Camper trailer hire: Everything you need to know

A camper trailer strikes a nice balance between roughing it and having a few home comforts – all in a towable package.

Contributing Journalist

14 Oct 2022 • 11 min read

Experiencing the bush and beach lifestyle of Australia in all its glory – free range and off grid – is tremendous fun and a right – nay, an obligation – for any self-respecting Aussie.

Driving your car to a favourite spot in the bush or on a secluded beach somewhere and setting up camp is a lot of people’s idea of reaching their happy place.

But while sleeping in a swag or tent has plenty of appeal, some people much prefer the relative luxury of a camper trailer.

How does a camper trailer compare to campervans, caravans & motorhomes?

Camper-trailers are similar to caravans in that they have to be towed, but they do generally have fewer amenities than a caravan, such as a toilet and shower. But, having said that, there are plenty of campsites with those amenities on-site, and, if not, or if you’re heading off-grid, then you can always take portable versions of those amenities along with you.

A caravan is essentially a self-contained house on wheels, with kitchen facilities, beds, seating, storage and some, depending on their size, even have toilets and showers. As mentioned earlier, it has to be towed behind another vehicle.

Camper-trailers are similar to caravans in that they have to be towed. (Glen Sullivan)

A campervan is a vehicle-and-accommodation package that you drive, but it generally has fewer amenities than a caravan or motorhome – for example, no toilet and shower (unless it’s an outdoors one) – and a campervan is not as big as a caravan or motorhome.

It may have a basic kitchen and counter-top, as well as seats that can be moved and folded to become a bed or beds of sorts.

A motorhome is similar to a campervan in that it is driven as an all-in-one vehicle-and-accommodation package, but it is usually much bigger than a campervan and so it can offer the users a lot more in terms of space and amenities.

What types of camper trailer are available to rent?

What type of camper trailer you decide to hire will depend on your budget, what you want to use it for, where you’re going to take it, and the duration of your trip.

Obviously, you’ll be looking for a camper trailer that suits your needs: if your tastes lean towards fine wine and silk sheets you’ll be searching for a well-equipped camper trailer with a touch of luxury (good luck! Camper trailers are, by their very nature, pretty rustic); if you like to go off road, then you’ll be looking for something built for forays onto the dirt or sand; and if you prefer a frugal lifestyle there’ll be cheap camper trailers that won’t blow out your budget.

There is a wide variety of camper trailers that can suit your needs.

There are a few different types of camper trailers available so, with the aim of demystifying the market, here (below) is a rundown of what’s around from CarsGuide contributor, outback adventurer and independent book publisher, Brendan Batty. Brendan has towed and reviewed pretty much every camper trailer and caravan known to humankind.

Soft-floor camper trailers

“The most basic camper trailers are little more than a box-trailer with a tent bolted to the top and a few different storage options fitted. Commonly referred to as soft-floor campers, because the tent section folds out onto the ground, most of the trailers in the lower price brackets are imported from factories in China, and like anything, there are good and bad examples – price is usually the best indicator. These trailers can be as cheap as your first car was or as expensive as the one you’re dreaming about, depending on features, country of manufacture and off-road ability.”

Hard-floor camper trailers

“Hard-floor campers are those with a fold-over lid that becomes the floor or bed base, from a hinged section on either the rear, front or side. Traditional hard-floor campers fold backwards and the lid becomes the floor, while those with a hinged section on the front or the side usually have a bed strapped to the underside of the lid and the space contained within the trailer walls is usually a comfortable living area with wraparound lounge (that may or may not convert into a bed) a possibly a simple kitchen.

“Hard-floor camper trailers start at around $15,000 and can cost as much as a block of land in Hobart.

The kitchen is fitted to the outside of the trailer.

“Almost exclusively, the kitchen, shower areas (if fitted) and any other modern luxuries are fitted to the outside of the trailer or pull out so they can be used under the awning. Camper trailers are the kings of outdoor living and with a good awning and decent camp chairs, it can be as comfortable as any other RV accommodation, even if it takes a few extra minutes to set up.

“For those that want the comforts of a caravan (indoor kitchen, big beds, indoor living comforts), the wind-up roof campers that have been popularised by Jayco, are a great choice. Available in on-road or off-road variations from several companies, these are the closest thing to a caravan, but without the towing bulk or price tag. They’re a great choice for families or those with smaller capacity tow cars.”

How do you hire a camper trailer?

Do your research, ask around and then decide whether you’ll hire a campervan from a commercial operator, or use a peer-to-peer van sharing service, such as SHAREaCamper, Camplify, or Camptoo.

Find a company that suits your purpose with products that fit your needs, and contact them.

Camplify, the self-described “largest and most trusted van sharing platform” in Australia, states that it has “thousands of unique vans available for hire across Australia and a community of over 50,000 holidaymakers”.

Commercial operators or peer-to-peer van sharing services have comprehensive online booking systems.

Same goes for companies such as SHAREaCamper and Camptoo – they all reckon they have plenty of vans, so sourcing a suitable camper trailer shouldn’t be a problem.

Commercial operators or peer-to-peer van sharing services have comprehensive online booking systems and via those you’re able to pick your camper trailer and select your travel dates. Before you go any further you should thoroughly read the terms and conditions of the camper trailer loan before you pay any money, make sure you’re fully aware of all of the fees that will be incurred (more about that in the ‘How much does it cost?’ Section below), and then laying down your cash.

When you collect the camper trailer, run through a comprehensive campervan checklist with the owner/agent, take photos of the entire vehicle (inside and out), and make sure the owner gives you the lowdown on any quirks or peculiarities to do with the everyday operation of the campervan that you need to know about it.

When off-roading with a camper trailer, it should be fitted with all-terrain tyres, robust suspension and stone guards.

Note: if you intend to go off road at all, make sure the owner/agent has given you official permission in writing (check the camper trailer’s terms and conditions of use as well), and make sure the camper trailer is indeed able to cope with the sorts of demands rough terrain will impose on it. It should have decent all-terrain tyres, robust suspension, stone guards.

The bonus is that the camper trailer hire network is nationwide and extensive with options in Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Cairns, Adelaide, Darwin, Gold Coast and in Townsville.

How much does it cost?

Prices vary greatly, depending on the location and the type of camper trailer you want – there are cheap examples and more expensive campers as well.

Just to give you an idea of what’s available: at time of writing (early October 2022) the Camplify website stated that it had more than 300 camper trailers to hire in total across all locations in Australia and, within only a few minutes of searching, we found a camper trailer that costs from $45 a day to hire – The Quickie, a hard-floor camper which sleeps two people – in Murray Bridge, South Australia; a camper that costs from $85 a day to hire – Cruizy the cruiser slide, a hard-floor camper which sleeps five – in West Gladstone, Queensland; and a Tvan Zenith (a hard-floor camper which sleeps four) in Bayswater North, Victoria, that costs from $160 a day to hire.

Is it possible to rent out your own personal camper trailer?

Yep – there is the option for camper trailer owners to lease their campers out via sites, such as Camplify.

And it seems a pretty easy process to tackle, albeit a time-consuming one, but the upshot is that once that initial stage is completed, hiring out your camper should be smooth sailing from then on.

There is the option for camper trailer owners to lease their campers.

All you need to do is register an account and your camper trailer on any of the reputable websites, upload photos and info about your camper (including a description, basic set-up description, as well as details of onboard facilities and any restrictions you want imposed on the camper loan) … and away you go.

Be warned: there are myriad terms and conditions and a truckload (camper-load?) of contract-related stuff you must read through and understand before you hire out your camper trailer, so make sure you know where you stand with regard to camper loans, payment and how damage claims or disputes are dealt with by the company or agent involved.