Finding Hidden Cameras in Airbnb and Stayz Rentals (2026 Australian Guide)
To detect hidden cameras in an Airbnb or Stayz rental, darken the room completely, sweep with an RF detector for wireless signals, then use your phone's front camera or a dedicated lens detector to spot infrared LEDs and camera optics. Focus on smoke detectors, USB chargers, and anything with a small hole facing the bed or bathroom. A basic detection kit costs AUD 60–120 and the whole sweep takes 10 minutes.
In Australia, recording someone without consent in a private space — a bedroom, bathroom, or change area — is illegal under both federal and state law, with penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment depending on which state you're in. Airbnb banned all indoor cameras in April 2024, and Stayz has equivalent policies. Any camera you find in your rental is illegal.
It's More Complicated Than It Should Be
Australia doesn't have a single national surveillance law covering everything. The Privacy Act 1988 covers how organisations handle personal data, including video footage — but it doesn't directly address covert recording by individuals. For that, you need the state laws.
And the state laws are genuinely inconsistent.
New South Wales: The Surveillance Devices Act 2007 prohibits optical surveillance devices in private places without consent. Penalty: up to 5 years imprisonment.
Victoria: The Surveillance Devices Act 1999 covers listening and optical devices. Installation of a hidden camera in a private place: up to 2 years.
Queensland: The Invasion of Privacy Act 1971. Yes, it's old. Still covers optical surveillance in private spaces. Penalty: up to 2 years.
Western Australia: The Surveillance Devices Act 1998. Similar protections, up to 3 years.
South Australia, Tasmania, ACT, NT: Each has its own version, all of which prohibit covert recording in private spaces.
The practical upshot: wherever in Australia your holiday rental is, the host who installed a hidden camera in your bedroom has committed an offence. The exact charge and penalty varies, but it's illegal everywhere. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Stayz vs Airbnb: What the Platforms Say
Most Australians know Airbnb, but Stayz — originally an Australian-owned platform before Expedia acquired it — remains popular for holiday homes, particularly along the east coast. Both platforms prohibit indoor cameras following Airbnb's global policy change in April 2024. Stayz's terms of service prohibit hosts from installing surveillance equipment in guest areas.
The gap between platform policy and enforcement is real. A host in Noosa who installs a clock radio with a camera isn't going to get a call from Expedia's trust and safety team before you check in. Knowing how to check for yourself is the point.
The Tools That Work
RF Detectors: Start Here
Most consumer hidden cameras broadcast wirelessly — over WiFi, Bluetooth, or a 4G/5G SIM. An RF detector picks up that signal.
The JMDHKK K18 (around AU$55-65 on Amazon AU) covers 1MHz to 8GHz and handles both RF detection and optical lens detection. For most holiday rental sweeps, it does the job.
Before you start: turn off your phone's WiFi and Bluetooth. Kill anything that broadcasts. Otherwise you'll spend your first evening chasing your own devices around the room.
Walk slowly. Pay attention to sustained signals near specific objects rather than spikes. If the detector goes ballistic every time you pass the window, that's the neighbours' router. If it escalates consistently as you approach the smoke detector on the ceiling, that warrants closer inspection.
Optical Lens Detection: The Bit People Don't Expect
A camera lens has a specific reflective property — it bounces light back toward its source. An optical detector shines a ring of LEDs; you look through a viewfinder. Camera lenses glint back distinctively.
Darken the room. Move slowly. You're looking for a sparkle that holds position as you move — unlike mirrors and glasses, which scatter light in broader patterns. Focus on objects with a good sightline to the bed or bathroom.
This catches cameras that aren't broadcasting — ones recording to a local memory card with WiFi off. RF detection misses those. Lens detection doesn't.
Fing: Free Network Scan
Connect to the rental's WiFi. Download Fing (free on iOS and Android). It lists every device on the network. You're looking for camera manufacturers: Wyze, Arlo, Reolink, Hikvision, Ring, or anything you can't identify.
Most people who hide cameras in rentals are not technical sophisticates. They plug the camera into the house WiFi and call it done. A network scan catches that in about two minutes.
Where to Look in Australian Rentals
Beach houses and rural holiday homes have their quirks. Some observations from documented Australian cases and general incident patterns:
Smoke detectors and heat sensors — look for any that seem freshly installed, positioned unusually, or facing the bedroom rather than mounted centrally on the ceiling. Check whether the case has a small hole or dot that a standard smoke alarm doesn't need.
USB charger blocks — the ubiquitous "complimentary USB charger" on the bedside table is a documented camera housing. If you didn't bring it, check it. Do the USB ports actually deliver power? (Props sometimes don't bother.)
Air conditioning units and portable fans — less common, but the louvres or vents can conceal a lens.
Decorative items on shelves — anything positioned facing the bed or lounge with a line of sight that's a bit too convenient.
Clock radios — old favourite. Usually on the bedside table. Usually pointed at the bed. Usually easy to check.
Bathroom fittings — the category you really don't want to find anything in. Showerheads, air vents, and toilet paper holders have all featured in overseas cases. Less reported in Australia but worth checking.
What About Overseas?
A lot of Australians holiday in Bali, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, and elsewhere in Asia. The local laws vary enormously, and enforcing them if something goes wrong is difficult. Japan has relatively strong privacy protections; some Southeast Asian countries are less predictable.
When staying overseas:
- The same detection methods apply — RF detector, lens scan, network check
- Your legal recourse is through the booking platform (Airbnb applies its global policy internationally) and, in serious cases, through Australian consulates and the Australian Federal Police for Australians victimised abroad
- Reporting to local police is still worth doing for the paper trail, even if outcomes are uncertain
- The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) can receive complaints about privacy breaches affecting Australians even when they occur overseas, particularly where Australian entities are involved
Don't assume overseas means unprotected. The platforms are global, and their policies apply globally.
Your Rights If You Find One
Don't move or unplug it — it's evidence, and removing it could complicate any investigation.
Photograph and document everything: the device, its position, the room, the sightlines. Timestamp your photos.
Leave the property if you feel unsafe. You're not required to stay.
Report to the platform — Airbnb's Resolution Centre, Stayz's customer service. Request a full refund. Screenshot the listing before you leave in case it gets modified.
Report to the police — in whatever state you're in. File a report. You may feel like it won't go anywhere, but it creates a record and may connect to existing investigations. Hidden camera cases have a pattern: the same address appears multiple times before charges are laid.
Australian Consumer Law provides a backup avenue. Accommodation booked through a platform constitutes a consumer service. If that service fails to meet basic safety and privacy standards, you have rights under the Australian Consumer Law to remedies including refunds. The ACCC handles complaints at accc.gov.au.
OAIC for privacy complaints: oaic.gov.au. The OAIC has enforcement powers under the Privacy Act against organisations that mishandle personal data — and video footage of guests is personal data.
The Practical Kit
Honestly, you don't need much:
- RF/lens combo detector (AU$60–120): covers the two main detection methods
- Fing (free): two-minute network scan
- Torch: for inspecting smoke detectors and USB outlets close up
If you're regularly staying in holiday rentals — school holidays, long weekends, work travel — a decent RF/optical unit is worth having. It's smaller than a paperback, takes thirty seconds to set up, and the peace of mind on the first night is real.
The sweep takes maybe ten minutes once you know what you're doing. Do the network scan while you're waiting for the kettle to boil. Run the lens detector while your travel mate is sorting the bags. Check the smoke detector in the bedroom before you unpack. Then forget about it and enjoy the trip — which is rather the point.