Powered campsites in Australia are mostly in holiday parks, caravan parks and showgrounds, not in national parks. Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria have the densest networks, South Australia and Tasmania have good coverage along the main routes, and Western Australia and the Northern Territory have fewer, spread out along the highways. Plan a powered night every few days to charge batteries and run the fridge, and book ahead in the school holidays.
Where power is, and where it is not
Powered sites are a commercial feature. Holiday parks and caravan parks offer them in every state, many showgrounds have a powered section, and a handful of park campgrounds do too. National park and state forest camps are almost always unpowered, with a toilet and sometimes water.
That shapes a trip: free and park camps for the bush nights, a powered holiday park or showground every few days to recharge, wash and fill up.
| State | Where power is | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | Holiday parks, showgrounds, some coast parks | Dense on the coast; fewer inland |
| Victoria | Holiday parks, showgrounds, some Parks Victoria camps | Good coverage; book summer early |
| Queensland | Holiday parks, showgrounds, councils | Dense on the coast; sparse in the outback |
| Western Australia | Caravan parks, roadhouses | Long gaps in the north and Nullarbor |
| South Australia | Caravan parks, showgrounds | Good along the main routes |
| Tasmania | Holiday parks, showgrounds | Fills in summer; book early |
| Northern Territory | Caravan parks, roadhouses | Few and far between |
| ACT | Holiday parks and showground camping | Park campgrounds are unpowered |
- Power is mostly commercial
- Parks and forests are unpowered
- Plan a power night every few days
The east coast
Between Melbourne, Sydney and Cairns the coast is lined with holiday parks, most with powered sites, and showgrounds fill the gaps inland. This is the easiest stretch in the country for power, and prices rise in school holidays and on long weekends.
Book the coastal powered sites early for summer and Easter.
- Dense network
- Holiday prices rise
- Book summer and Easter
The west, the north and the Nullarbor
In Western Australia and the Top End, powered sites sit in caravan parks and roadhouses a long way apart, so work out the gaps before you leave. On the Nullarbor, roadhouses are the usual option and power is limited.
Carry enough battery or solar to cover the stretches in between.
- Long gaps
- Roadhouses sell power
- Carry spare battery
Showgrounds
Many country showgrounds take campers for a modest fee, with a powered section, toilets and hot showers. They are a good cheap alternative to a holiday park, but close when a show or event is on.
The council or showground website has the current price and rules.
- Cheap powered nights
- Closed during events
- Check the price
Booking and price
Powered sites cost more than unpowered ones, and the gap varies by park. In school holidays and over summer, popular parks sell out weeks ahead. Our powered versus unpowered guide has examples of the price difference.
Ask about the amp rating if you run an air conditioner, and about the lead length.
- Book school holidays early
- Ask about the amp rating
- Check lead length
Check the site type in AussieCamps
AussieCamps lists 1,838 campgrounds and 745 national parks from the state park agencies, plus 5,552 rest areas from road authorities, with each place's facilities, fees and rules as the agency publishes them. You can filter by cost, save camps to a trip and see the driving distance between stops.
Place details are saved on the phone for use without signal, while the map, routing and weather need a connection. AussieCamps runs on iPhone.
- Filter by cost
- Plan a trip with stops
- 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.
Common questions
Do national park campgrounds in Australia have power?+
Rarely. Most national park campgrounds are unpowered, with a toilet, sometimes water and not much else. Powered sites are a holiday park, caravan park and showground feature, and a few parks have a powered section.
Where can I find powered campsites in Australia?+
In holiday parks and caravan parks in every state, at many showgrounds, and in a small number of park campgrounds. The park or showground's own page says which sites have power.
Which state has the most powered sites?+
Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria have the densest networks of holiday parks and showgrounds, so powered sites are easiest to find there. The Northern Territory and the Western Australian outback have fewer, spread far apart.
How do I find powered sites on a long road trip?+
Plan a powered night every few days to charge the batteries and run the fridge, and book it in school holidays. Holiday parks and showgrounds near the main highways are the reliable choice.
Take it on the road
Save the stops. Plan the whole trip.
Build an ordered route from saved places, calculate the distance and keep dates, notes and to-dos attached.
