Catherine Best explores seven islands around Australia where you can take your caravan.
Australia is an island ringed by islands. And while most of them are off-limits to heavy vehicles, there are several where you can not only take your car, but your caravan too.
In most instances you will need to book a ferry to get your wheels over water, but there are some isles connected to the mainland by a bridge, making for an easy and inexpensive island holiday. From dune driving on the world’s largest sand island, to a Tasmanian gourmet getaway, to WWII forts in a tropical paradise, these are seven islands begging to be visited by caravan.
Magnetic Island/Yunbenun, Queensland
It’s a tightly held secret that you can caravan on this tropical isle off the coast of Townsville. While there are no official caravan parks on Magnetic Island, there is a handful of great Hipcamps close to some of the island’s top attractions. With 23 bays and beaches and three quarters of the island protected by national park, Maggie is a haven for hiking, swimming and wildlife spotting.
Magnetic Island Forts Walk
Getting there
Forget the passenger ferry departing from Townsville’s breakwater terminal, you’ll need to use Magnetic Island Ferries’ vehicle service, boarding from Ross Street on the opposite side of the creek. There are seven daily services (more during peak periods), and the crossing takes about 40 minutes, docking in Nelly Bay. Vehicles forward drive on and off the ferry, so no need to worry about reversing your rig. Caravan bookings must be made in advance by phone only (07 4796 9300). Expect to pay about $400 return for an 18ft caravan and vehicle, including the driver and four passengers.
Unhitch
The Forts Hipcamp has spacious sites for caravans up to 22ft (some drive-through) and is walking distance to Horseshoe Bay and the WWII forts. You need to be fully self-contained but potable water is available. The Koala Park by Salina has a handful of unpowered sites (P: 0400 555 956).
Beautiful views on Forts Walk
Rock wallaby at Geoffrey Bay
Do
Maggie is made for walking with 25 trails to explore. The top picks are the 1.2km-return trail to the granite lookout of Hawkings Point and the 4km-return Forts Walk, exploring WWII gun emplacements, ammunition stores and Australia’s largest koala colony. Don’t miss the snorkel trail and rock wallabies at Geoffrey Bay.
Find out more about Magnetic Island/Yunbenun here.
Bribie Island/Yarun, Queensland
Queensland is greedy when it comes to caravan-accessible islands (there are four), and Bribie Island is the easiest to get to — so close to the mainland that it’s almost joined. Cross the bridge and you’ll instantly switch to island time as you explore this laid-back holiday haunt on the shores of Pumicestone Passage. With a national park, marine park and ring of beaches, Bribie is a mecca for fishing, boating, swimming and four-wheel driving.
Bongaree Jetty, Bribie Island/Yarun
Getting there
Bribie Island is an hour and 45 minutes’ drive north of central Brisbane, via the bridge at Sandstone Point.
Unhitch
There are two caravan parks on the island — Bongaree Caravan Park on the west coast, and Bribie Island Caravan Park at Woorim, on the east coast. There are several campsites on the eastern side of the island but they’re 4WD-only and not typically suitable for caravans.
Ocean Beach four-wheel driving (Image Tourism and Events Queensland)
Bribie Island Fort (Image Tourism and Events Queensland)
Do
If you have a 4WD, hit the sand on a beach driving adventure through Bribie Island National Park and Recreation Area. Relax on the sheltered sands at Bongaree or make a splash on the ocean-facing beach at Woorim, home to Brisbane’s closest surf break. Explore the weathered WWII gun emplacements at Fort Bribie, throw a line in off Bongaree Jetty, or go SUPing in Pumicestone Passage, an important dugong habitat.
Find out more about visiting Bribie Island/Yarun here.
Phillip Island/Millowl, Victoria
This holiday hotspot, affectionately known as ‘The Island’, is so accessible from the Victorian mainland, via a short bridge at San Remo, you almost forget it’s an island at all. Phillip Island is famous for its golden beaches, wetlands, jagged clifftops and, of course, little penguins.
The Nobbies and Seal Rocks
Getting there
The Phillip Island Bridge is about 90 minutes’ drive south of central Melbourne.
Unhitch
There are more than half a dozen caravan parks on the island. For a waterfront park walking distance to the tourist hub of Cowes, try NRMA Phillip Island Beachfront Holiday Park. For families, BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Phillip Island, near the bridge, hits the spot.
Forrest Caves
The Pinnacles Lookout at Cape Woolamai
Do
Make a beeline for the nightly Penguin Parade at Summerlands Beach; it’s a spectacle you must see at least once in your lifetime. See the seals and blowhole at The Nobbies Reserve, catch some surf action at Smiths Beach, visit the koalas at the Koala Conservation Reserve, and check out the Pinnacles Lookout sea stacks on a walk at Cape Woolamai.
Find out more about Phillip Island/Millowl here.
Bruny Island, Tasmania
An island off an island, off an island, Bruny is as far removed from mainland Australia as you can get in a caravan. About 50km from end to end, this Tassie isle is actually two islands in one — north and south joined by the skinniest of isthmuses. And they’re both topographically blessed with beautiful beaches, secluded coves and rugged coastal cliffs that are among the tallest in Australia.
Views from Cape Bruny Lighthouse, one of the oldest lighthouses in Australia
Getting there
Board the SeaLink Ferry at Kettering, about 32km south of Hobart. The journey across the D’Entrecasteaux Channel takes about 20 minutes and will deposit you at Roberts Point, midway down the west coast of the north island. Fares are cheap compared to other islands (less than $200 return for car, caravan and passengers). Services are frequent (twice hourly) and cannot be pre-booked, but you can pay for tickets online. Show up and wait for your turn to board (forward drive on and off).
Unhitch
Captain Cook Holiday Park at Adventure Bay is the only caravan park on Bruny and is centrally located opposite the beach in the middle of the south island. Alternatively, there’s a no-frills campground at The Neck or a handful of bush Hipcamps.
Bruny Island Cruise
Bruny Island Cheese and Beer Co
Do
Visit Truganini Lookout for an Insta-worthy shot above the isthmus at The Neck, before joining a Bruny Island Cruises trip to The Friars at the southernmost tip of the beautiful island to see a colony of fur seals. Take a road trip to Cape Bruny and climb the lighthouse — one of Australia’s oldest — before indulging in the island’s gastronomic delights, including craft beer, cold-climate wines, artisan cheese, oysters and handmade chocolate.
Find out more about visiting Bruny Island here.
Kangaroo Island/Karta Pintingga, South Australia
This South Australian gem is Australia’s third-largest island, roughly the size of Bali, but is home to fewer than 5000 people. The ferry, although expensive, departs not too far from Adelaide, making Kangaroo Island achievable for a long weekend. You’ll be rewarded with dazzling beaches, curious rock formations and Australian sea lions among the bounty of wildlife.
Penneshaw ferry terminal on Kangaroo Island/Karta Pintingga
Getting there
The SeaLink ferry departs from Cape Jervis, about 90 minutes’ drive south of Adelaide on the Fleurieu Peninsula, and docks in Penneshaw. The crossing takes about 45 minutes and caravans must be booked through a designated online form or by phone (13 13 01, bookings@sealink.com.au). Expect to pay about $750 return for an 18ft caravan, vehicle and two occupants. Be warned: you must reverse your caravan onto the ferry.
Unhitch
KI is big (155km long and 55km wide) and there’s a lot to see so divide your overnight stays between Western KI, Penneshaw in the east and Emu Bay/Kingscote in the north-east. There are a handful of caravan parks and many national park and council-operated campgrounds, including at popular Emu Bay and Vivonne Bay Camp Ground.
Remarkable Rocks, Fraser Chase National Park
Sandboarding at Little Sahara
Do
Flinders Chase National Park is the most photographed part of the island, thanks to the dramatic formations at Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch, where you can also spot fur seals. Explore the sheltered northern beaches of Stokes Bay, Emu Bay and Western River Cove, meet the sea lions at Seal Bay, and zip down the dunes on a sandboard at aptly named Little Sahara.
Find out more about Kangaroo Island/Karta Pintingga here.
North Stradbroke Island/Minjerribah, Queensland
‘Straddie’ is a Brisbane holiday institution, but did you know you can take your caravan there? The world’s second-largest sand island (after K’gari) is a quiet paradise of unspoilt beaches and unharried seaside villages — with a third of the island a protected national park. And it’s only a short hop across Moreton Bay from Brissy.
Surfing at Adder Rock
Getting there
Board the SeaLink ferry at Cleveland, 30km east of the Brisbane CBD. It will have you arriving in Dunwich, on the north-west side of the island in about 45 minutes. Book in advance online and expect to pay about $450 for a car, 18ft caravan and two occupants. There are many daily services and prices vary. You can forward drive on and off the ferry.
Unhitch
There is a handful of campgrounds on Straddie. The top picks are Adder Rock Camping Ground, behind a long, quiet stretch of beach in a bush setting near Point Lookout on the island’s far north-east; and Amity Point Camping, which has more developed facilities on Straddie’s north-west tip. Check out the Minjerribah Camping website for all the camping info.
Blue Lake at Kaboora Lookout
North Gorge Walk
Do
Point Lookout is the island’s scenic focal point. Here, take the North Gorge Walk atop sea cliffs hugging an ocean channel and dotted with kangaroos. Next door is Straddie’s most photographed beach — South Gorge, a white lick of sand squished between two headlands and tousled by a crystalline sea. Also check out Blue Lake, keeping your eyes peeled for a rare golden swamp wallaby.
Find out more about visiting North Stradbroke Island/Minjerribah here.
K'gari (Fraser Island), Queensland
World Heritage-listed K’gari (formerly Fraser Island) is the most adventurous island you can take your caravan to and is not recommended for large vans. The world’s largest sand island is, unsurprisingly, comprised of soft sand tracks, suitable for high-clearance 4WDs only. If your rig has the grunt, K’gari has the rewards, with rainforests, soaring dunes, gin-clear lakes and even a shipwreck.
Four-wheel driving on K’gari (Image Tourism and Events Queensland)
Getting there
The cheapest way to get to K’gari is with Mantaray Barges, departing from Inskip Point, Rainbow Beach, to the southern tip of the island. Time your crossing at low tide and be prepared for driving in heavy sand. The barge costs $270 return, including passengers, and takes 10 minutes, with services operating continuously between 6am and 5pm. Get your tickets online (valid for 12 months) and just turn up on the day. SeaLink operates a longer, more expensive, ferry service from River Heads, near Hervey Bay, to Kingfisher Bay Resort.
Unhitch
There are 45 camping areas on K’gari, but most are considered unsuitable for trailers. Unhitch at Central Station, Dundubara, Ungowa, Waddy Point or Wathumba. Bookings required. Head here to find out more.
Swimming at Lake Mckenzie (Boorangoora) (Image Tourism and Events Queensland)
Floating down Eli Creek (Image Tourism and Events Queensland)
Do
Take to the sand highway on 75-Mile Beach, tracing K’gari’s east coast — just watch the tides and keep a look out for light aircraft landing. Make a pit stop at Eli Creek for a freshwater float, check out the SS Maheno shipwreck, beached in 1935; and enjoy nature’s jacuzzi at the Champagne Pools. Take a rainforest walk at Central Station, marvelling at towering hoop pines and strangler figs, and have a dip at the outrageously photogenic Lake McKenzie.
Find out more about K'gari (Fraser Island) here.
Catherine Best is the author of Ultimate Caravan Trips Australia.
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