australia:vic:campgrounds2-4hrsmelbourne
Table of Contents
non-commercial camp grounds for tents 2-4 hours from Melbourne
see also:
- there are almost no non-commercial camp grounds in west Gippsland or the beach side of the Otways
- travel times are OFF-PEAK
- many areas have seasonal road closures that are in place from the Thursday after the Kings Birthday Long Weekend in June until the Thursday before Melbourne Cup Weekend in November.
- CHECK before you go especially after severe weather events as many may be closed due to storm or flood damage, or the roads inaccessible
- the following Nat Park camp grounds book out very early for summer weekends:
- Tidal River and overnight hikes
- Lake Eildon: Devils Cove
- Cathedral Ranges: Cooks Mill, Neds Gully
- Mt Buffalo, Lake Catani
- Gippsland Lakes: Paradise Beach, Emu Bight
- East Gippsland: Peachtree; Buchan Caves;Thurra River;
- SW Vic: Wild Dog Bend; McLennans Punt, Battersby, Forest Sth, Redgum Landing, Princess Margaret Caves, Hutchessons,
- Otways: Johanna Beach, Parker Hill and Blanket Bay Cape Otway, Lake Elizabeth
- NW Vic: Lake Hattah;
those with toilets and hot showers
- Gippsland
- Golden Beach / Paradise Beach
- coin hot shower at General Store
- showers also available at Loch Sport Marina Google map
- 36hr RV site Metung Free hot showers at the brick toilet block behind the yacht club, next to the bowls club.
- free hot toilets around the lakes at Lakes Entrance see https://trailersailerplace.com.au/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=6759&
- Mt Buffalo NP - Lake Catani camping area
- SW Victoria:
- Mt Eccles Budj Bim camp area 22 camp sites; 3.5hrs from NW suburbs Melb; 41min to Port Fairy;
- Timboon CP $5/n per car
- Princetown Rec Reserve
- Anderson Reserve Indented Heads
- Batman Park Indented Heads
- Taylors reserve Indented Heads
- Henty Park RV Camping, Portland
- free site in middle of town, 5min walk to town, adjacent botanic gardens and near foreshore; tennis courts, footy oval;
- NOISY due to escavators at the adjacent wood mill even early hours of morning;
- NW Victoria:
- Wooroonook Lakes Campground near Charlton
- Hard Hill Tourist Reserve, Wedderburn
- gold mining relics; working eucalyptus stew pot ; reconstructed gold puddler;
- RV friendly; plenty of free camp sites; toilets, showers;
- Walpeup Lake camping area
- Lake Lascelles Hopetoun - internet, drinking water, hot showers, laundry but can be very windy, free (donation) or $20/n powered site option; less mozzies than the Murray; shallow lake edge, great for dogs and kids;
- Four Mile Beach Camp Ground Lake Hindmarsh near Jeparit
- 4hrs from NW suburbs; coin donation showers;
- Powered and unpowered sites are available. Camping fees apply.
- Underpool Rec Reserve between M-S NP and Wyperfeld
- Lake Ratzcastle camp ground
- west of Horsham; 4hrs from NW suburbs; north side of the lake;
- donation box; solar heated showers.
- Brim camp ground Redda's Park
- north of Horsham in the silo art town of Brim; 3.5hrs from NW suburbs;
- hot showers; power; $10 fee; sandy beach on the edge of the weir pool; fishing platform;
some recommended commercial venues with natural ambience tent sites
those with toilets but NO hot showers
north-west of Melbourne
- Mt Cole / Mt Buangor
- Avoca Falls campground
- 2hrs 20min from Melb
- Grampians
- Boreang 335m elevation
- Borough Huts 310m elevation
- Buandik Campground 255m elevation
- western side; fee; toilets; no showers;
- Coppermine 4WD only 355m elevation
- Smith's Mill 33 sites; does have a bush shower; near The Balconies, Reed's Lookout and MacKenzie Falls; 450m elevation; 3hr drive form NW suburbs Melb;
- Jimmy Creek - 21 camp sites; “showers”; half way between Halls Gap and Dunkeld
- Freshwater Lake free overnight camp
- overnight free camp (donation box) oSkinners Flat Reservoir,n Victoria Valley Rd 8km NW of Dunkeld; toilets are 150m north beside Victoria Valley Rd; small picnic area; fire pits; emus;
- visually pleasant, reedy, spear thistle infested, shallow, often dry lake with mowed walking track around the lake; Nice maintained campsites, heaps of room and the sites are spread out;
- bush camping possible on sand hills on the northern edge of the lake shaded by pine and scrub, accessed via a faint track directly on from the picnic area entrance; nice walks;
- almost 3hrs drive from NW suburbs Melb;
- Plantation campground, Mt Zero, north Grampians
- under 3hrs from NW suburbs; 10km north of Halls Gap on gravel road;
- 30 sites set within an old Radiata Pine forest on the eastern edge of the Mount Difficult Range
- drop toilets; bush showers; non-potable water tank;
- https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/sites/plantation-campground no bookings needed;
- Rocklands Reservoir (free camps west of Grampians)
- 3.5hrs from NW suburbs Melb via Dunkeld
- Glendinning camp - very popular camp ground
- Ferguson's camp
- Baba camp
- Northern Victoria
- Mt Terrick Terrick picnic area
- N of Bendigo and SE of Echuca; nice little remote forest; drop toilets; granite boulder and views; ~6 camp sites;
- Skinners Flat Reservoir, Wedderburn
- swimming, boat ramp, drop toilets; free camping is permitted along the entire shore of the reservoir. Dogs on a lead;
- Bealiba Reservoir Recreation Area
- Free camping is permitted around Bealiba Reservoir, where there is plenty of space to set up tents or park caravans/RVs.
- swimming (but can be leaches), fishing, gold prospecting; walks; firepits, two drop toilet blocks; no petrol powered boats;
- donation box is located at the SHOPPE in Main St Bealiba
- scenic lookout on nearby Mt Bealiba with its large boulders
- Teddington camp ground Stuart Mill, Kara Kara NP
- 2hr 40min from Melb
- Far NW Victoria:
- Horsham area
- Taylor Lake
- plenty of sites at NW side of the Lake; fire pits; swimming, boating, jet skis; very open and windy;
- lake is muddy but the other side has white sand beaches;
- Centenary Park, Mt Arapiles
- 3hr 50min from Melb; no fires except winter;
- Jane Duff Highway Park
- 3hrs 40min from NW suburbs;
- off road camping is available near the billabong, or further back in scrub, with BBQs, Picnic tables, and a drop toilet.
- Little Desert NP
- Ackle Bend
- 3hr 40min from NW suburbs
- Horseshoe Bend
- 3hr 40min from NW suburbs
NE of Melbourne
- Lake Eildon
- Jerusalem Creek - bookings
- see also the closer Lake Eildon sites at non-commercial camp grounds for tents within 2 hours of Melbourne
- Mansfield / Jamieson region
- Delatite arm, Lake Eildon via Goughs Bay - these have drop toilets
- The Orchard
- 26km from Mansfield 1st site; a long way from water edge;
- Newtons
- 2nd camp; steep and reedy water access;
- Blue Gum Flat
- 3rd camp site; large site but waterfront is a long way and cannot camp below high water mark.
- Blue Gum Flat 2
- 4th site; closer to water; nice spot;
- Picnic Point:
- most grassy site and with nice trees; 5th site; 29km from Mansfield; 4 firepits; steep access point to water with lots of small trees;
- Kirbys
- 6th campsite; need to get near the water for flat ground;
- Long Gully
- not great, too close to road; need 4WD to get down steep road to water;
- Cullitons Gully camp ground
- 3hrs from NW subs; 33km from Mansfield; 8th campsite along the arm;
- Carter's Mill Picnic Area and nearby camp ground
- 30km east of Mansfield; 26km, 37min from Sheepyard Flats just off the Mt Buller Rd
- 602m elevation; alongside a river; pit toilet; fire pits, picnic tables but none of the sites are level
- usually cold and constantly damp with minimal sun in winter months through to Oct
- 7km return walk to Plain Creek Waterfall
- Howqua Hills historic gold mining area:
-
- very large and very popular free camping area on the Howqua River;
- windy gravel road to access but still suitable for vans
- Historic Walk from Sheepyard Flat to Fry’s Hut
- for horses: Tunnel Bend Flat or Fry's Hut
- Tobacco Flat
- Pickering Hut
- 7 mile camp site
- 2WD access in dry weather; only for 8 sites so toilets less full
- Pikes Flat
- Davons
-
- Running Creek Camping Reserve
- popular with anglers, paddlers and campers. There are two walking tracks that start here and end at Tobacco Flat, approximately 12 kms upstream.
- located on the Howqua River and accessed via Howqua River Road
- Mt Stirling region
- Craig's Hut Mt Stirling
- needs 4WD to access, or a 45min uphill hike from the circuit road (road closed in Winter)
- Upper Howqua campground:
- Flat Spur campground:
- 2WD accessible from east (but 4WD needed from west from Bindaree Hut)
- large horse yard
- Bindaree Hut campground
- access from Bindaree Rd off the Circuit Rd
- needs shallow river crossing and 4WD to access
- Jamieson region:
- SE along Jamiesion River:
- Granny’s Flat Camping Area
- 4WD needed in wet weather; road closed in snow season;
- Great river frontages with campers tubing down the river; well maintained; fire pits;
- Gallows
- The River Inn
- Wrens Flat
- SE along Jamiesion-Licola Rd:
- Connrs Plain campsite
- South of Jamieson along Goulburn River towards Woods Point:
- Skipworth 8 minutes from Jamieson - nice, firepits, drop toilets, water
- Flourbag Reserve
- Tunnel Bend
- Blue Hole Reserve
- Snakes Reserve
- CC Campsite
- Knockwood Reserve
- Mount Samaria region (north of Mansfield)
- Blue Range camping ground
- drop toilets, picnic ground; ~5km gravel road 2WD access;
- Camphora campground
- 150m walk in site amongst tall eucalypts, granite outcrops, ?views, historic relics
- Wild Dog Creek Falls campground
- 800m walk in site amongst tall eucalypts;
- may need 4WD to access the small carpark when wet
- lovely 3km return walk to falls and views
- Samaria Well campground
- 2WD access; grassy flat area; drop toilets a bit of a walk or drive from campground
- James camping reserve, Lima East
- grassy campground 2hr 40min from NW subs via Hume and Violet Town or via Bonnie Doon
- situated in a valley to the west of Mt Samaria, elevation 380m
- Jones reserve camping area
- 3hrs from NW subs via Hume and Violet Town
- situated in a valley EAST of Mt Samaria at 440m elevation (seasonally closed in winter)
- 2WD access in dry weather only; logging trucks;
- nice flat grassed areas with fire pits, picnic tables and drop toilets set amongst forest and adjacent Holland creek
- Tungamah Lions RV Park near Benalla - on a river, toilets, free
- Beechworth region
- RV Rest Area opposite Brown Bros Winery, Milawa
- Pioneer Bridges Rest Area
- on the Ovens River near Milawa/Markwood/Everton; sealed road access; 15+ sites; shady; lovely sandy bank down to the river for swimming, fishing; OK for caravans; can be popular;
- Yackandanda Camp Site No 2, Yack Gate Rd
- dirt bike tracks nearby;
- Yackandandah Creek Site No 3, Yack Gate Rd
- nice spot next to creek; dirt bike tracks nearby
- Twist Creek
- nice quiet spot; Off Bells Flat Rd, Yackandanda
- Bright region
- Nug Nug Reserve Myrtleford $7.50/n unpowered per adult; $10/n powered sites, cold showers; no bookings, honesty box or caretaker;
- flat grassed areas with deciduous trees and lovely adjacent shallow stream; tennis court;
- Smoko campground on Ovens River Harrietville
- almost 4hrs from NW suburbs and 17km south of Bright, towards Harrietville; good for an overnighter before you go to Mt Feathertop or Mt Hotham; bike path to Bright;
- Dredge Hole at Harrietville great for canoeing and swimming;
- can have lots of rubbish left behind
SE of Melbourne
- Bear Gully Camp Ground (National Park)
-
- unpowered, $20/couple/night (kids extra), drop dunnies, great fishing, swimming and walks, but lots mozzies & sandflies
- Reeves Beach - free, drop loo, 2 min walk to beach
- Mitchell River (NW of Bairnsdale):
- Angusvale is huge plenty of space even at Easter, toilets
- Bark hut camp park - not free though and very busy at Easter
- Hollets camp ground - Green grass and clean toilets
- Echo Bend camping park
- near Den of Nargun
- 3.5hrs from NW subs via Briagolong
- Briagolong / Freestone Creek:
- over 3hrs from NW suburbs;
- The Quarries campground - $10/n pay in town at General Store, nice river and toilets
- Blue Pool campground - can hike to McKinnons Point and back
- Froam campground
- McKinnons Point campground
- Johnston's Flat campground
- Lee Creek campsite
SW of Melbourne
- Great Otway National Park:
- Allenvale, Lorne walk-in camp 20 sites; carpark is 230m away;
- Jamieson Creek near Wye River 24 sites
- Blanket Bay Cape Otway
- Big Hill Cape Otway 13 camp sites
- Johanna Beach
- Aire River East
- Aire River West
- Lake Elingamite Camping Area near Cobden
- 2.5hrs drive from NW suburbs Melb; 33min to Port Campbell; 143m elevation; flushing toilets at Angling Club but these may be closed; grass to camp on at edge of lake
- need a boat if you are a keen fisherman.
- Port Campbell Rec Reserve
- Princetown Rec Reserve
- Lake Bolac foreshore camp
- 2hrs 15min from NW suburbs; 75min from Western Fway at Ballarat via Beaufort; 30min E of Dunkeld; ~1hr from Halls Gap via Pomonal or Mafeking; 1hr Nth of Warrnambool; 1.5hrs to Port Campbell;
- hot showers and power sockets at Picnic Point at end of Main Beach
- hot showers require token which costs $5 for 5 minutes. Tokens are available from Lake Bolac Information and Business Centre and Lake Bolac Diner and Cafe
- cold showers are available for no charge in the old (apricot) brick amenities block at Picnic Point
- https://lakebolac.com.au/accommodation/lake-bolac-foreshore/ $15/n collected by foreshore rangers on regular patrol. BYO wood;
- southern beach is free?
- when full, Lake Bolac is about 6-7 feet deep;
-
- 3.5hrs from NW suburbs Melbourne via Lake Bolac (75min away)
- 32min east of Heywood; 33min Sth of Hamilton; 40min NW of Port Fairy; 34min N of Fitzroy River Camping on the coast; 52min to Tower Hill volcanic reserve; 25min to Byaduk Caves; 65min E of Moleside Canoe camp on the Lower Glenelg River; 68min E of Swan Lake camp on the coast at Cape Bridgewater;
- Sawpit camp ground, north of Narrawong
- just under 4hrs from NW suburbs; Volcanic Mount Clay (189m) is located to the east, about 5.5km (by road) off Tower Rd.
- 6 sites;
- easy 15 minute walk through Messmate leads to the edge of the ridge and Whalers Lookout for views over Portland Bay
- Fitzroy River Camping, Tyrendarra near Narrawong on the coast between Port Fairy and Portland
- 3hr 45min from NW suburbs Melb;
- $8/n; jetty for fishing; boat ramp; flat roadside grassed area for vans and tents but very few trees - better to drive towards the end and closer to river, toilets and beach but more windy.
- Swan Lake camp on the coast at Cape Bridgewater
- 4.5hrs from NW suburbs Melb
- Moleside Canoe camp on the Lower Glenelg River
- just over 4hrs from NW suburbs Melbourne
By elevation above sea level
- every 100m elevation is generally 1degC colder
under 200m elevation
200-400m elevation
- Grampians: Buandik Campground 255m elevation
- western side; fee; toilets; no showers;
- Grampians: Borough Huts 10km south of Halls Gap; 310m elevation
- Grampians: Boreang 335m elevation
- Grampians: Coppermine 4WD only 355m elevation
400-600m elevation
- Howqua Hills / Sheepyard Flats camping area - 446m elevation
- Buangor: Smith's Bridge - 430m elevation (on the Raglan-Emhurst Rd)
- Grampians: Smith's Mill near The Balconies, Reed's Lookout and MacKenzie Falls; 450m elevation; 3hr drive from NW suburbs Melb
- Buangor: Richards - 470m elevation
- Buangor: Bailes - 470m elevation bookings
- Buangor: Ferntree - 520m elevation bookings
600-1000m elevation
- Buangor: Ditchfields - 720m elevation
- Buangor: Beeripmo hike in - 880m elevation
- Buangor: Mugwamp Hut and campsite 920m elevation (near Mt Buangor Lookout elevation 920m)
More than 1000m elevation
- Bluff Hut
- Lovick's hut
other camp grounds "bush camps" no toilets, limited facilities
NW of Melbourne
NE of Melbourne
Wangaratta region
- Pioneer bridges rest area
- Ovens river
- Kings river
- Mark wood (35kms away from Wangaratta)
- Ah Young or Good Hope Flat in Buckland Valley - plenty space but busy at Xmas
- Edi Cutting in King River Valley - very popular
- Bells Flat Rd area near Yackandandah
Benalla region
- James reserve just past swan pool on a beautiful creek
- Boho/strathbogie
Beechworth / Bright region
- Eldorado Reedy Creek
- Eldorado Woolshed Creek
- At Kangaroo crossing Eldorado side there are several spots within 10m of the creek, the other side of the crossing the creek access is a little more difficult. There are many other sites heading towards Beechworth on the creek side, right through to Woolshed falls.
- Buckland valley better than Eldorado?
- Hurdle Flat, Beechworth
- 203 Hurdle Flat Rd; unofficial camp site; can be torn up by locals;
- Willow Tree campground
- 30min from Beechworth; ~3.5hrs from NW suburbs;
- 8 sites each could fit 3 2P tents;
- Yackandandah North Rest Area, junction Of C532 & C315
- Yackandandah Creek Site 1, Yack Gate Rd - drop toilets 10min walk away
- Yackandandah Creek Site #6 No1 link Rd
- Yackandandah Creek Site #2 - 4WD only
- Tuan campground, Chiltern, cnr Depot Rd & Tuan Track
- 1 picnic table and firepit; gravel road access easy to find; no dogs;
- Clark's Corner, Six Mile Road, Stanley
Far NE Victoria
- Rutherglen region
- Police Paddocks
- Pleasant bush camping on broad open grassed banks extending along Murphy Creek, a Murray River anabranch.
- One bench and one BBQ. No beaches. BYO water; no toilets;
- Stantons bend
- large dispersed bush camping reserve with 15 sites on the banks of the Lake Moodermere, west of Rutherglen
- A long stretch of sandy river beach offers safe swimming and thus popular with families; low cliffs rising just downstream of the reserve makes for a stunning visual backdrop.
- Tallangatta / Mitta Mitta region
- Ludlows reserve, Ebden just east of Wodonga (high county rail trail) - 24hr max vans, no tents
- Tallangatta ( closest to river)
- Conttontree creek campground (bridle track)
- Mitta Mitta river
- Walnuts campground - lovely area
- Snowy creek campsite - nicer than Walnuts
Murray River
Yarrawonga area
- Bruce's Beach #1 or #2
- half hr from Cobram
- no toilets; no dogs; can get bogggy in winter and after heavy rain.
- Nevins Beach Yarrawonga - no toilets; no dogs; can get boggy in winter and after heavy rain.
- Yarrawonga Green Bank - pit toilets
- Yarrawonga River Camp - pit toilets
Cobram area
- Between Cobram and Tocumwal. Koonoomoo is more precise.
- Go past the abattoir and race track, over the levee bank and there is the river. On your left you'll see a pumping station. Go right and follow the track until it meanders left - follow it over a little log bridge to a private, quite small beach that is close to town and public toilets. Gets crowded early, before long weekends etc. If you have 4-5 families and can get there early enough then you own it. Go left and follow any of the tracks off to the right and you'll find a few large beaches, plenty of sand, great for ski boats, tents, caravans
- Town beach Tocumwal $5/n some facilities
- Area opposite town boat ramp
- Big toms Beach, dead end beach.
- near horseshoe take Quicks Beach 2 track
- Scott’s beach
- Apex beach
- Pebbly beach
- Greens beach
- Bouchiers beach
- Great spots on NSW side, but you must register that you are there.
- Little pebble beach Boomanooma half way between Barooga and Mulwala is a ripper
Echuca area
- see: Echuca and surrounds
SW of Melbourne
- Warrnambool region:
- Panmure on the Hopkins River - free but only 30m from Hway
- Fitzroy River camp-site in Tyrendarra but could be smelly
- Sawpit camp ground - the best of these three
- Dartmoor has free camps
SE of Melbourne
- Mirboo / Strzelecki Ranges area:
- Minnehaha Falls near Hiawatha does have toilets and deep swimming hole see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB3FdrMh9XY
- Morwell River Rd near Livingston Rd on the Morwell River, Budgeree via Boolarra see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N2h6yghq0k
- Fishers Riverside Campsite - Perry Bridge on the Avon River
- 3hrs from CBD; 3.5hrs from NW subs; just past Sale and near the north-west part of Lake Wellington;
- vans or tents; no toilets; large flat grassy areas; lots of wooden pontoons on the edge of the river; mozzies can be problematic in summer;
other road side one night spots mainly for vans, generally NOT tents
- Gippsland
- Willow Park, Rosedale is a popular free overnight stop
- Marlay Point 48hr camp on west shore of Lake Wellington, near Sale
- Lake Tyers
- free behind the WaterWheel tavern but buy a meal, power, water, very close to the water; 2N max.
- NW Victoria
- Natimuk parking bay
- opp. the pub
australia/vic/campgrounds2-4hrsmelbourne.txt · Last modified: 2023/05/26 23:52 by gary1