Check you’ve got your toilet paper, fresh water and a map! It’s time to join us as we prepare for a few monumental days away from civilisation.
If you’re a Regular Show fan, you’ll recognise the title. So it’s settled, we’re going camping! Pine Ridge or Valley Fields? Mmm Hmmm. Here’s the episode to whet your appetite for some camping coolness.
Australia's stretching natural landscapes are rife with dusty plains, rainforests and incredible wildlife just waiting to be uncovered by an excited outdoors enthusiast.
However, shooters and fishers should stay home. You're dangerous and a nuisance. Just ask the animals you're harming.
Our state of New South Wales has over eight hundred and seventy national parks and conservation areas and even more individual designated camping sites with a range of facilities available.
It’s no wonder many of our national parks are lacking the maintenance and attention they deserve. I’ve previously written about the day trip Hayley and I made out to Barren Grounds Nature Reserve and touched on a few of the improvements that could be made. In such a huge country with a relatively small population, it really isn’t that much of a surprise that things get forgotten. Sometimes we have to try to look past these shortcomings.
In about a month, Hayley and I will be travelling between Adelaide and Melbourne in a camper van, so what better time than this weekend to get our minds back into the wilderness with a couple of nights of camping in our home state?
This time round, we’re hoping to try out a national park or reserve nearby that we haven’t been to before. As I mentioned earlier, there are so many to choose from that we had to narrow down our search.
Campsites have to have amenities.
I’m no stranger to going without a shower when I’m camping, but considering the immense satisfaction you get from hot water washing away the sweat and filth of a moderate day of hiking, or just the build-up of dirt from being outdoors, it is a real delight. Maybe one day we’ll get around to doing some ‘rough’ camping like the Six Foot Track in the Blue Mountains. In the meantime, I’m content just being away from home for a few days to enjoy the tranquillity of nature, but with a few home comforts I’m not willing to give up.
I dug through an old free NSW National Parks Pocket Guide and highlighted the parks that had amenities (showers and toilets) that were within reasonable driving distance. This process allowed me to narrow our choice of parks down to something more manageable.
Campsites across NSW that have hot showers. You're welcome.
North Coast
There are 29 national parks and reserves on the North Coast that are listed as accessible for camping. There are 9 parks that have showering facilities.
Arakoon National Park - Trial Bay Gaol Campground
Booti Booti National Park - The Ruins Campground
Boudi National Park - Putty Beach Campground
Bundjalung National Park - Woody Head Campground
Crowdy Bay National Park
- Diamond Head Campground
- Indian Head Campground
- Kylies Beach Campground
Goolawah National Park - Racecourse Campground
Goolawah Regional Park - Delicate Campground (this campground is 500m from Racecourse Campground). While the Pocket Guide states that showers are here, the website makes no mention of anything other than picnic tables being available.
Limeburners Creek National Park - Point Plomer Campground
At $34 per night (for two people), the price of a hot shower and tranquility is real. Vehicle entry cost is another $8 per night. Food and accommodation not included. Should I email them to see where this money is being spent?
Munmorah State Conservation Area
- Frazer Campground
- Freemans Campground
Sydney and Surrounds
Bents Basin State Conservation area - Bents Basin Campground
Hayley and I have stayed here once before. Considering it's proximity to some lower socioeconomic areas, this area attracts some unusual people. Expect lots of swearing, disrespectfully loud music and not a lot of consideration for the natural environment. Don't put yourself through the pain.
Cattai National Park - Cattai Campground
Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park - The Basin Campground
Lane Cove National Park - Lane Cove River Tourist Park ( I didn't include a map because it is just 10km away from the Sydney Harbour Bridge. This is in the middle of Sydney!)
Royal National Park - Bonnie Vale Campground. There is a fee of $34 per night (includes two people) plus a $12 vehicle charge per day.
Last year, we spent a day in the RNP, however, we didn't do any camping. It's a gorgeous national park so close to Sydney. Check out my write up here.
South Coast
This region extends all the way down to the Victorian border, approximately 440km South of Wollongong. Of the 39 parks that were listed in this region, 3 parks had amenities blocks. These three parks accommodated 5 dedicated campsites, while one was a ‘walk to tent’ (no car camping). Only 3 had showers.
Bournda National Park - Hobart Beach Campground
Morton National Park - Gambell’s Rest Campground
Murramarang National Park - Depot Beach Campground
An honourable mention goes to “Coolendel”. We have stayed here before and I’d encourage others to check it out. While it isn’t listed in the NSW National Parks and Wildlife website or Pocket Guide, it is an amazing place to chill overnight or for a few days. Coolendel appears to be a privately owned ‘nature reserve’. They have showers, toilets and an array of animals that call this place home, including wombats, kangaroos and resident (non-native) peacocks! You can find more about it from the websites in the acknowledgements at the bottom of the page to keep you informed until I do my own standalone write up on it!
Snowy Mountains
No sites had showers. This area will have to wait for another time. I think the lack of amenities may be to discourage too many visitors as the Snowy Mountains National Park is a very fragile ecosystem. It has been plagued with brumbies (wild horses) which has been difficult for it to recover from over the last century or so.
Country NSW
Abercrombie Karst Conservation Reserve - Abercrombie Caves Campground. Prices are $15 per person per night for an unpowered site.
Wombeyan Karst Conservation Reserve - Wombeyan Caves Campground.
Bungonia National Park - Bungonia Campground
Gibraltar Range National Park - Mulligans Campground
Hill End Historic Site
What's top notch about both Glendora and the Village campgrounds is the cheap access cost of just $8.50 per adult per night and their proximity to the village of Hill End, an historic gold rush town of the 1870's, once boasting 28 pubs!
Mount Kaputar National Park
Bark Hut Campground
Dawsons Spring Campground
Warrumbungle National Park
- Camp Blackman Campground
- Camp Walaay Campground
Murray-Riverina
Of the fourteen listed campgrounds here, none have showers available.
Outback NSW
This region of NSW needs at least four days to appreciate the site you’re visiting. You can easily spend ten hours or more in the car just to get to your destination from the greater Sydney region. That’s two full days set aside just for travel. Despite not considering going out this far just yet, here's the list of places with showers. It's just the one.
Mutawintji National Park - Homestead Creek Campground. Have a look at those travel times. You're on a serious road trip by the time you get to the campground. Expect a lot of aboriginal heritage and a very different landscape at this distance from the coastline.
With close to thirty campgrounds to choose between that would serve our need for hot showers, how was I supposed to narrow down further?
As I have mentioned earlier, we will have three days away. I don't want to spend an inordinate amount of time driving, so we'll be whittling away those sites that are should be saved for an epic journey. What we are left with are a few gems. for those that aren't our final choice, I think we should prioritise visiting them in the future.
Depot Beach Campground - 2 hrs 30 minutes drive.
When I checked for available sites for Saturday and Sunday nights, the grounds appeared to be booked solid except for one powered site way up the back. Seeing as though we don't require electricity, we thought we'd leave this one for someone who may need it.
Abercrombie Caves Campround - 3 hrs 30 minutes drive.
It was tough not to choose this site. The caves look amazing and there appear to be some pretty cool guided tours on offer.
Hill End Historic Site - 4 hrs 30 minutes drive
I suppose the honourable mention goes to Hill End, here. It just made it within a reasonable distance, but competition was stiff. I have stayed here before near the old renovated train carriages that serve as cabins. I'm not sure if they're still there, actually. It's a pretty place.
We'll head out there soon.
And the winner is a two and a half hour drive out to...
Wombeyan Caves Campground
Hayley and I decided that it was going to be between Abercrombie and Wombeyan caves. Not having to drive the extra hour to Abercrombie caves slightly tipped it in favour of Wombeyan, but both have some pretty spectacular offerings.
Here are the reasons why we chose WCC.
- Relative exclusion and distance from nearby cities
- Visual appeal based on the available pictures on the internet
- Incredible caves and walking trails
- Amenities beyond showers and toilets (there is a kiosk!)
As long as the weather forecast stays positive, we'll be heading out there this Saturday!
References and Acknowledgements
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Pocket Guide
Coolendel: New South Wales (4X4 Australia)
North Shore Mum’s Review: Coolendel Camping
Trip Advisor Review: Coolendel Camping
All the best,
Nick.
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