Farm paddock camping
Open a paddock on your farm to campers who pay per night for a simple, no-frills bush or farm stay.
- A$3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in Australia, not guarantees.
What it is
Set aside a paddock or a corner of your property for tents, camper trailers and caravans, with basic facilities such as a toilet, water and fire pit areas. Guests enjoy a farm setting and you carry on farming alongside.
Your first three steps
- Walk your property and pick a safe, flat, well-drained area with access that suits cars and camper trailers
- Call your local council to ask what approval you need for camping on rural land, including fire, toilet and waste rules
- List the site on a camping booking platform with good photos and set a nightly rate based on nearby campsites
Who pays
Families, couples and grey nomads on road trips, plus groups of friends looking for a cheap, quiet weekend away.
How it makes money
Nightly fee per site or per vehicle, with extras such as firewood, powered sites, farm-gate produce and weekly rates for longer stays.
Skills that help
- Friendly hosting
- Basic maintenance and grounds care
- Online booking and photos
Watch out for
- Council planning approval or a permit for camping on rural land, which varies by council and state
- Public liability insurance and whether your farm policy covers paying guests
- Bushfire risk, fire bans and an emergency plan for guests
- Toilets, drinking water and waste disposal requirements, check with your council and health authority
- Keeping guests away from livestock, machinery, dams and chemicals
Deep research report · Australia
Everything you need to start: farm paddock camping
Researched with live web search for Australia: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start paddock camping on a farm?
Startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on the basic facilities you add, such as a toilet, water and fire pit areas, and how you set up bookings and photos.
Do I need approval to run paddock camping in Australia?
Check whether council planning approval or a permit is needed for camping on rural land, as this varies by council and state. Also check toilet, drinking water and waste disposal requirements, bushfire and fire ban planning, and whether your farm insurance covers paying guests.
How much revenue can farm paddock camping make?
Monthly revenue is typically around $500 to $3,500, depending on how many sites you offer, your nightly price and how often they are booked. You can run it alongside farming, from around 5 hours a week.
Other ways to run this business
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Photo: lentemamaatje on Pixabay