Whether you’re wanting to start your Australian road trip or looking to explore the city and it’s surroundings, the best way is to hire a motorhome or campervan in Brisbane. As Brisbane city stretches over several kilometres, having a vehicle is probably necessary if you really want to get to know the area and venture off the beaten track. We’ll share the rental agencies available and give you a few itinerary suggestions for the Brisbane region.
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Motorhomes and Campervans Price Comparison
The quickest way to get a real price is to compare. Rather than opening six rental websites, a comparison tool shows you every operator with a Brisbane depot side by side, with live availability for your dates. Rates are usually the same as booking direct, and often better.
Why hire a van from Brisbane?
Brisbane is the capital of Queensland is easily accessible thanks to its international airport, which is close to the urban center. Brisbane’s geographical location is ideal for exploring Eastern Australia. From the Sunshine Coast hinterland to Fraser Island and the Great Barrier Reef, driving from Brisbane gives you ultimate flexibility.
Furthermore, the rates for renting vans and campervans are generally cheaper than starting from cities like Sydney or Melbourne.
Renting a van offers great flexibility to explore the region at your own pace. You are not limited by public transport schedules, and you can choose the destinations you wish to visit.
Top Campervan & Motorhome Providers in Brisbane
There are several rental companies located in Brisbane, including some of the biggest names in the industry. The advantage of these well-known agencies is that they offer a very broad range of vehicles, excellent service and good value for money.
Main rental companies
- Apollo Motorhome Holidays & Cheapa Campa
- Mighty Campers
- Travellers Autobarn (use our promo code to get 5% off: GUIDEEN)
- Britz Campervan Hire
- Lets go Motorhome & Campervans Hire
- Travel Wheels.
🚐 Compare campervan hire in Brisbane
All operators, all vehicle types, real availability. Free and no obligation.
Pick-Up & Drop-Off Locations
Suburbs (Chermside, Paddington): Often cheaper but require taxi/Uber transfer.
Brisbane Airport (BNE): Shuttle service to rental depots; 24/7 counters.
Brisbane CBD: Fortitude Valley, Brisbane City depots—ideal if arriving by train.
These are the locations of the major camper and motorhome rentals in Brisbane:
What it costs
Rates in Brisbane swing enormously — the same vehicle can cost three times more in January than in May. Four things drive the price:
- Season, by a long way. See the note below the table.
- How far ahead you book. Three months out gets you the cheap inventory; two weeks out in December gets you whatever’s left.
- Length of hire. Daily rates drop noticeably past 14 days, and again past 21.
- Where you drop off. Returning to Brisbane is cheapest — a one-way to Cairns or Sydney adds a relocation fee.
| Vehicle | Sleeps | Shower & toilet |
Low season Feb–May, Nov |
Peak Dec–Jan, Easter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compact campervan station wagon, hi-top |
2 | ✕ | 45–80 | 150–250 |
| 2-berth with facilities | 2 | ✓ | 115–170 | 230–320 |
| 4-berth camper | 4 | ✕ | 60–110 | 180–280 |
| 4-berth motorhome | 4 | ✓ | 150–220 | 280–400 |
| 6-berth motorhome | 6 | ✓ | 180–260 | 330–410 |
| 4WD camper | 2–4 | varies | 155–230 | 280–380 |
AUD per day for a 7-day hire, checked August 2026. Excludes excess reduction, one-way fees and extras. Daily rates fall noticeably past 14 days.
• Peak: mid-December to the end of January, plus Easter. Vehicles sell out and rates can double.
• High: June to September. Queensland’s dry season is the best time to drive north, so demand is strong even though it’s winter elsewhere.
• Low: February to May, and November. February and March are the wet season up north, which keeps prices down — and the coast is still perfectly drivable.
Also check the Queensland school holidays: four blocks a year, and rates jump in all of them regardless of season.
This seasonal pattern is worth understanding, because it’s the opposite of Melbourne or Tasmania. In Brisbane, winter is the good season, dry, mild, and the gateway to the whole of northern Queensland.
How to find a cheap motorhome in Brisbane?
- Use a price comparison website and book as soon as possible! This will give you a good chance to hire a motorhome in Brisbane cheaper.
- Hire your motorhome in Brisbane for more than 14 days. Daily rates vary depending on the length of rental. It costs less to keep the same vehicle for a longer period instead of renting a vehicle for several shorter periods.
- Be cautious when choosing the extras and insurance offered – always shop around.
- Or, check with your bank or travel insurance company first, as some might include vehicle rental insurance cover in their insurance policy.
🚐 5% off with Travellers Autobarn
They have a Brisbane depot and give our readers 5% off with the code GUIDEEN — worth stacking on top of a long-hire discount.
Visiting the Brisbane region in a Motorhome
Brisbane
The city centre of Brisbane is very easy to explore on foot and by public transport. It consists of several districts to suit all styles of traveller:
- The Central Business District (or “CBD”), is ideal for shopping.
- South Bank, across the Victoria Bridge, is a cultural district known for its artificial lagoon.
- Fortitude Valley. Great place to go out, as it’s home to there are the best bars and clubs.
- New Farm. A neighborhood for families with small modern restaurants and art galleries
- Kangaroo Point is the highest lookout in the in Brisbane, with views of the entire city.
What to see around Brisbane
Under 30 minutes from the city
- Feed kangaroos and see koalas at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, the oldest and largest koala sanctuary in the world.
- Drive or walk up Mount Coot-tha, 6 km from the centre, the best view over Brisbane, with the Botanic Gardens at its foot.
One to two hours away
- Moreton Bay for water sports, and the departure point for Moreton Island.
- Manly, a coastal town worth the trip for seafood and a walk along the Esplanade.
- Redcliffe, one of the best spots for whale watching from June to October.
- The Sunshine Coast, an hour north — beaches, Noosa, and the Glass House Mountains on the way.
More than two hours
- Byron Bay, around 2.5 hours south across the NSW border.
- North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah), reached by ferry from Cleveland, white beaches, and one of the best places near Brisbane to see dolphins and turtles from the shore.
- Stanthorpe and the Granite Belt for wine tasting, plus Girraween National Park next door.
- K’gari (formerly Fraser Island), around 4 hours north via Hervey Bay or Rainbow Beach. The largest sand island in the world, 120 km long and 4WD only, so check what your rental allows before planning it.
The best road trips from Brisbane
Brisbane – Cairns – 15 days
The drive from Brisbane to Cairns is one of the most popular road trips for backpackers and there are so many reasons why! Along the coast, you will find beautiful landscapes and beaches as well as the obligatory stop at the Great Barrier Reef.
Here are the stops you cannot miss along the way and an approximate itinerary:
- Depart from Brisbane
- Noosa via the Sunshine Coast. (137km, 2 hours)
- Hervey Bay and Fraser Island (190 km, 2.5 hours)
- Bundaberg (120km, 1.5 hours)
- Yeppoon (330km, 4 hours)
- Airlie Beach (500 km, 5.5 hours)
- Mission Beach (510km, 6 hours)
- Arrival in Cairns (140km, 2 hours)
More Information: The Perfect 15 Day Itinerary: Brisbane to Cairns drive
Brisbane – Sydney – 10 days
By driving from Brisbane to Sydney you will get to explore the popular Gold Coast and several surf spots. Here are the stops you cannot miss along the way and an approximate itinerary:
- Departure from Brisbane
- Gold Coast (78 km, 1 hour)
- Byron Bay (93 km, 1 hour 15 minutes)
- Coffs Harbour (152 km, 1.5 hours)
- Port Macquarie (245km, 3 hours)
- Port Stephens (137km, 2 hours)
- Newcastle (245km, 3hrs)
- Central Coast (98 km, 1 hour 15 minutes)
- Arrival in Sydney (76km, 1hr 40min)
More Information: Sydney to Brisbane Drive: Best Road Trip Itinerary
Licence and driver age
Credit card in the driver’s name, for the hire and the bond. Debit cards are frequently refused.
Licence: a full, valid driving licence. If yours isn’t in English, you need an International Driving Permit or an official NAATI-certified translation, carried alongside the original, never instead of it.
Minimum age: most operators hire from 21, a few from 18 or 19 with restrictions. Drivers under 25 usually pay a young driver surcharge of AUD 10–30 per day, and some operators won’t rent the larger motorhomes to under-25s at all.
🪪 Licence not in English?
An IDP has to be obtained before you leave home. If you’ve already landed, a NAATI-certified translation is your only option — handled online, no office visit, accepted by every rental company.
Driving Tips for Queensland
- On highways, the maximum speed limit is 110 km/h. In urban areas, the speed limit is generally 50 km/h. It may be reduced to 40 km/h or less around schools and certain zones. Always follow the signs.
- Highways don’t have tolls and are free. However, around big cities like Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne, you will have to pay to use certain roads (Toll Roads).
- Plan for Long Distances: Coastal highway to Cairns is ~1 700 km—factor in rest stops and wildlife hazards at dawn/dusk.
- The legal blood alcohol limit while driving is not to exceed 0.5 grams of alcohol per liter of blood.
- Wearing a seatbelt is mandatory, and the use of mobile phones while driving is prohibited.
- Campsite Bookings: Free or low-cost sites via Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service; popular spots fill fast on weekends.
Download the complete Guide for a Road Trip on the East Coast
Our FREE 52-page guide brings together all the info you need for your East Coast Road Trip in Australia:
- Preparations (seasons, budget)
- All the best spots to visit on the coast
- The best tours & activities
- Spots to park and sleep in a campervan
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