Discover the best campgrounds in South Coast with campfires

Stretching from Sydney down to the Victorian border, the South Coast of NSW is a laid-back, unpretentious year-round destination filled with uncrowded white-sand beaches, crystal-blue bays, whale-watching opportunities, and wildlife-filled national parks. Adventurous travellers can find plenty of opportunities for surfing, diving, and bushwalking, while those who just want to relax can set up camp beachside and take in the natural beauty. As this region is far less-visited than the north coast, you might even feel like you have the place all to yourself.

Where to go

Illawara

On the Illawara Coast, Shellharbour is home to the National Surfing Reserve of Killalea, and the area is also a favourite of snorkellers and divers who can explore the many shipwrecks and marine life-filled underwater cliffs. Beachfront and just a short walk from the centre, various tourist parks offer a range of accommodation including powered sites, ensuite cabins, and self-contained beachside cottages. A little farther south, Killalea State Park has a secluded camping area in the park’s grassy meadows with access to facilities including toilets, hot showers, and an undercover electric barbecue area.

Shoalhaven Coast

Another favourite among surfers and divers, the Shoalhaven Coast is also known as a wine-growing region and for the powder-white sands, crystalline waters, and whale- and dolphin-spotting opportunities of Jervis Bay. Within Booderee National Park at Jervis Bay, the Cave Beach camping area offers some of Australia’s best secluded beach camping with access to cold showers and barbecues. Farther south, beachfront caravan sites and campgrounds in Murramarang National Park let you can camp alongside resident kangaroos.

Eurobodalla Coast

The Eurobodalla Coast is home to the seaside town of Batemans Bay, famed for its fresh seafood, particularly oysters, as well as the Clyde River National Park, where you can go bushwalking, kayaking, and fishing. Just south of town, Batemans Bay holiday parks offer villas as well as powered sites with access to laundry facilities and BBQ areas. Farther south, Tuross Head is perched on a headland between two tidal lakes, making it the perfect spot for kayaking, fishing, boating, and swimming. Look out for peaceful holiday units, plus powered and unpowered caravan and camping sites with ocean views and easy access to the beach and lake.

Sapphire Coast

At the southern end of the NSW coast, the tranquil Sapphire Coast is home to the small town of Eden, one of the best places in Australia to spot humpback whales on their annual migration from May through September. Just outside town, waterfront holiday parks offer large powered and unpowered caravan sites, as well as a range of cabins, with access to camp kitchens. Forty minutes north, rustic Hobart Beach Campground in Bournda National Park has unpowered sites that make the perfect base for swimming, hiking, and exploring nearby secluded beaches.