Bush camping site with fishing access
Offer simple powered or unpowered campsites and day passes on land with river, creek or dam fishing.
- A$6k-30k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in Australia, not guarantees.
What it is
A simple camp on rural land you own or lease that has water access for fishing. Guests pitch tents or bring caravans, and you provide clear sites, basic amenities and access to the water. Some owners add day passes for anglers who don't stay overnight.
Your first three steps
- Call your local council to ask what approval you need for camping or a home-based tourism business on your land
- Walk the property and plan sites, tracks, toilets and rubbish, then get quotes for public liability insurance
- Set up a simple booking page and list the camp on camping and fishing directories with clear photos and house rules
Who pays
Weekend anglers, families, grey nomads and small groups of friends looking for a quiet spot near the water.
How it makes money
A nightly fee per site or per person, plus day passes for fishing access. You can add small extras such as firewood, bait, ice or kayak hire.
Skills that help
- Friendly, practical host
- Basic bookkeeping and online bookings
- Property upkeep and bush safety awareness
Watch out for
- Council planning or development approval for camping, and any state caravan and camping rules, so check before you take bookings
- Public liability insurance that covers paying guests, water access and campfires
- Toilets, wastewater and drinking water rules, which vary by state and council
- Bushfire, flood and fire ban risks, so plan for closures and guest safety
- Fishing rules, including whether guests need a recreational fishing licence and whether you need permission or water licences for stocked dams or rivers
- Registering for an ABN, and for GST once you reach the threshold
Deep research report · Australia
Everything you need to start: bush camping site with fishing access
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 a bush camping site?
Startup costs are typically around $6,000 to $30,000, depending on your land, the number of sites and the amenities you provide. Treat this as an estimate and check approval requirements before you take bookings.
How much can a bush camping site earn?
Monthly revenue is typically around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on how many sites you offer, your season and whether you add day passes for anglers. Floods, fire bans and closures can affect bookings.
What approvals should I check before opening a camping site with fishing?
Check council planning or development approval and state caravan and camping rules. Also check public liability cover for guests, toilet and water rules, fire and flood risks, fishing licence rules and water permissions, and ABN and GST registration.
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Photo: Paul_Reuß on Pixabay