Van life in Australia: ultimate complete lifestyle guide

With hundreds of families, working adults and grey nomads now choosing to live behind the wheel instead of a white picket fence, van life in Australia is on the rise. And as these van lifers roam around the country, they share their experiences and inspire others to take the path less travelled - just head over to Instagram and you’ll see over 12 million posts adorning the # VanLife hashtag!

But there’s more to the van life movement than simply adding a motor to a tiny home. Far from a passing fad, it is a way of life that trades materialism for minimalism, mundane routine for outdoor adventure and the corporate grind for freedom in the wilderness.

While the appeal of waving goodbye to Australia’s ever-increasing rent and mortgage fees may attract you to this nomadic lifestyle, it’s the ability to experience whatever you want, wherever and whenever you like, that keeps so many van lifers on the road.

But to thrive while you drive, you’ll need an open mind, an appreciation for simplicity and an enthusiasm for embracing the unknown. Below, we explain the benefits of van life in Australia, list our top tips for hopping aboard this bandwagon and name the best destinations to discover along the way!

As a van owner, you can earn over $10,000 each year by hiring out your van on Camplify. As a holidaymaker, Camplify helps you to find the perfect rental so that you can experience the joys of van life without having to own one yourself.

Interested? Learn more about Camplify here.

Why is van life in Australia on the rise?

1_._ Freedom and adventure

The van life means you have all your living essentials and home comforts in one convenient space, allowing you to enjoy total freedom and roam wherever you like around Australia. Adventure awaits at every turn. Luckily, campervan living - and motorhome or caravan living, for that matter - offers flexibility to explore like no other.

Tied to neither a lease nor a strict travel agenda, the van life allows you to discover the open road at your own pace! Loving a certain town? Stay another night. Not feeling this camping spot? On to the next. With its inherent spontaneity and endless opportunities, you can live the van life your way.

2. A chance to cut costs

With no more rent, mortgage or utility payments, the van life can save you serious money – particularly on housing (which only seems to be surging in Australia). Of course, you’ll still need to pay for gas and vehicle maintenance, but you are in complete control of the amount you spend in this domain.

Make no mistake: van life is not the magical answer to zero expenses. Nothing in life comes free, so your costs ultimately depend on your preferences. Your lifestyle, your choice.

3. Time for the things you love

With its freedom and flexibility, van life is a celebration of our finite time on this beautiful planet. Whether you want to spend the day hiking with your kids, surfing with your partner or painting the Australian landscape in peace, your van can take you there.

Not to mention that less living space and fewer impulse buys minimise your housekeeping duties and pressure to afford the unnecessary. With a simpler day to day, you can devote more time to your hobbies, interests and relationships. In other words, things that actually matter.

4. Less is more

Your van won’t have as much storage space as your house. That means you’ll have to re-evaluate your belongings, only bringing those that genuinely ‘spark joy’ (as Marie Kondo would say) or serve a necessary purpose.

Honestly, this is a blessing in disguise. Minimalist living takes you back to basics, teaching you to make do with less, appreciate the little things and recognise that your happiness doesn’t rest in excess. Put simply, van life is good for your soul.

Oh, and everything you need is within arm's reach!

5. Bonds across Australia

There’s no community like the van life community in Australia!

As you traverse the country’s camping grounds, you’re guaranteed to meet new and interesting people from all walks of life. Chances are they’re like-minded campers who understand your lifestyle on a deep level. That means you can skip the small talk and create meaningful connections from the offset.

Prefer to keep to yourself? The beauty of having a van is that you can go your own way when things don’t quite click. Whatever you do, make sure to join a Van Life Facebook group for handy tips, expert advice and travel inspiration from fellow adventurers.

6. Mother nature in all her glory

The nature of van life will have you spending most of your waking hours in Australia's great outdoors - camp beside pristine beaches, at the top of towering cliffs, within exotic rainforests and surrounded by vast desert. Essentially, you can call the wilderness your new home.

When it comes to the weather, you can maintain a comfortable temperature inside your van all year round. A propane heater keeps you cosy in the chill of winter, while reflective window coverings and a ventilation fan cool you down on sweltering summer days.

9 expert tips for van life in Australia

1. Try before you buy

Make sure that van life is right for you before you invest in your own rig. Camplify works with local van owners across Australia so that holidaymakers and prospective buyers can rent a caravan, campervan, motorhome or camper trailer – no matter the location or budget.

Explore vans for hire and find a model that suits your needs. Use the search feature to set a pickup location and adjust the optional filters to tailor your search results. Then book your van of choice and head off on a trip to get a taste of van life in Australia!

And don’t forget, when you hire a van through Camplify, it comes with the advantages of comprehensive hire insurance and nationwide NRMA roadside assistance at no additional cost!

2. Purchase the right van

Buying a van is the biggest step towards joining the van life. Unfortunately, however, everything in life comes at a price. And if you don’t do your research, it’s easy to fork out more money than necessary or invest in a lemon.

Start by considering the pros and cons of motorhomes and caravans so that you can decide which is best suited to your ideal van life. Motorhomes (including campervans) tend to be better suited to people who prefer to move campsites daily, whilst caravans tend to be better suited to people who prefer to stay at one campsite for longer periods of time.

If you think spaciousness and comfort are the most important parts of van life, you might be best off buying a motorhome. For assistance choosing a make and model of motorhome, check out the best small motorhomes for retired couples, the best family motorhomes to hire and the best motorhome for winter use.

Alternatively, if you think that a campervan would make van life easier and more affordable, see our guide to buying a used campervan. Then choose a make and model based on our list of the best campervans to buy in Australia.

Otherwise, if you decide that a caravan could make van life even more comfortable, don’t miss our ultimate guide to buying a used caravan.

3. Make it your own with a van conversion

If you choose to save money by buying a used van (a wise choice), spend some of your savings converting it to be a beautiful and functional home. Van life is a lot easier and more enjoyable if you have a home-on-wheels that you can truly call your own.

Converting a van is no small feat, but it’s a lot easier if you follow along with our complete van conversion guide. However, you may also want to check out our model-specific articles, such as our DIY Sprinter van conversion guide, Hiace campervan layouts guide or motorhome bus layouts guide.

If you want to keep things as simple, we suggest investing in one of the best campervan conversion kits in Australia. These kits are premade and come with instructions for DIY installation!

Finally, make your van life as comfortable and homely as possible by sourcing some small campervan interior ideas or motorhome interior ideas.

4. Get insurance and roadside assistance for your van

If you want to live the van life in Australia, it is essential that you insure your van. Your campervan, motorhome or caravan is a high-value item that is at considerable risk of damage due to an accident, theft or fire.

If you don’t have insurance, you will have to cover the entirety of the loss by yourself. And it’s a lot easier to enjoy van life knowing that you’re insured if anything goes wrong.

Plus, many van insurance policies come with roadside assistance, which is a real life-saver if you break down in the middle of Australia and need a tow to the repair shop.

But don’t forget, if you decide to take a break from the van life and hire out your van through Camplify, we provide all hirers with comprehensive hire insurance (at no extra cost) and nationwide NRMA roadside assistance.

5. Stock up on van life essentials

Before beginning van life in Australia, ensure that your road trip packing list has all the essentials. But remember, beyond the obvious items, there are a few other pieces of gear that are vital to all van lifers.

Firstly, you should always pack a solid set of tools (think pliers, spanners, duct tape etc.). Even if you are clueless when it comes to mechanical repairs, there’s a strong chance that someone else can help you to fix the issue. But not with their bare hands.

You will also need to bring recovery gear such as 4WD tracks, a snatch trap and an air compressor. No matter how skilled a driver you claim to be, there will come a time when your van gets stuck, and quality recovery gear will be a lifesaver.

Finally, never hit remote roads without a GPS locator beacon. When driving through the wilderness, you want to be sure that you can contact emergency services if something goes wrong!

6. Download apps to help with van life

There are a few apps you can download that will make van life in Australia a whole lot easier.

Start with WikiCamps, a paid app ($7.99) that helps you find campsites, caravan parks, rest stops and more. You can read user reviews about those places and refine your search with the filter options.

Also, download maps.me, a free app that lets you download detailed maps for offline use when you don’t have phone or internet reception.

Our final suggestion is Petrol Spy or Fuel Map Australia, both free apps that help you find the cheapest fuel prices near you.

7. Save money during your travels

Wondering how much it costs to travel Australia? Well, the good news is that you can considerably cut down on the cost of van life with a few simple tips!

Save big on campsite fees by staying at free or low-cost campsites, many of which can be found in National Parks around the country. Whilst these sites might not always have the best facilities, they are often scenically stunning.

Speaking of National Parks, be sure to grab a multi-use pass in those states that offer them (NSW, SA, WA, TAS). This is an affordable way to see the best parts of Australia.

Spend less on petrol by filling up your van and spare fuel containers in cities and major towns, where fuel prices are normally cheaper.

And finally, save on dining expenses by cooking your own meals instead of eating out all the time. Invest in a decent kitchen set-up in your van and you’ll save a heap on dining out throughout your van life!

8. Making money on the road

It’s all well and good to treat a temporary road trip as a blissful vacation, but most Australians living the van life still need to generate some sort of income. To sustain your nomadic lifestyle, you’ll either have to save up a mountain of money before you leave or figure out a way to earn as you go.

The good news is that there are a myriad of ways to make money when living the van life, from remote freelance work and online content creation to manual labour and seasonal farming. You name it, a van lifer has done it. Our advice? Devise a plan before your journey begins so as not to spoil your adventure with the stress of a dwindling bank account.

9. Generate income on Camplify Keen to join the van life but unsure how to finance a motorhome in Australia?

Well, the good news is that you can use your van to generate passive income when you return from your van life escapades!

Heaps of Aussies hire out their van on Camplify when it’s not in use and earn up to $10,000 a year. Suddenly, the money they invested into the van life earns a return in the form of passive income!

For more information, see the end of this article.

7 best van life destinations in Australia

1. The Pacific Coast (New South Wales)

Take a Sydney to Coffs Harbour road trip and live your best van life on the peaceful Pacific Coast. Starting in Sydney, check out some of Australia's most iconic sites before continuing north to Newcastle and taking a dip in the largest ocean bath in the Southern Hemisphere.

Camp in Myall Lake National Park, go dolphin-watching in Port Stephens and visit the Sea Acres National Park in Port Macquarie. Finish up in Coffs Harbour, where kids of all ages can have a ball at the Big Banana Fun Park.

2. The Queensland Coast (Queensland)

A Queensland Coast road trip will easily be remembered as one of the best experiences in your van life. Starting in Brisbane or the Gold Coast, continue north to the laid-back Sunshine Coast and explore the Glass House Mountains.

Spend a few nights camping on K’gari (Fraser Island) before passing the regional cities like Rockhampton and Mackay. Catch a ferry from Townsville to Magnetic Island and then continue to Cairns where you can dive the Great Barrier Reef or ride the Skyrail Cableway into the Daintree Rainforest.

3. The Great Ocean Road (Victoria)

This Great Ocean Road trip is a must-do on every Australian’s van life bucket list. Kick things off in Melbourne or Geelong and head straight to nearby Torquay, the country’s surfing capital and home to world-famous Bells Beach. Explore the tall redwood forests of the Great Otway National Park before pulling out the camera and grabbing photos of the iconic Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge and London Bridge.

4. The Coral Coast (Western Australia)

Devote several months of your van life to a WA coastline road trip - you won’t regret it! Starting in Perth, follow the Indian Ocean Drive northward through the Pinnacles Desert and Kalbarri National Park.

Hand-feed dolphins at Monkey Mia and go drift snorkelling over the Ningaloo Reef off Exmouth. Swim in the rock pools around Karijini National Park before finishing up with a camel ride along Cable Beach in Broome.

5. Outback Road Trip (South Australia)

You haven’t truly lived the van life until you’ve taken on at least a few outback road trips. And what better way to start than with a road trip to Uluru! Setting off from Adelaide, pass through the dusty Flinders Ranges and camp in Wilpena Pound.

Then explore the underground homes in Coober Pedy, watch the sunset over the Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park and walk around the base of mighty Uluru. Take a dip in Ellery Creek Big Hole before finishing up in Alice Springs.

6. The Snowy Mountains (Canberra)

Not sure where to spend van life in the winter? See Australia’s Snowy Mountains in all their glory and visit some of the best campsites or holiday parks near ski resorts.

Kick things off in Canberra and visit the highly-rated Australian War Memorial. Then head south and hit the slopes in Kosciuszko National Park. After a long day of shredding, warm up with some schnapps at the Wildbrumby Distillery.

7. The Tasmanian Lap (Tasmania)

Take a break from van life on the mainland and spend some time doing a road trip around Tasmania. Start in Launceston and drive through the lush Tamar Valley before setting up a seaside campsite at the Bay of Fires.

Hike to the lookout over Wineglass Bay and spend a day learning about Australia’s penal history at the Port Arthur Historic Site. Enjoy a seafood meal in Hobart before tackling one of the walkways around Cradle Mountain National Park. Finish up on Tassie’s sleepy but scenic west coast before returning to the mainland via ferry.

What comes after van life in Australia?

So you’ve seen every corner of this great country and finally your van life in Australia has come to an end. What comes next?

Why not keep your van and use it for the odd holiday, whilst hiring it out to others when you’re not using it? This is a great way to generate passive income and earn a return on the money you’ve invested in your travels!

Why Camplify?

Each year, heaps of Aussies earn up to $10,000 by hiring out their campervan through Camplify. It provides a quick and easy way to generate long-term passive income and earn a return on their investment.

And the best part is, Camplify takes care of many of the expenses involved in hiring out your vehicle, including:

• Comprehensive hire insurance.

• 24/7 NRMA nationwide breakdown cover for hirers.

• Dedicated customer support.

• It’s completely free to list your van.

If you’re interested in making money from home after you retire from van life, why not try our earnings calculator and see how much income you could generate each year.