where to stop!???

Sam

If you stick to the main coast road and around coastal towns they generally forbid free camping.

However, you could travel inland a bit where there are plenty of rest areas, forests etc for free camps and then just duck out to the coast occasionally to particular spots.

While travelling, we also use gravel dumps along the highways.

Have great trip whichever way you go.

Hi
Free camping at the Calliope river near Gladstone turnoff. Nice Spot just follow signs. Think there is a time limit of 2 days.

Cheers

Howard

Check out and stay the night at Charlie Moreland camp ground just after Kenilworth. The watering hole will be great fun for the kids and it's just simply beautiful around there

archar,
Three great places I would recommend are, Delicate Nobby camping ground which is south of Crescent Head and Saltwater Creek in the Ben Boyd national park south of Eden. Wilson's Prom in Victoria is spectacular. All are family friendly with good amenities and you can have a fire. Stay away during any sort of holiday though.

Hope you are going in Feb / March next year as the cold weather down here will be a shock.

Cheers

Sam, drive into Maryborough and follow sign's to tin can bay but head to rainbow beach, you can visit a few small fishing villages on the way, as you enter rainbow look for the info center on your right, get your camping permit, barge ticket and vehicle permit for fraser here. Camp at inskip point for 2 nights and do a day trip to fraser on low tide, the barge leaves from inskip. When your ready to leave head to Gympie then follow the mary valley rd to kenilworth (on the way Imbil is worth a visit) , drive through kenilworth and about 5 to 7 km's further is the turnoff to charlie moreland camp (refer to troll's post). Then head to Maleny and down the mountains to Landsborough where you can rejoin the highway.

Hi Sam,

From Cairns southbound, these are a few of my favourites stopovers.

Rollingstone, 50km north of Townsville, is a free rest area with a nice creek and open grass areas for a game of some sorts with the kids. It is off the main Bruce hwy and down near the old store in the village of Rollingstone.

Wunjunga, is about 3km south of Inkerman (20km south of Home Hill) and 12 km toward the coast from this junction on the Bruce hwy. Free beachside camping is easy to get to without an offroad camper but the donation camping area is a couple of k's further along and a toilet is provided here if you prefer this.

Carmilla beach free camping can be found by turning off the Bruce hwy at Carmilla (about 80?? kms south of Sarina) and driving 6kms towards the coast from this Bruce hwy intersection. Again beachside camping can be acheived without an offroad camper but the better spots will require the use of 4wd to get to as they are in amongst the dunes. Not all spots require you to use 4wd so go and check it out for yourself, plenty of "bus type" motorhomes get in there so a 4b and camper will romp it in.

Calliope River rest area near Calliope is a gem and a must stop stopover.

Inskip point just to the north of Rainbow Beach is another "must stop" place in my opinion but try to avoid peak holiday or weekend times here if at all possible. Fees are reasonable.

This will get you to Brissy for free and there is more like this in NSW so as you get closer either ask other north bound campers in these "free camps" where they have come from and where they reccomend you to stop and an exchange of camp spots generally ensues from this sort of question.

Someone suggested Delicate Nobby and I can vouch that this is a great stop, between Crescent Head and Pt Macquarie right on the coast.

Safe travels wherever you end up staying and don't make your days to big on the road for the enjoyment of your kids.

All the above suggestions I have made can be found on this website by using the search function on the places icon. Many paid and free places can be filtered by using this part of the website for free, enjoy.

Best regards,
Trevor.

Hi Sam,

Regarding the islands; Nth Stradbroke would not be a problem as it has sealed roads and is well worth a visit.

Heading South into NSW there is limited camping on the coast. There are LOTS of caravan parks though.... I think the pick of the coastal camping grounds are:
1) Woody Head, near Iluka. National Park ground set amongst trees right on the waters of a protected bay perfect for kids. Downside - exorbitant fees; $14 per adults, $7 per child over 5, per night.

2) Minnie Water, near Wooli

3) Station Creek, Southern end of Yuragir National Park; between Grafton and Coffs Harbour.

4) Trial Bay, near Kempsey. another ideal place for kids with ridiculous prices. Cost aside, Woody Head and Trial Bay are both beautiful spots.

5) Hat Head, also near Kempsey.

6) As mentioned by others, Delicate Beach/Delicate Nobby. In the same area is Racecourse camp ground, Melaleuca camp ground and Point Plomer camp ground.

A hit with the kids is the butterfly farm at Coffs Harbour. It is an aviary full of butterflies. It also has a maze using the traditional hedge; don't let the kids run ahead of you unless you like panic attacks ;-))

The North coast of NSW has a plethora of creek and river estuaries with most coastal towns built near them. Even where there isn't a camping area there is an area to stop for a break or lunch in a park on the bank of a beautiful waterway.

The craft markets of the far North coast are great. Every Sunday in a different location. The best are Bangalow and The Channon.

Hope this is of some use.

cheers

Brian

thanks everyone,
sounds like some great place to stay!
will mark them on my map!
cheers archar

Hi Sam

It's likely you will go through or close to Murwillumbah, just south of the Qld NSW border. You would be welcome to drop in and stay a night or two with the kids if we are vacant at the time (no school groups in camp). Nice quiet spot on the banks of the Tweed River with great views of Mt Warning!

Have a look at the link below for more http://www.takeabreak.com.au/Uki/FarNorthCoastByronNSW/Inter-Action-Experiential-Learning.htm

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