Is farm camping a good option?

Paying to camp on private land is a relatively new thing in Australia. Until a few years ago you had to know some-one before they'd let you camp on their farm or rural property, or in their back garden.

But now it's easy, with Airbnb-style smartphone apps like Hipcamp that allow you to choose from thousands of private properties around Australia, book and pay online with just a few 'clicks'.

But is camping on a private property better (or worse) than pitching up in a manicured caravan park, booking a site at a state or national park campground, or pulling over for the night at a free camp?

We've tried a few 'Hipcamps' over the years, so here are our experiences, good and bad...

Upsides

First up, we've had mostly positive experiences at private stays booked through the mobile phone app Youcamp (now Hipcamp).

These have included camping on sprawling paddocks surrounded by bushland just outside Melbourne; a large backyard next to a dam and house in rural Victoria; and a hobby farm 'bush' camp in the Adelaide Hills.

There are plenty of Hipcamp options depending on your budget and tastes - mountains, lakes, rivers, beaches, wineries, beach camps, etc. You can BYO tent, camper or caravan, or some places offer glamping experiences including self-contained cabins and safari tents.

Camping amenities vary, from virtually nothing but a flat section of grass so you need to come prepared with porta potti, water, cooking appliances, fridge or cooler, etc. In some cases you can use the host's bathroom, or basic camping essentials like rainwater or on-site toilets are provided.

A common theme is a fireplace; the one we recently stayed at in the Adelaide Hills had an old pot belly stove set-up, with supplied chopped firewood that delivered roaring heat on the cold morning starts.

Most listings tell you everything you need to know before you get there, so there shouldn't be too many surprises, or you can ask the host questions via the app or read some of the posted reviews.

Hosts tend to be on the gregarious side; which is great if you're travelling solo and want some conversation or company other than the dog. On the other hand you might feel trapped by an owner keen to socialise at all hours with their 'new friends'!

However, you can generally 'pester' hosts for local or tour guide information, with a mobile phone number sometimes provided. One of our hosts went beyond the call of duty and delivered some after-hours first aid treatment when our dog suffered a nasty insect bite.

Property stays can also offer up new experiences; many are on hobby farms with a range of different animals and farming practices, and with hosts more than willing to share their passion via a personalized tour.

On the other hand if you're looking for some camping serenity, you could end up with the place to yourself, or at least in a secluded location on what is often a large acreage; far from other noisy campers or nearby residents.

For those worried about safety, you can also enjoy the remoteness of a 'free camp' experience but with the security of being behind locked gates and the property owner not too far away if needed.

Downsides

Despite many offering basic 'backyard' camping experiences, it's not necessarily dirt-cheap with overnight stays generally costing from around $20 to $50 a night or more, although that often includes multiple guests so it could end up quite affordable with a large group.

Our most recent stay on a hobby farm in South Australia cost $30 a night, with supplied firewood an additional $10, although the bushy campground was well equipped with a flush toilet, water, and it came with a 'welcome pack' of homegrown veggies.

While many advertise sufficient space for larger RVs like caravans and motorhomes, access to your site is not always as simple as getting in to a purpose-built campground or caravan park, particularly if it's been raining with slippery, muddy paddocks to contend with, along with narrow entrances or pathways and overhanging branches.

Unlike a caravan park, there's not always some-one on site to assist either, as the camping is run as a side-business. On other occasions we've been unable to book a stay because the owner is away, while one of our favourite 'farm stays' close to Melbourne is no longer taking campers, focusing on horse agistment instead.

Another potential downside (although this is a common camping and caravan park issue) is you can sometimes be too close to the action. We've been woken up early by roosters and tractors, had our campsite littered with rabbit droppings, and been under constant ground-attack after discovering our campsite was next to a bull-ant nest!

Verdict

It's fair to say the positives have far outweighed any negatives experienced during these 'shared' camping experiences.

With more and more RV travellers and campers hitting the road and trying to cram into overcrowded campsites, particularly at peak times, and caravan park fees rising, pitching up in some-one's 'backyard' could prove a small price to pay for some camping nirvana...

Related: Thumbs up to new Queensland farm stay