Victoria is one of the easiest states for free camping. In state forests you can camp almost anywhere at least 20 metres from a waterway for up to 28 consecutive nights, and every one of the more than 300 forest campgrounds is free except Murrindindi Scenic Reserve. A handful of Parks Victoria campgrounds are free with no booking, and Crown land along rivers opens up more spots. The catch is the coast: some coastal councils fine people for sleeping in a vehicle, so the free camps are mostly inland.
State forests: camp almost anywhere
The state forests are managed by DEECA, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, and they follow a simple rule: find a spot at least 20 metres from a river, creek or lake and stay no more than 28 consecutive nights. Nobody takes bookings, and nobody charges. The one exception is a forest reserve, where you must use the campground provided.
More than 300 forest campgrounds come with something extra, usually a pit toilet, a table and a fireplace, and all of them are free except Murrindindi Scenic Reserve. Dispersed spots have nothing at all, so carry water, a shovel and your rubbish. Dogs are allowed in state forests on a lead or under control, unlike most national parks.
| Where | Booking | Stay limit | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| State forest, dispersed | None | 28 consecutive nights | 20 m from water; no forest reserves |
| State forest campgrounds | None, first come | 28 consecutive nights | Murrindindi Scenic Reserve charges a fee |
| Free Parks Victoria campgrounds | None at the free ones | Set by the park | No dogs in most national parks |
| Unlicensed Crown river frontage | None | 28 consecutive nights | 20 m from water, 200 m from a house |
| Licensed Crown river frontage | None | 14 nights | Designated areas only; no dogs |
- 20 m from water
- 28 nights at most
- Dogs allowed on a lead
The forests worth driving to
Within two hours of Melbourne, Wombat State Forest near Daylesford, Mount Disappointment north of Whittlesea and Big River State Forest beyond Marysville all have free camps among tall eucalypts, and Big River's spots along the water are popular in summer. Further north-east, the Howqua River camps near Mansfield, such as Sheepyard Flat, are a classic first taste of the High Country.
West of Melbourne, the Pyrenees and the forests around the goldfields towns hold quiet camps in box-ironbark country. The Otways, Gippsland and the north-east all have more, and the High Country guide covers the alpine tracks and huts in detail.
- Wombat, Big River, Howqua
- Summer weekends fill early
- Goldfields forests are quieter
Free campgrounds in parks
Most Parks Victoria campgrounds that you book carry a fee, which is half price until July 2027, but some charge nothing and take no bookings. Warby-Ovens National Park near Wangaratta and King Hut in the Alpine National Park are free, first come campgrounds, and at Cape Conran Coastal Park the beach camps at Binn Beach, Gunnai Beach and Pearl Point take no bookings either.
In the Alpine National Park you can also camp away from campgrounds in many areas, but not within 200 metres of the Bogong High Plains or Pretty Valley roads. Pets are not allowed in most national parks, so check the park page before you bring a dog.
- Warby-Ovens and King Hut: free
- Alpine dispersed camping
- Check pets on the park page
River frontages and the Murray
Crown land along rivers is another free option. On an unlicensed Crown river frontage you can camp more than 20 metres from the water and 200 metres from a house for up to 28 consecutive nights. Where the frontage is licensed, often grazed by the farm next door, you may camp only in designated areas, for up to 14 nights and without dogs.
Along the Murray, much of the Victorian bank is reserve, forest or park, and sandy river beaches make some of the state's best free camps. Each stretch has its own manager, so read the signs at the track entry, and leave the river as clean as you found it.
- Unlicensed frontage: 28 nights
- Licensed frontage: 14 nights
- Read the sign at the track
The coast, rest areas and towns
Free camping on the coast is limited. Surf Coast Shire, covering Torquay, Anglesea and Lorne, makes sleeping in a vehicle anywhere in the shire an offence with a $300 on-the-spot fine, and other coastal councils patrol their car parks. Along the Great Ocean Road, budget for a campground or a caravan park.
Rest areas on major roads are run by Transport Victoria and those on local roads by councils, and each follows its own sign, so stay overnight only where a sign allows it. Some inland towns run free or low-cost camping areas, and a few showgrounds take campers, so check with the council or the visitor centre.
- Surf Coast fine: $300
- Rest areas follow the sign
- Inland towns are friendlier
Seasons, closures and fire
Many forest and park roads close from June to November to protect tracks that are easily damaged when wet. In 2026 most Parks Victoria closures lifted on 29 October, and the Forest Fire Management Victoria closures map shows state forest roads, with a fine for driving a closed one.
The Fire Danger Period is set council by council, usually from spring until April or May. In a state forest, keep a campfire under one metre across with three metres cleared all round, and never leave it. On a Total Fire Ban day no campfire may be lit, so bring a gas stove. Dig toilet holes 30 cm deep and 100 metres from water.
- Roads close June to November
- Total Fire Ban: no campfires
- Toilet holes 100 m from water
Find free camps in AussieCamps
AussieCamps maps 438 Victorian campgrounds, 350 of them state forest and Crown land sites managed by DEECA and 88 run by Parks Victoria, plus 651 roadside rest areas and 181 public dump points. You can filter by cost, including free sites, and save the camps you like to a trip with dates and notes.
Place details are saved on the phone for use without signal, which helps once you are down a forest track. The map, routing and weather need a connection, and AussieCamps runs on iPhone.
- 438 Victorian campgrounds
- Filter by cost
- iPhone only
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.
- Camping in Victorian state forests
- Campfires, stoves and BBQs in state forests
- Parks Victoria: booking information
- Parks Victoria: Warby-Ovens National Park camping
- Parks Victoria: dispersed camping in the Alpine National Park
- Camping on licensed Crown water frontages
- Surf Coast Shire: parking and camping
- CFA: fire restriction dates
- Explore Outdoors: before you go
Common questions
Where can I camp for free in Victoria?+
In state forests, where you can camp almost anywhere at least 20 metres from a waterway for up to 28 nights, and at more than 300 forest campgrounds, all free except Murrindindi Scenic Reserve. A few Parks Victoria campgrounds are also free with no booking, such as those in Warby-Ovens National Park and King Hut in the Alpine National Park.
Is free camping allowed in Victoria?+
Yes, on land where the manager allows it: state forests, some park campgrounds and some council sites. Rest areas follow the sign at each stop, and some coastal councils ban sleeping in a vehicle altogether, such as Surf Coast Shire with a $300 on-the-spot fine.
How long can you free camp in a Victorian state forest?+
Up to 28 consecutive nights. Pick a spot at least 20 metres from any river, creek or lake, and in forest reserves use only the campgrounds the land manager provides.
Can I free camp near Melbourne?+
Yes, in the state forests within about two hours of the city, such as Wombat State Forest near Daylesford, Mount Disappointment north of Whittlesea and Big River State Forest near Marysville. They fill quickly on warm weekends, so arrive early or have a second forest in mind.
Places to camp in Victoria
Take it on the road
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