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Tasmania National Park Camping Bookings: What Changes on 3 November 2026
Tasmania is changing how you camp in some of its most popular national parks. From 3 November 2026, the Parks and Wildlife Service's new Parks Online Booking System means you'll need to book (and pay) ahead at 10 fee-charging campground areas, including Freycinet, Mount Field, Fortescue Bay and South Bruny. Free campgrounds stay free and don't need a booking.
This guide explains what's changing, which campgrounds are affected, the new fees, and — because summer sites will go fast — a nearby no-booking alternative for each area that works in a campervan. Bookmark it: we'll update it as soon as Parks publishes the booking link.
Fast facts
What | Parks Online Booking System – stage 1 covers campground bookings only |
Starts | 3 November 2026 (stays from 3 November onwards) |
Where | 10 areas that already charge a camping fee: Narawntapu, Freycinet, Mount William, Maria Island, Fortescue Bay, Lime Bay, Mount Field, South Bruny, Arthur Pieman and Peggs Beach |
Free campgrounds | Stay free and don't need a booking (for now) |
New fees | Per site per night, up to 6 people: $18 standard, $24 premium unpowered, $35 powered |
Campervans at Freycinet | Powered sites 1–18 only – $35 per site per night for up to 6 people. There are no unpowered van sites, and the site power can't charge an EV |
Parks pass | Still required in national parks – it's separate from your campsite booking |
Cancellations | Freycinet (confirmed by Parks): full refund more than 30 days before arrival, 75% at 5–30 days, nothing under 5 days, after arrival or for no-shows |
Book early for | Christmas–January, school holidays and Easter |
What's changing on 3 November 2026
Until now, most of these campgrounds worked on a first-come, first-served basis (Freycinet and Fortescue Bay already handled peak-season sites through a ballot or advance enquiries). From 3 November, sites at the 10 areas below are booked and paid for online, through one mobile-friendly system. Parks says the change is partly about ending "ghost camping" – people holding prime sites with an empty tent or van – so when you arrive, your site is there and ready for you.
Fees also change from a per-person rate to a flat per-site rate for up to six people. On the Parks campground pages, that's $18 for a standard site, $24 for premium unpowered sites (Richardsons Beach and Ranger Creek at Freycinet, Fortescue Bay and Mount Field) and $35 for powered sites (Freycinet, Narawntapu's Springlawn and Mount Field). For a couple in a campervan that's a bit more than before; for a family or a group of friends it's often less. At Freycinet, the unpowered sites are for tents only, so campervans pay the powered rate – more on that below.
Later stages will add walks, cave tours, accommodation and parks passes to the same system. Parks hasn't given dates for those, and says more detail on how to book will be shared closer to launch. You can read the official announcement on the Parks and Wildlife Service website.
The 10 campground areas that need a booking in Tasmania
Freycinet National Park – Richardsons Beach, Ranger Creek and Honeymoon Bay. Only powered sites 1–18 take campervans and motorhomes; sites 19–52 are tent-only
Mount William National Park – Stumpys Bay campgrounds 1–4, Top Camp and Deep Creek
Narawntapu National Park – Springlawn (powered), Bakers Point, Koybaa and The Horse Yards
Maria Island National Park – Darlington campground (ferry and walk-in only)
Fortescue Bay, Tasman National Park – Mills Creek (vehicle sites) and Banksia (walk-in tent sites)
Lime Bay State Reserve – Tasman Peninsula, near the Coal Mines Historic Site
Mount Field National Park – the campground near the visitor centre, with powered sites
South Bruny National Park – Jetty Beach, Cloudy Corner (4WD only) and The Neck
Arthur Pieman Conservation Area – Manuka and Peppermint at Arthur River, Prickly Wattle, plus self-contained-only bush camps such as Nelson Bay
Peggs Beach Conservation Area – Peggs Beach (November–April) and Black River
Booked campgrounds and their nearest no-booking alternatives
If the campground you want is full, or you'd rather keep your plans loose, here's the closest option that doesn't need a booking. Distances are approximate driving distances from the booked campground.
Booked from 3 Nov | No-booking alternative | Approx. distance | Facilities & campervan notes |
Freycinet NP (Richardsons Beach powered sites 1–18 for vans; all other sites tents only) | Friendly Beaches – Isaacs Point (Parks): free, first in first served, max 14 nights, parks pass displayed on your vehicle. Parks' suggested option for vans that don't need power | ~25 km, 30 min | Pit toilets, no water, fuel stoves only. Suits campervans and caravans; gravel access road |
Mount William NP (Stumpys Bay, Top Camp, Deep Creek) | Bay of Fires Conservation Area (Parks): Policemans Point, Grants Lagoon, Cosy Corner, Swimcart Beach – free, max 4 weeks | ~45 km (Policemans Point) to ~90 km (Cosy Corner) | Toilets, no drinking water. Most suit larger vans; Jeanneret Beach, Seatons Cove and Sloop Reef are small-van only |
Narawntapu NP (Springlawn, Bakers Point, Koybaa, Horse Yards) | No free Parks camp nearby – Beaconsfield Showground (West Tamar) | ~45 km, 45 min | Toilets, water and dump point listed. Or book a caravan park at Port Sorell |
Maria Island NP (Darlington) | No vehicles on the island – camp at Mayfield Bay (Parks), no bookings, max 28 days | ~35 km north of Triabunna | Toilets, no water or power. Vans and caravans welcome |
Fortescue Bay & Lime Bay (Tasman Peninsula) | No free vehicle-accessible Parks camps on the peninsula – Dunalley Hotel paddock (for pub patrons) | ~50 km, 45 min | Toilets when the pub is open. Otherwise book a holiday park on the peninsula |
Mount Field NP | Bethune Park, Lake Meadowbank (Central Highlands Council): free, max 7 nights – or Hamilton Camping Ground ($20, no bookings) | ~35–40 km, 35–40 min | Bethune Park: toilets, boat ramp, room for big vans. Hamilton: showers, laundry, dump point |
South Bruny NP (Jetty Beach, Cloudy Corner, The Neck) | The Pines, Cloudy Bay (Parks): free, no bookings | ~20 km from Jetty Beach | Small site, pit toilet, bring your own water. Suits campervans |
Arthur Pieman CA (Arthur River camps, Prickly Wattle, Nelson Bay) | Green Point, Marrawah (Circular Head Council): free, no bookings | ~15–20 km, 20 min | Toilets, cold showers, BBQs. Bigger vans on the lower flat area |
Peggs Beach CA (Peggs Beach, Black River) | Stanley Recreation Ground: $15 per night, no bookings | ~20 km, 20 min | Close to town. Smithton's Tall Timbers RV site is a free option for self-contained vans |
Looking for more spots where you can just turn up? Our guide to Tasmania's top free campervan-friendly campsites covers the best of them around the state.
Area-by-area notes for campervan travellers
Freycinet National Park
Freycinet is the one to plan around, so we sent the Freycinet visitor centre a list of campervan questions about the new system. Here's what Parks and Wildlife told us in October 2026:
Campervans and motorhomes use powered sites 1–18 only. These premium powered sites at Richardsons Beach are designed for vehicle-based camping and take campervans up to 18 ft (about 5.5 m). From 3 November they cost $35 per site per night.
There's no unpowered option for vans. Sites 19–52 are for tent camping only. They sit on a fragile dune system: driving onto them causes erosion and compaction, bogs vehicles and can damage the extensive cultural sites in the area, which Parks is required by law to protect. So even a fully self-contained van that doesn't need power has to book a powered site.
$35 is a flat fee per site for up to 6 people – two people pay the same as six.
Two vans on one site? Technically, two small campervans can share a site if there are no more than 6 people in total, but sites vary in size and not all of them fit two vehicles. Parks prefers one vehicle per site, so vans don't spill over the site boundary and block other campers coming and going. If you're travelling as two vans, book two sites.
You can't charge an electric campervan from the site power. Each powered site has a conventional outdoor 15 A outlet, which Parks says isn't suitable for EV charging. Use a public charger instead: Harold Street (Community Hall) in Coles Bay, Foster Street in Bicheno or 1 Noyes Street in Swansea.
New cancellation rules from 3 November: cancel more than 30 days before arrival for a 100% refund, or 5–30 days before for a 75% refund. There's no refund if you cancel less than 5 days out, after you arrive, or don't show up. (Under the old policy you lost 25% with 7+ days' notice, or 50% with 1–6 days'.)
The powered sites also have potable water, grey-water disposal and coin-operated hot showers ($2 coins). There's no laundry and no dump point in the park – the nearest are at Bicheno and Swansea. The maximum stay is 10 nights from 18 December to 10 February and 14 nights the rest of the year, Freycinet is a fuel-stove-only area, and you'll need a valid parks pass.
No-booking alternative: if your van doesn't need power, Parks itself suggests Isaacs Point at Friendly Beaches, in the north of the national park, about 30 minutes from Coles Bay. It's free and first in first served, with more "back country" facilities (pit toilets, no water – fill up at the visitor centre's filtered water station first). Display your parks pass on your vehicle. Plan your walks with our guides to the Wineglass Bay Lookout walk and things to do on the Freycinet Peninsula.
Driving one of our electric campervans from Hobart? Top up at the Swansea fast charger (75 kW) on the way, and use Coles Bay or Bicheno for top-ups while you're there.
Mount William National Park and the Bay of Fires
Mount William's camps (Stumpys Bay, Top Camp and Deep Creek) are simple bush sites with pit toilets and no drinking water, reached by about 17 km of gravel from Gladstone. They suit small to medium campervans; Stumpys Bay 2 isn't suitable for motorhomes.
Free alternative: the Bay of Fires Conservation Area strings free beachside campgrounds along the coast north of St Helens – Policemans Point at Ansons Bay is the closest, while Cosy Corner and Swimcart Beach are the classics. Arrive early in summer. More in our Bay of Fires camping guide. EV drivers can top up at the St Helens charger (50 kW).
Narawntapu National Park
Narawntapu, between Devonport and the Tamar, is wombat and kangaroo country. Springlawn has powered sites, hot showers and a dump point; Bakers Point also takes caravans, while The Horse Yards doesn't. There's no free Parks campground nearby, so if Narawntapu is full, look at Beaconsfield Showground on the West Tamar or a caravan park in Port Sorell.
Maria Island National Park
There's no vehicle access to Maria Island – you take the passenger ferry from Triabunna and walk or cycle on the island. Book your Darlington site along with your ferry, and plan where your van will stay. Mayfield Bay, about 35 km north of Triabunna, is a no-booking Parks campground right on the water. See our Maria Island guide.
Fortescue Bay and Lime Bay, Tasman Peninsula
Fortescue Bay's Mills Creek sites suit campervans and have hot showers, at the end of about 12 km of gravel road. Lime Bay, near the Coal Mines Historic Site, is a state reserve, so no parks pass is needed there – but from 3 November it moves to the booking system too. With both in the system and no free vehicle-accessible Parks camps on the peninsula, booking ahead is the safest bet in summer. Our van Tukana is named after the Tasman Peninsula, and our Tasman Peninsula guide has the best stops.
Electric campervan? Top up at the Sorell fast charger, Dunalley (65 kW) or Exploren at Port Arthur (60 kW).
Mount Field National Park
Mount Field's campground sits right by the visitor centre and the Russell Falls walk, with powered sites, hot showers, a laundry and a camp kitchen. Note that the gravel Lake Dobson Road is not suitable for campervans. Until now sites were first come, first served; from 3 November you'll need to book. Free alternative: Bethune Park on Lake Meadowbank, or the low-cost Hamilton Camping Ground. Our Mount Field road trip guide has more.
South Bruny National Park
Jetty Beach, on Great Taylors Bay, is the most campervan-friendly of the South Bruny camps. Cloudy Corner is reached by a beach drive at low tide and is 4WD only, so it isn't for campervans. Free alternative: The Pines, a small, free Parks campground on the road into Cloudy Bay – bring water. See our guide to exploring Bruny Island by van.
Arthur Pieman and Peggs Beach, north-west
At Arthur River, Manuka and Peppermint have flush toilets and suit vans; the remote bush camps such as Nelson Bay are for self-contained vehicles only. The free council campground at Green Point, Marrawah, is the easiest no-booking alternative. Further east, Peggs Beach and Black River are both fee camps going into the system – Stanley Recreation Ground is the nearest no-booking option. Pair it with our things to do in Stanley guide.
Tips for camping under the new system
Book as soon as bookings open for Christmas to the end of January, school holidays and Easter – Freycinet and Fortescue Bay are likely to fill first.
Have a no-booking backup for every booked night, using the table above.
Arrive early at first-in first-served free sites – by early afternoon in summer.
Travelling with friends in two vans? Book one site per van – at Freycinet, Parks prefers one vehicle per site and not every site fits two.
Add the toilet option to your Tasvanlife rental – it makes your campervan self-contained, which opens up extra sites such as self-contained-only bush camps.
Buy your Parks Pass online and choose the "hire and drive" option so it covers whichever vehicle you're driving. A campsite booking doesn't include park entry.
Check the cancellation rules before you lock in dates – at Freycinet you get nothing back if you cancel less than 5 days out, after arrival or don't show, so build some flexibility into your plans.
Ask us – our team can help you plan a route that mixes booked and free campgrounds.
FAQ
Do I need to book camping in Tasmanian national parks?
From 3 November 2026, yes – at the 10 fee-charging campground areas listed above. Free campgrounds, such as Friendly Beaches and the Bay of Fires, don't need a booking.
When does the Tasmania Parks Online Booking System start?
Campground bookings start on 3 November 2026. Walks, cave tours, accommodation and parks passes will be added in later stages, with no dates announced yet.
How much does it cost to camp at Freycinet from November 2026?
Campervans and motorhomes must use the powered sites (1–18), which are $35 per site per night for up to 6 people. The unpowered sites – $24 at Richardsons Beach and Ranger Creek, $18 at Honeymoon Bay – are for tents only. You also need a parks pass.
Can I camp at Freycinet in a campervan without paying for power?
Not at Richardsons Beach. Parks confirmed that sites 19–52 are tent-only to protect the dunes and cultural sites, so vans must book a powered site (1–18). If you don't need power, camp for free at Isaacs Point, Friendly Beaches, with a valid parks pass.
Can I charge an electric campervan at Freycinet's powered sites?
No. The sites have standard outdoor 15 A outlets that Parks says aren't suitable for EV charging. Use the public chargers at Harold Street (Community Hall) in Coles Bay, Foster Street in Bicheno or 1 Noyes Street in Swansea.
Can two campervans share one site at Richardsons Beach?
Sometimes – two small vans with no more than 6 people in total can technically share a site, but not every site is big enough and Parks prefers one vehicle per site. Book a site per van to be safe.
Is Friendly Beaches camping free?
Yes. Friendly Beaches (Isaacs Point) is free, first in first served, with a maximum stay of 14 nights. You need a valid parks pass and must bring your own water.
Can I still free camp in Tasmania without a booking?
Yes. Parks says many campgrounds across Tasmania will stay free and won't need bookings. See our guide to Tasmania's top free campsites.
Do I still need a parks pass if I've booked a campsite?
Yes. In national parks, the campsite fee and the parks pass are separate. Lime Bay is a state reserve, so no pass is needed there.
Plan your trip with Tasvanlife
Our 15 off-grid campervans are fitted out with Tasmanian timber, and five are fully electric. Pick one up in Hobart, add the toilet option to make it self-contained, and our team will help you work out where to book and where to just turn up. Browse our campervans.
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