Camper vans between surf beaches and hinterland rainforest
Compare the 2 campervan and motorhome rental companies in Gold Coast to find the best price, and book at the price shown, mandatory fees included.
Hiring a campervan on the Gold Coast means setting off between the towers of Surfers Paradise and the long surf beaches of southern Queensland, with the World Heritage-listed Gondwana rainforests of Lamington and Springbrook less than an hour inland. Byron Bay, Noosa and the road to the tropical north are only a few stages away. Our 2 partner companies, Camperman and Jucy, offer camper vans for Australia's east coast.
Camperman hands over its vehicles in Mermaid Waters, in the heart of the city; Jucy is based in Tweed Heads South, just across the New South Wales border, a few minutes from Coolangatta airport.
Public ratings collected on October 28, 2026 from independent review sites.
Public ratings collected on October 28, 2026 from independent review sites.
Less than an hour from the beaches, the hinterland climbs into World Heritage-listed rainforest. At Springbrook, lookouts overlook the coast and Purling Brook Falls; at Natural Bridge, glow-worms light up the cave after dark. Via Canungra, a narrow, winding road climbs to the O'Reilly's section of Lamington National Park, before the Tamborine Mountain plateau and its canopy walkways.
To the south, the Tweed Coast lines up the quiet beaches of Kingscliff and Cabarita before Byron Bay, another departure city of our partners, and its lighthouse standing on the easternmost point of mainland Australia. Lennox Head, the village of Bangalow and the hills of Nimbin, a stronghold of counterculture, lead to Murwillumbah, at the foot of Mount Wollumbin, from where you head back north to the Queensland border.
After Brisbane, you leave the Bruce Highway for the volcanic peaks of the Glass House Mountains, then Noosa, between coastal national park and river. Hervey Bay, facing K'gari, then Agnes Water, southern gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, mark the road to Rockhampton and Mackay. Airlie Beach, another departure city of our partners, finally opens onto the Whitsunday Islands, where you return the vehicle.
The best time to set off from the Gold Coast: often clear skies, moderate rainfall and days still warm enough for the beach in April and May. In July, nights drop to around 12 °C and the sea to around 20 °C, but it is the ideal time to walk in the hinterland rainforests, without the sticky heat.
Spring warms the coast quickly: the sea reaches 22 to 23 °C and November is one of the most pleasant months of the year. The first summer storms can break out in the afternoon. In late November, Queensland school leavers celebrate the end of their studies in Surfers Paradise, the Schoolies: better to stay further south that week.
This is peak season, driven by the long Australian school holidays in December and January: beachfront caravan parks are fully booked, so reserve early. Humid heat, nights at 22 °C and a sea at 26 °C set the pace of the days; February and March are the wettest months, with tropical downpours that do little to cool the air.
Most pleasant months: April to September, November.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28 °C | 22 °C | 109 mm | 12 h/day | 26 °C |
| Feb | 28 °C | 22 °C | 172 mm | 11 h/day | 26 °C |
| Mar | 27 °C | 21 °C | 225 mm | 10 h/day | 26 °C |
| Apr | 25 °C | 19 °C | 83 mm | 10 h/day | 25 °C |
| May | 23 °C | 16 °C | 90 mm | 9 h/day | 23 °C |
| Jun | 21 °C | 13 °C | 61 mm | 9 h/day | 21 °C |
| Jul | 20 °C | 12 °C | 51 mm | 9 h/day | 20 °C |
| Aug | 22 °C | 13 °C | 43 mm | 10 h/day | 21 °C |
| Sep | 24 °C | 15 °C | 43 mm | 11 h/day | 21 °C |
| Oct | 25 °C | 17 °C | 99 mm | 11 h/day | 22 °C |
| Nov | 26 °C | 19 °C | 89 mm | 11 h/day | 23 °C |
| Dec | 27 °C | 21 °C | 120 mm | 12 h/day | 24 °C |
Averages 2016–2025 computed from Open-Meteo data (ERA5 reanalysis).
Queensland does not observe daylight saving time, unlike New South Wales. From October to April, the Jucy depot in Tweed Heads South is therefore one hour ahead of the Gold Coast, even though it is right next door. Check which time zone your pick-up or return time is given in, especially if you arrive at Coolangatta airport, on the Queensland side.
The Pacific Motorway (M1), linking the Gold Coast to Brisbane, is toll-free. To bypass the city towards the Sunshine Coast, however, the Logan Motorway and the Gateway Motorway are barrier-free toll roads: each trip is recorded by tag or number-plate recognition. Ask the company how tolls will be charged back to you; a slower toll-free route goes through the centre.
Between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, the covered car parks of the high-rises have height limits, and a high-top camper van often will not fit. Aim instead for the open-air car parks at the beaches of Burleigh Heads, Currumbin or Main Beach, early in the morning, and respect the parking time limits shown on the signs.
Heavy summer storms and tropical lows can cut the hinterland valley roads within hours, towards Springbrook, Natural Bridge or Canungra. The local rule fits in one sentence: never drive through a flooded road, even in a high vehicle. Check QLDTraffic before setting off and follow the Bureau of Meteorology warnings.
Each of our two partner companies has its own depot. Camperman hands over its vans in Mermaid Waters, at the premises of Surfers Rent a Car, in the centre of the city, between Broadbeach and Robina. Jucy is in Tweed Heads South, about thirty kilometres further south, just across the New South Wales border. The exact address is in your confirmation.
The rate depends mainly on the season, the rental length and the size of the van: the southern summer and the Australian school holidays concentrate demand, while winter is quieter. Run a search with your dates to compare our partners' offers: the prices shown per day include mandatory fees and can be booked straight away.
Yes, Sydney and Cairns are also departure cities of our partners. To Sydney, the Pacific Highway follows the coast via Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie, about 850 km. To Cairns, the Bruce Highway runs up the whole of Queensland for nearly 1,800 km. Enter the return city in your search: any one-way fee is included in the price shown.
K'gari and the beaches of Moreton Island or Rainbow Beach can only be driven in a 4WD, and campervan rental contracts generally exclude driving on sand and unsealed tracks. Park the vehicle in Hervey Bay or Rainbow Beach, then reach the island on an organised tour or with a 4WD hired locally, holding the vehicle access permit required by Queensland parks.
Humpback whales travel along the coast during their migration, roughly from June to November: they head north to warm waters, then return south with their calves. You can spot them from the headlands of Burleigh Heads or Point Danger, in Coolangatta, or on boat trips from Main Beach. September and October are often the best months.
Very good from the quote to the rental, I recommend!
First trip in a van and in AustraliaFriendly and available staffDeposit refunded quicklyHowever, some tools would be useful to re-tighten certain things due to the vibrations on the road
Staff very available to obtain information. Quick response to information.
A visitor can drive in Queensland with a valid foreign licence for the car category, provided it is in English or accompanied by an international driving permit or an approved translation. Camper vans can be driven with this car licence. The minimum age and any minimum years of driving depend on the company: read the offer conditions.
In Australia, you drive on the left, with the steering wheel on the right. The Gold Coast Highway, which follows the shoreline, is full of traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and tram tracks in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach: for the first kilometres, the parallel and wider M1 is more relaxing. At the many roundabouts, give way to vehicles already on them, coming from the right.
Sleeping in your vehicle on the streets and in beachfront car parks is prohibited on the Gold Coast and fined. The city runs several waterfront caravan parks, such as those at Burleigh Beach or Tallebudgera Creek; in the hinterland, Queensland national park campsites must be booked online before you arrive.
Gold Coast Airport, in Coolangatta, is about ten minutes from the Jucy depot in Tweed Heads South and about thirty minutes from Mermaid Waters, by taxi or ride-hailing. From Brisbane Airport, the Airtrain runs directly to the stations of the Gold Coast line, such as Robina, from where a taxi takes you to the depot.
On the Gold Coast, swim only between the red and yellow flags of patrolled beaches: rip currents are common. In summer, north-easterly winds sometimes wash bluebottles up onto the sand. Further north, in the tropical waters of central and northern Queensland, dangerous jellyfish are present in the warm season: wear a stinger suit or swim inside the nets.
The Gold Coast brings together in a single base the most varied side of Australia's east coast: patrolled surf beaches as far as the eye can see, Gondwana rainforests less than an hour away and hinterland villages where you sleep in peace. The nearby New South Wales border puts Byron Bay one stage away, and Brisbane, with its international airport, an hour to the north.
Camperman and Jucy, our two partner companies, offer easy-to-handle camper vans, at home on the narrow park roads as well as on the long stages to the tropical north. Brisbane, Byron Bay, Sydney, Airlie Beach and Cairns, other departure cities of our partners, make many one-way trips possible. Finally, the subtropical climate allows departures all year round, with a preference for April to September and for November, drier and milder.
