As the days get longer and warmer weather approaches, it’s the perfect time to plan your next getaway under the stars. Here are six places to camp without paying any fees.

Firth Park

Set among Wombat State Forest, Firth Park is a camping spot with walking tracks and plenty of space for tents. There is also a horse yard and access to tracks through the forest, while nearby Daylesford offers a base for supplies and exploring the region.

Location: Firth Park Road, Gisborne
Facilities: Toilets, fire pits, bush camping and picnic tables, sites for tents/swags and small caravans, bring your own water
Booking required: No
Pet friendly: Yes

Annya Campground

The Annya campground is situated near the 3km Annya Loop Walk which winds around Annya Swamp, with a bird hide and opportunities to spot koalas, kangaroos, emus and native waterbirds. Heywood is the closest town.

Location: Annya Road, Hotspur
Facilities: Toilets, fire pits and picnic tables, sites for tents/swags and caravans, bring your own water
Booking required: No
Pet friendly: Yes

Big Bend

Set on the banks of the Wimmera River in Wail State Forest, Big Bend is a riverside camping spot surrounded by river red gums. Visitors can fish, walk along the river or watch local birdlife, with Dimboola and Horsham nearby.

Location: Big Bend, Wail State Forest
Facilities: Picnic tables, suitable for tents/swags, caravans and campervans, no toilets, water or fire pits listed
Booking required: No
Pet friendly: Yes

Fort O'Hare

Camp beside the Glenelg River at this historic site near Dartmoor, where visitors can fish, paddle, and swim beneath the river red gums. The campground is also close to Dartmoor's Avenue of Honour. Mount Gambier is the nearest major town across the South Australian border.

Location: Gambier Road, Dartmoor
Facilities: Toilets, fire pits and picnic tables; suitable for caravans and tents/swags, bring your own water
Booking required: No
Pet friendly: Yes

Beauchamp Falls Campground

Tucked into the Otways rainforest, this campground acts as a base for exploring some of the region's nearby waterfalls. The 3km return walk from the campground to the 20-metre Beauchamp Falls passes through mountain ash forest and thick ferns, close to Beech Forest and Lavers Hill.

Location: Beauchamp Falls Road, Beech Forest
Facilities: Toilets, fire pits and picnic tables, suitable for tents/swags, caravans, campervans and camper trailers, bring your own water
Booking required: No
Pet friendly: Yes

Glendinning

For a free camping spot with easy access to the water, Glendinning sits on the south-western edge of Rocklands Reservoir. Set among native stringybark forest, the campground is ideal for fishing, paddling, boating and bushwalking, with Balmoral the nearest major town.

Location: Yarramyljup Road, Rocklands
Facilities: Toilets, fire pits, BBQs and picnic tables, suitable for caravans and tents/swags, bring your own drinking water
Booking required: No
Pet friendly: Yes