On average, they spend $195 a day and stay longer than most other visitors.
This week submissions opened on the Dunedin City Council's draft ''responsible camping'' policy, which will ease restrictions on freedom camping.
Simultaneously, Tourism Dunedin has collaborated with Cadbury and Apollo Car Rentals on a campaign to entice independent Australian travellers to Dunedin for the Cadbury Chocolate Carnival in July.
Tourism Dunedin chief executive Hamish Saxton said that Dunedin benefited from its reputation as a ''motorhome-friendly'' destination.
''Independent travellers and those enjoying New Zealand by motorhome are always welcome in the Dunedin region, as it's a destination that's so well suited to the independent traveller. They tend to have more time on their hands and explore more of the destination,'' he said.
Tourism Dunedin was also involved with other regional tourism operators in a marketing campaign aimed at encouraging young Australians to take road trips in the South Island.
He said the majority of visitors to Dunedin were classed ''free and independent travellers'', which excluded those taking part in tours, on cruise ships or on any other package offer.
Almost all rented transport and drove themselves around Otago and further afield. They tended to be young and spent money on adventure and wildlife activities.
''The key to all of this is responsibility. Some of the motorhome companies have really embraced the notion of freedom camping by ensuring that the on-board facilities for being self-contained are continually improved and that's fantastic,'' Mr Saxton said.
Otago Peninsula Community Board chairman John Bellamy said the council's draft camping policy would be a hot topic of conversation at the board's meeting on Thursday. For 20 years, he had watched freedom campers use the Macandrew Bay car park. He said they rarely caused problems.
''The only people I know who are not keen on freedom campers are camping ground proprietors,'' Mr Bellamy said.
The community board was only concerned about rubbish and toilet waste being disposed of cleanly and respectfully.
For years, the board had lobbied council to instal a toilet at the end of Seal Point Rd, as people were forced to ''do their business'' in the dunes if they could not last the three-hour return trip, Mr Bellamy said.
