Towing a caravan on Fraser Island, Moreton or the beach
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) advises against caravans on Fraser Island (K'gari).
Every QPWS camping area there is marked "No caravan camping".
Published . 8 min read • Technical Guide
- Fraser Island (K'gari): QPWS advises against caravans. QPWS lists unregistered vehicles and concessionally registered quad bikes and all-terrain vehicles as "not permitted on K'gari". It says "Caravans are not suitable for K'gari". Off-road camper trailers "must have high clearance".
- Mulgumpin (Moreton Island): QPWS says caravans and camper trailers are "not recommended" on Middle, North Point and Bulwer-Blue Lagoon roads.
- Queensland beaches: QPWS marks caravan camping at some Teewah Beach zones, and says "Soft sand conditions make towing a caravan extremely difficult in Cooloola". At Inskip it lists "limited sites" for "small caravans".
- QPWS says you need a vehicle access permit before driving in the Bribie Island, Fraser Island (K'gari), Mulgumpin, Cooloola and Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) recreation areas.
This is general information from the park managers' own pages, read on 29 October 2026. Conditions and rules change, so check the park's page and its park alerts before you go. Your car's owner's manual and the van maker's advice come first.
Caravan or camper trailer?
- •Caravan. A hard-walled van with the bed and kitchen inside. Your car tows it, and you unhitch it at camp.
- •Camper trailer. A small towed trailer that you set up at camp as a bed and living space. Most fold out a canvas tent or lift a hard lid. Some are a small hard teardrop shell with the bed inside.
- •Hybrid caravan. Sits between a camper trailer and a full caravan. It is hard-walled with the bed inside, lower and narrower than a full caravan, and usually on off-road suspension.
- •Campervan. A van you drive, with a bed and a small kitchen fitted inside a standard van body. This guide covers vans you tow.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) uses the words "caravan" and "camper trailer" on its pages. If you aren't sure which one your van counts as, ask QPWS before you book a camping area. See them side by side in caravan, motorhome or camper trailer, or browse camper trailers and hybrid caravans.
Fraser Island (K'gari)
QPWS says off-road camper trailers "must have high clearance and be suitable for the vehicle towing them". On the same page, under the heading "Towing a trailer?", it says "Caravans are not suitable for K'gari." QPWS gives this as advice. Its list of vehicles not permitted on Fraser Island names unregistered vehicles, and quad bikes and other concessionally-registered recreational vehicles. Caravans are not on that list.
QPWS also says barge landings and inland tracks "can be soft and boggy, making it difficult to tow trailers or camper trailers". It says the sand tracks are "only suitable for high clearance 4WD vehicles with low range capacity". 4WD means four-wheel drive.
- •Camping areas. Every QPWS camping area on Fraser Island is marked "No caravan camping". Most are marked for camper trailers, and six are named trailer sites: Central Station, Dundubara, Ungowa, Waddy Point top, Waddy Point beachfront and Wathumba.
- •Permits. QPWS says vehicle access permits "must be purchased for every vehicle before entering K'gari". Camping permits are separate, and rangers on the island don't sell them.
- •Getting there. QPWS lists vehicle barges from Inskip Point to Hook Point, and from River Heads to Kingfisher Bay and Wanggoolba Creek. It says the River Heads barges need a booking.
- •Tides and speed. QPWS says to avoid driving during the two hours either side of high tide. The limit on the eastern beach is 80km/h, and 30km/h on inland roads.
- •Recovery. QPWS says help and tow trucks "can take many hours to arrive", and its before-you-visit page lists a spare tyre, tool kit, tyre pressure gauge, air pump, tow rope, snatch strap, D shackles, traction mats and a shovel to pack.
Mulgumpin (Moreton Island)
QPWS says Middle, North Point and Bulwer-Blue Lagoon roads "are narrow and can become very rough in dry weather". For this reason, QPWS says, caravans and camper trailers are "not recommended on these roads".
QPWS says 4WD vehicles "are essential for driving on the island", and strongly recommends high clearance and low range.
- •Camping areas. Every QPWS camping area on Mulgumpin is marked "No caravan camping". Most are marked for camper trailers.
- •Permits. QPWS says "All vehicles must be registered and have a valid Moreton Island Recreation Area vehicle access permit (VAP)". Permits are booked through Mulgumpin Camping.
- •Getting there. The MICAT vehicle ferry runs from the Port of Brisbane. MICAT's FAQ says "We regularly transport trailers, camper trailers, caravans and boats" and "Our max height clearance is 3.6m".
- •Tides and speed. QPWS says to avoid driving two hours either side of high tide, "and often for longer". QPWS says beach access at Mirapool "is prohibited 3 hrs either side of high tide". Beach driving is 60km/h unless signposted.
- •Recovery. QPWS says "All vehicles must have rated shackles and the basic recovery equipment", and "Recovery of bogged vehicles is the responsibility of the driver."
Queensland beach camping marked for caravans
QPWS marks a few beach camping areas for caravans in Cooloola and at Inskip, near the Fraser Island barge.
Cooloola (Teewah Beach, Rainbow Beach)
QPWS marks caravan camping at Teewah Beach camping zones 2, 4, 5 and 7, and at Freshwater (trailer site). QPWS also says "Soft sand conditions make towing a caravan extremely difficult in Cooloola."
- •QPWS says "Inland tracks are not suitable for caravans. Camper trailers must have good clearance."
- •Cooloola needs a vehicle access permit. QPWS says the beach from Rainbow Beach township to Middle Rocks is outside the recreation area and needs no vehicle permit.
- •QPWS says to avoid driving in the 2 hours either side of high tide, "and often for longer". Beaches are 80km/h, and 40km/h along beach camping areas.
Inskip Peninsula
QPWS marks caravan camping at S.S. Dorrigo and Sarawak West. It says there are "limited sites suitable for access with 2WD vehicles, small caravans and camper trailers".
- •QPWS says Inskip needs no vehicle access permit, and camping permits are needed before you arrive.
- •QPWS says beach driving "during the two hours either side of high tide or at night is dangerous". Beaches are 80km/h unless signposted, and 40km/h beside camping and day-use areas.
Permits, road rules, tides and tyres
- •Permits. QPWS says a vehicle access permit is needed before driving on Bribie Island, Fraser Island (K'gari), Mulgumpin, Cooloola and Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) recreation areas, and fees apply.
- •Road rules. QPWS says "All Queensland road rules apply, even on beaches", and "Park visitors' vehicles are required to be fully road registered".
- •Tides. Each park gives its own rule. At Bribie Island, QPWS says to avoid driving three hours either side of high tide.
- •Tyres. QPWS says reduced tyre pressure, "within manufacturer's specifications", helps traction on soft sand. It says lower pressure can affect braking and tyres can come off their rims, and to re-inflate for harder sand, bitumen and the mainland.
Your car's owner's manual, the van's tyre placard and the tyre maker give the pressures for your set-up.
Your car's tow rating, towball limit and GCM (Gross Combination Mass) still apply on sand. The towbar and towball can set a lower limit, and the lowest limit applies.
Ask the van's maker how to clean off salt and sand
The van's handbook or its maker can tell you how to clean the chassis, brakes and running gear after salt water and sand. Your car's owner's manual covers the car.
Two beaches outside Queensland
Stockton Beach, NSW
Worimi Conservation Lands says its campsites are "not suitable for caravans", and that only tents and single-axle camper trailers are suitable.
Worimi Conservation Lands: campingThe Coorong, SA
National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia (Parks SA) gives advice on reaching Tea Tree Crossing campground in Coorong National Park. It says it is "not recommended that you tow any form of trailer, camper or caravan along the ocean beach".
Parks SA: Coorong accommodationBeach and island towing questions
Can you take a caravan to Fraser Island?
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) advises against caravans on Fraser Island (K'gari). QPWS lists unregistered vehicles and concessionally registered quad bikes and all-terrain vehicles as "not permitted on K'gari". It says "Caravans are not suitable for K'gari". Every QPWS camping area on the island is marked "No caravan camping", so you can't camp in a caravan at one. QPWS says off-road camper trailers "must have high clearance and be suitable for the vehicle towing them".
Can you take a caravan to Moreton Island?
QPWS says caravans and camper trailers are "not recommended" on Middle, North Point and Bulwer-Blue Lagoon roads, and its Mulgumpin camping areas are marked "No caravan camping". QPWS says four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles "are essential for driving on the island".
Where can I camp with a caravan on a Queensland beach?
QPWS marks caravan camping at Teewah Beach camping zones 2, 4, 5 and 7 and Freshwater (trailer site) in Cooloola. QPWS also says "Soft sand conditions make towing a caravan extremely difficult in Cooloola." At Inskip it marks S.S. Dorrigo and Sarawak West. It says there are "limited sites suitable for access with 2WD vehicles, small caravans and camper trailers".
Do road rules apply on the beach in Queensland?
QPWS says "All Queensland road rules apply, even on beaches", and "Park visitors' vehicles are required to be fully road registered".
What tyre pressure should I run on sand?
QPWS says to lower tyre pressure only "within manufacturer's specifications", that lower pressure "can affect your vehicle's braking capacity". It says to re-inflate for harder sand, bitumen and the mainland. Your car's owner's manual, the van's tyre placard and the tyre maker give the pressures for your set-up.
What is the difference between a caravan and a camper trailer?
A caravan is a hard-walled van with the bed and kitchen inside. A camper trailer is a small towed trailer that you set up at camp as a bed and living space. A hybrid caravan sits between the two. It is a small hard-walled van, lower and narrower than a full caravan, and usually on off-road suspension. If you aren't sure which one your van counts as at a QPWS camping area, ask QPWS before you book.