Northern NSW Camp Options
Submitted: Sunday, Mar 10, 2024 at 00:03
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Member - Gary_J
Hi all, doing a road trip from the NT down to northern NSW in a few months with my partner and 2 year old. I’ve got 3 or 4 nights roughly between
Coffs Harbour and
Brisbane that I need to find somewhere to
camp. Happy to travel further south than Coffs initially but not too far.
Ideally in mountain/forest/scenic type of country that’s quiet and close to nice walks, or next to a river/creek. The days we’re looking at are mid week so might open up a few more options that are normally busy on weekends? We were planning on camping at Bellbird in Washpool NP on the way down so would prefer to try a different area on the way back up. Happy for opinions on Bellbird vs other sites in that area as
well in case there’s a better option on the way down. Doesn’t have to be free.
Will be in a Prado towing a camper trailer so not looking for any serious 4WDing, especially with the partner and
young one on board.
Cheers
Gary
Reply By: Member - Jim S1 - Sunday, Mar 10, 2024 at 06:59
Reply By: Bob Y. - Qld - Sunday, Mar 10, 2024 at 09:00
Sunday, Mar 10, 2024 at 09:00
Gary,
I haven’t been there for 60 odd years, but
Arrawarra used to be a great spot for a few days, or a week or more. Right on the coast, just north of Woolgoolga, with beautiful beach & a creek on southern side of the
camp area. Not that far off the highway, so no doubt there may be a bit of traffic noise in the distance.
Bob
AnswerID:
645453
Reply By: Member - Mark (Tamworth NSW) - Sunday, Mar 10, 2024 at 10:15
Sunday, Mar 10, 2024 at 10:15
I've camped at all the sites in Washpool-Gibraltar Range NP (the NP are joined together). Bellbird is a bit tight, your rig will be OK and very shaded, but plenty of rainforest walks. Mulligan's is larger , cold water showers &flushing
toilets. My pick is Boundary Falls as it is more spacious, less crowded and more open. It's 20km west of Bellbird. All have swimming holes, you won't be swimming anywhere there though past
Easter unless you have a wetsuit, especially someone from the top end!
Have a look at
Platypus Flat, inland from
Coffs Harbour near
Dorrigo. A bit further inland again is
Point Lookout (1500metres elevation) in
New England NP. West of
Grafton there's
Dalmorton Campground on the river, bit further on the
camp ground in Chealundi NP. All of these meet your criteria. If you want more coastal locations, look at Bunjalung NP which is a long (100km?) narrow NP along the coast from just north of Coffs almost to
Ballina. There are numerous beachsidecampgrounds there but no mountains.
Further north
check out Rummery
camp ground in Nightshade NP north of Lismore, you'll need Exploroz Topo to find it, not
well signposted. Exploroz or Wilicamps will be
well worth having.
If it's been wet look out for leeches at some of them they've been quite common this year.
AnswerID:
645454
Follow Up By: Member - Mark (Tamworth NSW) - Sunday, Mar 10, 2024 at 11:45
Sunday, Mar 10, 2024 at 11:45
Further north there is the Border Ranges NP in between Murwillumbah and Kyogle, you stay at
Sheepstation Creek campground. I'm not sure if the through road is open from M'bah, last time we went you had to get to the
campground via Kyogle. Ticks all your boxes in terms of a nearby creek, mountains, and bushwalks.
Correction to above coastal NPs, north of Coff's there's two NP. Yuraygir NP north of Coff's which runs to Yamba, then Bundjalung north of Yamba, probably almost 150km of coastal NP with numerous behind the dunes campgrounds.
Further correction it's
Rummery Park campground in Nightcap NP (not Nightshade).
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Gary_J - Sunday, Mar 10, 2024 at 14:48
Sunday, Mar 10, 2024 at 14:48
Thanks Mark, I’ve got both Wiki and ExplorOz so no issues there. The first hand knowledge is great, will
check out Mulligans vs Bellbird vs Boundary again as I know they’re all very close. Are the campsites at Bellbird tight as in squashed together? That might turn us off as hate being crammed in like sardines!
FollowupID:
925754
Follow Up By: Member - Mark (Tamworth NSW) - Sunday, Mar 10, 2024 at 16:51
Sunday, Mar 10, 2024 at 16:51
Gary the Bellbird campsites are reasonably
well spaced, you are not packed in like sardines, it's more the difficult reversing required in the thickly vegetated area with induvial
camp sites cut out of the bush relatively small. It's close to what I think is the best walk in the two parks being the Camboodjha loop (ca 6-8km?) which wanders along the creek in warm temperate rainforest before climbing to wet schlerophyll then dry sclerophyll forest then looping back.
NSW NP web site is shocking for details of the walks.
We were last there in January, we tend to stay at one
camp site then drive to the start of the various short walks through the park. From memory it's about 25km from Bellbird in the east to Boundary Falls in the west. There were leeches at all three campgrounds in January as conditions were wet/damp, also been there when it's dry and found none.
FollowupID:
925756
Follow Up By: Member - Jim S1 - Sunday, Mar 10, 2024 at 17:08
Sunday, Mar 10, 2024 at 17:08
Bellbird is down in a little valley , while Mulligans is up on top . If you like open spaces like I do , Mulligans is the pick.
Cheers
Jim
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Follow Up By: Member - Gary_J - Sunday, Mar 10, 2024 at 22:25
Sunday, Mar 10, 2024 at 22:25
Well it looks like Bellbird is “booked” or possibly closed for maintenance almost the whole month of May. So we’ll be staying at Mulligans or Boundary on the way down instead.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Batt's - Sunday, Mar 10, 2024 at 19:38
Sunday, Mar 10, 2024 at 19:38
Good info from everyone I'm looking at these areas now instead of the QLD side of the border for a trip in May. Thanks very much.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: axle - Monday, Mar 11, 2024 at 16:15
Monday, Mar 11, 2024 at 16:15
Hi Gary
Broomes Head is a top spot,
miles ofcoastline and numerous
camp spots
Its In Between Yamba and Maclean
Cheers Axle
AnswerID:
645465
Reply By: TumbyTourers - Saturday, Mar 23, 2024 at 09:25
Saturday, Mar 23, 2024 at 09:25
Second vote for Sheep Station Creek - my 4 and 8 yo loved it, quiet, great walks, waterfall within 5minutes of the
campsite, and the sites are
well maintained. Cutters
camp is also a good spot nearby.
As an alternative to mountains and forests appeals can't recommend
Pebbly Beach highly enough for a ocean creek and beach front stop.
AnswerID:
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