Just dropped a whole bunch of money on your fancy new campervan, station wagon or rental car?

You are not alone.

The problem lies in where to park your lil beauty without getting ticketed.

In places such as Sydney, Cairns, Brisbane or Hervey Bay, it is difficult to find free parking/ it is non-existent.

Free

• Rest stops are fabulous if you are having a travel-only day. They are along the highway, not close to city centres. You can usually park there for up to 24 hours.
• Side streets can be hit or miss. The locality may not be the best because generally, you have to be on the outskirts of the town. I recommend not parking there for more than a couple nights, seeing as nosy neighbours may be the type to call the authorities.
• Certain parking complexes such as near a train station may have free parking but be cautious of vandalism.
• If leaving on a Whitsunday or Fraser Island tour, certain hostels may have free or cheap parking if you stayed with them. Palace Fraser Island tour offers free parking if you book with them.

Caravan Parks

• You may need to sit down for this one. Unpowered camping sites cost, on average, $25-$35 AUD per vehicle, per night. If you have extra people it may cost you more. Needless to say, that robbery did not bode well with me but I was forced to do it in places such as Hervey Bay.

Hostels

•depending on the type of vehicle, (apparently station wagons are not covered by insurance so they are forbidden) you can park at a hostel for cheaper than a regular hostel night. You use your camper van and still get all the perks of the hostel’s facilities. Places such as Nomads and the Arts Factory in Byron Bay offer this option.