Four of Our Favourite Beachside Camps

Beach camping spots are common all around Australia’s coast, and for good reason. Here, we look at a few of our favourites.

Beachside camping has a solid presence in the arsenal of countless Australian travellers for many reasons: it’s budget-friendly, perfect for going solo or with a crew, and it drops you right on the shared doorstep of the ocean and the bush. Regardless of which state you’re in, surfside campgrounds are generally a dime a dozen, but which spots are the cream of the crop? 

Seal Rocks, New South Wales

A three-hour drive north of Sydney or just under two hours from Newcastle, Seal Rocks is a tiny village on the Barrington Coast. Prized for its pristine coastline with excellent surf breaks, you can choose a campground and spend time swimming, surfing, fishing, and exploring the seemingly endless stretches of beaches. 

Myall Lakes National Park is right on the doorstep and offers excellent birdwatching and hiking opportunities. Treachery Headland Track is a short walk that takes in scenic views of Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse — take a detour to beautiful Treachery Beach and cool off en route. For a much longer and relatively more difficult walk, opt for Mungo Walking Track, a 21km (one way) trail that passes through some important Indigenous sites as well as some diverse flora before finishing up at Hawks Nest. 

Stay at the family-owned Treachery Camp, which has plenty of unpowered sites a stone’s throw from the beach and welcomes all types of rigs. Treachery Camp has coin-operated washers/dryers, allows small campfires subject to fire bans, and sells firewood, ice, and LPG gas. 

Tip: Head over to Lighthouse Beach and join a camel ride along the shoreline, no bookings required. Cash only.

Book at: Ph: (02) 4997 6138

W: treacherycamp.com.au

Diamond Head, New South Wales

Diamond Head in Crowdy Bay National Park lies a five-hour drive north of Sydney, or a forty-five-minute drive south from Port Macquarie. 

Don’t be waylaid by Crowdy Bay’s name — the beaches around here rarely reach the point of being crowded. Its namesake instead lies in the quartz crystals in its cliffs. There’s an abundance of native fauna to keep an eye out for — including a famous crew of kangaroos that hang out by the water, koalas, and plenty of birdlife to spot — gorgeous swimming spots, and plenty of bushwalks situated amid pockets of rainforest, coastal heath, and extensive wetlands. There’s also plenty of opportunities to fish and explore countless rockpools at low tide. 4WD beach permits can be purchased from Mid Coast Council (more info: midcoast.nsw.gov.au/Recreation/Beaches/Driving-on-Beaches). 

Stay at the beachside Diamond Head Campground, which has sites for caravans, camper trailers, campervans, and motorhomes. Stock up on food and supplies in Laurieton, which is 10km from Diamond Head. Fire braziers can be hired at the campground, and firewood can be purchased on site. 

Book at:

Ph: 1300 072 757 (National Parks Contact Centre)

W: nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/camping-and-accommodation/campgrounds/diamond-head-campground

Blanket Bay, Victoria 

If you feel like cooling off amid lush temperate rainforest between days spent swimming and snorkelling, Blanket Bay is an excellent option. A three-hour drive from Melbourne or just over two hours from Geelong, Blanket Bay is ensconced among manna gum forest on the east coast of Cape Otway. Switch between exploring either the beautifully rugged coastline or the stunning Great Otway National Park. From Blanket Bay, plenty of beautiful waterfalls — including Hopetoun Falls, Little Aire Falls, and Erskine Falls — can be reached within an hour or so, as can a list of walks and hikes as long as one’s arm. 

Set up your Otways base at Blanket Bay Campground, but you’ll need to book your stay quite far in advance, as this hideaway is sought-after for good reason. Over the summer, Easter, and certain public holidays, bookings are allotted via a ballot-type system. Even so, the isolated campground is comprised of just 22 sites that can accommodate a maximum of six people each — meaning it retains its sense of isolated serenity and never feels overrun. Camper trailers, motorhomes, campervans, and caravans are all welcome, though some sites are larger than others, so when booking it’s recommended to check out the dimensions of the available sites and make a comparison with the size of your setup. There are communal fireplaces and picnic tables on site, and all campsites are unpowered. 

Book at:

Ph: 13 19 63 (Parks Victoria)

W: parks.vic.gov.au/bookings/place/blanket-bay-campground

Mission Beach, Queensland 

Situated on the Cassowary Coast between Townsville and Cairns — three hours north of the former, or two hours south of the latter — the shores of Mission Beach are laced with palm trees. ‘Tropical haven’ is a term that gets thrown around a lot, but Mission Beach embodies it to a tee. Aside from the crystal-clear waters of the coastline, it’s also the most ideal place to set up base camp and spend some time exploring the Great Barrier Reef, being the closest mainland access point — it’s less than 40km offshore. On the other side it’s flanked by Wet Tropics Rainforest — home to a staggering 663 species of vertebrate animals, 230 butterfly species, 135 beetle species, and 222 species of land snails — plus a wealth of rainforest hikes and walks to break up the days spent lying on the sand. 

Stay at Mission Beach Camping & Caravan Park, which has full beach frontage and offers both powered and unpowered sites for all types of rigs. It’s also pet-friendly, and there’s even free Wi-Fi (though checking emails will likely be the furthest thing from your mind). If you want to feel even more remote, the Family Group of Islands lie just off the coast of Mission Beach, and if you charter a boat or hop aboard a water taxi you can get to the camping areas on Coombe and Wheeler Islands, which are accessible via boat only. Only one group of eight people at a time can camp on the southern side of Coombe Island, while the camping area on Wheeler Island can accommodate 10 people at a time. If you do opt to go here, you’ll have to take all the essentials with you. Open fires are strictly prohibited. 

The only drawback of Mission Beach and the surrounding islands lies in the danger of stingers (including box jellyfish) from October to June — during this time, it’s highly recommended to swim only within areas that are safely netted. 

Book at:

Ph: (07) 4210 6078

W: missionbeachcampingandcaravanpark.com.au