Camps Australia Wide
camping near the Gold Coast
Looking for camping near the Gold Coast? There is a lot of it, almost all of it paid, and the price climbs the closer you get to the water. Every camp on this page has been personally checked by our team, which means you won’t tow the van down a dirt road to a locked gate, a closed camp, or a site you can’t turn around in. And nobody can pay to be listed here. If a camp is on this page, it earned its place.
The Gold Coast runs from Coomera down to Coolangatta, and camping here is dominated by beachfront holiday parks. Head 20 minutes inland towards Beaudesert and the Scenic Rim and the same night costs half as much. We’ve been checking camps through this country since 1992, so when we say a site near the Gold Coast takes dogs or suits your rig, it’s because one of our team has personally checked it.
Three places to camp near the Gold Coast
Closest first, and every detail checked by us, not scraped from a five-year-old forum post. Full details, GPS coordinates and offline maps for these and every other site in the region are in the Camps Australia Wide App.
2 km from the Gold CoastRiver Gardens Caravan Park
- CostFrom $46
- Facilitiespicnic tables, powered sites, toilets
- Max stayUp to 96 hours
- AccessClose to the road
21 km from the Gold CoastSharp Park River Bend
Set in the surrounds of the Lamington National Park
- CostFrom $32
- Facilitiespicnic tables, powered sites, toilets
- Max stayUp to 96 hours
- AccessClose to the road
5 km from the Gold CoastMain Beach Tourist Park
Main Beach Tourist Park is temporarily closed from February 2025 for up to 12 months for planned upgrades.
- CostFrom $63
- Facilitiespicnic tables, powered sites, toilets
- Max stayUp to 96 hours
- AccessClose to the road
What you get with every Camps Australia Wide campsite
There is no shortage of camping information online. What’s in short supply is camping information you can trust. That’s the gap our Personally Checked Standard fills, and it’s why the sites above appear here only after we have checked them for ourselves.
- Personally checked, not crowd-sourced. We visit each site and assess it against our 12-point Personally Checked™ standard, from access and arrival to safety, noise and tested phone signal, so the surprises are gone before you arrive.
- Re-checked regularly. Camps close, fees change, tracks wash out. We revisit and update the details, so you’re not planning tonight’s stop around last year’s information.
- No paid listings, ever. We have never charged a council, farmer or park to be listed, so a camp is recommended because it’s good, not because someone paid us to say so.
- 16,000+ personally checked campsites across every state and territory, including right through south east Queensland and the northern rivers, so wherever the trip takes you next, the same checked information goes with you. Read exactly how we do it on our the Personally Checked™ Standard page.
Two ways to find your next camp near the Gold Coast
On the road: the Camps Australia Wide App
The Camps Australia Wide App finds Personally Checked free and low-cost sites near wherever you are, works offline when you lose coverage back in the Numinbah and Springbrook country, and lets you filter for your setup, whether that is a tent, a camper or a big rig. One subscription covers the whole country, and the maps keep working when the signal drops out.
Get the Camps Australia Wide App
On the dash: our print guides
Prefer a book on the dash? CAMPS 13 is our go-to for free and budget camping right around the country, with CAMPSPendium 2 alongside it as the full state-by-state trip planner. After caravan parks instead? Have a look at Caravan Parks 7. All personally checked, the same as the Camps Australia Wide App.
Shop the print guidesFrequently asked questions about camping near the Gold Coast
Is there free camping near the Gold Coast?
Almost none. Our team has checked every listing within 50 km and found only 2 free camps, the Sleepy Hollow rest areas on the Pacific Highway about 46 km south, over the border in New South Wales. Both are highway rest areas rather than places to settle in. All of them are in the Camps Australia Wide App with offline maps.
Can I take my dog to camps near the Gold Coast?
Yes. One of the three sites on this page allows pets. Beachfront parks here are often no dogs, so check first. Policies do vary from site to site across the region, so check the listing for each camp in the Camps Australia Wide App and keep dogs under control around other campers.
Is camping near the Gold Coast suitable for caravans and big rigs?
It depends on the site. Sharp Park River Bend has been personally checked by our team as suitable for big rigs. River Gardens Caravan Park is the closest of the three at about 2 km, on the Nerang River rather than the beach. Sharp Park River Bend is the value pick at roughly two thirds the price, 20 km inland. We note access for every site we check, so you know before you commit the van down a narrow track.
How long can you stay at camps near the Gold Coast?
Time limits vary by site. All three take longer stays, but book well ahead over school holidays and Christmas. Because we personally check each site, you’ll know before you set up whether it’s a one-night stop or somewhere to settle in for a few days. Councils do change limits, so always follow the signs on site.
What facilities do camps near the Gold Coast have?
All three have powered sites, toilets and showers, and two have pools. Main Beach Tourist Park is the beachfront option, and priced like it. All three have powered sites, toilets and showers. The real difference is location and price: about $46 on the river, $63 on the beach at Main Beach, and $32 if you are willing to drive 20 minutes inland to Sharp Park River Bend. The listing tells you what is actually there, before you commit the van, not after.
Where can I find more campsites around the Gold Coast?
Our database shows 80 personally checked places to stay within 50 km of Surfers Paradise, from the beachfront parks out to the Scenic Rim. They include 37 caravan parks, 18 community grounds, 12 national park campgrounds, 7 farm stays, 4 showgrounds and 2 free camps. The Camps Australia Wide App lists every one with offline maps.
Keep exploring
Wherever the road takes you around the Gold Coast and its hinterland, we hope you find a cracking camp and love it out there. For more tips and new sites as we check them, join our free weekly newsletter.
