Music festivals are very popular in Australia and offer music lovers the chance to see some of their favourite acts (and discover some new music talent) in their own backyard. Well, not quite in their own backyard (not so good for the neighbours) but close enough. Music festivals range from small folk festivals through to pumping dance marathons in both country and city areas.
Lots of the festivals run for 3-4 days, so once you’ve begged, borrowed and stolen to secure tickets, your next consideration is accommodation close to the venue. Ever considered campervan hire for your next music festival? Lots of people have! Campervans offer an affordable and easy way to travel to and from your chosen festival, as well as providing instant accommodation close to the action.
Aside from the cost benefits of sharing a campervan (e.g. 2 Berth or 4 Berth), other benefits of campervan hire at music festivals include your own fridge and cooking facilities, a lockable vehicle which offers more security than a tent, better protection from the elements come rain, hail or shine, quieter lodgings for better sleep and the option to kick back and listen to your own music at the end of the day.
Of course, there are a number of things to consider when hiring a campervan for your next music festival outing. It pays to be prepared so read on.
- Rental duration: the minimum for all campervan companies is 5 days but most rental companies increase their minimums to 7 or 10 days over peak periods (which can include popular music festivals like the Byron Bay Blues Fest and Splendour in the Grass). So you can either choose to do some extra travelling either side of the festival or just return the campervan early (but you won’t receive a refund for any unused days).
- Availability: you might think your favourite music festival flies under the radar each year, but many festivals are gaining momentum and becoming increasingly popular. So don’t underestimate how quickly campervans can book out for these events. Of course, the chicken and the egg scenario may arise – do you book the campervan first without festival tickets, or wait until you’ve secured the tickets first? But if you are a die-hard fan who is prepared to chuck a sickie on the ticket-release day to score tickets over the phone or on the internet (or both), then it’s probably not unreasonable to consider booking your campervan first to ensure you don’t miss out.
- Campgrounds: lots of the major music festivals have designated campgrounds or fields for attendees but you do have to purchase your campground ticket along with the normal festival ticket. Vehicle size restrictions may apply so make sure you check this out before hiring that comfy but large motorhome. Once you are inside the campground and set up, you normally can’t drive your campervan out until the festival has finished. The other option is to pre-book a campsite at a local caravan park (if one is located nearby). But be sure to book well in advance as spaces will be limited if everyone else has the same idea!
- Camping Facilities: music festival campgrounds normally have basic shower and toilet facilities. Obviously you are set if your campervan comes with shower and toilet amenities on board. But even then, you may run out of water so it’s often best to save your water supply for cooking, washing and flushing and use the campground’s facilities for showers.
- Electricity: you won’t have access to power in the festival campgrounds so appliances such as microwaves and air-con units won’t work. But all campervans offer gas cooking and some have gas heating too (for hot showers and heaters). As for sitting in your campervan in the dark, all internal lights are powered by a 12V battery, but this too can run out if not recharged (by physically driving the camper). So use the 12V battery sparingly because this also runs your fridge. An esky and a couple of torches or pre-charged electric lanterns won’t go astray.
Some of the more popular Australian music festivals for campervan hire are listed below. We hope the following information will help towards planning your campervan hire for your favourite music festival in Australia.
Summadayze (01 January onwards, National) – A unique dance music celebration held in major cities across Australia. In 2011, Melbourne and Adelaide Summadayze is on 01 January, Gold Coast Summadayze on 02 January and Perth Summadayze is on 08 January.
Big Day Out (January, National) – An annual music festival held in late January across several cities in Australia and New Zealand, featuring seven or eight stages (depending on the venue) which accommodate popular contemporary rock music, electronic music, mainstream international acts and local acts.
Good Vibrations (February, Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth) – Held each year during summer, Good Vibrations brings together some of the finest beat-based artists from Australia and around the world.
Blues Fest (21 – 26 April 2011, Byron Bay) – This festival was hugely popular in 2010, and the Blues and Roots festival offered camping at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm. The camping was very spacious and set in real nature, right next door to the Festival grounds where the musical adventure took place. The camping ground featured a general store, showers, toilets and shuttle buses into town.
Splendour in the Grass (29 – 31 July 2011, Woodford) – In 2011, Splendour in the Grass is again returning to Woodford. The Woodfordia site in Queensland will accommodate 20,000 campers. Shower and toilet facilities are available in all camping grounds and there is the General Store for basic supplies.
Tamworth Country & Music Festival (20 – 29 January 2012, Tamworth) – Devoted to country music lovers everywhere, the festival is held in Tamworth (rural New South Wales) every year. Tamworth offers 4 caravan parks in town with powered and non-powered sites for campervans. There are also a number of short-term campsites in and around Tamworth, also offering powered and non-powered sites.
Contact us today to enquire about music festival campervan hire. We are happy to help find you the best deal for a campervan to relax in while you enjoy some sweet music.
Tags: campervan hire music festivals, music festivals australia, music festivals motorhome rental