11 idyllic Orange caravan park and camping spots

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Temper your touring of Orange’s viticultural delights with a stay amid the great outdoors.

While wine touring may be the big drawcard for Orange and her surrounds, the region is also enrobed with naturally stunning landscapes from idyllic rolling hills planted with vineyards and orchards, to native bushlands and the impressive Gaanha bula (Mount Canobolas). Stay close to the action of Orange, but closer to the great outdoors at these beautiful campsites, cabins and caravan parks. Whether you’re all in for a barebones experience, looking for a budget stay with handy amenities or after something a little more luxe, you’ll find it in this round-up.

1. Colour City Caravan Park

For easy digs right in town, you can park it or pitch it at the Colour City Caravan Park right in the centre of things and next to the Showgrounds.

Tent sites at Colour City Caravan Park in Orange
Sleep close to nature on the camping sites.

There are unpowered and powered sites, budget and standard cabins, and a three-bedroom, self-contained heritage cottage if you’d prefer a softer entry to a budget escape.

Bring your four-legged friends and your family and settle in for a self-catered stay in the tidy park, which includes a camp kitchen, laundry, linen hire for a small fee, wi-fi and dump station.

Cabins at Colour City Caravan Park in Orange
Bed down in the cosy cabins.

Cost: unpowered sites from $15

2. Canobolas Caravan Park

The cosy and quaint 3.5-star Canobolas Caravan Park is just 2.5 kilometres from the Orange CBD, ensuring the town’s incredible dining and attractions are easily accessible. Keep it simple and opt for one of the 22 unpowered sites, level up at one of the 51 powered sites, or go (relatively) luxe in one of the 14 ensuite cabins. There are large sites that can accommodate motor homes or RVs, and you’ll also find laundry facilities, barbecue and picnic areas, dump sites, gas bottle exchange and disabled amenities.

Cost: unpowered sites from $15

3. Blayney and Villages Caravan Park

Set an equal half-an-hour’s drive between Orange and Bathurst is quaint Blayney, making it the perfect perch for those keen to explore these two hubs of the central west. Hemmed by lush pastoral land, the quiet Blayney and Villages Caravan Park is a genuine treasure for the travel-weary. From here, explore the historic village of Millthorpe, Gaanha bula, Mount Panorama and Jenolan Caves. This dog-friendly park has unpowered and powered sites, cabins and all the usual amenities of showers, camp kitchen, wi-fi, barbecue facilities and potable water, as well as a few handy extras, such as a guest herb garden, play equipment and RV and van car wash.

Cost: unpowered sites from $30

4. Towac Valley Cabins

You’re just a 10-minute drive from Orange at the beautifully bucolic property of Towac Valley Cabins. It spoils guests with sweeping views of vineyards and orchards. With just three dwellings, the one-bedroom Country Cabin and Modern Cabin, and the two-bedroom Hamptons House, the maximum occupancy in the property is eight, so you can be sure of serenity. Each is self-contained with a fireplace for cosy relaxation and verandahs angled to absorb those rolling vistas. There are also sweet extras, such as a complimentary continental breakfast, a bottle of local wine, chocolates, snacks and a small gift.

The rooms inside Towac Valley Cabins
The self-contained cabins feature rooms designed with comfort in mind.

Cost: from $165, two-night minimum

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5. Bakers Shaft Reserve

The Belubula River provides your soundtrack and backdrop at the pretty Bakers Shaft Reserve camping spot. It may be no-frills, but there are plenty of thrills to be had by immersing in nature here.

Less than 50 minutes from Orange and 20 minutes from the village of Mandurama, this peaceful spot is barebones with only a barbecue area and public toilet in terms of facilities, but if you’re handy with a rod you’ll be able to catch your own dinner. Caravans, tents, camper trailers and campervan sites are available and free.

Couple cycling by the Belubula River near Orange
Take in the beauty of your location alongside the Belubula River. (Image: Destination NSW)

Cost: free

6. Bathurst Panorama Holiday Park

For sojourns through the central west of New South Wales that can afford to take their time, spend a night or two on your way to Orange at the Bathurst Panorama Holiday Park. There are unpowered and powered sites, pet-friendly sites, caravan sites (some with ensuite), and cabins that sleep up to eight people. Kids will be well-entertained with a swimming pool and waterslide, games room, playground, indoor cinema and mini golf. As far as more rudimentary facilities go, you’ll find barbecues, a camp kitchen, a kiosk and laundry all onsite.

Cost: unpowered sites from $32

7. Nashdale Lane Glamping

If your idea of camping is a little more luxe without the less, then navigate to the elegant Nashdale Lane Glamping escape set in the vines of Nashdale Lane’s vineyard.

Aerial view of Nashdale Lane’s vineyard near Orange
Stay alongside the vines of Nashdale Lane’s vineyard. (Image: Liam Foster)

Creature comforts are all accounted for here, from the wood-burning fireplace to solid hardwood floors, four-poster bed, custom kitchen and private bath and shower.

Inside the tents at Nashdale Lane Glamping
The glamping tents feature hardwood floors and all the comforts you require. (Image: Liam Foster)

Watch dusk descend over the vines from your deck with a glass of Nashdale Lane pinot noir. The glampsites are adults-only and require a two-night stay between Friday and Sunday, so you can really sink into the tranquillity.

Couple enjoying a stay at Nashdale Lane Glamping
Soak up the serenity of your location on the deck. (Image: Destination NSW)

Cost: from $315 per night (plus cleaning and Airbnb fees)

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8. Orange Showground

For those driving nomadic abodes on a tour of the state, take advantage of the one-night-free policy for self-contained RVs at the Orange Showground. Ideal for visits during a festival or for special occasions, if your RV has a toilet, shower and can function without connection to a power source, there are spaces here for you. However, tents and caravans or any non-self-contained vehicles will need to stay next door at Colour City Caravan Park.

RV sites available at the Orange Showground
Self-contained RVs can be set up at the Orange Showground.

Cost: free

9. Bissy’s Permaculture Eco Retreat

Take in the dramatic views and stillness of the bush at Bissy’s Permaculture Eco Retreat, a sprawling 39-hectare property not far from Orange. Wander the food forests and market garden of this permaculture-led farm, where wildlife, birdsong and the gentle ripple of a creek are often the only sounds. Relish the rare pleasure of isolation here, but be prepared to bring everything you need for your stay. The owners run Bissy’s Permaculture Café in Orange and you’ll be treated to one free coffee per person when you spend the night.

Bissy's Permaculture Eco Retreat near Orange
For a real escape to the bush book a stay at Bissy’s Permaculture Eco Retreat.

Cost: $20

10. Federal Falls Campground

Hikers and nature lovers will enjoy waking up to the sounds of the bush at the Federal Falls Campground in Mount Canobolas State Conservation Area near Orange. Sites are not marked and you’ll need to walk in with all your gear, including drinking water and firewood, but there are barbecue facilities and toilets to make life a little easier. It gets cold here and can snow, so be sure to bring everything you need to keep warm and cosy and check the weather before you depart as roads can be closed and gates locked if there’s snowfall.

Cost: free with a $6 booking fee

11. Macquarie Woods Campground

This little buried gem lies between Bathurst and Orange in the Vittoria State Forest, where the whisper of pine plantations and the rustle of native bush collide to create an atmosphere of serenity and peace. Your neighbours will be the native wildlife as they scamper between the yellow box, red gums and stringybark and the conifers that were planted in the 1980s as a demonstration forest. There is a picnic and camping area, public toilets, campfires, caravan and camper van access.

Cost: free

For more places to bed down near Orange, read our pick of top Airbnbs in Orange and our guide to luxury accommodation in Orange.

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Lara Picone
Working for many of Australia’s top publications, Lara Picone has had the distinct pleasure of writing, editing and curating content about the finer things in life for more than 15 years. Graduating from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, her editorial foundation began at Qantas: The Australian Way magazine, before moving on to learn the fast-paced ropes of a weekly magazine at Sunday Magazine and picking up the art of brand curation at donna hay magazine. Pivoting a near-problematic travel lust into a career move by combining it with storytelling and a curious appetite, her next role was as Deputy Editor of SBS Feast magazine and later Online Editor of SBS Food online. She then stepped into her dream job as Editor of Australian Traveller before becoming Online Editor for both International Traveller and Australian Traveller. Now as a freelancer, Lara always has her passport at-the-ready to take flight on assignment for the Australian Traveller team, as well as for publications such as Qantas Magazine, Escape and The Weekend Australian. As ever, her appetite is the first thing she packs.
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This stretch of Sydney beaches topped the annual Best Australian Beaches list

    Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
    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.