Need a place to go to get away from the city.

[Aza013]

Ok I have been looking around trying to pick a good get away location for next week, just can’t pick anything good.
looking anywhere out side of Sydney national parks are out due to needing to book and pay for free camping .
Looking for a place to tack the camper trailer out, 4WD area that way there is a chance of less ppl around.
west or south of Sydney would be best but will be happy to look at some areas north as well.
any help would be great thanks.

 

[dabbler]

Can't help with locations really but don't rule out NP entirely. There are a number of NSW NP (in country areas) that don't require entry payment or involve camping fees. Some require a nominal booking fee ($5-6 from memory).

I usually camp nearer the NSW/Qld border down to New England but I have used western Blue Mtns/Lithgow parks.

NSW parks service have two apps that give fairly detailed info.

 

[mikehzz]

Every NSW national park campground now requires a booking that costs $6. We stayed at Burraga Dam campground a few weeks ago because it's just outside Abercrombie River NP so an easy drive in and around for the day. It's not far from the Abercrombie Caves and the tracks around Dingo Dell either. It's quite a nice spot and free with a drop toilet, but no phone service and the closest fuel or shop is Oberon.
There's a free campground at Flat Rock that you could do day trips to Sunny Corner, Hampton or Rydal from too.

 

[Aza013]

Thanks for the info. Yes I do understand that all NP have a booking thing going and it’s only $6. I might end up out around Turon/hill end area do some gold hunting lol

 

[mikehzz]

There's a bunch of free campgrounds on the northern side of the Bridle Track. Cross at Roothog Crossing. The booking system is crap if you have a group of cars. Maximum of one car per booking, so 3 cars requires 3 separate bookings. I think you can only make 2 bookings for the same place and time on the one NP login. We had to invent a fake login for the 3rd booking a month ago. We're now exclusively free campers because of the hassle.

 

[Aza013]

There's a bunch of free campgrounds on the northern side of the Bridle Track. Cross at Roothog Crossing. The booking system is crap if you have a group of cars. Maximum of one car per booking, so 3 cars requires 3 separate bookings. I think you can only make 2 bookings for the same place and time on the one NP login. We had to invent a fake login for the 3rd booking a month ago. We're now exclusively free campers because of the hassle.

I take it the Bridle Track is just a 2wd track from one end to the other?
It looks like an interesting area to check out with loads of areas to stop and do some gold panning.

 

[SirDrinksalott]

Depending on which side of Sydney, Wattagans has some free camps and also Chichester State Forrest, look up Frying Pan Creek campground, there are two others near it.

 

[mikehzz]

I take it the Bridle Track is just a 2wd track from one end to the other?
It looks like an interesting area to check out with loads of areas to stop and do some gold panning.

Getting down to Roothog crossing is very steep, and the crossing is best done in 4wd. You need some clearance because there's rocks in the river. The Bridle Track itself isn't very hard and a normal 4wd wouldn't even need 4H but it's pretty rough in places so you're bouncing around a bit and it's pretty narrow in places. I don't think the campgrounds on the track are in national parks and they have drop toilets. The campgrounds in Hill End are all in the national park because the town is owned by NSW National Parks. Last time I was there, Optus had the best service, I think they put a new tower on a hill somewhere. I could only get patchy Telstra at the outside eating area at the back of the pub. The country side is pretty spectacular out there.

 

[Aza013]

Thanks for the info mikehzz.
just looking at some YouTube vids it’s a no go for camper trailers.
might be a track for a drive and camp without the trailer.
But it’s now on the list of places to go.

 

[mikehzz]

The trailer restriction was because of the track around Monaghans Bluff. Back when it was open it was a pretty scary narrow track on the side of a cliff with very little chance of passing anyone coming the other way. A lot of reversing was required with very little room. There's no real reason to ban trailers now that it's shut in my opinion, but the sign is still there. You can drive up close to the rock fall and check it out but you have to park a fair way back because it's not possible to turn around as you get closer.

 

[Bomber2012]

Paddy’s river is a nice spot , no idea how crowded it gets but you would have no problem getting the camper in and some nice drives through that area .

 

[Aza013]

Paddy’s river is a nice spot , no idea how crowded it gets but you would have no problem getting the camper in and some nice drives through that area .

100% agree on Paddys river.
Will have to get back down that way soon.

 

[mikehzz]

Paddys is still closed due to the fires. There's a heap of places still closed so it pays to check beforehand.

 

[Toddyh]

@Aza013 you will be fine going down root hog with a trailer mate provided it has the same clearance as the challenger. It is narrow in places so you will have to be careful with on coming traffic but most areas include passing room.
The toughest section would be making the turn onto the Bridle Track after the river crossing. It's tight.

 

[Aza013]

Thanks for that Info Tod the trailer has more clearance than the Challenger lol.
I think I will hold off on that track and do it without the trailer on a future trip.
Its going to be hard at this time due to school holidays to get a place that is quiet next to no ppl around, do some gold detecting and panning just relaxing.
But in still looking around.

 

[Aza013]

 

[Dune]

Yalwal NSW, 2.5hrs South of Syd. Just West of Nowra. Free camping @ Wombat Flats. Good 4WDing country. Bush camp, no amenities at Wombat Flats, but campgrounds nearby like Coolendel Campground on the Shoalhaven river or Grady's Riverside Retreat, which will allow you to take dogs. This community got hit by the fires, so good to support them...