you don’t need to. Be mindful of the space you take up and where you park.
If you need to get up early to hit the road, pick a spot near the exit so your engine doesn’t wake everyone at the crack of dawn. Or if you think you and your friends will be up late chatting, park further away from caravans or families who might want to go to bed early. Definitely don’t block off any entry or exits to the campground or other campsites. The campground is for everyone, so be mindful of others’ space.
Managing expectations
Every now and then, you’ll encounter a dreamy free camp with the perfect location, beautiful facilities, and a great vibe. But that isn’t always the case, and you can’t expect it to be perfect. After all, you’re getting to stay for free. The ground might be slopey, the toilets a little smelly, or it might be crowded, but that’s just part of the free camping experience sometimes.
You’ll get the best out of your camp if you spend less time fussing about it not being perfect. Take a step back and appreciate it for what it is: a low-cost way to get yourself out into nature and back to basics. Plus, maybe you’ll have a funny story to tell at the end of it.
Being friendly and building community
I’ve stayed in hundreds of free camps and met some fantastic people from all walks of life. It really pays to put judgement and prejudice aside, be open to meeting fellow travellers, and learn about other people, cultures, and ways of life. You never know, you may just make some amazing friends.
We’ve found that people who love off-grid and free camping are typically like-minded and happily give each other space and respect boundaries. Listen to word of mouth from people you trust who have camped off-grid, but also explore for yourself. Sometimes people’s impressions can differ from your own depending on the experiences they had at the time.
Leave No Trace principles
Free camps are not always regulated, but it’s important to always live by the seven principles of Leave No Trace. This includes not feeding wildlife or leaving rubbish behind when you go. When you leave a campground, it should be in as good or even better condition than when you arrived.
Leave No Trace camping in outback NSW. Image: Eva Davis-Boermans
If you can, contribute donations to help keep free camps open, safe, and clean. Many free camps are run on charity by communities, and every little bit helps ensure these fantastic resources remain available for future travellers.
Assessing campsites and staying safe
When it comes to camping in off-grid locations, it’s important to scout out your surroundings. Some people can feel uncertain about the isolation, but by checking out your immediate vicinity, you’ll soon be able to tell if it’s right for you.
Evaluating potential campsites
If there seems to be a lot of rubbish, broken glass, or other signs of neglect and misuse, or if your gut instinct makes you feel uncomfortable, the simple thing is to move on. Trust your instincts. If something feels off about a location, it probably is. There’s no shame in driving another hour to find somewhere that feels right.
Look for level ground that won’t flood if it rains. Check for widow-makers (dead branches overhead that could fall). Consider wind direction and sun exposure. Think about access, can you get out easily if you need to leave quickly? These practical considerations contribute to both comfort and safety.
Well-chosen campsite at Barkers Rocks, Yorke Peninsula. Image: Glenys Gelzinis
Safety and communication planning
Before leaving home, let family members know your rough itinerary. This isn’t being paranoid; it’s being sensible. If something goes wrong and you don’t check in as expected, someone knows roughly where to start looking.
Consider investing in a satellite communicator like a Garmin inReach or SPOT device for truly remote locations. These allow you to send messages and call for help even without mobile coverage. For around $400-600 plus subscription, they provide valuable peace of mind when you’re days from the nearest town.
Getting started with free and off-grid camping
When it comes to off-grid and free camping, the biggest tip I can give is simply to give it a go. You’ll never know if you don’t try it, and if nothing else, you can learn from the experience and improve with each future trip. Start by planning just a couple of days at first, and then you’ll be on your way.
Begin close to home with a one or two-night free camping trip. This lets you test your setup, identify what you’re missing, and gain confidence without committing to a week-long adventure. Choose a location with facilities initially, then progress to more remote spots as your experience and setup improve.
Don’t wait until your setup is perfect before starting. You’ll learn more from one night of actual camping than weeks of research and planning. Test your solar system, see how long your water lasts, figure out your cooking routine. Each trip teaches you something that improves the next one.
Free and off-grid camping opens up Australia in ways paid campgrounds simply can’t match. The freedom to stop where you want, the quiet of truly remote locations, and the satisfaction of being self-sufficient are experiences worth pursuing. With proper preparation, respect for the environment and other campers, and a willingness to learn as you go, you’ll discover why so many Australians consider free and off-grid camping the ultimate way to explore our incredible country.
So get your gear sorted, plan that first trip, and embrace the adventure. The best campsites in Australia are waiting, and they don’t cost a cent.
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