Camping & Road-tripping in Australia - Which State Is The Best In 2021?

#1 - Campsite Costs By State

Campsite accommodation will be one of your biggest expenses while camping, so we have used data from the Caravan Industry Association of Australia to see how campsite costs compare, state by state.

Plotted below is the 12 month average daily rate for a powered site (since September 2016). The data consists of monthly price data from approximately 350 campsites.

As of January 2021, NSW has the highest average daily rate at $47 and NT is the cheapest, at just $35.

#2 - Petrol Costs By State

Whether you are planning a short road trip or a full lap around Australia, fuel costs will definitely stack up after a while. But which state has the cheapest fuel?

Plotted below is the average unleaded petrol price in each state since 2002.

There isn't much in it, but the Northern Territory and Tasmania do consistently have slightly higher petrol prices.

#3 - Food Costs By State

Whether you're going camping with your family or a group of mates, keeping everyone well fed is no cheap (or easy) job!

How do each of the states compare in terms of food and drink spend? Below is the average household spend on food and drink (excluding alcohol) by state. This figure includes spend on both groceries and eating out.

Tasmania and South Australia are definitely a bit cheaper than the other states, with NSW being particularly expensive at $275 per week.

#4 - Number of Sunny Days By State

Camping is all about getting outside and enjoying the great outdoors! While still possible, it's not quite as fun if it's raining cats and dogs.

So which state has the best weather? Plotted below is the average number of sunny days in the capital city of each state. Sunny days include days with partial sunshine.

As you would expect, Perth and Brisbane are the clear winners here.

#5 - Number of Campsites

Having a good number of campsites to choose from gives you plenty of options whether you are out on the road or still planning your trip.

Some states definitely have more campsites than others - but which are they? Below is the average number of campsites in each state per 1,000km².

Small states like Victoria and Tasmania seem to be much more densely packed with campsites. Mind you, if you just stick to the coast of Queensland and NSW, you will probably find a similar density of campsites.

#6 - Number of Attractions

To get the most out of your trip, you'll want to fill your days with activities and attractions. Some areas are much better set up for visitors than others, so let's find out which state is the best here!

Plotted below is the average number of attractions per 1,000km².

It's a pretty similar story here, with Victoria and Tasmania coming out on top.

#7 - Number of National/State Parks

If you want to do some bushwalking, hiking, or otherwise enjoy some of Australia's pristine natural wonders, a national or state park is the place to go.

However, national and state parks are not distributed evenly over the country, with some states racking up more than others.

Which state is the most densely populated with parks? The plot below shows the average number of national and state parks per 10,000km².

Again, Tasmania comes out on top here!

Summary

Crunching all of the data together, I have assigned scores to each the states and Tasmania has come out on top as the winner!

But let's be honest, all the states are fantastic in their own ways. To experience the best of what our country has to offer, why not plan a trip through multiple states, like this Melbourne to Cairns road trip!

What do you think? What's your favourite state for road-tripping and camping? Let me know in the comments below!

Has this inspired you to go on your own camping trip? If you are in need of some gear, feel free to check out my list of the best swags in Australia, or if you prefer car camping, check out this list of the best rooftop tents in Australia!