Sydney’s sparkling harbour needs no introduction, but did you know you can camp practically beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge or go glamping in the middle of a zoo with a harbour view? Scratch beneath the surface of Australia’s oldest, biggest, busiest, and arguably prettiest city and you’ll find a wild heart, with camping areas and caravan Read more...
Sydney’s sparkling harbour needs no introduction, but did you know you can camp practically beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge or go glamping in the middle of a zoo with a harbour view? Scratch beneath the surface of Australia’s oldest, biggest, busiest, and arguably prettiest city and you’ll find a wild heart, with camping areas and caravan parks just a short bus ride from the CBD.
Jump on a train at Central Station and two hours later you’ll find yourself in the massive ridge of mountainous wilderness known as the Blue Mountains. Two hours by train or car to the north and south are the beaches and national parks of the Central Coast and Illawarra. With so many great camping spots accessible by public transport, you don’t need a car to get away in Sydney, just a sense of adventure.
Cockatoo Island
Glamp it up in the middle of Sydney Harbour on this World Heritage listed island that was once a prison one of Australia's biggest shipyards. You’ll need a sleeping bag, but you can hire camping equipment on the island. http://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/
Royal National Park
Australia’s first national park, The Royal, is the world’s second oldest national park, founded in 1879. (Yellowstone in the US is seven years older.) Just 32km south of Sydney the 'nahsho' features riverside picnic areas, surf beaches, cliff-top bushwalking trails and rainforest cycle tracks, with beachfront camping spots.
Lane Cove
Tucked away in Sydney's northern suburbs, Lane Cove Holiday Park in Lane Cove National Park is one of the best places to camp in Sydney with more than 300 caravan, campervan and tent sets set in native bushland, all just minutes from the CBD.
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
On the northern edge of Sydney’s suburban sprawl, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is where the Hawkesbury River seeps into the sea in a maze of winding waterways. The Basin campground has 400 campsites and facilities include barbecues, flush toilets and cold showers.
When to go
Sydney’s weather is fairly temperate year round, although winter nights can be cool and summer can be humid and rainy, particularly in February and March. January is a fun time to visit as many of the locals are away on holidays and the Sydney Festival is in full swing. The Blue Mountains, on the other hand, are delightfully cool, and it sometimes even snows during winter.
Know Before You Go
- You’ll need an Opal card to use public transport in Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Hunter Valley and Illawarra: buy one at a train station, convenience store, or newsagent and top them up online at https://transportnsw.info/tickets-opal or one of the machines at a train station or ferry wharf.
- Ferries are a great way to get around Sydney, and fun as well. Almost all ferries leave from Circular Quay. For ferry information, visit transportnsw.info
- All campsites in NSW national parks must be booked ahead at https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/camping-and-accommodation
- Don’t be tempted to park your campervan at Bondi Beach—or any of the city beaches—overnight; you can be fined AUD$1000 if you get caught.
The best camping near Sydney, New South Wales.
You’ll be surprised how many camping getaways you can find in the middle of Sydney, Australia’s largest city.
Sydney’s sparkling harbour needs no introduction, but did you know you can camp practically beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge or go glamping in the middle of a zoo with a harbour view? Scratch beneath the surface of Australia’s oldest, biggest, busiest, and arguably prettiest city and you’ll find a wild heart, with camping areas and caravan Read more...
Sydney’s sparkling harbour needs no introduction, but did you know you can camp practically beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge or go glamping in the middle of a zoo with a harbour view? Scratch beneath the surface of Australia’s oldest, biggest, busiest, and arguably prettiest city and you’ll find a wild heart, with camping areas and caravan parks just a short bus ride from the CBD.
Jump on a train at Central Station and two hours later you’ll find yourself in the massive ridge of mountainous wilderness known as the Blue Mountains. Two hours by train or car to the north and south are the beaches and national parks of the Central Coast and Illawarra. With so many great camping spots accessible by public transport, you don’t need a car to get away in Sydney, just a sense of adventure.
Cockatoo Island
Glamp it up in the middle of Sydney Harbour on this World Heritage listed island that was once a prison one of Australia's biggest shipyards. You’ll need a sleeping bag, but you can hire camping equipment on the island. http://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/
Royal National Park
Australia’s first national park, The Royal, is the world’s second oldest national park, founded in 1879. (Yellowstone in the US is seven years older.) Just 32km south of Sydney the 'nahsho' features riverside picnic areas, surf beaches, cliff-top bushwalking trails and rainforest cycle tracks, with beachfront camping spots.
Lane Cove
Tucked away in Sydney's northern suburbs, Lane Cove Holiday Park in Lane Cove National Park is one of the best places to camp in Sydney with more than 300 caravan, campervan and tent sets set in native bushland, all just minutes from the CBD.
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
On the northern edge of Sydney’s suburban sprawl, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park is where the Hawkesbury River seeps into the sea in a maze of winding waterways. The Basin campground has 400 campsites and facilities include barbecues, flush toilets and cold showers.
When to go
Sydney’s weather is fairly temperate year round, although winter nights can be cool and summer can be humid and rainy, particularly in February and March. January is a fun time to visit as many of the locals are away on holidays and the Sydney Festival is in full swing. The Blue Mountains, on the other hand, are delightfully cool, and it sometimes even snows during winter.
Know Before You Go