The 7 best free campsites to pitch your tent or caravan in Victoria
There’s never been a better time to pack the tent or caravan to help regional Victoria bounce back from the bushfires. Even better when the campsites are free.
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Warmer weather brings a perfect excuse to hit the open road and explore the great outdoors.
But pitching a tent or parking up a van can become costly if you stay in commercial caravan parks or some of the more popular national and state park camping grounds.
The good news is with free campsites dotted around Victoria, it is possible to take a breather without breaking the bank, whether it be pitching a tent by cascading waterfalls or parking your campervan at an ancient volcano.
As the Leisurefest caravan and camping expo gets under way at Sandown Racecourse this weekend, we’ve uncovered the best free sites around the state.
Stevensons Falls, Otway Forest Park
Escape to the beautiful Stevensons Falls nestled in the Otways, 25 minutes inland from the Great Ocean Road on the southwest coast.
A short walk away, you can sleep by the Gellibrand River, amid towering mountain ash and pine trees at the 20 designated camp spots.
Facilities include toilets, picnic tables and barbecues and it’s first in, best dressed.
Where: Upper Gellibrand Rd, Barramunga
Reeves Beach Coastal Reserve, Gippsland
Fish, swim, surf or try your luck dolphin or whale spotting at this hidden gem on Ninety Mile Beach, three hours south east of Melbourne.
The campground is unpowered but has toilet facilities, tables and seats. Paradise never came so cheap.
Where: Reeves Beach Road, Woodside
Andersons Garden, Mount Disappointment
Flee the bustle of the city and camp on Sunday Creek, about an hour’s drive north of Melbourne.
With picnic tables, wood fire pits and toilets, it’s a perfect base for thrill seekers and bush adventurers to explore nearby hiking trails, mountain biking, horse riding and 4WD-driving.
Bring your own firewood and water.
Where: Take the Hume Highway to the Clonbinane exit to Clonbinane Rd
Poplars Reserve, Gippsland
Put your phone away, there’s no mobile reception at this grassy spot dotted with old poplar trees, two hours east of Melbourne.
Feel the serenity as the Loch River flows by and you hear the cackle of the odd kookaburra.
Facilities include toilets, shelter and fireplaces and you can bring your dog.
Where: 8km north of Noojee, via Loch Valley Rd
Plantation Campground, The Grampians
Make a beeline to the rugged sandstone ranges of The Grampians and camp for free in beautiful forest at Plantation Campground.
Walks, picnic areas and Aboriginal rock art can be experienced an easy drive away.
There are 30 unpowered sites with non-flush toilets, bush showers, shared fireplaces and picnic tables.
Where: Mt Zero Rd, Halls Gap
Mt Franklin Reserve
Perch yourself in the crater of the extinct volcano Mt Franklin, just north of Daylesford, 90 minutes from Melbourne.
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Camp amid sprawling open areas and woods, featuring huge conifers and deciduous trees. Toilets and fireplaces provided.
First come, first served.
Where: Powells Lane, Mount Franklin
Meredith Park, Lake Colac
Spend your days watching the sun go down at Meredith Park on the banks of Lake Colac, a large freshwater lake.
This popular fishing spot, two hours southwest of Melbourne, has a basic campsite with a picnic area, toilets and fireplaces.
Where: 175 Meredith Park Road, Ondit
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