Short answer: to take a hire 4x4 camper to Moreton Island (Mulgumpin) you need three things, all booked before you leave the mainland: a vehicle access permit in your own name with the hire vehicle's rego ($61.80 for up to a month), a camping permit for every night you camp ($7.75 per person per night), and a MICAT vehicle barge booking from the Port of Brisbane. Unlike K'gari, Moreton's permits are booked through Mulgumpin Camping, not the Queensland National Parks Booking Service, and the vehicle permit has to be displayed on the windscreen.
Prices last checked 2 November 2026 against the Queensland Government fee schedule and Mulgumpin Camping. They change, so check again before you go.
G'day, Chris here. The obvious follow-up to our K'gari permits guide is: what about Moreton? It's closer to Brisbane, the barge leaves from the Port of Brisbane rather than Inskip Point, and it's a proper sand island where every track is 4WD only. The paperwork is similar to K'gari but not the same, and the differences catch people out. Here's how it works when you pick up Vamuz from Warana and head south.
Ready to go? Check dates for Vamuz, then come back and sort the permits.
Moreton Island permits at a glance (2026)
| What | Who you book with | Cost (2026) | Book ahead? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moreton Island Recreation Area vehicle access permit | Mulgumpin Camping (QYAC) | $61.80 (1 month or less) | Yes, before you drive on the island |
| Camping permit | Mulgumpin Camping (QYAC) | $7.75 per person per night | Yes, no self-registration on the island |
| MICAT vehicle barge, Port of Brisbane to The Wrecks | MICAT (Moreton Island Adventures) | Quoted per booking (no fixed fare table) | Yes, bookings essential |
Sources: Queensland Government fee schedule, Mulgumpin Camping fees, MICAT ferry info.
Why are there two names, Moreton and Mulgumpin?
Mulgumpin is the Quandamooka name for Moreton Island. You'll see both names on official pages. The national park is now called Gheebulum Kunungai (Moreton Island) National Park, and the beaches and campgrounds sit in the Moreton Island Recreation Area. Camping and vehicle permits for the recreation area are run by Mulgumpin Camping, which is owned and operated by the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation (QYAC). The Queensland National Parks Booking Service doesn't handle Moreton permits at all (QPWS FAQ).
So if you've done K'gari before, don't go looking for Moreton on the usual QPWS booking site. It isn't there.
Do you need a 4WD for Moreton Island?
Yes. There are no sealed roads, and QPWS says 4WDs are essential, with high clearance and low range strongly recommended. All-wheel drives without true 4WD and low-clearance vehicles aren't suitable (QPWS, visiting safely). MICAT only carries 4WDs onto the island for the same reason (MICAT FAQ).
Vamuz is a 2026 GWM Cannon XSR with low range, and it's approved for beach and off-road driving, Moreton included. Before you go, run through our 4x4 checklist and tell me your plans.
Whose name goes on the vehicle permit for a hire camper?
Yours. Queensland law says that when a rental vehicle goes into a recreation area, the person who hired it must apply for the permit (Recreation Areas Management Act 2006, s 41). That's the same rule as K'gari. I can't buy it for you, and an old permit someone else bought for Vamuz won't count.
What you'll need:
- Your name and contact details (the person on the Camplify booking).
- Vamuz's rego. I'll send it once you've booked.
- Your start date. The monthly permit covers a normal trip.
Book it on the Mulgumpin Camping 4WD permits page. Heads up: the booking screen looks like you're booking a campsite. You're not, it's the permit. Permits are non-refundable, so double-check the dates and rego before you pay.
The windscreen bit: on K'gari, cameras read your plate. On Moreton, the permit must be attached to the left side of the windscreen before you drive on the island (QPWS). Print it and pop it in before you roll off the barge.
Do I need a camping permit too?
Yes, for every night you camp. It's $7.75 per person per night from 1 July 2026, booked through Mulgumpin Camping. A few things that are different from what you might expect:
- No self-registration on the island. All camping permits must be bought before you arrive.
- Tent tag. You get a tent tag with your booking number about five days before arrival. Print it, put it in a snap-lock bag and attach it to your camp. In Vamuz, that means the rooftop tent.
- One vehicle per campsite. Two cars means two sites.
- Where you can camp: five campgrounds (Ben-Ewa, Blue Lagoon, Comboyuro Point, North Point and The Wrecks) and beach camping zones, with sites marked by a totem (Mulgumpin Camping).
- Fires: open fires aren't allowed at The Wrecks or North Point campgrounds. Bring a gas or fuel stove.
- Generators: only quiet ones (60 dB max), and only between 8am and 7pm (Mulgumpin Camping, before you go).
One more thing. Mulgumpin Camping has a scam warning on its site: scammers have been using booking details from a security breach at its booking software provider to send fake "failed payment" emails and WhatsApp messages. They'll never ask for card details by WhatsApp, text or reply email. If something looks off, call them on (07) 3059 4042.
The ocean side up near Cape Moreton. Not a bad thing to wake up next to.
How does the MICAT barge work?
MICAT is the vehicle barge from 14 Howard Smith Drive, Port of Brisbane, to the beach next to the Tangalooma Wrecks. The crossing takes about 90 minutes. It isn't a permit, it's your ride over (MICAT).
- Getting there from us: from Warana to the MICAT terminal is about 110 km, roughly an hour and a half without traffic. Leave room for the Gateway at peak hour.
- Book ahead: MICAT recommends at least four weeks ahead for a summer weekend or long weekend, and six months ahead for the September, Easter or Christmas school holidays. The popular sailings book out around five months before.
- Price: there's no fixed fare table. The price depends on the date, time, your vehicle's length, any trailer and the number of people, so get a quote on the booking site. When you book, pick the right make and model: a GWM Cannon XSR with a canopy and rooftop tent. A different vehicle can mean a price change, or no room on that sailing.
- Timetable: it changes with demand, up to five trips a day in busy periods. In quiet times there's often no Wednesday service.
- On the day: gates open an hour before departure. Utes go to Lane 1, trailers to Lane 2. Stay in the car and the crew will check you in.
Coming as a walk-on? The Tangalooma ferry from Pinkenba is passengers only, so it's no help with a camper (Mulgumpin Camping, getting there).
Moreton driving rules worth knowing before you cross
All Queensland road rules apply on the beaches and tracks, police do visit with speed and breath testing gear, and the speed limits are lower than K'gari's (Mulgumpin Camping, staying safe):
- 60 km/h on the beaches unless signed.
- 30 km/h in front of and between Ben-Ewa and The Wrecks campgrounds, and at the Reeders Point and The Wrecks barge landings.
- 20 km/h at the Bulwer barge landing, North Point beach and in front of Comboyuro Point campground.
- No driving on the beach at Tangalooma Resort or Cowan Cowan. Use the bypass roads.
- Mirapool: beach closed to vehicles three hours either side of high tide (it protects migratory shorebirds). Use the bypass road.
- Tides: travel around low tide and avoid two hours either side of high tide. The ocean beach runs about 1 hour 30 minutes earlier than the Brisbane Bar tide times, so adjust before you set off.
- Tyres: in Vamuz we run 16 to 20 PSI on soft sand and pump back up to 40 PSI before sealed roads. More in the Vamuz hire guide.
- Recovery: getting a bogged vehicle out is the driver's job. There's a private recovery service on the island, and you don't want to need it.
- Pigs, not dingoes: Moreton has feral pigs. Keep food and rubbish locked away so they don't learn your camp is a buffet.
Cape Moreton Lighthouse up on the headland. Time the run up the ocean beach for low tide and it’s an easy drive.
Can I take Woodstock (a camper trailer) to Moreton?
MICAT takes trailers, and Vamuz can tow Woodstock, our Opus OP4 off-road camper trailer. The trailer adds to the barge fare, so include it when you get your quote. But be aware that the official advice is that caravans and camper trailers are not recommended on Middle Road, North Point Road or the Bulwer to Blue Lagoon road, which get narrow and rough when dry (Mulgumpin Camping). If you want to bring Woodstock, have a chat with me first and we'll pick a camp that suits.
My Moreton checklist for a trip in Vamuz
- Book Vamuz (or Vamuz towing Woodstock).
- Book the MICAT barge, early if it's school holidays.
- Get the rego from me, then buy your vehicle access permit in your own name from Mulgumpin Camping.
- Book camping permits for every night and print the tent tag when it arrives.
- Print the vehicle permit and put it on the left side of the windscreen.
- Check the Moreton park alerts, the conditions report and the tide times a few days out.
- Pack drinking water (and treat anything you collect on the island), rubbish bags and a first-aid kit. There's no pharmacy on the island.
FAQ
How much is a Moreton Island vehicle permit in 2026? $61.80 for a month or less, from 1 July 2026 (Queensland Government fee schedule). Camping is extra at $7.75 per person per night.
Where do I buy a Moreton Island permit? From Mulgumpin Camping, which runs vehicle and camping permits for the Moreton Island Recreation Area. The Queensland National Parks Booking Service doesn't sell them.
Can you take a hire car to Moreton Island? Only a genuine 4WD with high clearance, and only if the hire company allows it. MICAT won't carry 2WDs, and the island is all sand. Vamuz is approved for Moreton.
Do I have to display the permit? Yes. Unlike K'gari, the Moreton permit has to be attached to the left side of the windscreen before you drive on the island.
Can I buy the permit on the island or at the barge? Plan on no. Camping permits must be bought before you arrive (there's no self-registration), and the vehicle permit is needed before you drive off the barge. Sort both at home.
How long is the barge to Moreton Island? About 90 minutes from the Port of Brisbane to The Wrecks. Gates open an hour before departure.
Ready to cross?
Moreton is a great first island if you're new to sand driving. It's close, the barge is easy, and the Wrecks are right where you land. Want something bigger next time? Our 4-day K'gari loop is the next step up. If you've got questions, ask the Ask Vamuz chat on the site. When you're ready, check dates and book Vamuz or go straight to Vamuz on Camplify.
See you on the sand. Chris
