Australia is a country of breathtaking landscapes, from golden beaches and rugged cliffs to unique wildlife and fascinating rock formations. Many travelers may not realize that it is also home to lush forests and stunning waterfalls. Along with its natural beauty, Australia offers excellent coffee and some of the friendliest locals you’ll ever meet.

Australians are known for their warmth and love of conversation, often eager to share hidden gems only locals know. Through these chats, we discovered incredible places that we can’t wait to pass on to you.

In this post, we’ll dive into exploring Australia by campervan—one of the best ways to experience the country, loved by both visitors and locals. Planning such a journey can feel overwhelming, from choosing the right route to knowing what’s worth seeing.

After two months on the road in our campervan, we’ve gathered all the insights and tips to help you plan an unforgettable trip.

Given Australia’s vast size, we’ve divided our adventure into several posts, making it easier to map out your journey. Traveling between major cities typically takes about two weeks, giving you a solid framework for planning your ultimate road trip.

Check out all our Australia travel guides:

• Cairns to Brisbane Itinerary
• Brisbane to Sydney Itinerary
• Sydney to Melbourne Itinerary
• Melbourne to Adelaide Itinerary

The drive from Melbourne to Adelaide was the last leg during our tour in Australia. These last two weeks in a two-month trip were surprising. Once again we saw so much beautiful nature and wonderful animals. Among other things, we managed to see koalas in their natural habitat once again, but also some magnificent beaches, waterfalls, as well as an amazing forest with huge sequoias.

But before that, we drove up one of Australia’s most popular roads, the Great Ocean Road, and feasted our eyes on the incredible views of the cliffs and ocean.

#1 Melbourne

Melbourne is a city of contrasts, where modern skyscrapers meet historic architecture, and street art blends with high culture. At Federation Square, the city’s vibrant heart, locals and tourists gather, just steps away from the graffiti-covered Hosier Lane. The grand Melbourne Town Hall and the iconic State Library Victoria showcase the city’s rich history, while Melbourne Central Shopping Centre offers a mix of fashion, food, and entertainment. For a touch of elegance, the historic Princess Theatre hosts world-class performances. Melbourne’s alternative spirit and urban energy make it one of Australia’s most exciting cities.

#2 Brighton Beach

Brighton Beach gained its popularity thanks to colorful cabins. Each of them is painted in different colors, and different motifs. Here you will find cabins painted in colorful stripes, but also those more sophisticated, such as those depicting a campervan, waves or jellyfish. The beach itself is not the prettiest in Australia, the sand is quite rough and full of shells, but the water is calm, which makes swimming possible.

A paid parking lot is located a short distance from the beach, but you should expect at least a ten-minute walk to the colorful cabins.

Travel time: 25min

#3 Bells Beach

Bells Beach, beloved by surfers, is a fairly large and wide beach with yellow sand. The ocean here is rough and the waves are high. Therefore, on the spot you can be sure of showing off the bravest on surfboards.

The beach can be accessed by numerous stairs, and built platforms allow observation of both the beach and surfers from above. Parking is located right next to the stairs that allow you to go down to the beach, and it is free of charge.

Travel time: 1h 30min

#4 Eagle Rock

A beautiful place to admire the cliffs, the ocean, and the perfectly placed lighthouse, making this place picure perfect. The views from Eagle Rock are unforgettable, and getting to the viewpoint is very easy. You can also walk up to the bottom of the lighthouse. Behind it there are platforms that allow you to observe the beautiful beach in the distance. From both viewing points the views are magnificent and unforgettable.

Free parking is located about a 5-minute walk from the lighthouse.

Travel time: 25min

A few drive minutes further is the Fairhaven Beach. To get there you have to drive up by car, but it’s definitely worth it. A short walk on the beach, especially with the setting sun makes this place looking stunning. The sand on the beach is soft and white, and the ocean is rough.

#5 Californian Redwoods

A piece of California in Australia? Here you go! All this because of the amazing and huge Sequoia. These magnificent red trees reach heights of up to 115 meters.

Impressive right?

This forest is certainly a place you don’t want to miss. After all those beaches, it’s a wonderful diversification. A walk among the trees, by a rapid stream surrounded by lush vegetation is a wonderful experience.

Free parking is located right at the entrance to the forest, there are picnic tables on site, as well as restrooms.

Travel time: 1h 50min

#6 Hopetoun Falls

Time for some watefalls! Yes, Australia has a few of the most beautiful waterfalls to offer as well and Hopetoun Falls is one of them! Beautifully situated in the midst of greenery, the waterfall is surrounded by fallen tree branches and tall ferns.

The first glimpse of the waterfall can be had from above, practically from the parking lot, but to get to the waterfall you have to descend quite a distance down a specially built staircase (yes the way back leads up the same stairs).

At the bottom, at the waterfall is built a special platform from which you can admire the waterfall, and there is definitely something to admire. This waterfall is beautifully laid out, and the surrounding luscious green nature looks like taken out of a picture.

The access itself is not the most difficult, as the aforementioned stairs make it quite easy. Parking is located at the entrance to the trail, and is free, but quite limited, so we recommend arriving here first thing in the morning.

Travel time: 2min

#7 Triplet Falls

Another great place with waterfalls is Triplet Falls, which is located in an extraordinary forest full of tall trees, magnificent ferns and numerous and lush vegetation. In this place you can definitely feel like in the movie Avatar.

There are two approaches to the waterfall: a longer and a shorter one. We strongly recommend you to take the longer one, which is incredibly green and beautiful, and come back the shorter one, so you will make a nice loop. During this walk you have to reckon with numerous steps, but it is nothing hard to overcome.

There are three waterfalls, the first one is quite small and hard to reach, the next two waterfalls, smaller and larger, are very nice and quite wide, you can admire them from viewing platforms.

Parking is located right at the entrance to the trail. On the left is the entrance to the longer route, on the right to the shorter one.

Travel time: 25min

#8 Great Ocean Road & Twelve Apostles

Great Ocean Road is definitely one of the most famous, if not the most famous route in Australia. For good reason – this long, more than 240 kilometre stretch of road along the south-eastern coast of Australia is providing one of the world’s most scenic coastal drives.

The Great Ocean Road begins in the town of Torquay where the entrance is marked by a gate and ends in Allansford. Along the way you will see countless beaches, coves, cliffs. Beautiful views while driving this road are guaranteed.

Travel time: 50min

But that’s not all! Along this road another very famous point on the map of Australia is located

The Twelve Apostles

It is one of the world’s most popular limestone stack formations. Formed by erosion stack were once one cliff. The strong Southern Ocean and weather conditions caused the soft lime stone to form cliffs into caves, which over time turned into archers, and these over time collapsed and left rock stacks.

Another interesting fact is that The Twelve Apostles were never twelve, but only nine. And this name inspired by the Bible was invented only to encourage tourists to visit this place.

Although the Twelve Apostles is the most popular attraction in this place, besides it, be sure to visit other rock formations within the Port Campbell National Park such as:

• The Razorback
• Tom and Eva Lookout
• Loch Ard Gorge
• Thunder Cave
• The Arch
• London Bridge
• The Grotto
• Bay of Martyrs
• Bay of Islands

All of these places are beautiful, breathtaking and worth a visit. The views of the rough ocean hitting the limestone stack formations will surely stay in your memory forever.

Since this is one of the most popular destinations in Australia, be sure to arm yourself with patience, especially in those places that are closest to The Twelve Apostles like Loch Ard George, London Bridge and The Grotto.

The more remote places and those harder to reach like Bay of Martyrs and The Bay of Islands are definitely quieter and more peaceful. Make sure to also visit some of those. You have plenty of time and they are just as worth seeing.

Unfortunately, you can admire the Twelve Apostles only from the viewing platform, there is no possibility to go down to the beach at this place. However, if you’re looking for great photos with rock formations in the background, head to the 2 minutes’ drive away Gibson Steps, where you’ll find stairs leading to the beach. Admittedly, not the same one on which the Twelve Apostles are located, but just as beautiful.

#9 Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve

For those longing for wild life and to experience koalas and emu in their natural habitat, Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve will be the perfect place!

You can drive into the reserve and stop for walks in several places. At the last parking lot which is also a picnic area you are sure to meet strolling, huge emu birds and koalas high in the treetops. It is a great place to observe these adorable marsupials in their natural habitat.

Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve is nestled inside an extinct volcano, so if you’re in the mood for a longer walk take a stroll along one of the trails. Like the one to Von Guerard Lookout, from which you can enjoy views of the volcanic crater lake – Tower Hill Lake, or the slightly shorter and easier ones like the Wagon Bay Loop Walk.

All trails are described in detail on the site on information boards. Entrance and all parking at Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve are free.

Travel time: 1h 15min

#10 Griffitts Island Reserve

While traveling around Australia, you can’t miss some beautifully situated lighthouses. This red and white lighthouse located on a beautiful beach lined with black stones and golden sand looks just like out of a picture.

The road leading to it is full of greenery, and tall trees. With a bit of luck (mostly in the afternoon hours) you will meet here wallabies, a charming mammal from the kangaroo family, which in its appearance very much resembles a kangaroo, but is much smaller. As for the birds, you can meet here beautiful black swans.

There are two roads leading to the lighthouse from the free parking lot, a shorter and a longer one. The shorter one takes about 15 minutes, the longer one about 20 minutes walk time.

Travel time: 20min

#11 Cape Nelson Lighthouse

Another beautifully located lighthouse is the Cape Nelson Lighthouse, a lighthouse located by the huge cliffs. From several viewing points at the lighthouse you can watch the rough waters hitting the cliffs with great force. These views are truly breathtaking and unforgettable.

Next to the lighthouse is a small cafe with delicious coffee and even more delicious apple waffles, if you’re craving something sweet, you should definitely try them.

Free parking is available at the building where the cafe is located.

Travel time: 1h 5min

#12 Mount Gambier – Blue Lake & Umpherston Sinkhole

Located in southeastern Australia, the town of Mount Gambier is known for its limestone, sinkholes, volcanoes and crater lakes.

One of the crater lakes is Blue Lake, which turns a deep blue color during the summer season. This unusual lake, is surrounded by greenery and 72m deep, it was once an active volcano. Today a lake, which you can admire the from a special viewing point.

Unfortunately, you can’t swim in this lake, but during the summer season, the slightly lesser known Little Blue Lake will be the perfect place to take a dip in equally azure waters.

Free parking is available at the Blue Lake Lookout, just take the underpass to the lookout point.

Travel time: 1h 20min

Umpherston Sink Hole Garden was created by the collapse of the top layer of an underground limestone cave. The residents of Mount Gambier decided to use this place to the best of their ability and created a beautiful sunken garden with numerous lush plants and beautiful flowers.

This place is very popular among visitors, as well as residents. Free parking is located at the entrance to the park.

#13 Robe Obelisk

Nestled on the limestone cliffs of Cape Dombey Obelisk in Robe is one of the favorite destinations for visitors of this town, yet you won’t encounter crowds here. The place is perfect for a long walk along the cliffs, watching the waves hitting the cliffs, the amazing sunsets, and taking some unforgettable photographs.

The several-minute walk is easy, in a beautiful setting of cliffs and rock formations which are outstanding.

Access to the obelisk is currently blocked off for safety reasons, although the views of the obelisk from afar make up for this inconvenience.

Free parking is located right at the entrance to the walk.

Travel time: 1h 25min

#14 Horseshoe Bay

Another great place for a coastal walk is Horseshoe Bay in Port Elliot. A designated path leads right by the ocean, which provides great views. Along the way you’ll pass several benches for a rest, although locals definitely prefer the large stones on which they are happy to sit, sunbathe or even have picnics.

As you walk, look around for wild life, as you can spot some great specimens of birds and sometimes tiny lizards. If you’re not a fan of such activity, there is also quite a nice beach ideal for sunbathing or swimming.

The walk, depending on the number of stops, takes 30 minutes or more, and you’ll find free parking as well as toilets by the beach.

Travel time: 3h 50min

#15 Sellicks Beach

Sellicks Beach is a rather wilder beach and is particularly popular with locals with four-wheel drive vehicles. Here you can drive along the beach and enjoy the beautiful scenery. But don’t get the idea of trying this with your campervan. In this case, you can park at the top and enjoy the view of the special hill formation.

Travel time: 30min

#16 Adelaide

Adelaide effortlessly combines culture, history, and nature, with its stunning landmarks and green spaces. The iconic Three Rivers Fountain symbolizes the city’s connection to water, while the historic Adelaide Town Hall stands as a testament to the city’s rich heritage. The State Library of South Australia offers both stunning architecture and a wealth of knowledge. For shopping and relaxation, the Rundle Mall Fountain offers a central spot to unwind, and just a short walk away, the serene Adelaide Botanic Garden provides a peaceful escape from the urban bustle. Adelaide’s balance of city life and nature makes it truly unique.

Travel time: 50min

Probably the best comfort of a campervan is that you not only have a means of transportation on four wheels, but also your entire home. Now you just need to know where you’re going to stay for the day and where you’re going to spend the night.

There is an app for that.

A camping trip in Australia wouldn’t work so easily without probably the most important app called WikiCamps . Rarely have we been so happy to live in an age of smartphones and apps.

With WikiCamps you can filter all the places and find exactly what you need.

• Where can I stay and cook during the day?
• Where can I fill up the campervan’s water tank?
• Where can I take a hot/cold shower?
• Where can I stay overnight for free?
• Where can I spend a paid night and charge the battery?

All this accompanied by numerous photos, ratings and reviews from a large camping community make planning so much easier and more enjoyable.

Download QR-Code

‎WikiCamps Australia

Developer: WikiCamps pty ltd

Price: 6,99 €

Download QR-Code

WikiCamps Australia

Developer: WikiCamps

Price: Free

Free vs. Paid Camping

Depending on how well equipped your campervan is and how often or if at all you need to recharge the electricity, you can decide every day whether you want to spend the night on a free or paid camping site. At the free ones you often only have one toilet, which is not necessarily clean, while at the paid ones you have a clean toilet and a warm shower.

To save money, we used a paid campsite every 3-4 days, also to recharge the batteries of the equipment and the campervan. On the days with free camping, we took a shower on the way and refilled the water tank, both of which you can also easily find in the app.

The climate in Victoria and South Australia is temperate, which makes the weather a little more unpredictable. For the best possible weather conditions, it is recommended to travel around February. As a general rule, in addition to the recommended months, the two or three months before and after are also highly recommended in most cases. Keep in mind, however, that the weather in Australia is the reverse of the western hemisphere.

In order to visit all the places we recommended in this post without rushing, plan at least two weeks. Distances in Australia can be enormous, so check the map of places before you travel and reserve a few days.