see also:

• helpful travel links and information - Australia
• my blog post on travel tips to the wet tropics
• tropical north Queensland
• Outback Central West and Gulf Country, Qld
• Sunshine Coast - Fraser Island / K'gari region
• brisbane
• Darling Downs Qld
• Gold Coast and hinterland region
• Queensland travel tips
• New South Wales travel
• Northern Territory - Alice Springs and the Macdonnell Ranges
• Victoria

• this region is the “mid-tropics” and the wettest area due to being exposed to south-easterly trade winds and cyclones
• it is the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef
• the beautiful tropical Whitsunday Islands are popular for those wishing to explore them via sailing from one to the next
• those exploring the mainland coastal areas should consider:
  • Eungella NP near Mackay - can camp beside the Broken River
  • Cape Hillsborough NP north of Mackay is very scenic
  • Platypus Bush Camp at Finch Hatton Gorge
  • camp on the beach at Mission Beach or Ball Bay
• Mission Beach is the coastal town closest to the Family Islands including Dunk Island
• Airlie Beach is the coastal town closest to the Whitsunday Islands including Molle Islands, Hook Island, Hamilton Island and the Lindeman Group
• Ingham is the major town closest to Hinchinbrook Island
• Townsville is the coastal town closest to Magnetic Island

• see https://www.cassowarycoast.qld.gov.au/camping-facilities

• 45km W of Ingham; tropical rainforests and pine forest
• Broadwater camping area cold showers

• 28km S of Townsville
• Alligator Falls and Creek; great scenery; rugged landscapes;
• Alligator Creek camping area cold showers
• other walk-in camps and bush camps

• coastal scenery, sand dunes, eucalypt woodlands; 4WD access only;
• 2hr return walk to beach
• Five Rocks camping area cold showers

• massive sand dunes stretch 6km inland; 70km NE of Rockhampton
• bush camping only - Waterpark Point headland is accessible by walking at low tide from Corio Bay carpark

• rainforests; 34km N of Yeppoon;
• Red Rock camping area
• Upper Stony camping area - need the insect repellent here
• Water Park Creek camping area - no swimming in creek as crocs;

• beautiful beaches with volcanic boulders; rocky headlands;
• Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park - hot showers;
• Smalleys Beach camping area - 50km NW Mackay; eucalypt trees for shade; 11 sites;

• 115km SE of Mackay; rocky headlands, sand dunes, rainforests
• Cape Creek camping area
• Windmill Bay camping area
• bush camping areas

• 72km N of Mackay
• Jaxut camping area

• 44km N of Marlborough; sth side of mouth of river Styx; 4WD access only;
• bush camping

• 7km SE of Airlie beach; views over Whitsunday Passage;
• Swamp Bay camp area - walk-in only
• Conway Circuit hike - 27km, 3 day one way hike with walk-in camps

• 80km W of Mackay; gold mining relics; rose gums;
• Crediton Hall camping area
• Denham Range camping area
• The Diggings camping area
• Mackay Highlands Great Walk - 56km 3-5 day walk

• 42km N of Charters Towers on the Burdekin River;
• bush camping

• high, rugged Clarke Range; walk-in camping only;

• 14km S of Tully; lovely 10m Murray Falls;
• Murray Falls camping area - can swim there; cold showers

• 300m Wallaman Falls;
• Blencloe Falls camping area
• Wallaman Falls camping area cold showers - 51km W of Ingham
• Wet Tropics Great Walk also takes in walk-in camp sites

• 30mya volcanic dramatic peaks; Permian period fossils;
• Moonlight Dam camping area

• 4WD access only; scenic drives, creek swimming and bush camping;

• mountain top views, nice waterfalls;
• Big Crystal Creek camping area - cold showers
• Jourama Falls camping area - cold showers

• 140km SW of Charters Towers; white sandstone gorges; bush camping;

• Ball Bay camp ground on the beach, cold showers - 48km N of Mackay
• Bingil Bay camp ground on the beach, hot showers; - 3km N of Mission Beach, 2hrs S of Cairns
• Eungella Dam camping area cold showers; - 40km NW of Eungella
• Fletcher Creek camping reserve cold showers;- 45km N of Charters Towers
• Hull Heads camping area cold showers;- 21km from Tully
• Lake Paluma camping area - nice for swimming, canoes; rainforests; gravel road not for caravans;
• Mission Beach camping ground - council-run; 40 sites incl. 28 powered; hot showers;
• Platypus Bushcamp - commercial; hot showers;
• St Helens Beach camping area - 68km N of Mackay; cold showers;
• Seaforth camping area - N of Mackay; coin hot showers;

• there is only 1 camping spot on Magnetic Island. It is called Bungalow Bay Koala Village at Horseshoe Bay which is Australia's only hostel that has a wildlife sanctuary on site
  • 20min car ferry from Townsville then bus or self-drive
  • hot showers, cheap unpowered sites, washing machine, dryer, free WiFi and camp kitchen, short walk to tropical rainforest with lots of butterflies
  • 25km of walking trails; lots of bays and beaches - no swimming on west side though as tiger shark breeding ground plus crocodiles
  • as usual for northern Australian waters, potentially fatal stingers in waters in summer months to May.
  • go in winter (May-Nov)- its still warm, but much less humidity, no stingers and you escape the cold of the southern states
  • avoid swimming at dawn and dusk as these are times sharks are most likely to feed
  • although unusual away from the west coast, crocodiles can visit most areas and even the creek in popular Horseshoe Bay!
  • only one species of snake to worry about - the venomous death adder but cases of snakebite are rare as they are reclusive and will only bite if provoked or stepped on as thenlie hidden under leaf litter
  • domestic animals are not permitted in Magnetic Island National Park
  • https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/magnetic-island/visiting-safely
  • https://www.beachaddicted.com/camping-on-magnetic-island-all-our-tips-with-short-guide/
  • https://www.nomadasaurus.com/magnetic-island-beaches/ - note Rocky Bay at the far south of the island is a nudist beach

• Whitsunday Ngaro Sea Trail

• 48 islands across 116km, east of Flock Pigeon Island 129km SE of Mackay
• boat-based camping

• large granite headland north of Bowen
• boat based camping

• boat-based camping but you can catch a water taxi from Mission Beach and camp at Dunk Island Spit camp area (hot showers)

• accessible by boat from Aielie Beach or Dingo Beach
• boat-based camping

• E of Bowen and N of Airlie beach
• boat-based camping

• boat-based camping

• the largest of these islands
• boat-based and walk-in camping
• 32km 3-5 day Thorsborne Trail hike

• boat based camping

• 10km from Airlie Beach;
• boat-based camping;
• Sandy Bay, South Molle Island - 36 sites

• off the coast of Seaforth which is 45km N of Mackay;
• boat based camping;

• 45-90km off the coast of Mackay; experienced boaters only;

• 45km E of Ingham; boat-based camping;

• boat-based camping

• boat-based camping

• boat-based camping

• boat-based camping

• boat-based camping

• boat-based camping
• Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island - 10 sites