The most beautiful spots for camping on the Central Coast

Megan ArkinstallBy Megan Arkinstall
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Whether it be in a swag, tent, caravan, cabin or luxury glamping, the Central Coast is an idyllic place to go camping.

More than half of the Central Coast is made up of natural areas, comprising 10 national parks and reserves, almost 50 beaches and a vast hinterland area, all dotted with lush rainforest, bushland, waterfalls, lakes and lagoons. What better way to elevate your nature-based escape and soak up this beautiful landscape than by sleeping under the stars? From bush campsites to family-friendly holiday parks to luxury glamping, there are many places to go camping on the Central Coast.

National parks and reserves

The Central Coast is home to several protected natural areas, where you’ll find many hiking and biking trails, Aboriginal sites and native wildlife. The three below have camping facilities.

Bouddi National Park

A sign at the Bouddi Coastal Walk in Central Coast, Australia
The expansive 1500-hectare Bouddi National Park is a top spot to camp.

With the eight-kilometre Bouddi Coastal walk tracing its ancient headland, past sparkling ocean and to empty beaches, the expansive 1500-hectare Bouddi National Park is a top spot to camp. It has three campgrounds, all located a short stroll from picturesque beaches. The park also has more than 100 important Aboriginal sites (with cultural tours available) and is an excellent place for whale watching (May to July, September and October) and bird watching – you may spot the white-bellied sea eagle soaring overhead.

Features: Little Beach Campground (toilets, picnic tables, barbecues, unpowered, beach access), Putty Beach Campground (toilets, showers, picnic tables, barbecue, drinking water, unpowered, beach access), and Tallow Beach Campground (toilets, unpowered, beach access).

Munmorah State Conservation Area

Wide view of Frazer Beach in Central Coast, Australia
Frazer Beach has sugar-white sand and is an excellent spot for a bit of surf.

Pristine beaches meet the rainforest in the beautiful Munmorah State Conservation Area . Frazer Beach has sugar-white sand and is good for surfing; there’s also rockpools and a lagoon which the kids love. A little further down, clothing is optional at Birdie Beach (if that’s your thing you can find more of Australia’s top skinny dipping spots here). Inland, there’s eucalypt woodland and rainforest, home to birds such as the fairy wren, native cabbage palms and grass trees. There are two campgrounds available, for both tents and caravans.

Features: Frazer Campground (tents only, picnic tables, barbecues, showers, toilets, unpowered, beach access) and Freemans Campground (tent, camper trailer, caravan, picnic tables, barbecues, drinking water, showers, toilets, unpowered, beach access).

Patonga Caravan and Camping Area

A wide view of Patonga Beach in Central Coast, Australia
The small town of Patonga has excellent bush walks, ancient Aboriginal rock art, and native flora and fauna to fawn over. (Image: David Ross)

Patonga Caravan and Camping Area is in the small village of Patonga, near the southern section of Brisbane Water National Park, which has excellent bush walks, ancient Aboriginal rock art, wildflowers come spring, the cascading Somersby Falls, and native wildlife including platypus. Set on the tip of a small peninsula between Patonga Creek and Patonga Beach, it’s great for fishing, boating, kayaking, paddle boarding and swimming. There’s also a playground, and tennis court and The Boathouse Patonga is a 10-minute walk away.

Features: powered, unpowered, showers, toilets, barbecues, laundry, boat ramp, fires allowed between April and August only.

Holiday Parks

If you enjoy camping but don’t want to rough it, a holiday park is the way to go – especially when travelling with kids.

Toowoon Bay Holiday Park

Aerial view of Toowoon Bay in Central Coast, Australia
Toowoon Bay is a calm beach with water in all shades of blue.

If a sun, sand and sea holiday is right up your alley, Toowoon Bay Holiday Park will deliver. Set right on the shores of Toowoon Bay, a calm beach with water in all shades of blue, you have the option of powered and ensuite sites here for camping and caravans. Or, if you would prefer a more permanent set-up, there are one- and two-bedroom cabins available. The park also has a pool, playgrounds and a jumping pillow.

Features: pet-friendly sites, beach access, powered, unpowered, toilets, showers, camp kitchen

NRMA Ocean Beach Holiday Resort

Aerial view of the NRMA Ocean Beach Holiday resort in Central Coast, Australia
Family-friendly Umina Beach is within arm’s reach at NRMA Ocean Beach Holiday Park. (Image: Christopher Flaxman)

The NRMA Ocean Beach Holiday Park is kid heaven (which equals parent heaven, right?). There is a heated pool, jumping pillow, water park, go-karts, games room, playground and tennis court in the park. Family-friendly Umina Beach is within arm’s reach and is perfect for learning to surf. Accommodation-wise, you can choose from powered and unpowered sites for caravans and camping, a huge range of villas and cabins that sleep up to eight plus glamping (see under ‘glamping’). There’s a café and kiosk on site, too.

Features: pet-friendly sites, access-friendly, beach access, toilets, showers, powered, unpowered, camp kitchen, barbecues, laundry

Canton Beach Holiday Park

Facade of Canton Beach Holiday Park in Central Coast, Australia
One of the charming cabins at Canton Beach Holiday Park. (Image: Canton Beach Holiday Park)

For a change of scenery, the Canton Beach Holiday Park is set on Tuggerah Lake while still being within close proximity to the Coast’s famous beaches (Lakes Beach, Soldiers Beach and Norah Head). There are powered, unpowered and ensuite sites available as well as one- and two-bedroom cabins. Kids are entertained by the playgrounds and jumping pillow, and with the lake at your fingertips, there’s also fishing, paddle-boarding, kayaking and boating. If you want to escape the park for a day, we’ve got your go-to list of kid-friendly things to do nearby.

Features: Pet-friendly sites, toilets, showers, lake access, powered, unpowered, camp kitchen, barbecues, boat ramp

Free Camping

Dharug National Park, to the west of the Central Coast Hinterland area, is the only option for free campsites on the Central Coast.

Dharug National Park

The view overlooking the Hawkesbury River A woman coming out of a tent in the Glenworth Valley camping grounds in Central Coast, Australia
The Dharug National Park borders the Hawkesbury River—perfect for scenic views. (Image: Getty)

The national park borders both the Hawkesbury River and the Central Coast’s Mangrove Mountain area. It’s home to the World Heritage-listed Old Great North Road, which was built in the early 19th century by convicts and is now explorable by a heritage walk. The park is also thriving with birdlife such as the gang-gang cockatoo and satin bowerbird, as well as many possums and sugar gliders. The magical Hawkesbury River and its dramatic sandstone cliffs border the southern end of the park. Mill Creek Campground and Ten Mile Hollow Campground are both free campsites where sleeping under the stars is the only way to go.

Features: Mill Creek Campground (tents and camper trailers, barbecues, car park, toilets, unpowered, fires allowed) and Ten Mile Hollow (tent only, barbecues, toilets, unpowered, fires allowed).

Glamping

Get your wilderness fix with a side of champagne with these luxury camping experiences.

Glenworth Valley

A woman coming out of a tent in the Glenworth Valley camping grounds in Central Coast, Australia
Immerse yourself in wilderness when you camp (or glamp!) in Glenworth Valley.

This sprawling property located in the Central Coast Hinterland is an adventure playground with activities such as horse riding, abseiling, quad biking and kayaking on the agenda. You can extend the adventure and immerse yourself in the wilderness by staying overnight at Glenworth Valley. Creekside traditional campsites are available, but if you crave creature comforts, book one of the bell tents, equipped with luxury linen and soft beds, providing the best of both worlds. Eco cabins are also available.

Features: unpowered, bedding, cafe, toilets, showers, barbecue, fires allowed

NRMA Ocean Beach Holiday Resort

Interiors of the NRMA Ocean Beach Holiday Resort in Central Coast, Australia
The uber-modern ‘glamtainer’ in NRMA Ocean Beach Holiday Resort is more glam than camp. (Image: Shan Rose Photography)

Just when you thought the NRMA Ocean Beach Holiday Resort had everything you need and more, they throw some glamping options on top. Choose between the raised safari tent, which sleeps up to four with a queen bed and a bunk bed, or an uber-modern ‘glamtainer’, which basically is a tiny home with a queen bed and a double bed as well as a kitchenette and bathroom.

Features: beach access, powered, unpowered, toilets, showers, camp kitchen, barbecues, laundry

Megan Arkinstall
Megan Arkinstall is a freelance travel writer who you’ll often find at the beach, bushwalking or boating with her young family. She loves reliving travel memories through writing, whether that be sipping limoncello in a sun-drenched courtyard of Monterosso or swimming with green turtles in the aquamarine waters of Tropical North Queensland.
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7 great day trips from your Coffs Coast homebase

    Meredith BryanBy Meredith Bryan
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    Make this dazzling stretch of beaches and natural wonders your home base for a grand adventure

    Whether you’re setting out solo, bringing a mate, or packing in the whole family, no road trip along Australia’s East Coast is complete without at least a few days spent exploring the Coffs Coast. A stunning stretch of NSW coastline nestled between ancient high-elevation rainforests and magnificent, undiscovered beaches, Coffs offers amazing biodiversity, stunning natural beauty, and heaps of local charm, without the crowds. Pull up in Coffs Harbour , your perfect home base for these unforgettable day-trips.

    1. Southern Beaches

    The Coffs region boasts 30 of Australia’s most beautiful, unspoiled beaches, directly abutting a dramatic tableau of mountains and rainforests. Drive South of Coffs Harbour to find up-and-coming surf destinations where it’s still possible to catch an empty wave. First up is the picturesque Sawtell village . Wander the famous fig-tree-lined main street packed with laid-back places to eat and drink. Enjoy panoramic views and seasonal whale sightings at Bonville Headland on the Southern end of the beach.

    Nearby Bongil Bongil National Park boasts seven kilometres of empty beach, along with hiking and cycling trails through beachfront rainforests – keep an eye out for koalas living in the trees. Boambee Beach and Boambee Creek Reserve are great for families, with shallow waters perfect for kayaking and SUPing, plus an off-leash dog beach.

    family eating lunch in sawtell
    Experience small-town charm in Sawtell.

    2. Orara Valley Tourist Trail

    The Orara Valley Tourist Trail has it all: hinterland bushwalks, birdwatching, horse riding, pristine swimming holes and rolling green pastures dotted with dairy farms and historic villages. And it’s only 15 minutes west of Coffs Harbour.

    Sample produce at a roadside stall, stop into Coramba Hotel for a quintessential country pub lunch, or try the Idle in Cafe in Nana Glen for coffee and scones. Then spend the afternoon kayaking the Orara River or mountain biking on Mt Coramba. If you’re feeling adventurous, follow the 4WD touring route along the Orara Escarpment in Bindarri National Park , a rugged landscape with dazzling views that winds through untouched eucalypt rainforests and waterfalls.

    A family sitting by the Orara Valley Tourist Trail.
    Explore the green heart of Coffs.

    3. Dorrigo National Park

    Enjoy a classic day trip from Coffs to forest bathe in some of the oldest subtropical rainforests in the world at Dorrigo National Park, part of the World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests. These million-year-old ecosystems promise rare bird sightings, towering strangler figs, and epic walking tracks and picnic spots. Try the 6.6 km Wonga Walk to experience dreamy Crystal Shower Falls (where you can walk behind the falls) and the Skywalk Lookout, which offers spectacular views of the valley and coast. Then stop in Dorrigo town for a homey lunch. It’s worth noting that a section of the road between Ulong and Dorrigo – which dates to the 1880s – is unsealed, adding to the area’s end-of-the-earth allure but making travel difficult in adverse weather conditions. Alternatively, head to Dorrigo via the delightful township of Bellingen .

    Three people standing at the SkyWalk lookout.
    Wander the Skywalk.

    4. Northern Beaches

    For another tranquil expanse of sun, sand and surf breaks, head north to Woolgoolga (Tourism Australia’s Best Mainland Beach for 2025. Taste the coffee and local-produce breakfast at one of several cafes, then spot whales during their migration season along the Woolgoolga Whale Trail to the headland. Emerald Beach offers clear blue waters and another headland walk, perfect for taking in views of South Solitary Island, a dramatically rocky-cliffed island with a historic lighthouse. Red Rock, some 40km north of Coffs and named for its striking coastal rock formations, boasts a gorgeous estuary reserve that’s perfect for languorous days spent picnicking, swimming, fishing, and connecting with the relaxed local pace.

    Freshly caught seafood by the beach, with sparkling ocean views.
    Enjoy fresh seafood overlooking Woolgoolga Beach.

    5. Jetty precinct

    You could easily spend a whole day exploring the Jetty precinct – from its foreshores to the marina to Muttonbird Island. Start with fresh fish and chips from local institution Coffs Harbour Fisherman’s Co-op , before browsing the popular Harbourside Markets held every Sunday on the foreshores.

    Take a scenic walk along the breakwall to Muttonbird Island , a cultural and ecological treasure with panoramic views and rich Gumbaynggirr heritage. The Giidany Miirlarl Education Space shares the island’s ancient stories, or join a guided moonlight tour to see the seasonal return of the muttonbirds.

    Back at the Jetty Strip, find a buzzing mix of cafes, bars and restaurants with cuisines from around the world, open from morning until late. Don’t miss The Jetty Pavilion , a favourite for its unique menu blending modern Australian cuisine with vibrant world flavours.

    walk to muttonbird island from coffs harbour
    Walk the path where land meets sea and sky.

    6. Grafton

    Head inland from mid-October to early November to catch Grafton’s jacaranda season, when the town’s streets and parks are covered in purple. Even better, time your trip between 24 October and 2 November to attend the famous Jacaranda Festival, with special food items, performances and more. At any time of year, follow the self-guided Grafton Heritage Trail to discover the town’s historic buildings, landmarks and stories. Or get the blood pumping with a trip along the longest mapped white-water trail in Australia – the Clarence Canoe and Kayak Trail. Book a tour with Exodus Adventures .

    woman walking through jacaranda trees in grafton
    Time your Grafton trip to see the jacarandas in full bloom. (Image: @myclarencevalley)

    7. Nambucca

    Just south of Coffs Harbour sits Nambucca, the ideal town for a relaxed, coastal day trip. Hire a canoe, kayak or boat to explore over 80 kilometres of waterways stretching from the hinterland to the ocean. For those who prefer to stay on dry land (or double up their adventure for the day), stretch your legs along the V-Wall – a scenic coastal walk along the Nambucca River – dotted with boulders painted by the community, sharing messages, art and local stories. Stop along the way to buy Sydney rock oysters direct from local farmers, or try your own hand at fishing. Before heading back to Coffs, refuel on fresh seafood and wood-fired pizzas at Matilda’s in Nambucca .

    a boat zooming through Nambucca Heads
    Explore Nambucca’s waterways. (Image: Seen Australia)

    Visit coffscoast.com and download the Coffs Coast Explorer App for more daytrips and trails.