We have met thousands of free campers in our travels and a far cry from how they are painted. These people like ourselves are travelling for mostly long periods of time or are on the road permanently. To make their travels go the distance they choose free camping options to save money. However, this is not the only reason. Free camping is liberating. Free camps can be some of the most beautiful spots along their travels where they simply decide to pull over and set up. As long as free campers are not camping on private land without permission and are leaving the area as they find it. What is the harm?
Free campers are not tight with money they are bright with money. They still inject money into the local communities and towns they are visiting. They spend their money on fuel, food, tourism and accommodation. Yes, free campers don’t necessarily always free camp I’m sure some try too and I’m sure some succeed but not all of us. If any other free-camp lovers are like us we select caravan parks or paid accommodation options every now and then. Why? Well selfishly to either indulge ourselves, catch up on washing or to have a real shower and in unselfishness to support caravan parks and accommodation operators.
How do we choose? In big towns and centres we choose caravan parks or town commons (normally owned and operated by local councils) Firstly, this supports the operators and their businesses but also allows us to be amongst the local towns and catch up with fellow travellers. Off the beaten track we prefer “free-camps” but to us anything under $10 is really a “free-camp” and we allow National Parks and reserves to fall into this category. If it means these areas are kept open to travellers like us we are more than happy to pay fees or donations.
Free-campers are still injecting money into towns and communities and should not be moved along unless they are over-staying their welcome (i.e still set up on a road side stop three months later blocking other travellers), on private land, rowdy/disruptive to the general public/other travellers or damaging the environment/public facilities.
We love travelling our vast and amazing country and want to continue to do so for as long as we can. Free-camping is a way to create longevity of travel in reducing some of the costs but more importantly a way of opening up new experiences in those little know places.
What are your thoughts on free-camping? Tell us your tales of star free-campers?
Norris Around Australia 
Spread the news far and wide Norris family :). Many of us are just camping as Australians have always done, and this tradition pre-dates caravan parks. We chose to be caravanners so we can stop when we want to and enjoy solitude and nature of this mighty continent. If we wanted to stay in towns, we could have done it with far more privacy in motels than in caravan parks, and cheaper than investing in our rig. We are not freeloaders; it does not cost the community anything to have our wheel marks, and no different if we stop for morning tea, lunch or overnight. No different to someone travelling by car stopping for a while. Safe and happy travels. Motherhen
There’s been a bit of commotion about concerning free campers lately! Mostly because they’re doing it all wrong, hordes of tourists parking their vans in shopping centre carparks and staying there for days at a time. I love free camps! You’ve just gotta do it in the right spot 🙂