The Gold Coast is a great place to start your once-in-a-lifetime road trip. While it may seem daunting to book a campervan or motorhome, and you may have many questions, we have a dedicated customer care team who are available to assist you with all of your Gold Coast campervan queries to ensure you book the best available camper for you.
The Gold Coast is a major tourist hub in Australia. With theme parks, beaches and a natural hinterland to explore — you will not run out of things to do. From the exciting Gold Coast, it is a short drive north of Brisbane, where you can experience a number of local attractions. Finding a good spot to park your campervan at the Gold Coast is also easy — regardless of if you prefer a beach ambience or a forest backdrop, you are sure to find a holiday or tourist park that will suit your needs.
Cedar Creek Lodges at Thunderbird Park lies along Tamborine Mountain Road at Tamborine Mountain. It covers 112 hectares of land amidst a beautiful rainforest, ideal for vacation and special events. The park is children and pet-friendly. Popular campsite activities include animal viewing, bushwalking, bird watching, camping, hiking, horse riding, swimming and tennis.
Burleigh Beach Tourist Park is situated at 36 Goodwin Terrace, Burleigh Heads just across the road from the surf beach. The park is child-friendly, has beautiful village-like style and is close to a number of shops, restaurants, theme parks and bird and wildlife sanctuaries. Camping, cycling, surfing and swimming are the top activities at the campsite.
Jacobs Well Tourist Park is popular with boating, fishing and nature lovers. It is located at 1161 Pimpama, Jacobs Well Road, Jacobs Well, around ten minutes drive off the Pacific Highway. Popular activities within the park are bird watching, camping, fishing and swimming. Its facilities include a barbecue, boat ramp, car parking spaces, vehicle wash facilities, communal refrigerator, shower, cots, gardens, gas, ice, iron, kiosk, laundry, library, movie hire, playground, public telephone, safety deposit box, shop and tour desk.
NRMA Treasure Island Holiday Resort is located at 117 Brisbane Road at Biggera Waters. The site is family-friendly and is near the Gold Coast's beaches, airstrip and prime theme parks. The park itself is full of leisure facilities to make everyone’s holiday wonderful. Facilities include a bar, barbecue facilities, camp kitchen, child pool, child activities, cots, gaming machines, games/recreation room, playground, swimming pools, gardens, spa, shop and a full-size tennis court.
Currumbin Beach is located within Gold Coast. The site is one of the finest beaches in the world and is famous for its special rock pools and great waves for surfers. The beach is clean and well patrolled so it is definitely safe. It is also not overcrowded making it a good destination to surf, swim and enjoy nature with family and friends.
Currumbin Lake sits not too far from Currumbin Beach. It is a tidal lake famous among both locals and tourists. The lake has calm waters and beautiful natural surrounds. Kayaking, canoeing, kite surfing and swimming are just some of the popular activities in the area. There are free car parking spaces off Duringan Street, as well as picnic tables, toilets and a children's playground.
Sea World can be found at Southport on the Gold Coast. It is a marine mammal park, oceanarium and theme park that started operating in 1971. The venue is owned and managed by the Warner Village Theme Parks. It promotes the conservation and rehabilitation of the sick, injured and orphaned wildlife through its animal exhibits, shows and rides.
Surfers Paradise serves as the Gold Coast's commercial centre and is a popular tourist destination due to the magnificent beaches, clubs, enormous skyscrapers and shopping destinations. Bar hopping, dining, surfing, wakeboarding, jet skiing, fishing, whale watching, bungee jumping, golfing and playing beach volleyball are popular activities for visitors. There are plenty of places to eat good food and affordable accommodation options within Surfers Paradise.
Warner Bros Movie World or Movie World sits along the Pacific Highway in Oxenford. The site is owned and managed by the Village Roadshow Theme Parks and have been entertaining people since 1991. Movie World is famous for its themed attractions and rides such as Lethal Weapon - The Ride, Scooby-Doo Spooky Coaster, Superman Escape, Wild West Falls, Hollywood Stunt Driver, Looney Tunes - What's Up Rock, Batman - Shadows of Gotham and Marilyn Tribute.
On hiring a campervan in the Gold Coast
Unlike when hiring a rental car, people tend to book a campervan a bit further in advance, and there are a few reasons for this.
When you’re hiring a campervan, you’re not simply hiring something with four wheels to buzz around a city for a few days, instead you’re hiring a vehicle that you could well be living in for days, weeks, or even months. As such, people tend to have far more specific needs — some may require a certain number of berths, perhaps an onboard kitchen, or more comfortable living space. All this means that doing your research to find the right campervan for you can pay off handsomely — but it also means that supply is more limited. When supply is limited, it is a good idea to book as far in advance as possible so that you know that the campervan you need will be waiting for you when you arrive.
With this in mind, while it isn’t unusual for people to book a hire car the day before they need it, with campervans, people often book their vehicle months in advance. So our advice to you is if you’re planning to rent a campervan, start researching today, and when you find the right campervan for you, book it!
One more point, another way campervan rentals differ from regular cars, is that bookings are not instant. Once you make a campervan booking it will need to be approved by the provider. Yet another reason not to leave your campervan rental until you’re sitting in the airport boarding lounge.
If you’re new to campervans and not sure where to start, please give our campervans for beginners page a read as it explains many of the basics you’ll need to know to make an informed decision.
We could start off by telling you that a typical customer hiring a campervan in the Gold Coast tends to look at campervans with two or four berths (including a toilet and shower). This isn’t really all that helpful though, as they type of campervan you should hire in the Gold Coast depends very much on the type of campervan you — rather than a typical customer — needs. Consider the following questions:
How big is your travel group? What is your budget? What facilities do you need — or not need? Where are you planning to go? How long for? Knowing the answers to these questions — and plenty more — is the best way to make sure the campervan you hire in the Gold Coast is the right one for you.
Solo travellers or couples might find a compact campervan to be more than enough, while families — especially those with young kids — or larger groups might prefer a more spacious motorhome with multiple sleeping areas.
Next, consider the facilities you need and the facilities you want. These might sound the same, but they are very different! Basic campervans often include a bed and simple cooking gear, while more luxurious options feature kitchens, bathrooms, and comfortable bedding. For example, if you’re planning on camping, perhaps paying the extra for comfortable beds isn’t really necessary, but if you’re not even packing a tent, then the extra expense required to get more comfortable beds might be a smart choice.
Where you’re going also matters. If you’re planning to just potter around the Gold Coast and its immediate surrounds, then you could probably get away with a standard campervan. That said, if you’re planning to drive from the Gold Coast to Adelaide — or Perth — something more spacious would be a sound investment.
Think about your budget, as campervans vary in cost depending on size, amenities, and rental duration, and while shortening the length of your trip might bring different options within your budget, spending more to get a bigger van may mean you’ll spend even less on hotels. Either way, do the math!
In conclusion, when you’re booking a campervan for pickup from the Gold Coast, it pays to be honest when considering what you need versus what you want, along with what fits with your budget and overall travel plans. It’s the best way to maximise your chance of getting the perfect campervan for you.
For most rental caravan providers, the minimum age to rent a campervan is the same as for car rentals — 21 years of age. Depending on the campervan rental supplier, those under 21 may only be able to rent certain vehicles. Double check with the campervan rental provider to see what their specific requirements are.
In most cases, you won’t need to present a special type of licence to rent a campervan — you’ll only be asked to present your standard and valid full Australian driving licence. Keep in mind that a probationary, learner permit, or provisional licence are not accepted for campervan hire. If your licence is in a language other than English, you’ll need to provide an International Driving Permit in conjunction with your valid licence. If you’re unsure as to whether your licence will be accepted, you should contact your prospective campervan provider prior to booking.
Have a question we haven’t answered?