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Camping in 131 of Parks Victoria’s paid campgrounds will be free of charge between 1 December 2024 and 30 June 2025
Licensed Tour Operators and Schools please act swiftly to avoid missing out on campsites
The following information is provided by Parks Victoria.
Key messages
- Camping in 131 of Parks Victoria’s paid campgrounds will be free of charge between 1 December 2024 and 30 June 2025.
- Bookings are still essential at bookable campgrounds, even though there is no charge.
- Existing bookings for the summer and up to 30 June 2025 will be honoured and refunded. Free camping at designated areas in other parks, reserves and state forests will continue.
- Fees will continue to apply for roofed accommodation like huts and cabins at Wilsons Promontory, the unique pre-pitched Discovery Tents at Point Nepean National Park, and remote hike-in campgrounds along the Grampians Peaks Trail.
- With over 15,300 impacted bookings and a number of changes required to the online booking system to introduce this initiative, it will take some time to update our online visitor information and booking system. We ask for your patience during this time.
- A maximum of two campsites per campground can be booked in a single transaction during this time (excluding approved education and Licenced Tour Operator activities). This ensures more people can access a free camping adventure in nature.
- Visit parks.vic.gov.au for more information and subscribe to our Outdoor Inspiration e-newsletter to receive all future camping updates.
Secondary messages
- Free camping will ensure campgrounds remain accessible and affordable for families and bring more tourism to regional areas.
- Camping and recreation contributes more than $2.1 billion a year to the Victorian economy and supports 20,000 jobs, the majority in regional communities.
- Camping will be free for this time, thanks to a $9 million commitment from the Victorian Government.
Q. Why are campgrounds along the Grampians Peaks Trail not free?
A. The Grampians Peaks Trail is a unique 164km long-distance hiking experience with 11 hike-in campgrounds. Many of these hike-in campgrounds have a very good level of amenity and are located in remote areas; so remote they require regular helicopter lifts to maintain toilet facilities and fill-up water tanks. As such, the cost to maintain this unique hiking trail is significantly higher.
Q. Do I still have to book if it’s free?
A. Yes, if it is a bookable campground, it is crucial you make a booking. Even though it is free, you cannot just show up without a booking. For campgrounds where no booking is required (also called ‘free’ or ‘dispersed’ camping) no booking is required.
Q. How many sites can people book?
A. A maximum of two campsites per campground can be booked in a single transaction during this time (excluding approved education and Licenced Tour Operator activities). This ensures more people can access a free camping adventure in nature.
Q. Why are cabins/roofed accommodation not free?
A. Cabins and roofed accommodation offer a different experience to camping with a higher level of facilities for people and groups who want to pay for this type of accommodation. This announcement is about giving Victorians the opportunity to book a campsite at some of Victoria’s most special places for free.
Q. Can Parks Victoria’s booking system cope with this?
A. Yes, the booking system has undergone significant testing over the last 18 months and we’ve recently completed a number of camping booking releases with over 57,700 night’s booked.
Q. How much does it normally cost to camp at paid camping sites?
A. Because there are different service levels (eg, power, flush toilets, warm showers) prices vary widely.
Since 2019 the Victoria Government has provided funding to Parks Victoria to provide half price camping. Through this initiative, the cheapest paid campsite currently is at Mount Arapiles-Tooan State Park (Dyurrite), which is $3 a night. The most expensive and most popular is Tidal River, at $40.70 a night.
Q. How many Parks Victoria campsites are free and how many are paid?
A. Parks Victoria has 131 paid campgrounds that can be booked and have a camping fee. These include the most popular campgrounds in the state, like Tidal River at Wilsons Promontory and Banksia Bluff Campground at Cape Conran Coastal Park.
All other camping in designated camping areas on Parks Victoria land is free.
Because there are so many different free campgrounds and camping areas across Victoria, managed by multiple entities (state and local government and private providers) it is not possible to give a precise figure but there are more than 1000 different places people can camp for free.
Q. Does this mean Parks Victoria has less funding to maintain parks?
A. No, this change does not affect Parks Victoria’s funding. This is a government initiative and Parks Victoria will be reimbursed for the cost of this initiative with additional funds made available to support operational delivery.
Q. When I go to book camping on your website now, I am still being charged? Why?
A. Following the recent announcement of free camping we are working to update our system to remove camping fees, where applicable. Until that time, if you want to book and reserve your campsite you will be charged and receive a refund later, like other people who have already made a booking. We will contact you in the coming weeks when your refund is ready to be processed.
Alternatively, you can wait until the booking system is updated to remove camping fees, where applicable and then make a booking without being charged.
Stay updated for timing on that by subscribing to the ‘Outdoor Inspiration’ e-newsletter or following Parks Victoria on social media.
Q. Now that camping is free from December to June, how long can I stay?
A. The minimum and maximum stay for campground bookings remains the same following this announcement. They vary by campground and time of year, so more people have a chance to enjoy time in nature. More specific information can be found in the FAQs at https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/where-to-stay/booking-information
Q. How will you stop people taking advantage of this and making mass bookings or on-selling the campsites?
A. Bookings are limited to a maximum of two campsites per campground in a single transaction during this time (excluding approved education and Licenced Tour Operator activities). Under the booking Terms and Conditions, bookings cannot be transferred to other people. Rangers will patrol campgrounds to check campers have a valid booking.
