Beginners guide to overnight RV stops

When you’re planning a big RV trip in Australia, you’ll discover that you have plenty of transport stages where you need to stop for the night. Towing a van can be more tiring than you’d think too, so you might even find you won’t get as far as you planned during a day’s towing. This is a big country, and getting from home base to some of the iconic destinations is usually going to need several stop-overs.

These days more than ever, you need to plan ahead when travelling with your RV. No longer can you turn up at a camp spot or caravan park at popular locations in peak season and expect to find a site. For the really popular destinations up north during the popular winter months, or anywhere else in summer school holidays, you might find that unless you book 12 months prior, you’ll be flat out of luck.

Basic rest areas

State road authorities have cottoned onto the dangers of driver fatigue, and so have catered for this with many rest stops. You can usually stop overnight at these.

Even if just pulling in for the night at a rest stop, it pays to get in as early in the afternoon as possible if you’re on main holiday destination roads, as you might find the area full of campers by nightfall.

In Queensland you can’t park overnight and sleep anywhere that is not designated as a camp or rest area. Other areas have restrictions too, and for any overnight stops it is a good idea not to set up camp.

Always look for signs that indicate whether you’re allowed to camp or not. If you’re in a popular tourist area, don’t think you’ll be the first to get the idea of camping overnight somewhere you shouldn’t. Obey the signs or risk a fine.

Also be aware of any prevailing COVID-19 restrictions that apply. The rules can change quickly, so keep up to date.

It helps if you take an up-to-date travel guide for RV accommodation that’ll show you what's available in your location.

Here are a list of the main overnight camping options when travelling in Australia...

Rest stops/truck stops

Rest stops and truck stops are designated areas off the road that allow you to park overnight. In Queensland for example, there are 450 rest stops across the state, where you can stop for up to 20 hours.

There are all types of rest areas from fairly obvious road-side lay-bys to those that are a distance down a track away from the road. While some might be in fairly scenic locations, they're not designed to be anything more than an overnight break from long hours of driving.

Often, no fires are allowed and they're not set up for anything more than a 24-hours stop (at the most). Some may have a toilet block and maybe even shower facilities but don’t count on it. You certainly won’t have power or water access direct to your van.

While usually very safe, it pays to lock up overnight and be aware of who else has pulled up for the night nearby. Always read the signs about what and where you can stop at a rest/truck stop. Some will have designated areas for trucks only - so don’t park there, or anywhere you’ll get in the way of a truck driver trying to take a break.

Free camps/bush camps

Communities in many country towns have areas available for free camping, such as the town’s show grounds. If planning ahead, make sure that such areas are not being used for their primary reason - that is, a rural show. Most often you can camp with pets no problem.

Designated free camps can also be found out of town, dotted around in the bush. Free camps can have simply nothing but a space to park off the road, while others have showers and toilets. None will have power available -- for free, anyway, and for those with facilities there might be a small donation requested for their upkeep.

National/state parks and reserves

National or state parks usually offer some great camp spots to stop overnight. Often you need to pre-book and for some pre-pay, but be aware dogs and other pets are usually not allowed in national parks or reserves.

Also, don’t assume you will be able to camp in a 24-foot van in a national park -- check first, as some park areas are very tight, and only set up with small camp sites for tent camping or at best camping with a small camper-trailer.

Holiday parks, or what we used to call caravan parks are the most obvious place to camp overnight, as they mostly cater for RVs. Depending on location, facilities and time of year, they can cost from $10 to $100 a night, or more...

Many are pet-friendly, but some are not, and they usually offer three types of camp sites: unpowered, powered or ensuite. An unpowered site usually means you don't have much except a patch of grass to set up on, but you can use the shared toilet and shower facilities, swimming pool or whatever general facilities the park offers.

A powered site is a step up, where the site has 240volt power nearby where you can plug your van in as well as a tap to fit a hose for town water straight to the van. Some powered sites are extra-large 'drive-through' set-ups for larger RV rigs, and are usually either gravel-dirt, grassed or a concrete slab site, which means you can set up your van knowing it’s going to be level.

An ensuite site is another step up in price and comfort. These sites come with a small bathroom built next to them which you have for your own personal use while using the site.

One thing to remember: if you've booked and expect to arrive late, make sure you can access your site as many park offices close at a certain time and you'll need to organise where to pick up the key or obtain the security code for the entry gate.

Farm and private property stays

Farm or private property stays vary in type and cost from small empty acreage with nothing in it to busy, working rural properties.

Conditions range from shower/toilet and power and water access to access only to an empty paddock to park your rig. The beauty of farm stays is that they are usually pet-friendly and in some cases if you stay another night or so you can work off your accommodation fee or even earn a little money on the property (for example, by fruit-picking).

Top-5 overnight camping tips

There are plenty of overnight RV stay options available if you do the research and come prepared: rest stops, free camps, National Parks, holiday parks and farm stays among them.

Plan ahead and book as far ahead as possible even for overnight stops.

If just turning up, don’t leave it until dusk in peak periods as the rest area might already be full.

Roadside stops tend to be safe but lock up overnight as a precaution; also check out who has parked around you.

Take a travel guide for RV camping with you, it’ll make trying to find a last-minute overnight spot much easier and quicker.

Related:

Australia's favourite camping spots revealed

The rising cost of holiday camping

Should you free camp?