Camps Australia Wide
camping near the Sunshine Coast
Looking for camping near the Sunshine Coast? There is plenty of it, but almost all of it is paid, and the few free options sit well back from the beach. 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 Sunshine Coast runs from Caloundra up to Noosa, and camping here mostly means caravan parks, because the beachfront is built out and free camping is scarce. We’ve been checking camps through this country since 1992, so when we say a site near the Sunshine Coast takes dogs or suits your rig, it’s because one of our team has personally checked it.
Three places to camp near the Sunshine 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.
1 km from MaroochydoreCotton Tree Holiday Park
- CostFrom $68
- Facilitiespicnic tables, powered sites, toilets
- Max stayUp to 96 hours
- AccessClose to the road
2 km from MaroochydoreBIG4 Maroochy River
this park has a valet service for parking your vans
- CostFrom $44
- Facilitiespicnic tables, powered sites, toilets
- Max stayUp to 96 hours
- AccessClose to the road
15 km from MaroochydoreJowarra Rest Area
This is a very tight rest area off the Bruce Highway.
- CostFree
- Facilitiespicnic tables, toilets
- Max stayUp to 20 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, 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 Sunshine 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 hinterland, 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 Sunshine Coast
How much free camping is there near the Sunshine Coast?
Not much, and that is worth knowing before you drive up. Our team has personally checked only 2 free camps within 50 km of Maroochydore, the closest being Jowarra Rest Area about 15 km away, and it is a 20 hour overnight stop rather than a base. If free camping is the priority, you are better off heading inland. All of them are in the Camps Australia Wide App with offline maps.
Can I take my dog to camps near the Sunshine Coast?
Yes. Two of the three sites on this page allow pets. 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 Sunshine Coast suitable for caravans and big rigs?
It depends on the site. Cotton Tree Holiday Park and BIG4 Maroochy River have both been personally checked by our team as suitable for big rigs. Cotton Tree Holiday Park is the closest to the water, right on the Maroochy River mouth. BIG4 Maroochy River is the better value of the two, and takes dogs. 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 Sunshine Coast?
Time limits vary by site. Both caravan parks take longer stays, while Jowarra Rest Area is signed for 20 hours only. 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 Sunshine Coast have?
All three camps on this page have toilets. Cotton Tree adds a pool and disabled access. Both caravan parks have powered sites, toilets and showers, and both sit within a couple of kilometres of the beach. Jowarra Rest Area is the free option, with toilets and picnic tables but a 20 hour limit, so treat it as a stopover on the way through rather than a base for the week. The listing tells you what is actually there, before you commit the van, not after.
Where can I find more campsites around the Sunshine Coast?
Our database shows 85 personally checked places to stay within 50 km of Maroochydore, from the beachfront parks in town out to the showgrounds and farm stays in the hinterland. They include 35 caravan parks, 21 community grounds, 8 showgrounds, 8 national park campgrounds and 7 farm stays. The Camps Australia Wide App lists every one with offline maps.
Keep exploring
Wherever the road takes you around the Sunshine 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.
