One of the many beauties of North Queensland is you don’t have to travel far to find an amazing camping spot. We truly are spoiled for choice in the tropics. We can camp on the beachside and wake up to the calming sounds of lapping waves, or sleep under the shelter of a rainforest canopy in the Daintree, or we can even opt for a farm stay experience and dine on the eggs collected that very morning. Discover some of best camping spots North Queensland has to offer.
Mackay and Whitsundays
1. Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island – Camp at one of the most beautiful beaches in the world – the dreamy Whitehaven Beach, which has some of the whitest sand in the world.
2. Oh Deere Farm Stay – Stay on a beautiful working cane farm and learn all about sugar cane farming.
3. Cape Palmerston – Cape Palmerston Holiday Park is adjacent to a secluded beach, providing a unique getaway isolated from the hustle and bustle of the city. Spend your time away exploring the national park.
4. St Helen’s Beach – Camp on a beachfront location at the beautiful St Helen’s Beach. picnic tables, barbecues and fireplaces are available for use, as well as toilet and shower facilities.
5. Lake Elphinstone – A free campground great for boating, fishing and bird watching.
6. Singapore Bay, Keswick Island – Camp on the shoreline of the gorgeous Keswick Island where you will be immersed in beautiful flora and fauna.
7. Smalley’s Beach, Cape Hillsborough – A shady campsite just a stone’s throw from the beach. Keep your eyes peeled for wallabies and kangaroos.
8. Ball Bay Camping Ground, Cape Hillsborough – Offering secluded camping on a small grassy campground, with the beach close by.
9. Broken River, Eungella – Camp by the gorgeous riverside. You may even be able to spot a platypus!
10. Orkabie Downs, Sarina – Spend the night at a family owned working cattle farm. Give the kids a taste of the farm life by helping collect the eggs and feed the chickens, pigs and sheep.
11. BIG4 Whitsundays Tropical Eco Resort – Only a few minutes’ drive from Airlie Beach, this location offers a swimming pool, obstacle course, jumping pillow, kids’ playground and regular family friendly activities.
Townsville and Surrounds
12. Wallaman Falls – Camp nearby the spectacular Wallaman Falls, Australia’s highest permanent single-drop waterfall. Adjacent to Stoney Creek, which is great for swimming.
13. Crystal Creek – A gorgeous camping spot in the middle of the rainforest, popular for it’s fresh water swimming.
14. Lake Paluma – Lake Paluma is a drinking water storage and offers unique opportunities in a diverse rainforest environment.
15. Balgal Beach, Rollingstone – This free beachside camping area is located next to an estuary, popular for fishing.
16. Magnetic Island – camping at Bungalow Bay Koala Village offers the perfect base to explore Magnetic Island. Spend your days snorkelling, lazing by the beach, spotting koalas or hiking.
17. Saunders Beach, Bluewater – A small and peaceful beachfront camping area north of Townsville. There is a playground nearby for the kids.
18. Jourama Falls – Camp beside Waterview Creek which is lovely for swimming. A great place to unwind, especially for bird-spotters.
19. Alligator Creek – Alligator Creek in Bowling Green Bay National Park has it all, from gorgeous views to swimming spots you will love camping here.
20. Broadwater Creek – This camping area provides a large, open grassy setting surrounded by tall, open eucalypt forests. Also lovely for a day visit.
Cairns and Surrounds
21. Daintree Rainforest Village – Camp in one of the most beautiful areas in the world, in the middle of the Daintree Rainforest.
22. Ellis Beach – A small and quiet beach just around the bend from Palm Cove, Ellis Beach offers a location relatively close to Cairns, while not being too touristy.
23. Lake Tinaroo – A number of campsites are available around the lake. If you love watersports, you’ll love Lake Tinaroo. Lake Tinaroo Holiday Park is a great option if you don’t want to rough it too much. Stand up paddle boards, canoes, kayaks, peddle carts and fishing boats are all available for hire.
24. Granite Gorge Nature Park – Just 12 Kilometres from Mareeba, you can relax in self-contained cabins or comfortable bush camping sites. Explore the trails amongst the boulderous landscape and hand-feed a wild colony of Mareeba rock wallabies.
25. Eureka Creek, Dimbulah – Free camping area besides Eureka Creek. It is pet friendly for those with fur babies to consider.
26. Upper Davies Creek, Tablelands – Offering camping spots along Davies Creek in tall open woodland. A great spot for swimming in the clear, flowing streams and pools.
27. Woodleigh Station, Ravenshoe – Sitting on the border of civilisation and the outback, camp on a working cattle farm at Woodleigh Station and create memories of a lifetime.
28. Undara Lava Tubes – Explore a delicate ecosystem. The lava tubes were created when lava spilled through into the river many years ago, making for a spectacular sight to see now. Camping open only during the months of March to end of October.
29. Russell Island, Frankland Islands – Bush camping is available on High and Russell Islands, both of which are part of the Frankland Islands group, be sure to book in advance as there are limited spots.
30. Babinda Boulders, Babinda – Free camping area located near the beautiful Babinda Boulders, ideal for swimming.
31. Malanda Falls – Malanda Falls Caravan Park is located right by the beautiful Malanda Falls and fringed by rainforest.
32. King Reef Resort, Kurrimine Beach – Camp in one of Australia’s most unique and stunning locations – the beautiful Kurrimine Beach, where the reef meets the shoreline.
Camping Tips
Pack for all kinds of weather. Ahh, North Queensland – a place where it can be raining buckets, then clear blue skies ten minutes later. Bring a variety of clothes, including rain gear, jumpers and singlets.
Before you leave home, check the park alerts. Closures are sometimes in place, and weather conditions (such as flood or fire risk) can make camping potentially dangerous. Check the www.parks.des.qld.gov.au website for the latest information. You can also check www.qldtraffic.qld.gov.au for traffic info and www.bom.gov.au for weather info.
Leave the iPad at home. Camping is a great opportunity to reconnect with each other, ground yourself and immerse yourself in all the region has to offer – get out there and have fun!
