Shepparton sits in the middle of Victoria's Goulburn Valley, the fruit and dairy country between Melbourne and the Murray. The city has a council caravan park, but the cheaper and more scenic camps are out on the rivers and in the forests: the Goulburn at Nagambie, Murchison and Seymour, and the Murray and its forests to the north. Below are where to look, the rules to check and a paid fallback when the free camps are full.
Free camping around Shepparton
Shepparton is a regional city about two hours north of Melbourne, and free camping inside it is not allowed. Victoria Park Lake is the council's caravan park, with powered and unpowered sites, and it is the sensible base if you want showers and shops close by. The free and low-cost camps are within an hour or so, in the forests and river towns that surround the city.
Camping rules depend on who manages the land, so check each place before you set up.
- No free camping in the city
- Victoria Park Lake is the paid base
- Free camps are an hour out
River camps on the Goulburn
The Goulburn River runs from the high country through Seymour, Nagambie and Murchison before it reaches Shepparton. Its banks have a mix of state forest, council reserves and small camps, many with a boat ramp, fishing and shade from river red gums. Nagambie's lakes are popular for boating and rowing, and the river towns usually have a pub and a bakery in walking distance.
Some of these camps are free and some charge a small fee or ask for a donation. Stay limits, fire rules and closures after floods vary by site and season, so read the sign or the land manager's page on the day.
- Seymour, Nagambie, Murchison
- Fishing, boats and river red gums
- Fees and limits vary
The Murray and its forests
North of Shepparton the Murray forms the border with New South Wales, and the forests along it are among the best bush camping in northern Victoria. Barmah is the best known, a large river red gum forest with riverside camping and a lot of wildlife, and Cobram and Yarrawonga have river beaches and caravan parks close to the water.
Rivers rise and the forests flood, so check closures before a long drive, and take a camp stove rather than counting on a fire. The Victoria camping rules guide covers state forests and the fire season.
- Barmah forest
- Cobram and Yarrawonga beaches
- Check flood closures
Small-town camps and showgrounds
Many towns in the Goulburn Valley run a showground, a recreation reserve or a community camp that takes campers for a low fee, often with toilets and sometimes power. Tatura, Kyabram, Rushworth and Euroa are examples of the kind of town to look at, and many are on the way to somewhere else.
These camps are managed by councils or committees, so the price, the stay limit and whether you can book can change. Ring or check the council page if you are travelling at a busy time.
- Showgrounds and reserves
- Low fees, set stay limits
- Check before you travel
Rules, seasons and safety
Autumn and spring are the best seasons, with mild days and cool nights. Summer is hot and fire danger can be high, and a total fire ban means no campfires or solid-fuel stoves. Winter nights are cold, with fog in the valley, and floods can close river camps for weeks.
Take your own water and take your rubbish out. The responsible camping guide covers the basics and the free camping legality guide explains why the rules differ from site to site.
- Autumn and spring are best
- Check fire bans
- Carry water, take your rubbish
Plan the trip in AussieCamps
AussieCamps lists 1,838 campgrounds, 5,552 rest areas and 1,393 dump points from park agencies, road authorities and public datasets, and each place page shows the facilities and fees those sources publish. Filter by cost to see the free and cheaper places along the Goulburn and the Murray, then build the loop as ordered stops with the distance and drive time for each leg.
The iPhone app is free to download, with in-app purchases.
- Filter by cost
- Build the loop as stops
- Free to download
Places along the way
Check before you go
Rules and conditions change. Recheck the official source and the page for your exact park or campground before departure.
Common questions
Can you camp for free near Shepparton?+
Yes, in places. Victoria allows camping in many state forests and some parks, and a number of towns along the Goulburn and Murray rivers have free or low-cost community camps. Shepparton itself has a council caravan park rather than a free camp, so the free options are in the forests and small towns around it.
Where do people free camp in the Goulburn Valley?+
Along the Goulburn River at towns such as Nagambie, Murchison and Seymour, in the state forests and parks beside the Murray, including the Barmah forest, and at small-town reserves and showgrounds. Check each place's current rules, because stay limits and closures change.
Is free camping allowed in Victoria?+
It depends on the land. State forests and some parks allow camping at set sites or in set areas, towns set their own rules for council land, and camping on the roadside or in most rest areas is not allowed. Read the signs and the land manager's page.
When is the best time to camp in the Goulburn Valley?+
Autumn and spring are the most comfortable, with mild days and cool nights. Summer is hot, with high fire danger and busy river camps, and winter nights are cold, with fog on some mornings.
Places to camp in Victoria
Take it on the road
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