10 Best Camping Spots in Victoria for 2026

Victoria packs more landscape variety into a smaller area than any other Australian state. Within a few hours of Melbourne, you can camp on windswept coastline, in towering old-growth forest, beside alpine creeks, or on the edge of arid mallee scrub.

The state's campgrounds are well-maintained, heavily used, and fiercely loved. Book early — especially for summer and Easter. If you'd rather glamp, see our glamping Victoria guide. These are our 10 favourite Victorian campgrounds.

Great Ocean Road & Coast

1. Blanket Bay — Great Otway National Park

Tucked away on a wild stretch of coast south of the Great Ocean Road, Blanket Bay is a walk-in campground surrounded by old-growth myrtle beech rainforest. The beach below the campsite is dramatic — high cliffs, rock platforms, and pounding surf.

What makes it special: The short walk in means no campervans and no crowds. At night, the bioluminescence in the surf is extraordinary, and glow worms line the walking track. Morning mist through the rainforest canopy is worth the early alarm.

Facilities: Composting toilets, fire rings, picnic tables. No water, no showers.

Price: $21.40/site/night | Best for: Bushwalkers and solitude seekers | 2WD to car park + 2km walk

2. Johanna Beach — Great Otway National Park

A raw, exposed campground right behind the dunes of one of Victoria's most beautiful beaches. Johanna is a surfer's campground — the beach break is consistent and rarely crowded. The Otway hinterland behind the campsite offers waterfall walks and tall forest.

What makes it special: Falling asleep to the sound of the Southern Ocean and waking to surf rolling in 50 metres from your tent. The sunset from the beach — with no buildings in sight, just wild coast in both directions — is one of the best in Victoria.

Facilities: Composting toilets. No water, no showers, no power.

Price: $21.40/site/night | Best for: Surfers and coastal campers | 2WD accessible

Victorian High Country

3. Lake Catani — Mount Buffalo National Park

A family-friendly alpine campground beside a glacial lake, surrounded by granite tors and snow gum woodland. In summer, swim in the lake and walk the gorge tracks. In autumn, the deciduous trees around the lake turn gold and crimson.

What makes it special: The Horn walk — a short climb to Mount Buffalo's summit — delivers 360-degree views of the Victorian Alps. The granite formations at the Cathedral are world-class. Lake Catani itself is one of the few alpine lakes in Australia where you can safely swim.

Facilities: Hot showers, flushing toilets, fire rings, powered sites available.

Price: $38.20/site/night | Best for: Families and alpine lovers | 2WD accessible

4. Craig's Hut — Mount Stirling

Camp near Australia's most famous cattleman's hut. Built as a film set for The Man from Snowy River, Craig's Hut sits at 1,500 metres with panoramic views across the Alpine National Park. The campgrounds around Mount Stirling are high-country classics — and the surrounding 4WD tracks are among Australia's best.

What makes it special: Standing beside Craig's Hut at sunrise, looking out over layer upon layer of blue-tinged mountain ranges disappearing into the distance. In winter, the area is snow-covered and accessed on cross-country skis — but summer camping here is spectacular.

Facilities: Composting toilets. No water, no showers. Carry everything.

Price: Free (state forest) | Best for: High-country adventurers | 4WD recommended in wet weather

Gippsland & East

5. Tidal River — Wilsons Promontory National Park

Victoria's most popular campground, and with good reason. Tidal River sits on a tidal estuary behind the white sand of Norman Beach, surrounded by granite headlands and coastal bush. The walking tracks from here — Squeaky Beach, Sealers Cove, the Lighthouse — are legendary.

What makes it special: The variety of walks accessible from camp is unmatched. The overnight hike to the lighthouse at the southernmost point of mainland Australia is a bucket-list experience. Wombats wander through camp at dusk, and the beach is pristine.

Facilities: Hot showers, flushing toilets, camp kitchen, powered sites. General store on-site.

Price: $51.80/site/night (peak) | Best for: Everyone — families, hikers, beach campers | 2WD accessible

6. Point Hicks — Croajingolong National Park

One of the most remote coastal campgrounds in southern Australia. Point Hicks lighthouse sits on a wild stretch of coast near the NSW border. The campground is bush-sheltered with access to empty beaches in both directions.

What makes it special: This is where Captain Cook's crew first sighted the Australian mainland in 1770. The isolation is real — you're hours from the nearest town. Camping beside a heritage lighthouse with nothing but ocean between you and Antarctica creates a powerful sense of place.

Facilities: Composting toilets, rainwater tanks. No showers, no power.

Price: $21.40/site/night | Best for: Remote coastal camping | 2WD accessible (gravel road)

Grampians & Western Victoria

7. Smiths Mill — Grampians National Park

A quiet campground in the northern Grampians near the spectacular Hollow Mountain rock formations and the Ngamadjidj Aboriginal art shelter. Less crowded than the popular southern end of the park, Smiths Mill is a bushwalker's base camp.

What makes it special: Climbing Hollow Mountain at sunset — scrambling through rock corridors to emerge on an open rock platform overlooking the Wartook Valley — is one of Victoria's greatest short walks. The Aboriginal rock art shelters nearby provide powerful cultural context.

Facilities: Composting toilets, fire rings, picnic tables. No water, no showers.

Price: $21.40/site/night | Best for: Bushwalkers and rock climbers | 2WD accessible

8. Lake Bellfield — Grampians National Park

A larger campground beside Lake Bellfield with views of the Wonderland Range. Halls Gap village is nearby for supplies, and the classic Grampians walks — Pinnacle, Grand Canyon, MacKenzie Falls — are all within easy reach.

What makes it special: The Pinnacle walk is one of Victoria's most iconic hikes. The view from the top — across the ranges, the valley, and the lake below — is extraordinary. Camp beside the lake, swim in the afternoon, then tackle the Pinnacle at sunset.

Facilities: Hot showers, flushing toilets, fire rings. No power.

Price: $38.20/site/night | Best for: Families and day hikers | 2WD accessible

The Murray & North

9. Gunbower Island — Murray River

A massive river red gum forest island in the Murray River, accessible by 4WD tracks with dozens of bush camping spots along the river. Canoe, kayak, or fish the Murray from your campsite. The river red gums here are among the oldest in the state.

What makes it special: Choosing your own private riverside campsite under ancient river red gums. Canoeing the Murray channels in the early morning, with pelicans and cormorants for company, and fishing for Murray cod at sunset. It's timeless Australian bush camping.

Facilities: None — bush camping. Carry everything including water.

Price: Free (state forest) | Best for: 4WD tourers, fishers, and canoeists | 4WD recommended

Mornington Peninsula & Near Melbourne

10. French Island National Park

An island in Western Port Bay with no cars, no mains electricity, and a ferry-only access. French Island is a genuine wilderness experience 90 minutes from the CBD. The campground is a walk or cycle from the ferry terminal, and the island's tracks wind through bush teeming with koalas.

What makes it special: The koala density on French Island is remarkable — you'll see dozens during a single walk. The absence of cars creates genuine silence. Cycling the dirt tracks around the island with nothing but birdsong and bush is a rare experience so close to Melbourne.

Facilities: Composting toilets, rainwater tanks. No showers, no power.

Price: $21.40/site/night + ferry | Best for: Nature lovers and cyclists | Walk or cycle from ferry

Tips for Camping in Victoria

Book early. Popular campgrounds like Tidal River and Lake Catani sell out months ahead for school holidays and summer weekends. Set reminders for booking windows — Parks Victoria opens summer bookings in July.

Fire season. Victoria has strict fire regulations. Total Fire Ban days prohibit all campfires and gas stoves in some areas. Check the CFA website daily during summer. Some campgrounds ban fires entirely from November to April.

Be weather-ready. Victoria's weather changes rapidly, especially in the mountains. Even in summer, alpine areas can drop below freezing overnight. Pack for four seasons regardless of the forecast. Use our camping checklist to make sure you don't forget anything.

Essential Gear for Victorian Camping

Victoria's diverse conditions — from alpine snow to coastal wind — demand versatile gear. Here's what we recommend:

• Shelter: A quality swag handles Victorian conditions well, or a tent with a full fly for the unpredictable rain. Our swag vs tent guide helps you decide.
• Sleep system: A sleeping bag rated to 0°C minimum — the Grampians and High Country drop well below freezing in winter. Even summer nights in the Alps can hit 5°C.
• Cooking: A camp stove is essential during fire ban season (November-March). A 12V fridge keeps food fresh for longer trips through the High Country.
• 4WD gear: If you're heading into the Victorian High Country tracks, pack recovery gear — the tracks can be muddy and challenging, especially after rain.
• Solar: Portable solar panels are worth carrying for off-grid sites like Wonnangatta and remote Gippsland campgrounds.