Time to switch off: Our 9 favourite camping escapes in Victoria
When Melbourne starts to feel loud, there’s nothing like packing up the car and driving off into the sunset. But the best reset doesn’t always come with a check-in desk. Below, we’ve rounded up nine of our favourite camping spots within reach of the city. All you need to do is pitch your tent – and let nature do the rest.
1. Blanket Bay Campground, Great Otway National Park
The idyllic Blanket Bay Campground is one of our favourite spots along the Great Ocean Road.
The site sits just back from a beautiful, rugged beach, where craggy rock formations extend into the water and rockpools reveal themselves at low tide.
And if you’re lucky, you’ll even spot a koala or two catching a few zzz’s in the surrounding trees.
It’s popular, especially in school holidays – but time your visit well and choose a secluded site and it will feel surprisingly serene. Come evening, it’s all about quiet campfire dinners, glowing sunsets and stargazing by the sea.
2. Lake Catani Campground, Mount Buffalo National Park
Lake Catani is a standout for campers who like their wilderness with a working shower.
The campground sits beside an alpine lake – a picturesque spot for swimming, kayaking or a picnic by the shore. And it’s well-equipped: think hot showers, laundry facilities, a covered kitchen and accessible toilets.
Surrounded by snow gum woodland and a stone’s throw from Mount Buffalo’s walks and waterfalls, this is one campground you won’t want to leave.
3. Bear Gully Campground, Cape Liptrap Coastal Park
Often overlooked in favour of bigger-name parks, Cape Liptrap Coastal Park is well worth a visit – and Bear Gully Campground is the perfect place to explore it from.
Sitting just above the shoreline, the campground offers shady sites among the Banksia trees suitable for tents, campervans or caravans.
Facilities are fairly basic, but this site’s a lot less crowded than the bigger names on this list.
Plus, you’ll wake up to the sound of the ocean rolling in. What more could you want from your nature escape?
4. Oberon Bay Camping Area, Wilsons Promontory National Park
Any camping list worth its salt should include Wilsons Prom, one of Victoria’s most spectacular national parks.
Often flooded with visitors, many opt for Tidal River Campground, with its easy access, extensive facilities and well-stocked general store.
We prefer the quieter appeal of Oberon Bay, on the park’s western side.
This hike-in bush campsite requires a little preparation. But at around 7km, it’s a manageable walk – and a great introduction to walk-in camping. The well-marked track from Tidal River passes through coastal scrub, a creek crossing and granite outcrops before opening onto a sweeping crescent of sand.
With fewer campers and no through traffic, it offers a sense of space and tranquillity that’s hard to find elsewhere in the Prom.
5. Sheepyard Flat South Camping Area, Howqua Hills Historic Area
Sheepyard Flat, set in a wide valley in Victoria’s High Country, is a relaxed riverside campground with a loyal following.
According to local lore, it takes its name from early grazing days, when shepherds would use the open flat to yard sheep overnight and protect them from dingoes.
It’s free to pitch up, and suitable for caravans and campers alike – with plenty of space, shaded sites and easy access to bushwalking trails. It’s also dog-friendly (provided you keep them on leash), so no one gets left behind.
6. Lake Elizabeth Campground, Great Otway National Park
Tucked deep in the Otways, Lake Elizabeth isn’t all that far from the Great Ocean Road, but it feels worlds away from the coast.
Nestled among tall eucalypts beside the Barwon River, the campground is accessible via a gentle 1km rainforest walk from the car park. With just 20 unpowered sites, it’s a low-key spot – perfect for campers craving a real immersion in nature.
Mornings are often misty and still. Wander down to the water at dawn or dusk for the chance to spot a platypus at the lake’s edge.
7. Fairhaven Campground, French Island National Park
Fairhaven Campground is the ideal base to experience the untouched beauty of French Island National Park.
As the island is only accessible by boat, camping is tent-only, and it’s a 5km walk to the site – so be prepared to carry everything in.
The reward is a genuinely off-grid feel and surprisingly well-kept facilities for such a remote spot. (Fires aren’t permitted, but there are gas BBQs, tables and toilets, with tank water that must be treated for drinking.)
With abundant wildlife all around, many of the island’s stunning walking tracks start from the campground.
And set right by the water, it’s a short stroll to the beach for sunset views. A true back-to-nature escape.
8. Jimmy Creek Campground, Grampians National Park
Beneath the Grampians’ rugged peaks, Jimmy Creek Campground offers a classic bush camping experience.
Kangaroos are often spotted grazing through the campground at dusk, and walking tracks to nearby lookouts and waterfalls are right on your doorstep.
It’s a well-maintained site suitable for tents, campervans and caravans, with cold water showers guaranteed to get you moving in the morning when Melbourne’s grade-A coffee is out of reach.
This site does book out during peak periods, so be sure to plan ahead.
9. Johanna Beach Campground, Great Otway National Park
Johanna Beach Campground offers front-row access to one of the Great Ocean Road’s most impressive stretches of coast.
The campground itself is large and grassy, so privacy is limited. But it’s accessible and dog-friendly, making it an excellent option for families and groups.
Just a short walk from camp, Johanna Beach is vast, open and untamed – better for walking, watching and feeling small than casual swimming.
From July to September, keep an eye out for humpback and southern right whales offshore. This is Great Ocean Road drama at its best.
