Read our handy guide on the current campervan parking rules in Australia to ensure you can keep cruising with no dramas or fines.
The most insane way to travel around Aus is in a “sweet as” camper.
And it’s not surprising when we see 770,000 camper and caravan registrations made in 2021 alone!
But for those who don’t know, the parking situ isn’t quite as chilled as the vibes you get from Aus. There are a few rules to address before you hit the road.
So, strap yourself in for a quick debrief, and we’ll get you on your way asap rocky!
Click images to see more.
1. Can you park a campervan anywhere in Australia?
Before we get into specifics, let’s clear up some basics, such as where you can park and when.
It’s pretty chilled down under, but like in any country, you can’t just park where you like. Australia has parking laws and regulations that mean you can only park in legally permitted areas.
For example, private property is off-limits unless the owner permits you. (I know this seems condescending and overly pedantic, but you never know sometimes.)
Other unpermitted areas include pedestrian zones, bicycle lanes, and certain downtown city districts, but we can get into all that later.
2. Where can you park a campervan overnight in Australia?
Australian law states you cannot stop and sleep anywhere in your camper unless it’s a specific place that allows you.
No matter how tired you are or how long you’ve been driving, pulling over to sleep without checking if it’s okay can result in hefty fines and parking bans. Not cool.
Some permitted areas where you can park your camper overnight include:
- National parks
- Holiday parks
- State forests
- Campsites
- Motorhome sites
- RV-friendly towns
- Roadside campervan camping
- Beachside areas
However, not all these types of places will allow you to stay overnight either. It just depends on the specific rules of each location. So, we suggest you book a spot beforehand.
Failing that, make an enquiry or do some research to be sure.
3. Is there free campervan parking in Australia?
You bet! Australia has thousands of free camping parking areas available and you can find them here. Parking and sleeping for free is a great way to save money on accommodation while staying in some super scenic spots.
All you need to do is plan your journey to guarantee the smooth sailing of arriving at one free camping spot before moving on to the next. But just like permitted parking for your campervan, free campervan parking is only allowed in specific areas.
Therefore, make sure you do your research before pulling up, kicking back, and setting up camp for the night.
Having gathered you can’t just park or stay overnight in your camper anywhere, let’s get into the crux of the campervan parking rules in more detail.
4. Road signs
Seems obvious, but please read the road signs.
Because if you’re cruising into a city for a day trip and fancy stopping off somewhere to grab a bite, it pays to know what the road signs mean to avoid shelling out on a pricey ticket that can eat into your travelling budget.
So, here are some parking road signs you should watch out for:
- No Stopping – No stopping your vehicle unless because of traffic conditions.
- No Standing – You can stop your car only for three minutes while remaining inside.
- No Parking – Your vehicle cannot be left unattended.
The green letter “P” parking signs mean you’re allowed to park for certain times.
For example:
- 1/2P – Half an hour.
- 1P – One hour.
- 3P – Three hours.
- P – Permissive parking zone.
- Arrow – Parking applies in the direction the arrow is pointing.
- 730AM-630PM Mon-Fri – Vehicles can park at the specified time.
- Ticket – You must purchase a parking ticket.
- Permit zone – Only permit holders can park.
Remember, if you receive a parking ticket, the ticket gets assigned to the vehicle, not the person. Therefore, if you ignore it and try not to pay, the owner or the next driver may receive hassle on your account. Plus, the charge will only be taken from your deposit anyway. So, don’t bother, eh?
About the Author: Sammy
with RatPack Travel?
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From our RatPackers
Ben was amazing and went above and beyond to find us amazing deals and exactly what we were looking for. He did it all in record time too! We were very close to our travel date and Ben was doing so much for us so quickly! Definitely recommend
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Great service from Ben, came back with answers within minutes and walked us through the process, great experience, thanks Ben
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Ben made it so fast and easy for us to reserve our camper van for our trip in the fall! Excellent service!’n
I had a call with Ryan who was super nice, knowledgable and made me feel really at ease with making my decision. He asked me all about what I want to do and achieve on my trip, although I didn’t really want to pack too much in… nor gave much detail on what I want to do, he gave options and ideas for me to look into. He used his own experience as an example which was really helpful to hear and made me feel like I’m right at home with RatPack, I knew then I was making the right choice by talking to him. He answered any questions I had, even if they seemed like silly questions to ask. The booking process is really easy and straight forward, they do all the hard parts for you. Once Ryan talked me through my options, I made my selection and all I had to do was enter my card details for the deposit and I was done! Thanks to Ryan’s detailed and calm approach I knew I was booking with the right company/team. I can’t wait for the next step!!
George has been amazing. He put together the costings for our trip, and then I changed the dates completely and he redid everything and said it wasn’t a problem. I felt that he worked hard to get me the best deal, advised me which pickup town was the best deal, when was the best time to travel, and how I could save money by adding a day to our trip (yes, it was cheaper to go for 21 days than go for 20!). George sent through mountains of advice on travel destinations, camping sites etc. I would definitely recommend RatPack Travel and George.
The Ratpack team and specifically Ryan f were great for booking our dream New Zealand campervan trip. Ryan worked hard over several days trying to find the best possible deals for us and the communication was great with updates regularly. He was able to get us 2 vans that out did any other quotes that we received and we are really looking forward to our trip with Ratpack being by our side. Thanks a lot Ryan F!
Lovely people, more than helpful.
