Free camping in Victoria.

What free camping means in Victoria

There is no single legal category called free camping in Victoria. When people search for it, they usually mean one of three things: bush camping in a state forest, a campground with no fee, or a stop on a road or council land. Each is run by a different agency and follows different rules, so the first job is to work out who manages the land.

• State forests are managed by the State, and the Victorian Government publishes the camping rules for them.1
• Parks Victoria manages national and state parks and many campgrounds. It says Victoria has over 1,000 camping places, including free and bookable sites.2
• Roads and council land fall under the road authority and the local council, which each make their own rules.4

We do not say any single place is free to camp. Fees and rules are set by the land manager, and they change. Where our own data records no fee for a place, the place page says so and shows where that came from. Where a source does not say, we say that it does not.

Camping in state forests

This is the closest thing to open bush camping. The Victorian Government’s camping page gives these rules for a state forest:1

• Set up at least 20 metres from waterways.
• Stay no longer than 28 consecutive nights.
• In forest reserves, use the official campgrounds the land manager provides, not informal sites without facilities.
• There are no bins, so take all rubbish home. Do not bury or burn it.
• Use the forest toilet where there is one. If there is not, dig a hole at least 30 centimetres deep or use a portable toilet, and stay at least 100 metres from waterways.
• Wash dishes in a bucket, and pour wastewater at least 50 metres from waterways.
• If you use a generator, fit a spark arrestor, keep 1.5 metres clear around it and have water or a water-based extinguisher ready.

The same page says fire offences are taken seriously and Authorised Officers can issue on-the-spot fines.1 It does not mention a camping fee, so check the sign at the site and the land manager’s page for the forest you are heading to.

Camping in Parks Victoria parks

• Booking. Parks Victoria says to book popular sites early, especially in peak holiday periods. Bookings are open until 30 June 2027 and you can book up to 3 campsites per transaction in the same campground.2
• Fees. Camping fees are half price at bookable campgrounds until July 2027. The page showed no date of its own, so confirm the current fee when you book.3
• Bush camping. Camping outside designated campgrounds is allowed in many parks, but it takes preparation and self-reliance.2
• Caravans and fires. Not all sites take caravans, and not all parks or campgrounds allow campfires, so check the park page and the signs.2
• No bins. Take all rubbish home.2

Roadsides, rest areas and council land

We did not find a single statewide rule that lets you camp at a roadside rest area, and we are not going to guess one. Rules for roads and council land are made locally. As one example, Central Goldfields Shire says a permit is needed to camp, or to leave or occupy a caravan or motorhome, on a road or on Council land outside areas the Council has designated for that purpose.4 Another council may say something different, so read your council’s page.

If a rest area, roadside stop or council reserve has a sign about overnight stays, follow the sign. If you cannot find a rule, choose a campground or caravan park instead.

Dogs

The Victorian Government says dogs are welcome in state forests and can usually be off lead. Within 100 metres of facilities such as car parks, picnic tables, toilets and fire pits, they must be on a lead or under effective control, which means they come straight back when called. Dogs must not disturb native animals, and you must clean up after them. Assistance animals are allowed in all areas of state forest.7

Forest parks are different. Dogs are normally prohibited, though some areas may allow them, and the page asks you to call 136 186 first.7 Parks Victoria says dogs are not allowed in most national parks, including their beaches, while many regional parks allow them.2 Our dog-friendly camping in Victoria guide goes into more detail.

Campfires, Total Fire Bans and the fire season

Three layers apply, and the strictest one wins.

• Total Fire Ban. On a Total Fire Ban day you cannot light a campfire. Only permanently fixed or commercially made gas or electric barbecues may be used, and solid-fuel barbecues are banned.58
• Fire Danger Period. CFA declares this for each municipality, based on rainfall, grass curing and local conditions. It can start as early as October and usually runs until the fire danger eases, sometimes as late as May.6 During it, CFA says a campfire must meet set conditions, including wind under 10 km/h, a fireplace of stone, metal or concrete or a trench at least 30 centimetres deep, and 3 metres cleared around it.8
• State forest rules. Use a purpose-built fireplace, clear 3 metres around it and keep the fire under 1 metre across. Never leave it unattended, and put it out with water before you sleep or leave. In forest reserves, campfires are only allowed in fireplaces the land manager provides. Firewood cannot be cut from standing trees, even dead ones.5

Check the rating and ban for your fire district each day. CFA lists the district pages, and the VicEmergency Hotline is 1800 226 226.9

For the rules in every state and territory, see Total Fire Bans and fire danger ratings across Australia.

Official finders and booking pages

• Victorian Government camping page. Rules for state forests, and it points to the More to Explore website and app for finding sites nearby.1
• Parks Victoria. Book at bookings.parks.vic.gov.au or call 13 1963.2
• CFA. Fire Danger Ratings and Total Fire Bans for your district.9

How Trek Eleven helps

Trek Eleven is a free camping app for all of Australia. For Victoria, here is what it does today:

• You can browse the map and lists with no account.
• Victoria’s State Forest recreation sites appear from the state’s open data, shown as supplied. We have not checked them. Campsites and caravan parks from OpenStreetMap appear as unverified suggestions in their own layer.
• Every fact shows where it came from and when. A place no one has checked says so plainly.
• You set your vehicle once, and access notes are flagged for it.
• Saved and recently viewed places open with no signal. Offline maps are coming soon.
• If something is wrong, closed or washed out, you can report it from the place page.

The app shows official warnings for most states, but they can be late, so use the official sources in the box below too. See the how it works and how we check pages, or browse Melbourne and central Victoria, Gippsland, the High Country and Murray, the West and Grampians and the Mallee. In the city? See camping near Melbourne. Crossing a border? Read our guides to free camping in New South Wales, free camping in South Australia, free camping in Queensland, free camping in Tasmania and free camping in Western Australia, or see free camping across Australia for every state.

How to check a place before you stay

1. Work out who manages the land: state forest, a park, a council or a road authority.
2. Read that manager’s page and the sign at the entrance. A “no camping” sign settles it.
3. Check the Fire Danger Rating, Total Fire Ban and any closures for the day.
4. If you still cannot tell, ask the council or park ranger, or choose a place you are sure about.

Find places near you

Our region and Camping near pages list the campsites, caravan parks and rest areas on record in Victoria, from open data. Each place says whether Trek Eleven has checked it, and unchecked places are only suggestions. They do not say that camping is allowed, free or open, so read the sources above first.

Open the app in your browser

Towns in Victoria

A selection of the towns in Victoria that have a Camping near page. Each lists the campsites, caravan parks and rest areas on record around the town, from open data. The region pages above list the other 14.

Gippsland

Great Ocean Road, Grampians and Wimmera

High Country and Murray

Melbourne and Central Victoria

Mildura and the Mallee