Camping with your dog in Australia

You have more options than you think. Most hotels ban dogs. Airbnb has limited pet-friendly listings and they book out fast. Flying overseas means boarding your dog for $50-80 a day, plus the guilt.

Camping with a campervan flips the whole thing. Your dog comes with you. Every campsite is outdoors. There's no furniture to worry about and no front desk to ask permission. Thousands of Australian pet owners have made this switch - and most don't go back to hotels.

Most dogs take to camping immediately - the outdoors, the smells, the space to run. They don't know it's called camping. They just know they're with you and there's a whole world outside.

Start with a short weekend trip close to home. Bring their bed so the van smells familiar. Some owners even leave out a dog bowl and water dish. If your dog sleeps well at home on their bed, they'll sleep well in the van.

More places than you'd expect. Most caravan parks welcome dogs - Reflections Holiday Parks, Discovery Parks, and BIG4 all have pet-friendly sites. There are hundreds of free camps and bush camps that allow dogs too.

One tip worth knowing: most national parks don't allow dogs. But the surrounding caravan parks, beaches, and free camps often do. Download the Camps Australia app (free) or WikiCamps - both let you filter for pet-friendly sites anywhere in the country.

In a tent, yes. A wet dog in a tent is nobody's idea of a holiday. But in a campervan, rain is just atmosphere. You've got a kitchen, a bed, heating, and a roof. Your dog is dry and warm on their mat while you make a cup of tea and watch the rain from inside.

This is the main reason a campervan beats tent camping with a dog. Everything a hotel gives you - kitchen, bed, fridge, shelter - plus the freedom to be somewhere new tomorrow.

This is the worry that stops most pet owners from booking. Here's the reality: owners who list their vans as pet-friendly know exactly what to expect. A seat cover, a dog bed on the floor, and a towel for muddy paws is usually all it takes.

Owners set their own pet cleaning fee (typically $50-$150) which covers the post-trip clean. For anything beyond normal wear, Camplify's standard protection applies. Most pet owners leave vans in great condition - they know the deal and they appreciate being welcomed.

Significantly. A Camplify van starts from around $100/night. A campsite costs $20-50/night. A week camping with your dog: roughly $700-1,000 including fuel, for the whole family.

A pet-friendly hotel (if you can find one): $200-400/night. Or boarding your dog and going without them: $50-80/day at a kennel, plus the guilt. The maths is clear, and your dog actually gets to come.

For your dog: their bed or blanket (familiar smells help them settle), food, bowls, lead, poo bags, a towel for sandy or muddy paws, and any medication. If you're heading to the bush, pack a tick collar or treatment.

The van provides everything else - kitchen, fridge, bedding, shelter. Some Camplify owners even leave out a dog water dish. You're packing less than you would for a weekend at a cabin.

Camping is great for dogs with a few precautions. Check for ticks after bush walks, especially on the east coast. Keep your dog on a lead around wildlife. Bring plenty of water and never leave them in a closed van on a hot day.

A campervan gives your dog something tent camping can't: real shelter. Climate control on hot days. A dry, warm space when the weather turns. Spring (September to November) and autumn (March to May) are ideal for camping with dogs - warm enough to enjoy it, cool enough to be safe.

Cabins are fine for one spot. But you're locked into one location, availability is limited in peak season, and the prices climb fast over school holidays. A campervan gives you the same comfort - kitchen, bed, shower - but you wake up somewhere new whenever you want.

For a dog, the difference is bigger. A cabin keeps them inside four walls again. A campervan puts them at a campsite all day - running, sniffing, swimming - with a warm van to sleep in at night.

Head to our pet-friendly campervan hire page to browse vans with the pet-friendly filter. Find one you like, send the owner a message about your dog (breed, size, travel experience), and book through Camplify. Protection and roadside assistance are included. On pickup day, the owner walks you through everything.