Islands where you can take your RV
Load up the camping gear because it’s time for an island getaway. Here we round up five islands where you can take your RV.
Whether you’re planning a long weekend or taking a long scenic tour, add a little island life to your itinerary. These five Australian islands, spread right across the country, offer the lot, from wicked wildlife watching to serious surf action.
Kangaroo Island: Camping on Australia’s Wildlife Island
Kangaroo Island, South Australia
Australia’s third-largest island is best explored slowly, so you can take in every inch of its untamed splendour. Cape Jervis, about 90 minutes south of Adelaide, is your jumping-off point. From there, it's 45 minutes on the SeaLink Kangaroo Island ferry to Penneshaw on the island. Once you’ve arrived, there are plenty of options for setting up camp, from small council-run sites – Stokes Bay Campground is located within walking distance of one of Australia’s most beautiful beaches – to privately owned spots, such as Kingscote Tourist Park. There are wineries, distilleries and farm gates for foodies, incredible wildlife for kids, and great hiking, especially in Flinders Chase National Park, home to Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch, for active travellers. Don’t miss Seal Bay, where you can book a guided tour into the dune system and get close (not too close, though) to members of the Australian sea lion colony that have lived here for thousands of years.
RELATED ARTICLE: Kangaroo Island Hop
North Stradbroke Island: Camping, Surfing and Whale Watching By Ferry
North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah), Queensland
Queenslanders refer to it as Straddie, and it’s one of those places that grabs people by the heartstrings – once visited, never forgotten. Access is easy too, with vehicle ferries operating the 45-minute route from Cleveland, one of Brisbane’s bayside suburbs, to Dunwich on the island’s western side. All eight Stradbroke Island camping sites are operated by Minjerribah Camping, with a particular favourite being the shady set-up at Cylinder Beach. Straddie is a great spot for surfers, divers and whale enthusiasts, with about 10,000 humpbacks passing between June and October each year, and easily spotted from the cliffs at Point Lookout and even from the balcony at the Straddie Hotel. Make the most of your break lazing on the beach, swimming in the freshwater lakes or joining a cultural experience with the Quandamooka guides from Yura Tours.
RELATED ARTICLE: Return To Straddie
Phillip Island: More Than Penguins for Caravaners
Phillip Island, Victoria
Everyone knows about the Phillip Island penguin parade, but there’s plenty more to do on this surefire winner, whether you’re holidaying with the kids or looking for adventure. You’ll be on the island about two hours after leaving Melbourne, and there are plenty of options for caravans and campers, whether you want to stay in the main town of Cowes or a little out of it. Take the kids go karting, for surf lessons, to wildlife cruises and epic walks that take you along the clifftops above the crashing Southern Ocean. As well as sunset penguin watching, wildlife lovers should head to the Koala Conservation Reserve and Rhyll Inlet, a Ramsar International wetland and an important summer feeding ground for wading birds.
RELATED ARTICLE: Spotlight On Phillip Island
Bruny Island: Wild Tasmania at it’s very best
Bruny Island, Tasmania
No trip to Australia’s biggest island is complete without getting on the ferry at Kettering, about 45 minutes south of Hobart, and going to Bruny Island. There are lots of places to create your camp here, from the likes of Captain Cook Holiday Park at Adventure Bay to private properties. You’ll need to book in advance, especially during peak holiday times when supply on this wild isle outstrips demand. It really is about getting back to nature here, with abundant walks, wilderness cruises that pass Australia’s highest sea cliffs, and tours of the 120-year-old lighthouse. There are few restaurants or shops on the island, so be prepared to do some of your own catering, although visits to Bruny Island Cheese & Beer Co and Get Shucked Oyster Farm are must-dos.
RELATED ARTICLE: Way Down South On Bruny Island
Dirk Hartog Island: Australia’s most remote island camping experience
Dirk Hartog Island (Wirruwana), Western Australia
You’ll need a 4WD set-up and a sense of adventure to take on this Shark Bay stunner. A landing barge, the Hartog Explorer, picks up visitors at Steep Point, about a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Denham, for the 15-minute transfer to this off-grid national park, with its secluded beaches and gin-clear waters. There are two private camp sites at Homestead Bay, just 40 metres from the water, each with a tented kitchen, barbecue, hot showers and flushing toilets, as well as nine national park sites. Then it’s up to you to either explore the island, which is restored pastoral land, its beaches and the surrounding waters on your own or on a marine safari, where you’ll likely see dolphins, turtles, sharks, manta rays and maybe even dugongs. This is the westernmost point in Australia, so don’t miss sunset drinks on the 180-metre-tall cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean.
Feature Image: Homestead Bay on Dirk Hartog Island — just 40 metres from the water and about as remote as it gets. Photo: Tourism Australia
