Point Plomer

Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 15, 2013 at 00:49

ThreadID: 99992 Views:2858 Replies:4 FollowUps:6

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Member - Benno

Well, we're 9 days out from Point Plomer for an Australia Day trip with the kids,bride, boards, rods and a couple of frosty treats. Not the usual venue for an Australia Day trip but the NPWS surely cannot fit any more people into Diamond Head!!! A pity to see it so crowded - (Ballot system like Victoria perhaps?). None the less, this trip has been a long time in coming and north of the Hastings River is the tip.
We haven't had any experience here but grateful for any info that you guys have.
Also looking to have some exploring up behind Kempsey so if anybody has any knowledge of this area (Werrikimbi NP etc.) it would be great to hear.
Anyway, I guarantee my employer some solid work until kick-off but from there on its doing what I guess we all love. Some understand it, the others wish they did.
Look forward to putting together a few trek notes where possible.
Until then...Over

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Reply By: Member Andys Adventures - Tuesday, Jan 15, 2013 at 09:15

Tuesday, Jan 15, 2013 at 09:15

Hi Benno, Sorry to dissapoint, but Plomer is just as bad as Diamond Head, packed to the rafters. It is a nice spot out side holiday time but every man and his dog seem to go their in the xmas break. When I first went to Diamond Head some 23 years ago people were backing they car into bushland just to get a camp site, and it hasn't changed.

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Follow Up By: Steve M1 (NSW) - Tuesday, Jan 15, 2013 at 11:40

Tuesday, Jan 15, 2013 at 11:40

yep - Pt Plomer will be mental over that weekend. Don't know if you're in Sydney or Newcastle but if you went to Hawks Nest the fuel savings would pay for the camping fees at either of the two parks there and you have a choice of the surf beach or the bay and the river for fishing. Top spot.

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Follow Up By: Member Andys Adventures - Tuesday, Jan 15, 2013 at 12:28

Tuesday, Jan 15, 2013 at 12:28

Their is also a caravan park (Diamond Waters CP) just up the road from Diamond Head. It is on the river with a 5 min walk to South beach which is the same beach as Diamond head. Close to town but in bush setting.
Andy

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Follow Up By: Steve M1 (NSW) - Tuesday, Jan 15, 2013 at 21:49

Tuesday, Jan 15, 2013 at 21:49

Even nearer to Pt Plomer are Racecourse Beach and Melaleuca camp sites. Both on the same dirt track and around 5/10 mins from Plomer. Firewood supplied, reasonable rates - will still be busy but not as mad as Pt Plomer.

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Reply By: Member - Bruce C (NSW) - Tuesday, Jan 15, 2013 at 13:05

Tuesday, Jan 15, 2013 at 13:05

Hi Benno,
Try giving the manager at Point Plomer a ring. He will give you the correct info on the situation this year. Nice bloke as well.

Also try Hat Head Caravan park. Nearly as good a Point Plomer, some say better.
They are the pick in my opinion. At least Hat Head has a good road to it. prices should be about the same I think.

Council may have graded the Point Plomer road since I was last down there in June.

Cheers, Bruce.

At home and at ease on a track that I know not and
restless and lost on a track that I know. HL.

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Follow Up By: Member - Benno - Tuesday, Jan 15, 2013 at 23:47

Tuesday, Jan 15, 2013 at 23:47

Gday Guys,
Thanks for the updates. One of the crew going lives nearby and has reccy'd it and has been informed that the last week of the school hols should see a considerable drop-off in visitors.
This fits with our previous experience at Diamond Head but does not detract from the fact that there are simply TOO MANY PEOPLE at the one site. I don't like the idea of people missing out but I also don't like the idea of people setting up a camp-site and then buggering off until they want to use it. Given the location and the relevently cheap costs of a coastal holiday it is quite a bargain and as you get to "build your own site", you can make it a very substantial residence indeed.
As a young bloke we used to go out to 'Diamond' and it was very sleepy which has obviously changed. Unfortunately, either the NPWS really needs as much coin as it can get, or they're just greedy.
The Vic ballot system appears to work but maybe implementation of a genuine site-based camping system would suffice.
Does anyone have any ideas on this matter?
Anyway, regardless... the new UHF goes in in the morning and we're 8 sleeps away from camping.
Will keep you posted and thanks for the feedback.
BTW, does anyone know how the roads are?

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Follow Up By: Member - Bruce C (NSW) - Thursday, Jan 17, 2013 at 11:44

Thursday, Jan 17, 2013 at 11:44

When you are heading north Benno everybody else should be heading south, more or less. The exodus south has already begun albeit at a trickle at the moment. Next couple of weekends should see a major escalation of the traffic heading south.

Just as well you did not decide to come up earlier as heading north there were 25 kilometre traffic queues south from Kempsey. That puts them back near Telegraph Point.

Point Plomer Road?, from what I know it is always rough except for the month after it is graded. Wouldn't stop me taking the van down there if I wanted to go there with it though.

The last half of the road after Goolawah or Racecourse is pretty ordinary the last time I went down it back in last June I think it was.

I was talking to the manager at Point Plomer and he said that the National parks are reluctant to spend the money on repairing the road. Probably from budget constraints I guess. Being cynical I thought perhaps it might have been to thin down the demand on the place.

Cheers, Bruce.

At home and at ease on a track that I know not and
restless and lost on a track that I know. HL.

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Reply By: Trevor G - Wednesday, Jan 16, 2013 at 14:37

Wednesday, Jan 16, 2013 at 14:37

You could try Kylies Beach which is at the northern end of Crowdy Beach (back of Diamond) sometimes not as crowded or even Swans Crossing which is out behind Kendall.
Old Bar has thinned out, its right beside the beach with the river mouth/entrance just down the road.

Hope this helps
Trev

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Follow Up By: Member - Benno - Friday, Jan 18, 2013 at 23:45

Friday, Jan 18, 2013 at 23:45

Thanks Trev,
We are now committed to Plomer but thanks for the info - I agree, Kylies is a nice spot.
I did a bit of research on Swans Crossing which sounds bloody good!
Is it a 1-nighter or more turn-out? We are looking at heading out to Georges Junction whilst we're at Plomer but only as a convoy but Swans sounds like ot could be a good option.
Cheers,
Benno

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Reply By: Member - Benno - Tuesday, Feb 05, 2013 at 20:51

Tuesday, Feb 05, 2013 at 20:51

Hi Guys,
Well we did get to Point Plomer and despite the initial fears regarding crowded camping etc., it was one of those rare occasions that you are actually happy that a council has neglected an access road to a place of such beauty! Whilst initially the weather was a bit hit and miss, we got enough sunshine to make it a pretty nice camp with showers only happening overnight. The fish were on the bite and the sight of juvenile Marlin skipping past your boat (but unfortunately not onto my line!) is what its all about. A day trip west of Kempsey to Georges Junction saw some nice and challenging 4WDing at the beautiful Georges Junction. (Be sure to stop for a coldy at the Bellbrook Pub). Australia Day was great and our mob had a fantastic time enjoying ourselves and as they say on the ads "Celebrating what's great!". Then it hit...Well the BOM had noted that we had a possibility of some storm activity on the Sunday, but I don't think any of us thought that that would mean at about 12:30am on Sunday morning! Needless to say, the wind came in hard and the rain followed and it stayed that way for the next two days. The spot where we drove at Georges Junction went under to 6.9m, the roads at Plomer should now get looked at by the council at Kempsey and wet camping gear is always a joy to pack-up. That said, what a top trip and highly recommended!
On a more poignant note though, nothing that we copped was a patch on those affected by the floods in QLD and further north of us, or by the fires at Coona or in Victoria, and our prayers and thoughts are with you. We all love this country but by Christ she can be cruel.

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