10 of the Best Pet Friendly Campgrounds in NSW

We look at some of the best dog friendly campsites in NSW to go camping with your dog.

In NSW we are blessed with so many amazing and varied places to visit. We’ve picked some of our favourites but we know there are so many more out there yet to see! From the foothills of the Blue Mountains, the lush mountain paradise retreats, the sparkling beaches of the South Coast and the unique country towns we have something for everyone.

Fossickers Tourist Park, Nundle

New England Region

Nundle is a small, pretty, historic mining village of 300 people is nestled between the Peel River and Great Dividing Range in the New England region of NSW. It is located approx 4.5hrs north of Sydney and 60kms from Tamworth..

Fossickers Tourist Park offers pet friendly powered and unpowered sites with a view over the Peel River and surrounding farmland. Suitable for tents, camper trailers, caravans and motor homes.

Nundle is one of the nine stops on the Fossickers Way touring route through gemstone country, so while you’re here try your luck at gold and sapphire fossicking. Dogs are allowed in State Forests in NSW so you can take your pooch with you whilst trying your luck at various sites around Nundle and panning in the Peel River.

It is also the home of the Great Nundle Dog Race in May. What first started out as a working dog race in 1979 has turned into a fantastic family day out, with novelty dog races and fun activities for kids.

You will need to make sure you stay for long enough to enjoy everything this small town and surrounds has to offer. The craft, antiques and house ware shops, museums, restaurants, pristine swimming pool, the famous Woollen Mill and the Legendary Peel Inn. Nearby Chaffey Dam, a great spot for a walk or a picnic, and Sheba Dams, ideal for rainbow trout fishing.

There is an annual event most months of the year in Nundle and Hanging Rock. From Tamworth Country Music Festival events at Nundle, to Nundle Gourmet Picnic, Girls Day in the Country, Nundle Go For Gold Chinese Easter Festival, The Great Nundle Dog Race, Hats Off to Country, Nundle CWA Prawn and Chicken Night, Le Tour de Rocque cycle race and King of the Rock fun run, Nundle CWA Art Show, and Nundle Campdraft there is an event to spark your interest.

Opal Holiday Park, Lightning Ridge

Northern NSW

Lightning Ridge is  a unique and historic opal mining town in Outback NSW, near the Southern border on QLD and approx 8.5hrs drive from Sydney.

Lightning Ridge is one of those places that 100% needs to be on your bucket list of places to go.  It’s likely to be one of the most unusual places you will visit in Australia. It is a quirky, eccentric and there are plenty of unique things to do – make sure you plan  enough time here. We had 5 days and could have added more. Luckily the town is pet friendly so you don’t have to leave your dog behind.

For those times when you can’t take your dog with you the Opal Holiday Park has a doggie daycare, they have 3 private and secure yards to keep your beloved pooch safe while you explore.

The Opal Holiday Park has powered camping sites, spacious drive through site for caravans and pet friendly cabins for those seeking air conditioned comfort. It also has a refreshing swimming pool, a car wash bay, camp kitchen and clean modern amenities.

Make sure to head over to the free Hot Artesian Bore Bath directly across the road from the Opal. At the end of a hard day fossicking and exploring, there is nothing quite as therapeutic as a long soak in the naturally heated thermal baths. Allow the water to soothe your aches while you gaze at the starry night sky and enjoy the serenity. Bliss!

The self-drive car door tours are one of the most popular things to do in Lightning Ridge. A good first stop on arriving in town and the place to pick up the $1 self-guided Car Door Tour driving maps, the Visitors Centre is the best spot to find out about tours and road conditions.

Coachwood Camping Area

Chichester State Forest

Coachwood Camping Area is located in the Chichester State Forest, 3.5 hours north west of Sydney. This small clearing on the Telegherry River offers a cool, lush green rainforest haven setting with a lagoon to swim in and you will love the serenity there.

Coachwood Camping Area is one of four campsites in this part of Chichester State Forest. The campgrounds in Chichester State Forest have a lush rain forest feel. They are mostly flat, grassy open areas and have access to the river. And… they are all free!
There are a number of short walking tracks leading into the surrounding forest and the creek is a popular spot for li-loing or relaxing in the cool Telegherry waters. A 2 kilometre (return) walking track to Problem Creek Falls starts at the downstream end of the Coachwood camping area.

Dogs are welcome in ALL State forests across NSW. Your dog must be under your control at ALL times and always pick up after your dog.

Delicate Campground

Kempsey – NSW North Coast

Delicate Campground, in Goolawah Regional Park near Crescent Head is approx. 5hrs north of Sydney.

Delicate Campground offers beach camping and caravan camping. It’s the ideal Kempsey region camping spot. Delicate Campground is what’s known as a “remote-visit”, you will need to bring everything with you. Facilities include showers, toilets and picnic tables. There is no power.

Take your pick of things to do: go surfing near Delicate Nobby; go whale watching or gaze at gulls wheeling in the breeze; go snorkelling or swimming in the clear waters; build a sandcastle or take the kids beachcombing.

Delicate campground is one of the few beach camping areas in northern NSW to allow dogs – though they’re limited to certain areas. Enjoy walking your dog on the off-leash beach. Dogs are not permitted in adjacent Goolawah National Park or Limeburners Creek National Park. Dogs must be supervised and under control at all times.

Turon Gates

Blue Mountains

Turon Gates is a tranquil bush hideaway campsite spread out over 6,000 acres. It is located in the Blue Mountains foothills on the Turon River approx. 2.5 hours from Sydney. Pets are allowed off-lead, so long as they are kept under control.

It offers campsites situated along 12 km of crystal clear trout stream and cottages with sensational mountain views. Amenities include hot showers and washrooms, outdoor sinks with hot running water to wash dishes in. This is natural bush camping. Sites are not powered and they are not allocated. Just pick the place you like and set up your camp.

There’s a whole host of activities in and around Turon Gates, including horse riding, canoeing and kayaking, swimming, trout fishing, mountain biking, bird watching, bushwalking, star gazing and gold panning!

Riverwood Downs

Barrington Tops National Park

Riverwood Downs is located just 2.5 hours north of Sydney on the banks of a mountain river in the foothills of Barrington Tops “World Heritage Wilderness”. It is located in a beautiful rural area known as the Monkerai Valley between the towns of Stroud and Gloucester. Enjoy the 750 acres and 5km of mountain river frontage.

Pets are allowed off-lead, as long as they are kept under control at all times. You can enjoy shady walking trails, tall mountains and cool, fresh mountain pools together.

You can also enjoy canoeing, kayaking, tyre tubing, river fishing for Golden Bass or Dam fishing for Silver Trout, star gazing, bush walks, swimming, bird watching, horse riding, tennis or Platypus spotting in the mountain river.

Accommodation is available on powered or non-powered sites, all amenities available.

The Barrington Bar & Grill is an onsite restaurant with it’s own Hounds Breath Café Menu for your pooch, including specialty treats and Pup a Cino’s.

Mystery Bay Camp Ground

South Coast, NSW

Mystery Bay Camp Ground is a remote site on the South Coast of NSW, just over 5 hours from Sydney. Mystery Bay is a sleepy coastal hamlet between Narooma and Central Tilba, with Eurobodalla National Park to the north and south.

Right on the ocean, this bush camping site is surrounded by turquoise beaches, rocky coves and spectacular views over cliff headlands. It is one of the few natural camping areas remaining on the pristine South Coast.

Dogs allowed on leash and under control at all times

There are cold showers, water taps and pit toilets. All sites are unpowered, plenty of room for a boat, caravan or camper.

Try some boating, kayaking, surfing, fishing, snorkelling and diving, biking, bushwalking and historical sites. Surf at Mystery Bay and neighbouring beaches and the beach fishing is well regarded.

Ingenia Holidays Merry Beach Caravan Park

Kioloa – South Coast, NSW

Located in the small beachside town of Kioloa, Merry Beach Caravan Park lies on the coastal heart of Murramarang National Park, just under 4 hours south of Sydney.

Merry Beach is one of the few parks on the New South Wales coast offering absolute beachfront caravan and camping sites.

All sites are grassed and holiday makers can choose between powered and unpowered beachfront sites, or ensuite sites.

Kioloa is surrounded by pristine water and bushland and is protected from the Pacific Ocean by Belowla Island, making it a favourite swimming spot with families. Here the local kangaroos like to veg out near the beach and watch the campers and beach-goers whilst snacking on grass.

Wollondilly River Station

Southern Highlands

Wollondilly River Station is situated in the Southern Highlands of NSW, around 3 hours south west of Sydney.

Surrounded by nature and boasting scenic water and mountain views, Wollondilly River Station offers a genuine bush camping experience. There are no powered sites or drinking tap water you need to bring everything with you. There are port a loos scattered throughout the grounds.

Pets are allowed off-lead, as long as they are kept under control at all times. Enjoy swimming, fishing bushwalking and evenings under the stars.

You can truly get away from it all with no mobile or internet service available.

Wee Jasper Reserves

Yass Valley

Wee Jasper is located about an hour, 90 km, north-west of Canberra and 60 km south-west of Yass.

A camper’s paradise with four beautiful and unique camping reserves. Wee Jasper Reserve is a pet friendly camping destination on the banks of the Goodradigbee River, Burrinjuck Dam & Micalong Creek and on the Hume and Hovell Walking Track – all in the beautiful Wee Jasper Valley. With stunning camping spots beside the Murrumbidgee River, underground caves, idyllic picnic spots and pristine bush and historical homesteads.

The Wee Jasper Valley offers all sorts of outdoor and underground activities including swimming, kayaking, fishing, caving, and bushwalking.

There are four camping reserves offering a variety of facilities: Billy Grace Reserve, Fitzpatrick Trackhead Reserve, Swinging Bridge Reserve and Micalong Creek Reserve. All four camping reserves are completely dog friendly. Toilets, hot showers, potable drinking water, barbecues and picnic tables are available at most of the reserves, but no power.