Where to pick up your campervan
Brisbane is the pickup city, about 90 minutes and 72 km south of Woodfordia. Most depots sit in the northern and southern suburbs, and full depot detail is in the Brisbane campervan hire guide.
| Pickup | Drive to Woodfordia | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Brisbane depots | About 90 minutes, 72 km | Main pickup city, widest choice |
| Sunshine Coast | About 1 hour | Limited depots, handy if combining with Noosa |
| Gold Coast | About 2 hours | Alternative if arriving via Gold Coast Airport |
Britz, Apollo and Maui are THL group brands sharing a parent company and often the same Brisbane depot, so if one shows no availability for the New Year period, check the others, since they draw from a shared fleet. Maui is the premium end, Apollo and Britz the mid-range, and Mighty and Cheapa Campa the budget brands from the same pool. JUCY runs independently with compact and mid-size campervans that manoeuvre easily onto the campgrounds. Indie Campers offers a newer fleet worth comparing for mid-range pricing.
The New Year period is the single busiest campervan hire window of the Australian year, competing directly with families taking summer holidays, so book as early as you can. The current brand list is on Our Suppliers, and Getting Started covers first-time bookings.
Campervan hire prices
Late December and early January is the absolute peak of the Australian campervan calendar, and rates reflect it. All prices are in AUD.
| Vehicle type | Approximate daily rate (AUD) | Sleeps | Self-contained |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compact campervan (2-berth) | AUD 130 to 220 | 2 | Usually |
| Mid-size campervan (2 to 3 berth) | AUD 170 to 280 | 2 to 3 | Yes |
| Family motorhome (4 to 6 berth) | AUD 220 to 380 | 4 to 6 | Yes |
These are indicative ranges, higher than most of the year because of the New Year peak. Use the search widget on this page for live pricing on your dates. Most operators also apply a minimum hire length over the holiday period, commonly seven to ten nights, which suits a six-night festival stay with travel days either side.
A self-contained mid-size campervan is the practical choice, giving you the fridge, bed and bathroom that make the six days comfortable without being so large it needs the Reserved Camping Area. For vehicles over 6.5 metres, see the Reserved Camping note below. Our guide to choosing a motorhome size for a family of four covers the trade-off.
Choosing the right campervan for Woodford
Prioritise these features over everything else. An awning is the single most important, since shade at your site during the hottest hours of late December matters more than any other comfort. Good ventilation through roof vents, opening windows and fly screens is critical for airflow on humid nights. A full-size fridge, running on 12V while driving and 240V on a powered site or gas when unpowered, handles six days of food and drink in subtropical heat.
A self-contained shower and toilet let you bypass the campground queues entirely, so check the tank capacity is enough for six days and plan for the dump point at the Woodford Showgrounds on departure. A solar panel helps keep the battery charged for lights, fridge and phones if you are on an unpowered site, which matters here because generators are banned. A compliant butane stove or built-in gas stove is fine, though it is worth checking the current compliance requirements on the festival website before arriving.
Vehicles over 6.5 metres should book the Reserved Camping Area, with its pre-marked flat sites, or contact the festival office to discuss placement, since standard Season Camping sites may not fit a very large campervan.
Tickets and passes: what you actually need to book
This is the part that catches people out, and it is worth being methodical, because your campervan rental is only one of several separate purchases, all made through the official Woodford ticketing system. There are no gate sales. Season with Camping tickets, the category campervan travellers need, are typically the first to sell out.
- Season with Camping ticket. Your festival entry for all six days plus access to the Season Campgrounds. Every person in your group needs their own.
- Vehicle at Campsite Pass. Lets you park the campervan at your campsite rather than in the long-term car park.
- Sleeping in Vehicle Pass. Required if you plan to sleep in the campervan. No separate car pass is needed with this option.
- Powered Site add-on (optional). Available to Season with Camping holders, across four campground locations chosen at purchase. This is how you legally get power, since generators are banned. Bring a tested and tagged power lead of at least 25 metres, which is the 2026 minimum, updated from previous years. Both 10A and 15A connections are supported.
- Reserved Camping Area (optional). Pre-marked flat sites for campervans 6.5 m or longer, requiring a Season with Camping ticket and a Vehicle at Campsite Pass.
- Christmas Day entry (optional). Needed only if you want to arrive 25 December to set up before general setup opens on 26 December.
Because the passes are the confusing part, our guide to on-site camping versus nearby campgrounds is worth a look for the general logic, though Woodford’s system is its own thing and the festival website is the authority.
On-site camping rules for campervan hirers
Several rules matter specifically to anyone in a campervan.
No generators, anywhere in the campgrounds. This is the big one. Generators are banned for noise and pollution reasons, so power comes only from the Powered Site add-on or the Showgrounds. If you plan to camp unpowered, your fridge and lights run off the house battery and solar, so size that realistically for six days.
No fires, no glass, no animals. Campfires are banned, all glass must stay out of the campgrounds and festival precinct, and only assistance animals are permitted with prior application.
Quiet hours from 10pm. Camping areas are quiet zones from 10pm, and disruptive behaviour can result in eviction.
No on-site dump point. The closest is at the Woodford Showgrounds, about five minutes away. Arrive with empty tanks and plan to dump on departure.
One car per campsite. Additional vehicles use the Eastern Bloc Long-Term Parking, which runs a shuttle from 8am to 4am.
Water conservation. Woodfordia runs its own treated water supply from on-site dams, so conserve where you can.
Smoke and vape free except in designated areas, and BYO drinks must stay in the camping area, since the festival precinct bars use a reusable cup system.
The Woodford Showgrounds: the option for larger campervans
The Woodford Showgrounds sit about 4 km from the festival site and serve as the alternative for larger campervans and caravans needing guaranteed powered sites, as overflow when the main campgrounds sell out, and for patrons who simply prefer it. A dedicated 24-hour shuttle runs between the Showgrounds and the festival throughout.
Powered sites there are limited and booked through the festival ticketing system, needing a Season with Camping ticket and a Showgrounds Vehicle Pass. No pets, no campfires. If you have a large campervan and want guaranteed power with guaranteed space, the Showgrounds is often more reliable than the main site. If being within walking distance of the stages matters more, book a Powered Site or the Reserved Camping Area in the Season Campgrounds instead.
What happens across six days
The Opening Ceremony on 27 December draws the whole village together and sets the tone. Music runs across more than 25 venues spanning folk, roots, world, blues, indie and electronic, with the intimate acoustic stages often the most memorable. The Speakers and Ideas program runs over 100 sessions on environment, politics, social justice and Indigenous Australia. Circus, comedy, cabaret and street theatre are everywhere, some running past midnight, and a dedicated Children’s Festival makes the event genuinely all-ages. Lake Gkula, the on-site swimming lake, is essential on hot afternoons.
Three Woodford traditions anchor the New Year. The 3 Minutes Silence at midnight on New Year’s Eve gathers around 25,000 people in complete candlelit quiet. The Sunrise Ceremony opens New Year’s Day on the hilltop. And the Fire Event that evening closes the festival, with more than 20,000 people on the amphitheatre hillside watching a large-scale performance of dance, music and fire. Between them they are among the more remarkable things you can experience in Australia.
What to pack
Late December in subtropical Queensland means hot days, humid nights, afternoon thunderstorms and genuinely cool pre-dawn temperatures, so pack for all of it. Sun protection with a wide-brim hat, high-SPF sunscreen and sunglasses. Refillable bottles, since Woodfordia tap water is treated and safe, plus electrolytes for the hotter days. A lightweight rain jacket and gumboots, because storms arrive fast and mud follows. An umbrella works for both sun and rain.
Your tested and tagged 25-metre power lead if you have a powered site. Portable shade to supplement the awning. A light warm layer for the past-midnight shows, when 3am in the Pineapple Lounge gets cool. Earplugs and an eye mask for six nights near a festival. Camp chairs for your site and the Fire Event hillside. A headlamp for the dark campgrounds. And both cash and card, since the precinct uses payWave but some market stalls prefer cash.
Suggested timeline
25 to 26 December, setup. Collect the campervan in Brisbane, stock groceries, water, sunscreen and your 25-metre lead, then drive to Woodfordia and enter through the Eastern Bloc Drive-Through Gates. Collect your wristband and vehicle pass, find your site, get level and connect to power if applicable. Christmas Day arrival needs the separate entry ticket.
27 to 29 December, first half. The festival opens with the Opening Ceremony. Spend the first day or two finding your stages and settling into the rhythm, using the campervan as a midday retreat during the heat and Lake Gkula in the afternoons.
30 December to 1 January, New Year. The build to New Year’s Eve and the 3 Minutes Silence, then New Year’s Day with the Sunrise Ceremony and the Fire Event. Start packing non-essentials on the afternoon of 1 January.
2 January, departure. Vacate the campsite, dump grey and black water at the Woodford Showgrounds point five minutes away, then continue north to the Sunshine Coast, Noosa or the Glass House Mountains, or return the van to Brisbane. Maleny and Montville are both within 30 minutes for a post-festival debrief.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Woodford Folk Festival in 2026?
It runs 27 December 2026 to 1 January 2027, six days and nights, at Woodfordia about 72 km north of Brisbane. The festival is held on the same dates every year.
Can I bring a campervan or motorhome to Woodfordia?
Yes. You need a Season with Camping ticket plus a Vehicle at Campsite Pass, and a Sleeping in Vehicle Pass if you will sleep in the van. Vehicles over 6.5 m should book the Reserved Camping Area.
Can I run a generator at Woodfordia?
No. Generators are banned in all campgrounds. For power, buy the Powered Site add-on in the Season Campgrounds or camp at the Woodford Showgrounds. Otherwise rely on the house battery and solar.
Are powered sites available on the main festival site?
Yes, as an add-on for Season with Camping ticket holders, across four campground locations chosen at purchase. Bring a tested and tagged lead of at least 25 metres, the 2026 minimum.
Where should I pick up my campervan?
Brisbane, about 90 minutes south, has the widest choice of depots including Britz, Apollo, Maui and JUCY. The Sunshine Coast is closer at about an hour but has fewer options.
How much does campervan hire cost for Woodford?
Indicative AUD rates run higher than the rest of the year because of the New Year peak: compact campervans AUD 130 to 220 per day, mid-size AUD 170 to 280, and family motorhomes AUD 220 to 380, often with a minimum hire length over the holidays.
Is there a dump point at Woodfordia?
No. The nearest is at the Woodford Showgrounds, about five minutes away. Arrive with empty tanks and dump on departure.
When can I arrive and when must I leave?
Season camping setup opens 26 December, with 25 December arrival possible on a separate Christmas Day ticket. Departure is 2 January.
How far in advance should I book my campervan?
As early as possible. The New Year period is the busiest campervan window of the Australian year, competing with summer holiday demand, and Season with Camping tickets sell out first.
Is the festival family friendly?
Yes. Woodford runs a dedicated Children’s Festival and is genuinely all-ages, which is one reason a campervan with a real bed and a fridge suits families well.
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