Brisbane is an easy place to start an Australian road trip. The airport is close to the city, the roads out of town are well signed, and within an hour of collecting a van you can be on the beach, in the hinterland or on the way north. If you are searching for campervan hire in Brisbane, the real questions are how much it will cost, when to go, and where to drive in the first few days.

This is a research guide, not a trip report: we have not driven these roads ourselves, so we have stuck to what the CampervanPlanet Brisbane page shows (last updated on 3 November 2026) and to well-known local facts, and we say when something is only typical.

If you have never hired a van abroad, our campervan rental guide covers the basics that apply to any country.

What campervan hire in Brisbane costs

CampervanPlanet’s Brisbane page says a typical campervan costs A$190 a day in winter and A$204 a day in spring, and that the cheapest offer starts from A$69 a day. Those numbers come from 641 live prices across 58 vehicles and 11 rental companies, so they are a fair picture of the market rather than one company’s brochure rate.

For the cheapest vehicle on a 7-night search, the page shows from A$78 a day for a pick-up on 10 November 2026, from A$73 a day on 9 March 2027 and from A$65 a day on 8 June 2027. Treat these as floors, not promises: they are the cheapest vehicle in each search, and the typical price is far higher once you want more space, a toilet on board or an automatic gearbox.

The gap between “from” and “typical” is the most important thing to understand. If you only compare the lowest price on each site you will always find a bargain, but you will end up comparing different vehicles. Compare the same berth count, the same pick-up day and the same insurance level, and you will see where the real differences are.

The best time to hire a campervan in Brisbane

The page breaks the year into four seasons. Winter, from June to August, is described as the best time to visit: dry, clear and mild, with daytime temperatures of roughly 12 to 22°C. It is also peak season, and the July school holidays bring crowds, so reserve early if you want that month.

Spring, from September to November, is a very good second choice. Days warm up to about 18 to 26°C, wildflowers bloom and humpback whales are on the move off the coast from June to October. There are fewer people than in winter, and the page shows a lower from-price for a mid-November pick-up (A$78) than the typical spring price, though the cheapest-vehicle figure is not a like-for-like comparison with winter.

Summer, from December to February, is hot and humid at 26 to 32°C with afternoon thunderstorms. It is great for the beach and for water sports, but it is also the Christmas and New Year peak, when campgrounds fill and accommodation prices rise. Mid-January tends to be quieter. Autumn, from March to May, is warm with the rain tapering off, and it is a good time for inland routes with emptier campgrounds. Easter brings short-lived crowds.

Which van should you pick up in Brisbane?

The page lists a wide range of vehicles, from small two-berth vans up to larger motorhomes, and says every offer names the rental company you will actually be dealing with. That matters, because CampervanPlanet is the booking site; the contract, the terms and the vehicle handover are with the rental company.

As a general rule, a couple can be perfectly comfortable in a compact two-berth van on the coastal routes below, because Australian campgrounds have shared kitchens and bathrooms. A family of four will want a larger motorhome or a high-top van with a toilet on board. Check the berth count, whether the van has a shower and toilet, and whether the gearbox is manual or automatic, since not every cheap van is an automatic.

You do not need a 4WD for anything on this page. All three routes are rated easy or moderate and “2WD OK”. If you later want to leave the sealed roads, that is a different kind of hire with different rules, so check the contract carefully. To see what is on offer for your dates, start with the Brisbane listings.

Route one: Brisbane to the Gold Coast and Byron Bay

This is the classic first drive, about 250 km over three to five days, rated easy and fine for a 2WD van all year. You head south through Surfers Paradise and Coolangatta before crossing into New South Wales for Byron Bay and the hinterland villages and markets around Nimbin. The page counts more than 15 campsites along the route.

The appeal is the mix: theme parks and surf beaches at one end, a slower and more bohemian atmosphere at the other. If you have children, the Gold Coast is where they will want to stop. If you are travelling as a couple, give yourself an extra night at Byron Bay and avoid the school holidays if you can, since that is when the coast is at its busiest.

We have a separate guide to the Gold Coast, Byron Bay and Sunshine Coast road trip, with more detail on that stretch.

Route two: the Sunshine Coast and Noosa

North of Brisbane the page suggests a shorter loop of about 200 km over three to four days. You pass the Glass House Mountains, relax at family-friendly Mooloolaba and carry on to Noosa, with its national park walks and the hinterland village of Eumundi, which is known for its markets. The page lists more than 12 campsites along the way and recommends April and October as the best months.

It is a good option if you only have a long weekend, because the distances are small and you can easily split the days between beach, bushwalk and café. It is also a useful warm-up if this is your first time driving a larger vehicle on the left. Most of the road is straightforward, and the motorway north of Brisbane is wide and well marked.

If you want to keep going north, there is a longer Queensland route in our guide to Brisbane to Cairns by campervan.

Route three: Scenic Rim and the Darling Downs

The third route is the one most visitors skip, which is a good reason to consider it. It covers about 300 km over three to four days and rates as moderate but still 2WD friendly. You climb to Mount Tamborine’s rainforests and mountain villages, wind along back roads to Boonah and Warwick, and finish on the Darling Downs at Toowoomba with views across the plateau. The page counts 10 or more campsites and suggests March and November.

It is a quieter, greener drive than the coast, with cooler evenings at altitude and far fewer people. The trade-off is that the roads are narrower and slower, so plan on more driving time than the distance suggests. Fuel stops are less frequent too, so fill up when you pass a town rather than waiting for the last quarter of a tank.

A tip for any of the routes: check that the van is suitable for the hinterland roads you plan to drive, and ask the rental company if you are unsure. Contract terms vary and some roads are excluded, so never assume a gravel track is allowed.

Booking tips before you hire in Brisbane

A few habits will save you money and stress. Book early for December to February and for the July school holidays, because the best-value vans go first. Compare the full cost, including insurance and any one-way fee if you plan to drop the van in another city, rather than looking only at the daily rate.

The page explains that many offers take a deposit online, often 10 to 20 per cent of the price, with the rest due at pick-up, and that the rental company holds a refundable security deposit on the main driver’s card. Check the amount in your offer so you know your card limit is high enough. Our explainer on insurance, deposits and excess walks through the terms in plain language.

If you are comparing Australian cities, the page also lists pick-up locations in Sydney, Cairns, Perth, Adelaide, Darwin and Hobart, so a one-way trip is often possible. Our guide to one-way campervan trips in Australia covers the fees to expect. When you are ready, you can compare Brisbane campervans on CampervanPlanet, and code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY20 takes €20 off the booking at checkout.