Inland QLD has among the nation’s most gorgeous waterfront tenting beside its many lakes, rivers, creeks, dams and weirs. Listed here are 5 of one of the best to flee the coastal crowds and get your ft moist with out turning into shark bait.
1. Lake Corella (AKA Corella Dam)
Roughly halfway between Mt Isa and Cloncurry in QLD is Lake Corella and it’s merely excellent for a spot of tenting. Take a sneaky little flip off the freeway to the south, by means of an unlocked gate, down a brief, unsealed highway and the water opens up. The Clem Walton Dam was inbuilt 1959 to offer water to the Mary Kathleen uranium mining township. Which, by the way in which, is a wonderful stopover – Google it.
This one is large. Your 36-foot, fifth-wheeler can get in right here. There are heaps of campsites proper on the waterfront, and much more scattered among the many bushes. In case you’re after photo voltaic you received’t have bother discovering any within the open both. Some individuals make this a long-term ‘residence’, and it doesn’t price a cracker.
There are not any services, together with dump factors, so you might have to journey a bit for that selection job should you keep a couple of days. The water from the lake is fairly good high quality. Lots of people get closely into red-clawing, and tinnies are fairly simple to launch from the sting. Plenty of canoes get a good exercise out too. Fires are permitted, however wooden is scarce. For me, it’s a pleasant tenting spot in QLD for a dose of quiet lake bliss.
2. Lake Elphinstone
Elphinstone lake is about 90km west of Mackay in QLD and is well accessed instantly off a sealed highway for a spot of tenting.
There’s a lengthy stretch of absolute waterfront lake websites for tenting, and much more simply again a bit and up the slope at this high spot in QLD. Tenting is unstructured, and when it’s busy, be ready for somebody to squeeze in subsequent to you and even in entrance of you. Not all of the websites are dead-level, however they’re fairly good. The lake may be very fashionable with miners and their households, and it may possibly get busy in peak occasions (for instance, faculty holidays).
All the standard water actions are taken up right here, notably canoeing and putt-putting round in tinnies. However typically, the native lads deliver their toys down, and the actions flip to energy boating and water snowboarding. There goes the atmosphere.
There’s a comparatively new facilities block comprising bathrooms and chilly showers and for provides, Glenden is 25 kilometres away. For me, this lake aspect tenting spot in QLD has longer-term potentialities.
3. Baralaba Weir (AKA Neville Hewitt Weir)
Sneakily operating behind the hospital at Baralaba is a slender highway that heads right down to a pleasant little tenting space on the Dawson River in QLD. It’s a reasonably spot on a slender stretch of river (no main expanses of water), with the principle semi-structured tenting areas positioned round a central grassed space.
These primary spots across the grass are fairly fashionable. I’ve even heard of individuals ready as much as three days to get their ‘favorite’ website. “Properly, I come right here yearly, and that’s the place I camp.” Every to their very own.
You could possibly most likely match a dozen caravans across the grassed space and perhaps one other 12 to fifteen scattered by means of the bushes a bit additional again. Practically all websites are again from the river and look down on the water; which means you must stroll a brief distance to take a peek. However it’s fairly picturesque with tall bushes, grassy spots, barbecues, some picnic tables, a ship ramp, and bathrooms. The new showers will price you one greenback. It’s near city, which has acquired a small grocery store and a pub – the meals aren’t too unhealthy both.
For me, really helpful as an overnighter or for a few nights.
4. Julia Creek
Julia Creek is on the Flinders Freeway between Cloncurry and Richmond in QLD. Simply to the east of the city, on the creek, is a tidy little campsite managed by the native administration.
This one’s a bit completely different, although. It’s compact and a bit like a decorative pool. The creek is barely about 15m huge and perhaps 70m lengthy. It’s properly grassed as much as the water with small quantities of shade. Areas are restricted and underneath the management of a pleasant on-site host. This construction works fairly properly, because it cuts out any jostling for place or overcrowding.
The host additionally gives attention-grabbing details about the world and what to do in case you have some spare time, they usually drum up a contented hour. There are not any services, and I actually wouldn’t belief the water to drink. That is undoubtedly a “sitting-only” stopover. For me, an overnighter. The utmost size of keep right here is 96 hours.
5. O’Briens Creek
About 33km north of Mount Shock (on the Gulf Improvement Highway, 230km east of Croydon) is the O’Briens Creek Gemfield. Right here is the place you’ll discover the O’Briens Creek waterfront tenting space. The highway in is unsealed and maybe a bit tough in locations, however actually not tough.
That is fairly a beautiful space with tall bushes and many flat house. It’s excellent for every type of rigs, simply mooch round and choose a spot you want. The creek is definitely fenced off from the tenting space to maintain the cattle out, however there are many gates, and it’s solely a brief stroll to the water. It’s extra of a trickling brook than a raging torrent, however fairly fairly and stress-free. It’s a spot to get your ft moist and absorb the bush.
However in fact, should you’re a fossicker, and plenty of do camp for lengthy intervals, it’s a fantastic place to arrange a base when you make your fortune. There are showers and bathrooms, however no provides. Calm down for an evening or two – except the gem fields name.
Extra info
To my information, there isn’t a definitive information to waterfront tenting in Queensland. It’s a matter of ferreting about and doing a little analysis. Camps Australia Broad (pictured beneath) is a implausible useful resource for these in search of out these campsite gems!
Phrases and pictures Greg Cartan.
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