The most beautiful spots for camping on the Central Coast

Megan Arkinstall 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.

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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.

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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

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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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This stretch of Sydney beaches topped the annual Best Australian Beaches list

    Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
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    Bate Bay’s sweep of beaches has been crowned Australia’s best for 2026, placing Sutherland Shire in the spotlight as a top coastal destination just south of Sydney’s CBD.

    The beaches fringing Bate Bay – Cronulla, North Cronulla, Wanda, Elouera and Greenhills – have topped Tourism Australia’s 2026 list of best Australian beaches (as curated by Beach Ambassador Brad Farmer). For locals, it’s less revelation, more recognition.

    The mood shifts from the moment you step off the T4 train service from Central to Cronulla and catch a glimpse of the ocean. At dawn, the Esplanade is already buzzing with regulars, and by mid-morning, parents have staked out a toasty spot on Cronulla Beach where excited toddlers clamber over rocks, and the Jellybean swim squad at Oak Park have donned their bright pink caps while singing Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’.

    By the afternoon, towels are being collected from across the sand as visitors wander back to Cronulla in loose formation.

    North Cronulla beach
    Dive into the world’s best beaches.

    That’s the thing about Bate Bay beaches. This isn’t a story about a single beach. This long, uninterrupted sweep of sand and sea, where you can walk for kilometres without breaking stride, is not just enjoyed over summer; it’s a year-round destination. Here, Cronulla’s buzz gives way to Wanda’s wild edges, before stretching out to the quieter reaches of Greenhills.

    But while Bate Bay’s beaches may have taken top honours in the 2026 Best Australian Beaches list, they’re only part of the drawcard. Sutherland Shire stacks up as a full-spectrum coastal escape, where good food, national park adventures and on-the-water experiences sit within easy reach of the shoreline. Whether you’re planning a long weekend or stretching out a stay, here’s how to make the most of Cronulla beyond the sand, sea and surf.

    Beyond the beaches

    Dining

    the dining room at Pippis Cronulla
    Enjoy a sundowner by the sea at Pippis Cronulla.

    The Sutherland Shire dining scene delivers from early morning to late at night with a mix of vibrant cafes, bars and pubs. Start your day at Grind Espresso, where the coffee comes strong and fast. From there, drift towards HAM for pastries, best eaten buttery warm.   

    By midday, locals linger across sun-lit tables. Loaf and Next Door appeal to the surfers who come in for snacks after chasing waves. Blackwood’s Pantry and The Press are also popular for breakfast and lunch, while Pilgrim’s continues to hold a special place in the hearts of vegans.

    Newer arrivals signal where Cronulla is heading: Homer Rogue Taverna is being hailed as one of the best restaurants in Cronulla, with the confidence that comes from understanding what locals want. Ask a local to reveal their favourite restaurant for a special occasion, and it’ll likely be Pino’s Vino e Cucina al Mare, Yalla Sawa or Alphabet Street. Summer Salt, Sealevel, Benny’s, Bobbys and Pippis are a few of the best waterfront restaurants in the Shire.

    Finally, when most places are winding down, Duke’s Providore shifts gears to become Duke’s After Hours – a low-lit romantic spot perfect for a date night. Parc Pavilion, Northies Cronulla and bars The Blind Bear, Las Chicas and Low & Lofty’s are also part of Cronulla’s identity.

    Visit Bundeena

    Bundeena Ferry Wharf
    Catch a ferry to Bundeena.

    A short ferry ride from Cronulla, Bundeena offers a counterpoint to Cronulla’s mighty surf beaches. If Cronulla is the Shire’s social heart, Bundeena – or Bundenesia, as it’s affectionately known – is the place to go to exhale and unwind.

    Hop on the ferry from Cronulla, and within 30 minutes, you’ll be inhaling the eucalyptus-scented air. Check the creative pulse of the local community by timing your visit with the Bundeena Maianbar Art Trail on the first Sunday of every month.

    One of the best things to do in Bundeena is paddle into Cabbage Tree Basin with Bundeena Kayaks. Follow the five-kilometre Jibbon Beach Loop Track that leads past quiet coves to ancient Indigenous rock art, or simply find a stretch of pearl-white sand to relax on.

    Pristine walking trails

    Royal National Park Cape Baily Walking Track
    Cool off with a coastal stroll.

    Beyond the coastline, Sutherland Shire offers myriad ways to shift gears. Royal National Park – the oldest national park in Australia – sits just minutes from the surf. Clifftop walks trace the edge of the continent, the rugged bushland is threaded with creeks and hidden waterfalls, and a network of tracks rewards those willing to go a little further.

    Take the Coast Track, where the land drops cleanly into the ocean over sheer cliffs that have been stacked together like giant Jenga. Or veer inland, where pockets of forest cool the air and filter the light. It’s a reminder of how close nature sits to the bustle of suburbs in the Sutherland Shire.

    Enjoy whale watching

    humpback whale sighting noosa experiences
    Spot whales from May to October. (Credit: The Edit Suite)

    Twist your binoculars until the ocean is in focus, stretched like a creased blue sheet all around.  Come May, the East Coast becomes the humpback highway. Thousands of whales migrate along this stretch of coastline each year, their movements tracked by keen eyes from vantage points like the Cape Solander platform in Kamay Botany Bay National Park, one of the best places for whale watching in Australia. There’s something quietly thrilling about seeing that first telltale spout or the arc of a breaching body against the vastness of the sea. From June to October, whale-watching cruises depart from Cronulla, offering a closer look at the migration.

    Awards come and go. But places like Cronulla endure because they belong as much to the visitors as they do the early-morning swimmers, walkers and surfers.

    Plan your escape at visitsutherlandshire.com.au.