Darlington Park camping area, Grover
The weather hasn’t been too kind to campers this year, from the devastating fires in New South Wales to the unseasonably cold spring in Victoria. But that doesn’t mean we’ve stopped camping! Here are the seven most popular campsites of 2013. The list is topped by our traditionally most popular sites, Darlington Park camping area and Johanna Beach camping area, but we have a few new camping areas making appearances.
1. Darlington Park camping area, Beaudesert, Queensland
Our most popular camping area of 2013, Darlington is arguably the best campsite for families in Australia. Set in picturesque surrounds, around an hour from the Gold Coast in Queensland, this park is a great base whether you want to go exploring or stay put and enjoy the features of the park. These features include a cricket oval and a playground, and proximity to a river that’s safe for swimming, with proper supervision of course. While you have to pay to stay here, it’s very affordable at $6 a night for adults.
2. Johanna Beach camping area, Great Otway National Park, Victoria
A free, dog-friendly campsite in a national park that just happens to be situated alongside the Great Ocean Road? Where can I sign up? Well, you can’t. Because not only is Johanna Beach camping area free, it also doesn’t take bookings. This is a rarity in Great Otway National Park. The other ocean-front campground in the park, Blanket Bay camping area, is so popular Parks Victoria runs a ballot to allocate sites over the summer holidays. So it’s not hard to see why Johanna Beach remains consistently popular. It’s a large, grassy camping area behind the dunes at Johanna Beach, which has spectacular surfing, and is a particularly great place to pitch your tent in all seasons.
3. Blue Pool camping area, Briagolong State Forest, Victoria
Lucky are the campers who manage to nab a spot at this shaded campsite. A short walk through the trees will take you to the deep swimming hole of Blue Pool, which is just the sort of place you want to be on a hot summer’s day. As this campsite is situated in a state forest, it’s no bookings and no fees, and you can also take your dog camping with you. Blue Pool is also the only camping area with a toilet in Briagolong State Forest.
4. Meredith Park camping area, Lake Colac, Victoria
Another Victorian campsite making its way into the top five, Meredith Park camping area is situated on the shores of Lake Colac. The campground is suitable for all sorts of camping, including with tents, all sizes of caravans and camper trailers. Meredith Park is free and dog-friendly, but the major draw is the fishing, which is reputed to be excellent.
5. Baden Powell camping area, Lane Poole Reserve, Western Australia
Nestled in the forests of Lane Poole Reserve, Baden Powell camping area is a campsite popular for its proximity to Perth and some great summer activities. The facilities here aren’t flashy – you’ll find drinking water, picnic tables and toilets. There’s a camping fee, but as a trade off you can bring your dogs. And then there are the activities. You can fish, canoe, cycle, bushwalk, swim, as well as watch out for the native wildlife, including quolls.
6. Christies Beach camping area, Echuca Regional Park, Victoria
Give us a site among the gum trees at Christies Beach camping area. This popular ground is located on the Murray River, which is lucky, as you don’t want to be located too far from the water in the summer heat. The sites here are large – so grab a group of your mates and head for the water.
The regional park is located around 6km from Echuca, so you can almost swim into town, although we do suggest that you take the more official road. The road is dry-weather only, so you can’t access the camping area in wet weather. This dog-friendly campground isn’t the fanciest we’ve ever stayed at, but you have all the basic things you need, including toilets, space for camper trailers and caravans, campfires (fire warnings permitting) and shade.
7. Big River camping area, Big River State Park, Victoria
Just across the river from Lake Eildon National Park, Big River State Forest enjoys much of the appeal of the popular national park, but with a few key differences. One: you can camp with your pets. Two: it’s free. Three: it doesn’t take bookings. Four: you can have a campfire (fire warnings permitting). While this scenic spot might not have many facilities, these points, plus the proximity to the lake and its watersports, more than make up for it.
