Last Easter, 5,300 Australians couldn't find a van. Here's what the owners who showed up earned.

As Australia's largest RV hire marketplace, we see thousands of Easter adventures go out every door every year — and last year, the data told a story worth sharing. Nearly 10,000 Australians were actively trying to hire a van for the Easter break. Around 5,300 of them couldn't find one. And the hirers who were searching? They were willing to pay an 18% premium above the yearly average daily rate to secure a van.

Easter 2026 lands on April 3. Hirers are already searching. Here's everything you need to know about what happened last year — and why this Easter is an opportunity worth showing up for.

It's never too late to list

The Easter booking frenzy doesn't just happen months in advance. In the 18 days immediately before Easter 2025, 13,662 booking requests were placed on Camplify — a 16% increase on the baseline daily average. A clear and significant surge right in the final stretch.

Hirers plan ahead, but there's also a genuine last-minute wave of Australians scrambling to lock something in before the long weekend. Owners who are listed and available — even late in the piece — are well placed to capture it. There's no wrong time to activate your listing before Easter.

The supply gap: what the data really shows

Of the 9,931 unique hirers who placed a booking request for Easter travel between April 11-25, only 4,644 ended up hitting the road. Around 5,300 Australians went without a van.

The booking request-to-acceptance rate dropped 17% over the Easter period — not because hirers lost interest, but because limited supply meant hirers had to cast a wider net, placing multiple requests to try and secure a van. Owners who were listed could afford to be selective, favouring higher-value bookings from a deeper pool of requests.

The demand was there. The willingness to pay a premium was there. The active listings weren't.

What active owners actually earned

Owners who were listed over Easter 2025 earned an average of $956 per booking, at a daily rate of $165.56 — nearly $25 above the yearly average. Average trip duration ran at 6.4 nights, meaning most Easter bookings wrapped up comfortably within the long weekend window.

To put $956 into perspective: that's enough to cover a year's worth of RV registration in most states, a quality tent and camp setup for the whole family, or a genuinely great long weekend away with all the trimmings — funded entirely by your van.

The top 10% of RVs on the platform averaged $2,578 over the Easter school holiday period. The single highest-earning RV brought in $5,331 across the 2 week window.

Real owners, real returns

The spontaneous lister: Jake Edmunds, Sydney NSW

The numbers stack up — but sometimes it takes one moment of curiosity to make it real. Jake Edmunds, a Sydney-based Camplify owner, had blocked his van's availability over the holiday break. After a year of sharing his RV, he figured he'd earned the right to take it out himself.

Then one night, scrolling through his Camplify calendar, he changed his mind.

"I decided I'd just put it up at a premium rate to see if anyone was interested. I didn't have Instant Booking on, so I figured worst case, I could just decline it."

The next morning he woke up to a booking request for just over $2,500 — for the exact two-week window he'd opened up.

"That made the decision very easy."

The van stayed listed. The cash landed. And the holiday plans? They got an upgrade.

Check out Jake's listings here →

The strategic lister: Andrew Roberts, Western Australia

For Andrew Roberts, a WA-based owner, the approach was more deliberate — but the outcome was just as satisfying. With an overseas trip planned over Easter, Andrew and his partner needed a hire that worked around their schedule: handover before they left, pickup after they returned. No exceptions.

He adjusted his minimum hire settings from 7 to 10 days for the Easter window, held firm on the dates that worked, and added messaging to his listing to set expectations clearly. Shorter enquiries came in. They didn't fit. Andrew held the line.

"By having clear pricing and adjusting our minimum hire settings for that period, as well as additional messaging on our listing, we held firm on those dates and kept the booking calendar aligned with what worked for us."

The Easter demand delivered. A booking came through from a family heading up the Coral Coast to Coral Bay with young kids — 18 days in total. The hire funded the overseas trip. The family got their perfect Easter adventure.

"They were genuinely pleased the van was still available. We're over the moon — and so is the hirer."

Check out Andrew's listings here →

This Easter, which one are you?

The data makes a compelling case. But the reason to list looks a little different depending on where you're at.

Feeling the squeeze of cost of living? Easter is a fantastic opportunity to holiday at home, take it easy, and let your RV quietly earn its keep — putting some real padding on your budget for the rest of the year.

Been thinking about listing for the first time? Easter is one of the best moments to start. Premium daily rates, strong hirer demand, and a platform full of Australians actively looking for a van just like yours. There's no better time to get off on the right foot.

Just want a great break without spending a cent? Rent out your RV over Easter, let the earnings do the work, and use the income to fund a few nights away yourself — without touching your own wallet.

Want to earn over Easter without the admin? Camplify's Managed Services takes care of listings, bookings, and communications — so you earn without lifting a finger.

What owners in your state earned

Across nearly every state and RV type, Easter school holiday 2025 earnings came in above the yearly baseline — delivered in fewer nights, at a higher daily rate.

Motorhomes were the standout earner nationally without exception — with average earnings topping $1,950 in NSW, $1,948 in QLD, $2,140 in VIC, $1,978 in TAS, $2,026 in WA, and $1,402 in SA. For motorhome owners especially, Easter represents one of the strongest earning windows of the year. Campervans punched well above their weight in WA ($1,717) and Tasmania ($1,516) — both significantly above their yearly baselines of $1,322 and $1,219 respectively. And across the board, caravans delivered consistent returns in every market, ranging from $906 in Tasmania to $1,330 in QLD.

Wherever you are and whatever you're listing — the owners who were active captured earnings that inactive owners simply left on the table.

Easter is one of the best times of the year to earn on Camplify. How much could your RV make?

Chris Bryant knows this better than most. He's the owner of Dirt Gear Caravan Hire — one of NSW's largest caravan hire businesses, operating a fleet of 22 vans out of Taree on the Mid North Coast. What started as a single van sitting idle in his yard has grown into a full-time operation with a warehouse, a full-time mechanic, and drivers delivering vans to campgrounds across the state. Easter, he says, is one of the best times of the year.

"Easter fills extremely quickly," Chris says. "You'd have families ringing going 'we can't find a van, we really need something' — and I'd just go find a way to make it happen."

With 22 vans, Chris has one piece of advice for Camplify owners: Easter is one of the best times of year to earn.

It's advice that scales. Whether you're running a fleet of twenty-two or have a single van sitting in the driveway, Chris's golden rule is the same.

"Camplify measures your performance on how quickly you respond to booking requests. The customers are keen to get going — they want to hear back straight away. Quick responses are everything."

The window is now

Easter 2026 falls on April 3-6. Based on last year's data, search activity builds steadily in the weeks ahead before surging in the final stretch before the long weekend — meaning there's both an early mover advantage and a genuine last-minute opportunity for owners who activate late.

The owners who earn the most over Easter are the ones who are listed, available, and ready. Last year, around 5,300 Australians couldn't find a van. This year, yours doesn't have to be one they missed.