Private Campgrounds – Everything You Need To Know

Private campgrounds sit in the space between free bush camps and commercial caravan parks. Owned and operated by individuals or companies on private land, they range from a farmer’s paddock with a long-drop toilet to beautifully maintained bush camps with hot showers, fire pits, and manicured sites. The growth of platforms like Hipcamp and Youcamp has exploded the number of private campgrounds available to Big Lappers, creating thousands of camping options that didn’t exist a few years ago.

Types Of Private Campgrounds

Farm stays and rural properties. Working farms and rural properties that offer camping as a side income. You might be in a paddock next to cattle, beside a dam, or in a cleared bushland area. Facilities vary from minimal (BYO everything) to surprisingly well-equipped. Prices typically $15-40/night.

Purpose-built bush camps. Landowners who’ve developed dedicated camping areas on their property, often with facilities like toilets, showers, fire pits, and level sites. These are essentially small campgrounds without the overhead (and pricing) of a full caravan park. $20-50/night.

Station stays. A specific and uniquely Australian subcategory. Working cattle and sheep stations in the outback that offer camping. These deserve their own guide (and have one) because the experience is genuinely different from other private campgrounds.

Hipcamp and Youcamp listings. These platforms are the “Airbnb of camping,” connecting landowners with campers. Quality, facilities, and settings vary enormously, but user reviews help sort the gems from the duds. Some are truly special: private beaches, riverside spots, mountain views with no one else around.

How To Find Private Campgrounds

Hipcamp (hipcamp.com.au) is the largest platform, with thousands of listings across Australia. Search by location, filter by facilities and vehicle type, and read reviews. Booking and payment through the platform.

Youcamp (youcamp.com) is the Australian-founded alternative. Similar concept, strong regional coverage. Some properties are listed on both platforms; others are exclusive to one.

WikiCamps lists some private campgrounds, particularly established ones that have been around longer than the app platforms.

Word of mouth. Some of the best private camps aren’t on any platform. They’re the farmer who puts up a hand-painted sign at the gate, or the station that’s known by travellers who share the intel at campfires.

What To Expect

The biggest variable with private campgrounds is consistency. A caravan park has a star rating, a known brand, and predictable facilities. A private campground could be anything from outstanding to disappointing. Read recent reviews carefully, look at photos (guest photos are more reliable than host photos), and manage expectations. The trade-off is that the best private campgrounds offer settings and experiences that no caravan park can match: privacy, natural beauty, and a genuine connection to the land and its owners.

Facilities to check before booking: toilet (flush, composting, long-drop, or none), water (potable, non-potable, or BYO), shower (hot, cold, or none), fire pit (provided, BYO, or no fires), power (none at most, some offer limited solar or generator access), and mobile coverage.

Advantages Over Other Camp Types

Pets often welcome. Many private campgrounds accept dogs (and sometimes other pets), making them valuable for pet owners locked out of national parks. Check each listing’s pet policy.

Privacy. Many private campgrounds offer individual sites with generous spacing, or even exclusive-use properties where you’re the only campers. Compared to the packed rows of a caravan park, this is a luxury.

Unique settings. Waterfalls, private beaches, mountain ridgelines, working farms, vineyard views. Private landowners can offer camping in locations that public campgrounds simply don’t exist.

Host knowledge. Good hosts share local knowledge: the best fishing spots, hidden swimming holes, which bakery to visit, and where to see wildlife. This personal touch is something no app or guidebook provides.