Why Car Camping Is the Trend of 2025

Yes, car camping has become the most popular way Australians are choosing to travel in 2025 – affordable, easy to adapt and full of outdoor excitement.

If you’ve opened Instagram or TikTok lately, you’ve seen it: families sleeping in the back of their wagons on Fraser Island, couples watching sunsets from rooftop tents in the Blue Mountains, and solo travellers waking up to ocean views on the Great Ocean Road. Car camping (turning your vehicle into a mobile bedroom) is no longer just a budget option; it’s the way thousands of Aussies are exploring the country this year. Here’s exactly why it’s blowing up and how you can join in.

What Car Camping Really Means in Australia

Car camping is simply using your own vehicle as your base for overnight stays instead of paying for motels or cabins. You might fold the back seats flat and throw in an air mattress, clip a rooftop tent on the rails, roll out a swag beside the car, or even sleep in a converted van.

Tourism Research Australia reported a 41% jump in domestic overnight road trips in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year, and the majority of those travellers are skipping traditional accommodation altogether.

The Real Reasons Everyone Is Doing It in 2025

A perfect storm of factors has made this the year of car camping:

• Accommodation prices have gone through the roof – a basic motel room in Port Douglas or Margaret River now averages $220–$350 a night in peak season.
• More Aussies are location-independent workers who can answer emails from a campsite with 4G.
• Gear has never been more affordable – decent rooftop tents start under $1,500 and portable 40-litre fridges are usually available for about $399.
• After years stuck at home, people want real nature, not just another hotel balcony.

The result? You can now travel for weeks and spend almost nothing on places to sleep.

How to Start Car Camping This Weekend

You don’t need a $150,000 4WD to begin. Here’s the simplest way to get on the road:

1. Clear the boot or fold the rear seats flat (most wagons and SUVs give you a 1.8–2 m sleeping area).
2. Buy or borrow an inflatable mattress and a decent sleeping bag.
3. Grab a $30 battery fan and a head torch – that’s literally all you need for your first night.
4. Download the WikiCamps app (one-off $7.99) to find thousands of free and low-cost sites.
5. Pick a spot within 2–3 hours of home for your trial run.

Thousands of people started exactly like this and never looked back.

Top Australian Destinations for Car Camping Right Now

These places are seeing the biggest surge in car campers in 2025:

• Pebbly Beach and Murramarang National Park, NSW – kangaroos on the sand at sunrise.
• Lucky Bay in Cape Le Grand National Park, WA – voted one of the world’s whitest beaches and you can park 20 m from the water.
• Rainbow Beach and Inskip Point, QLD – drive straight onto the sand and camp for $7 a night.
• The Grampians, Victoria – free camps with epic cliff views.
• Coorong National Park, South Australia – quiet lakeside sites just off the Princes Highway.

Every one of these spots now has better facilities because councils and parks have noticed the boom.

Quick Upgrades That Elevate Your Setup

Once you’ve done a few trips, these affordable additions make life on the road even sweeter:

• A $150 side awning gives instant rain-proof cooking space.
• A $79 solar blanket keeps your phone and fridge running forever.
• A $35 privacy screen that magnets to your hatch turns the back of the car into a private bedroom.
• When you finally decide to upgrade your vehicle, many local services offering scrap car removal will collect the old one for free and usually pay you cash the same day.

Little things like these turn basic car camping into something you’ll want to do every long weekend.

Staying Safe, Legal and Welcome

Australians are lucky – car camping is encouraged in most areas, but follow these basic rules:

• Only stay overnight where signs say “camping allowed” or you’ve checked the app.
• Never light a fire during total fire ban days (check your state’s fire service app).
• Take every scrap of rubbish with you – the next camper wants the same pristine view you enjoyed.
• Keep food locked in the car at night in dingo or possum country.

Do these things and you’ll always be welcomed back.

Final Thoughts

In 2025, car camping is more than a trend – it’s the smartest way to see Australia. You control your schedule, your budget, and your views. One night of sleeping under a sky full of stars at a free beach campsite costs less than a single takeaway pizza, yet gives memories that last years.

Whether you’re planning a quick weekend escape or a full lap of the country, grab a mattress, fill the esky, and go. The open road and a million quiet campsites are waiting for you right now.

Visit our blog to discover more practical insights and step-by-step guides.