If you’ve been following us for a while, you’ll know we’re on a mission to explore the best camp sites in Australia. We’ve got a mega post of Camp Sites in Western Australia, and one that we’ve just finished for Camp Sites in South Australia, and now we’re onto our third state, and this is going to become a huge post covering all of the amazing Camp Sites in Victoria that we find.
If we stay at anything that really isn’t worth reviewing then it doesn’t make the list here, but in general this will cover a massive range of camp sites. We prefer free or low costs, away from towns and the business of life. Water is a huge bonus (lakes, creeks, rivers or the beach), and anything picturesque kicks huge goals for us.
So, lets kick it off, starting from the South Australian border and working our way across towards Melbourne, and beyond.
Fort O’Hare
Our first night in Victoria was spent at a free camp in Dartmoor, which set the bar really high for Victorian camping options. This is a green, shady spot on the edge of a quiet town and we were really grateful to spend a night here.
McLennans Punt
Our next spot lies in the Lower Glenelg National Park, and was nothing short of magic. The Glenelg River is literally 5 metres from your camp ground, and its stunning on a calm morning. We saw a heap of great bird life here and would love to go back.
Lake Mombeong
We like being surprised by camp sites, and Lake Mombeong did exactly that. Located not far from the coastline, this lake is actually crystal clear, and was a great place to snorkel around. The camp ground is nothing amazing, but its got flushing toilets and we really enjoyed this spot.
Sawpit Free Campground
If you want a free camp not too far from Portland, Sawpit is it. Located on Mount Clay, this beautiful picnic and camping area is surrounded by big trees and offers a shady, picturesque camp ground for a grand total of zero dollars per night.
Annya Campground
On our way to the Grampians, we called in at Annya Campground and spent two nights there. This is a beautiful, grassy camp ground with great views and in many ways its even better than Sawpit Free Campground.
Glendinning
The Rocklands Reservoir is a stunning part of the world, and you can camp for free metres away from the water at Glendinning. We spent two amazing nights here, and thought it was absolutely fantastic.
Grampians Camping
Smiths Mill Campground
If you want easy access to the beautiful Mackenzie falls, along with heaps of wildlife you won’t go wrong with Smiths Mill Campground. This is a national parks campground, and after spending 3 nights here we rated it pretty highly.
Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park
Caravan Parks are not the place you’ll usually find us, but our stay at Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park was nothing short of phenomenal. They’ve got an incredible balance, with amenities that step it up to a whole new world, and its a magic place to be.
Plantation Campground
There’s nothing better than a free camp, and when its only 15 minutes out of Halls Gap with plenty of shade, and lots of choice for where you camp you can’t go wrong. Plantation Campground is hugely popular, and for good reason!
Boreang Campground
If you want a much quieter campground in the Grampians, Boreang is a great one to check out. Despite being 2WD and caravan accessible, this part of the Grampians is much less travelled, but still has some great places to see nearby.
Hawkesdale Golf Club Camp
On our way back down from the Grampians, we spent a night at a great camp site in Hawkesdale, on the Golf Club property with sheep everywhere, and plenty of privacy. It will cost you a huge $5, making it one of the best options on your way down.
Victorian Coast Camping
Surfside Holiday Park in Warnambool
Despite having no intention to stay in a Caravan Park in Warnambool, the playground and coastline won me over, and we had a great night at Surfside Holiday Park. It’s a brilliant location, but they certainly know how to pack people in. You can read our unbiased review here.
Princetown Recreation Camping
The Great Ocean Road camping options are often really expensive, and finding the Princetown Recreation Ground was perfect. It’s basically a big, informal caravan park that’s only a short drive from the hugely popular twelve apostles, and we really liked it here.
Johanna Beach Campground
The national park campgrounds along the Great Ocean Road are all fantastic, and we had a brilliant night at Johanna Beach, with the rugged coastline a sight to behold. The pricing is great, the sites are grassy and its a really good place to kick back for a bit
Blanket Bay
If you are looking for a more ‘remote’ camp ground not far off the Great Ocean Road, Blanket Bay on Cape Otway is stunning. It’s not suitable for caravans, but you camp right next to a beautiful beach and bay, and we really rated it as a place to check out.
Jamieson Creek Campground
Our favourite campground on the Great Ocean Road was Jamieson Creek, and you couldn’t get closer to the actual road itself if you tried. This beautiful bush campground is literally right on top of the Great Ocean Road, and not too far from plenty of beautiful attractions, and its super cheap.
Aire River West Campground
Doing our best to avoid the caravan parks along the Great Ocean Road, we spent a night at Aire River West right near the river, and had a great time. This is easily accessible, picturesque and the river is a great addition.
Inland of the Great Ocean Road
Aire Crossing Campground
The Great Ocean Road has a fantastic reputation and is nothing short of beautiful, but inland there are some camp sites that are easily as good, and Aire Crossing is a tiny, free camping spot that suits small setups, with incredible rainforest views and a tiny walk to a beautiful river.
Beauchamp Falls Campground
Our next, amazing campground inland of the Great Ocean Road was at the stunning Beauchamp Falls Campground, which has brilliant views, and you can walk from camp to the amazing waterfall. This is a really good campground, and it costs you absolutely nothing.
Meredith Park on Lake Colac
Heading north from the Great Ocean Road, we spent a few nights at a nice free camp on the edge of Lake Colac, where we were able to stock up and avoid the hordes of people on the weekend.
Lake Elizabeth Campground
We were recommended Lake Elizabeth Campground by a number of locals, and when we arrived its not hard to see why. The campground itself is beautiful, and you can walk to Lake Elizabeth which is truly stunning, and is home to a large number of platypus!
Hammonds Road North Campground
If you want a free, beautiful campground not too far from Aireys Inlet and the Great Ocean Road, Hammonds Road North is a winner every day of the week. Its picturesque, easy to get to, doesn’t require booking and we really enjoyed 3 nights here.
Inland of Melbourne
Fridays Campground in the Brisbane Ranges
After a big day around Torquay and Geelong, we were keen to head out to the bush again, and spent a night at Fridays Campground. This isn’t anything incredibly amazing, but its a nice bush camp that you can book in advance, and we liked it.
Amblers Crossing Campground
Perhaps our best campground in Victoria thus far, Amblers Crossing in the Lerderderg State Park was absolutely fantastic, and we spent two amazing nights relaxing in complete and utter peace and quiet. This requires a 4WD, and is one of the harder camp sites to get to, but you are greatly rewarded for your efforts.
Cobaw State Forest Camping
Cobaw State Forest has a reputation for hard 4WD tracks, and its also got some fantastic free camping. We made use of both, and stayed in the main campground, explored some of the 4WD tracks and planned our next move in Victoria. It’s a great place to spend a night or two, especially if you are into motorbike riding, or 4WDing.
Lakeside Campground at Lake Eildon
Lake Eildon is a truly magic place not far from Melbourne, and we spent two nights camping at the biggest Parks Victoria campground; Lakeside Campground. This has hot showers and flushing toilets, and whilst we have had better campgrounds, the lake is magic, and its a great spot to head to.
Cooks Mill Campground
In the Cathedral Ranges is a popular campground next to a beautiful little creek. We spent a night here on our way to the Victorian High Country, and really enjoyed it. In terms of camping near Melbourne its a pretty good option, but arrive early if you want a good site!
Lake Mountain Camping
We’ve camped in some random places over the years, and now we can add the car park of a big, beautiful Alpine Resort. Lake Mountain is the closest alpine resort to Melbourne, and they let you camp, for free in their car park with access to hot showers and flushing toilets! Find out more here.
Big River State Forest Camping
The sheer number of free camps in Victoria has left us absolutely staggered, and places like Big River State Forest are a prime example of this. There are a huge number of great campgrounds here, with some a stones throw away from crystal clear creeks. We spent a night at Fishbone Flat, and checked out a number of the other campgrounds.
