Can I Collect Firewood Camping in Australia? 2026 Rules

The short answer by state

Fallen timber is habitat, so park agencies treat wood on the ground as part of the park. The rules below cover firewood collection only. Campfire rules and fire bans are covered in the campfire guide.

National parks and reserves: assume you cannot collect

Parks Victoria says collection is not permitted in national parks, conservation parks, and nature and bushland reserves, and the Victorian Government says the ban covers national, state, regional and metropolitan parks. Queensland Parks and Wildlife says firewood must not be collected and that campfires are only for existing fireplaces, fire rings or fire locations. Tasmania's Parks and Wildlife Service says cutting and collecting firewood is not permitted in its national parks and reserves, and South Australia's national parks tell campers to bring their own.

In NSW, the National Parks and Wildlife Service prohibits taking firewood out of a park for use elsewhere, and asks campers to bring their own wood or use wood provided, not fallen timber. Its policy allows on-site collection in backcountry areas, except where a sign, notice or plan of management prohibits it, so do not collect unless the park's own page says you can.

Parks Victoria lists six regional parks where designated parts allow free firewood collection until 1 July 2029: Bendigo, Barkstead, Blackwood, Fingerpost and Spargo Creek, plus the southern addition to Hepburn. That is a narrow exception, and Pyrenees Regional Park is excluded.

State forests: where collecting is allowed

Victoria runs domestic firewood collection areas in State forest, managed by Forest Fire Management Victoria. The seasons are 1 March to 30 June and 1 September to 30 November, and areas can close at short notice. You may take only wood already on the ground, up to 2 cubic metres per person per day and 16 cubic metres per household per financial year, and you cannot sell it.

In NSW, Forestry Corporation says you need authorisation to collect firewood from State forests, you take fallen timber only, and some forests are not offered at all. Western Australia allows collection from designated State forest areas in the Perth Hills, where a permit valid for one visit is needed, and in the South West, where it is not. Both WA areas allow up to one tonne at a time, and from 1 June to 30 September one tonne every 60 days.

Tasmania's Sustainable Timber Tasmania sells permits for designated areas of production forest, for wood already on the ground only, with a yearly maximum of 30 cubic metres per customer. In Queensland, the Government sells forest products including firewood by short-term permit or one-off sale under the Forestry Act 1959. These are domestic firewood schemes, so a weekend camper is usually better off buying a bundle.

Bringing firewood, and what to bring

Where a fire is allowed, bring or buy your wood. Parks Victoria says to bring your own unless collection is permitted at that site, and South Australia asks for wood free from dirt and weeds so pests do not enter the park. ACT Parks tells visitors to bring firewood or buy it from the Namadgi Visitor Centre.

NSW policy notes that wood carried into a park can spread pests and pathogens, which is why parks control it. Buy from a campground shop or a reputable supplier near the park, because not all firewood on sale in Victoria is legally sourced.

Moving firewood between states

Biosecurity Tasmania lists firewood among the items checked by inspectors at the Devonport terminal, says items may be seized at the border, and says to leave them at home if in doubt. Penalties may apply for non-compliance.

In Western Australia, firewood cannot be removed from the Polyphagous shot hole borer Quarantine Area, and DBCA says to buy firewood close to where you will burn it. The interstate biosecurity guide covers the other items to leave at home.

Fire bans override everything

A Total Fire Ban stops all campfires, and parks add seasonal campfire bans. The campfire guide has the state-by-state fire rules, so check it before you buy wood.

What to do instead

A gas stove avoids the firewood question entirely. Tasmania's Parks and Wildlife Service allows LPG cookers on a Total Fire Ban day but not liquid fuel stoves, and other states differ, so check the campfire guide first. If a campfire is allowed where you are staying, buy a bundle from the campground or a shop in town and burn it all, rather than carrying leftovers on.

Tasmania's fuel stove only areas ban campfires all year, so a stove is the only choice there. If you want to collect wood for a home fire, use a designated State forest area with the right authorisation.

Check this rule at the place in AussieCamps

A place page in AussieCamps lists the campground's facilities and rules as the park agency publishes them, so you can read the rules it publishes for the site before the drive. The app holds 1,838 campgrounds and 745 national parks. Place details are saved on the phone and open without coverage, while live maps, directions and forecasts need a connection. It works on iPhone only.

It does not replace the official rule. Confirm with the land manager whether a fire is allowed and whether firewood is sold at the site.

Places along the way