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Where to Camp
 Choosing where to camp is no longer a simple matter of finding a caravan park symbol on a map. There are resort-style caravan parks, council run caravan parks, caravan parks with membership schemes, and that’s before you even think about national parks, state forests, rest areas and bush camps. The fees charged for camping vary as much as the places themselves. So, with all the choices available, what is the right place for you? Most nomads choose a mixture of different sorts of camps and find that they appreciate each one in a different way.
Caravan Parks
As we’ve previously discussed, there are a wide array of van parks to choose from. Many of the newer parks have almost become mini resorts complete with tennis courts, multiple swimming pools, mini golf courses, games rooms, cafes and restaurants and even kid’s clubs. Although the facilities in these parks may be top notch, the prices are generally high as well and they may not be in the budget of many long-term travellers. At the other end of the scale, the council-run caravan parks do not have all the extras but they are usually much cheaper and offer a basic place to stay with power and amenities.
If you think you may be staying in a lot of van parks, it may be worth joining one of the caravan park membership schemes. The schemes provide members with discounts for stays at their parks while the parks themselves must meet a certain set of standards in terms of facilities and cleanliness. BIG4 Holiday Parks, Top Tourist Parks and Family Parks of Australia are three of the biggest van park groups.
National Parks
Australia’s national parks contain some of its most spectacular sights and, some feel, some of its best camping spots as well. Although the facilities at campgrounds in most national parks include little more than a drop toilet and occasionally a tap or a picnic table, the scenery and sense of being close to nature more than make up for it. The fees are usually pretty low, too.
The National Parks department of each state and Territory has its own system in terms of entry fees and camping fees. You can get more information about access, availability, facilities and attractions for the national parks in tourist information centres, on the web or by phoning the relevant national park office. The following are the links for checking out the National Park websites for each state:
ACT: www.environment.act.gov.au
NSW: www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au
NT: www.nt.gov.au/nreta/parks
QLD: www.qld.gov.au/camping<
SA: www.parks.sa.gov.au
TAS: www.parks.tas.gov.au
VIC: www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
WA: www.naturebase.net
Bush Camps
For many, ‘going bush’ not only provides a welcome relief from accommodation fees, it also engenders a spirit of adventure and camaraderie. Some bush camping areas are well established and may have a drop toilet but many have no facilities at all. If you plan to go bush, ensure you have adequate supplies of food and water – and don’t forget your spade!
Rest Areas
In a country characterised by long stretches of road across a big outback sky with few towns breaking the horizon, rest areas have become a necessity for many drivers. They are meant to provide a place to break your journey, have a rest and then resume once again refreshed. Each state has a different policy when it comes to overnight stays at rest areas – but all agree that if fatigue is setting in you must stop, revive and survive. Most state road authorities produce free maps detailing where rest areas are and whether overnight stays are permitted.
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