Big changes are supposedly coming to NSW national park campgrounds from 1 July 2026 – and if you haven’t heard about them yet, you’re going to want to.
Some sites are jumping by hundreds of dollars a night in the proposed plan. Travellers are frustrated. Over 13,000 people have already signed a petition against the new pricing. And social media? It’s been loudly protesting how Aussies have to pay over $600 a week to camp on public property.
But here’s what most people aren’t talking about: for the smart traveller, there is some good news.
What’s Actually Changing
In the proposed plan, NSW National Parks are moving to a six-tier fee system from 1 July 2026. The idea is to match the price you pay to the level of facilities on offer.
At the top end, campgrounds with hot showers, camp kitchens and powered sites will cost up to $89 per night at peak times. That’s up from around $49 previously – some sites are looking at increases of 600%.
Private holiday parks aren’t far behind. Premium coastal spots are already hitting $100 to $150 a night during school holidays.
It’s a lot of money. And people are right to be annoyed. We are concerned that national parks are being compared to caravan parks and cost scales.
But here’s the bit worth knowing.
The Part Nobody’s Talking About
Tier 1 sites (proposed)- basic, cleared, no-frills bush camps – are becoming free.
That’s right. Free. You won’t need to book ahead for the free campsites or pay a $6 booking fee.
No facilities, no powered sites, no amenities block. Just you, the bush, and a cleared patch of ground under the stars.
For a lot of us, that’s exactly what we came out here for.
If you’ve been camping for a while, you know the real magic rarely happens at the campgrounds with the resort-style amenities. It happens at the simple spots. The ones down a dirt track. The ones with a firepit and a view and nobody else around.
NSW is basically drawing a line in the sand: if you want the resort experience, you’ll pay resort prices. If you want the “bush” camping experience, it’s on the house.
So Where Does That Leave You?
It leaves you with options – if you know where to look.
Australia has thousands of free and low-cost camping spots that never make it onto the mainstream booking sites. They don’t have glossy photos or five-star reviews. They’re just good, honest camps in beautiful places, used mostly by people in the know.
That’s always been the heart of what CAMPS is about.
The CAMPS 13 guide and the CAMPS Australia Wide App list over 5,000 campsites across Australia – free camps, low-cost parks, rest areas, station stays, national park sites, and everything in between. When the big-name parks start charging $89 a night, these are the spots that keep you on the road without blowing the budget.
Fuel prices are up. Caravan park fees are rising. Cost of living isn’t getting any cheaper.
Knowing where the free camps are isn’t just handy – right now, it’s kind of essential.
A Few Tips for Navigating the New NSW System
Before you head off, it’s worth doing a quick check:
If all this is put in play, check the tier for your specific site before you book. What you paid on your last trip may be very different from what you’ll pay now.
For school holidays and peak periods, book as early as the window opens. Popular spots are filling faster than ever.
If you’re after free sites, Tier 1 national park camps and CAMPS-listed free areas are your best friends. Search by area in the CAMPS App before you plan your route.
And if you’re thinking about freedom camping in more remote areas, check the self-containment requirements for that region – they’ve been tightening across several states.
Here are 5 National Park camps that are currently free:
We’ll keep you posted if anything changes …
● Ben Halls Campground, Weddin Mountains National Park – Gullies, walks, waterfalls, historic sites – there’s so much for you to see and do from here with amenities and drinking water.
● Wheeny Creek, Wollemi National Park — a lovely bush camp along the creek, popular with families and four-wheel drivers, with basic facilities.
● Boyd River Campground, Kanangra-Boyd National Park – Try camping beneath the snow gums at peaceful Boyd River campground, on the banks of Morong Creek with toilet, bbq & picnic tables.
● Quicks Beach campground, Murray Valley National Park – Enjoy the sandy beaches here, with the Murray River right at your front door. There’s plenty of sites for caravans, camper trailers, motorhomes and tents.
● OHares campground Kosciuszko National Park in the Tumut Area – A peaceful campground with picnic tables, bbqs, toilets, boat ramp, great for families.
The Bottom Line
Camping fees going up isn’t great. Nobody’s going to pretend otherwise, and the NSW Government is still deciding which parks will change in price. This is still a proposed strategy and under review, so we’ll let you know more when we do. Hopefully, government will listen to the thousands of people who signed the “keep camping affordable” petition.
But Australia is still full of incredible places to camp that cost nothing – or very little. And if you already own the Camps 13, CAMPSPendium Guides or the Camps Australia Wide App, then you’ll know where they are. We keep talking about them every week in our free newsletter as well.
That’s always been the CAMPS way.
Find your next free camp in the CAMPS Australia Wide App or grab a copy of CAMPS 13 – the camping bible for travelling Australia on your terms.
Download the CAMPS Australia Wide App for iPhone/iPad or Android
