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If you live in Brisbane and have friends or family living in Sydney (or vice versa), meeting halfway can be more fun, cheaper, and just as efficient as flying. When you factor in the drive to the airport, waiting time, flight time and delays, driving five to six hours each makes a lot of sense. And you get to enjoy nature, spend quality time together, and discover a new spot on the scenic NSW coast.
Here’s a list of campgrounds we considered when planning our trip to meet friends from Sydney – not an exhaustive list, but the results of our own research (and experience at a few of them).
We’re not big fans of camping in holiday parks – we prefer somewhere with space, native bush around us, and the possibility of cooking on the fire (we usually travel with our own portable firepit, so we don’t have to rely on what’s available).
Responsible travel tip: Always camp in designated spots, respect local rules and leave no trace. Be mindful of noise and campfire restrictions (make sure you’re familiar with these tips to minimise your campfire impacts), and take all rubbish with you. Responsible camping keeps these beautiful places open for everyone.
Around South West Rocks
5 hrs from Brisbane and Sydney
We’ve stopped in South West Rocks many times on our drives between Brisbane and Sydney, and it never disappoints. There’s a beautiful beach, walks to do, and even scuba diving. It’s a good halfway mark with a few solid campground options.
Smoky Cape Campground – where we stayed
One of our favourites. This shady national park campground is tucked under the trees, with direct walking access to the beach. It’s peaceful, we could barely see our neighbours, and there’s always wildlife around. Facilities are very limited, with only a drop toilet. You can have a campfire, but you’ll need to bring your own water, firewood and firepit. There are also nice walks and views from the lighthouse just a short drive away.
Trial Bay Gaol Campground
More developed than Smoky Cape, this one has showers and even a café. If you book early, you might score a site with ocean views. It’s right next to the historic Trial Bay Gaol ruins, so there’s something to explore nearby. Kangaroos roam freely here, and they’re not shy!
Around Crescent Head / Limeburners Creek National Park
~5 hrs from Sydney, ~5.5 hrs from Brisbane
A bit closer to Sydney than Brisbane, Crescent Head and Limeburners Creek National Park are a great halfway option with beautiful coastal campgrounds and a strong reputation for surfing. With beaches facing different directions, there’s almost always somewhere with good conditions. We saw plenty of people fishing from the beach and even a few spearfishing groups. On a calm day, it can be a good spot for snorkelling too. When we visited it was very windy, so we skipped the water activities but still enjoyed beach walks, watching the sea eagles and kites, and just playing around on the sand.
Waves Campground – where we stayed
This is where we stayed, and it was a great choice. It’s significantly more expensive (at least twice the cost of the national park campgrounds), but Waves is well-equipped with clean hot showers, flush toilets, a communal kitchen, a café, and even surfboard hire. There’s no mobile reception (except on the beach), which only adds to the feeling of switching off. The campground is well maintained with flowers and trees. Our site felt quite spacious, protected from the sun and the wind, with lots of birds visiting. At night, possums and bandicoots wandered through, surprisingly not bothered by our presence and our lights. Sugar gliders are sometimes seen too, though we weren’t lucky this time.
Responsible travel tip: It might be tempting to share a snack, but feeding wildlife isn’t doing them a favour. Keep your food and rubbish packed away so animals don’t get into it – it can make them sick, change the way they behave in the wild, and also unbalance the entire ecosystem. New South Wales Parks even write, “feeding native animals is the worst thing you can do”. Click here to know why.
The location is excellent – right across the road from Delicate Nobby beach, with its beautiful rock formations. From there, you can walk to Racecourse Head or start the Big Hill rainforest walk (~2 km along the beach to reach the headland). If surfing is your thing, the headland next to the campground is perfect: beginner-friendly waves on the north side most days, and more challenging surf on the south side. It was even surfable in nearly 60 km/h winds! Surfboards are easy to hire onsite, and there are racks for drying wetsuits plus hot showers to warm up after a winter dip. You can book them on Hipcamp or directly on their website.
If you’re new to Hipcamp, here’s a coupon code that will give you (and me!) $10 credit for your first stay: ELOISET668EFD.
Delicate Campground – best for dog owners
Next door to Waves, Delicate is one of the rare campgrounds that allows dogs. The sites seemed smaller than at Waves, and since we weren’t camping with a furry friend, we preferred to avoid the added dog traffic.
Point Plomer Campground
This was actually my first pick, but it was fully booked. I was particularly interested in the sites that seemed to have ocean views, and there’s direct beach access. Considering the strong wind we experienced during our weekend there, I’m grateful we were well protected at Waves! There are also fantastic coastal walks with panoramic views nearby.
Melaleuca Campground
Tucked next to the river, Melaleuca looked peaceful but we were worried about mosquitoes. The beach isn’t as easy to reach as from the other campgrounds, but the 1.4km headland loop (Big Hill Rainforest walking track) starts right across the road.
Racecourse Campground
Reviews were mixed, but it seems to be in a good spot with walking access to nearby beaches and headlands.
Around Crowdy Bay National Park
~6 hrs from Brisbane, ~4 hrs from Sydney
Not quite halfway between Brisbane and Sydney, but this national park is one of my favourites on the NSW coast, so I had to include it. The last section of road to get there is unsealed, so it could take longer to reach for some vehicles, but the landscape is stunning and well worth the effort.
Diamond Head Campground
Spectacular beachfront setting right near striking rock formations, and plenty of walks accessible from the campground (so no need to jump in the car again). Facilities are excellent: hot showers, toilets, and even a small shop. The Diamond Head loop walk was closed when we were planning our trip, but we’ve done it before and really enjoyed it.
Kylies Beach Campground
A bit more remote and rustic than Diamond Head, and about a 200 m walk to the beach. There are no hot showers here, but if you’re looking for solitude and don’t mind roughing it a little, it could be a great pick.
Waterfall Way
~4-6hrs from Brisbane, ~5.5-6.5hrs from Sydney
Again not exactly halfway, but if you’re open to inland options and want to escape the coastal crowds – especially during peak holiday season – the Waterfall Way is a great pick. We’ve been there a few times around Christmas and always enjoyed it more as a road trip with a few overnight stops than a basecamp-style trip. Expect cooler temps, waterfalls, and rainforest walks, a totally different vibe.
It’s a remote area where facilities and drinking water are limited, so come prepared.
Thora (Roses Park Rest Area) – where we stayed
This free rest area is well-located for exploring Dorrigo National Park. When we stayed for an overnight stop, the toilets were clean, and it felt safe.
Native Dog Campground – where we stayed
Located in Cathedral Rock National Park, this one’s great if you’re into hiking – several trails start right near the campground, and the rock formations in this national park are stunning. Woolpack Rocks is a much easier climb than Cathedral Rock.
Thungutti Campground – where we stayed
Up in the New England National Park. It’s remote and peaceful and with great access to rainforest walks and Wrights Lookout. There’s a shower, but it’s very cold water!
Wollomombi Campground – where we stayed
We’ve stayed at this campground a couple of times, near the impressive Wollomombi Falls in Oxley Wild Rivers National Park. There are some stunning short walks around the gorge, and the campsite was never busy with a lot of space at each spot. There’s a nice lookout within walking distance to watch the sunset, and we always get a visit from cute possums while we cook by the fire.
Let me know in the comments below if you’ve camped at any of these or have other favourites halfway between Brisbane and Sydney – I’m always keen to hear new suggestions!
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