The best waterside campgrounds in South Coast

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.

97% (4K)

Top-rated campgrounds

Site 1 Serengeti Sunrise. Just through the gate, suitable for groups and large vans. Can also accommodate 2 separate campers. Easy access to lake.

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.

97% (4K)

Top-rated campgrounds

1. Sunset Point

98%

(171)

5 sites · Tents, RVs · Bodalla, NSW

When you stay at Sunset Point you have lake frontage onto Borang Lake ( 4km from Potato Point), which connects directly with the Tuross lakes. You are able to launch your own tinny at our private jetty. A firepit is provided and you can collect your own wood yourself, or purchase a $25 a wheel barrow load with your booking. Wildlife is plentiful here, so please respect the environment and clean up after your self. There are some amazing local beaches only minutes to Potato Point or down the back track 10 minute drive or, ride your pushie or walk (its a bit of a walk) - straight to Blackfellows Point at Potato Point. There are lovely walking tracks around the property and lots of fishing, kayaking, SUP or pop your Tinnie in and fish till sunset or just plain lazy days. Watch the sunrise or walk to the other side of the property and watch the sunset. Watching the moon rise on the lake is quite beautiful. Launch your tinny and go fishing or simply kayak or lazy around. The site is dog friendly, but your pet must be well behaved and not aggressive as there may be other campers and pets on the property during your stay and a Sunset Point Camp Cat. You may not be right next to each other but please respect other guests, with noise. Just 10 minutes from the charming village of Bodalla, which was founded on the back of dairy farming and cheese production back in the 1860s. 30 minutes drive either way to the hubs of Narooma and Moruya. No barking dogs and no loud music or parties. This is a peaceful getaway. Short car trip to famous beaches where you leave nothing but footprints. It's our secret!

2. Top of the Lake

80%

(23)

5 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Millingandi, NSW

Top of the Lake is totally pet friendly with Lake and wet land views and private Merimbula Lake access via small boat ramp and jetty. Accommodation options consist of fully self contained cabins. 1 bedroom for two, 2 bedroom and 3 bedroom's sleep up to five people. Also large powered and un-powered sites for campers, camp trailers etc. For out campers there is an amenities block with showers, toilets, communal fridge, washing machine and microwave is also included for shared use. Five minute drive to Merimbula, Pambula, and their magnificent beaches. Six minutes from magnificent 24 hour off leash beaches 20 minute drive to Bega, Tathra, Candelo, Eden, with over another 150 beaches within 1/2 hour drive.

3. Wombat's Perch - Eden Cove

100%

(3)

1 site · Tent, RV · Eden, NSW

Welcome to Wombats Perch, a 4 acre block with access to the beach 150m from the bottom boundary. We are located at the North end of Aslings Beach in a private setting bordering the Beowa National Park. To the North is Beowa National park, bush that runs all the way to Pambula river mouth, walking and bike tracks are accessible from the camp. Sea eagles nest across the valley, bell birds ping all day and whales can be spotted whilst cooking toasties on the fire. To the East and South are water views right across the Eden Bay to the light house towers. We offer multiple camping options , 4 x 4 access is recommended but during dry conditions not essential, especially if tenting. 2 flat areas for trailers, vans and small caravans are available. Depending on the set ups we can accommodate 2 to 8 people easily. We have a Jayco Swan, the sites are perfectly suited to similar set ups. BYO water at this stage. Swimming, snorkeling and fishing are all easily accessed on foot, we have spotted lots and lots of fish, rays and Banjo sharks. The block is located in a private estate, with limited neighbors and a peaceful setting, we ask that campers respect this during their stay. Located just 5kms North of Eden, it is private and secluded to stay and hide away for weeks and easy enough to venture into town for dinner when cooking feels optional. Pambula's famous oysters and vibrant shopping are 12 mins North , Merimbula and its holidays activities and excellent restaurant 15 to 20 mins. Wombats Perch is named after the resident wombats of the area, they keep to them selves but you may find some skillfully perched square poos around the camp. Please note, ticks are common in the area. Best to pack a freeze pen or Lyclear cream. We hope you enjoy your stay.

4. Acreage Aurora

100%

(6)

2 sites · RVs · Cobargo, NSW

We're a 5 minute drive from the quaint township of Cobargo, 15 minutes to Bermagui and 20 minutes to the coastline and pristine beaches. Our property overlooks the beautiful Wandella Valley. There's plenty of interesting history and walks to explore close by. Wadbilliga National Park is a 985.3 km² national park that is located in high country spanning the Monaro and South Coast regions of south-eastern New South Wales, Australia. Easy parking for your RV overlooking the beautiful Wandella Valley. The camp area is grassed, level and great place to relax. We welcome self-contained campers who bring their own camping toilet/shower and drinking water. You must have your own amenities. The campsite is 2WD accessible and has enough space for your caravan, campervan or camper trailer. Fresh fruit and free range eggs sometimes available so check with us to see what produce is available during your stay. No campfires or pets please.

from

AU$31

/ night

Stories from the community

A

Ashleigh

3 weeks ago

5 m car

Group trip

1 night at Sunset Point

Sally was very welcoming & accomodating. The site was very lovely & peaceful.

S

Stephen

November 2025

5 m pop-up camper

5 nights at Wombat's Perch - Eden Cove

A great campsite. Wonderful location and outlook with a short walk to the beach to cool off. Waking to the birds and with a short drive into town for supplies it’s a perfect location for a break !

M

Mark

November 2025

3 m travel trailer

With pets

1 night at Sunset Point

Very beautiful location! Great host, very accommodating for my family & young pups! Would definitely go back.

O

Oscar

November 2025

Tent

With pets

4 nights at Sunset Point

Site for which we had was absolutely amazing. It was on the lake and could hear the soft dappling of the tide at night time. The site was very well prepared, and a great pit fire with a grill which we used to cook. The view is absolutely stunning and the wildlife sounds are so relaxing. The highlight though has been Sally who has been amazingly communicative and generous about using her vegetable garden. Sally is a very lovely soul. We would never have known that there was a place like this in the world unless we booked through Hipcamp. And there is an amazing drive down Black fellows Road through an amazing beach side of Woodland… Four-wheel-drive only! This is our first time here it won’t be our last.

Steven

November 2025

6 m travel trailer

4 nights at Sunset Point

Sally was a wonderful host. We had site 6 great spot for a caravan right on the water good fishing spot right from your front door ,catching flathead and bream. The bonus is the visits from Coco the border collie beautiful girl. Hope to get back

M

Martin

November 2025

5 m pop-up camper

With kids

5 nights at Wombat's Perch - Eden Cove

One of the best sides of Eden, if you want to get away from it all only minutes from the town centre. Under old gums, with sea eagles, kangaroos, frogs and snakes (well away from camp), we even had a visit from a bandicoot! We watched whales breaching and playing with their young through binoculars from the camp site. It’s an easy walk to the beach where the snorkelling, given the favourable calm conditions, was magnificent! It’s a tight little site with a tricky steep reverse to enter with our camper trailer. But once in, worked well with the grasses area comfortable underfoot and the toilet facilities were excellent. Communication with the owners was great and we found our way around easily with the directions sent.

Rebecca

October 2025

Tent

4 nights at Wombat's Perch - Eden Cove

Wombat Perch exceeded all expectations. To our left were beautiful forest views and to our front, sweeping ocean vistas where we were lucky enough to watch whales playing with their calves, absolutely mesmerising. One evening, a wombat waddled quietly through our site and kangaroos kept a curious eye on their new neighbours. Each morning we woke to a symphony of bird songs, and part of the fun became trying to identify each call. It really was the heartbeat of the campsite. There are a few lovely flat spots for tents across two tiers. We camped with an SUV and had no trouble accessing the site in October, though I can imagine it might be trickier in the wetter months as Steve mentions. We set up our kitchen and campfire on the top tier and placed our tent facing the forest below. It felt private, peaceful and spacious. The compostable toilet is thoughtfully built with a Perspex wall that looks straight out into the forest, a surprisingly serene spot for a quiet moment. Do watch out for the wombat holes at night. The campsite feels wonderfully remote, yet it is only a short drive to town, and we were pleasantly surprised to still have reception. Overall, this place is truly special, full of character, wildlife and calm. I can easily imagine Steve continuing to shape this space into something even more magical for campers to unwind and reconnect with nature. Highly recommend.

S

Sue-Ellen

October 2025

6 m Class B

With pets

Weekend Trip to Sunset Point

Lovely spot by the lake. Very quiet great fire pit and wood. Close to Nofalla and Potsto Point. Serenity!

S

Sue

September 2025

4 m pop-up camper

6 nights at Sunset Point

Firstly Sally the host is so helpful & responds to all your questions is very knowledgeable of the area & recommended places for us to visit Also offered us veggies from her garden & for a small fee delivered wood to us as we were getting low Property is amazing hubby & I spent 6 nights on site 5 although we had booked site 2 Sally was very accommodating with letting us change our spot Bonus we had great weather warmer days & nights sitting by the fire (pit provided) star gazing with the most amazing Sunsets to be seen Highly recommend & definitely is a property you should camp 🏕️ at

Robyn

September 2025

3 m travel trailer

With pets

4 nights at Sunset Point

We camped with a 15' Sirocco van, on a large grassy area between stands of gum trees just below the front gate. It has a slope and is a bit rough but after trialling some spots we managed to get level. View of the lake was lovely and no other camps within sight so our 3 dogs could run free around us. There is a cottage about 50m away but the resident wasn't home when we stayed. Just enough sun to keep the solar charged. Sally and her dog were very friendly. 15 minutes drive to an off leash beach, which was empty. On the last day, our young dog spotted a snake and went to play with it, the biggest black snake I have ever seen. I normally enjoy seeing snakes but this encounter sent us rushing to Moruya vets with 2 dogs, luckily neither appear to have been bitten. The grass had been mown but the snake was still invisible to my eye until the dogs took chase. I know snakes are always around, we should have been more vigilant. Sunset from the other side of the ridge was stunning, over the water. About 2 min walk from our site

Brooke

August 2025

5 m car

Weekend Trip to Sunset Point

Such a beautiful spot. Will return. Great sunset.

J

Jan

August 2025

5 m travel trailer

4 nights at Sunset Point

Beautiful spot on the lakefront, super friendly, responsive and helpful host. Quiet and spacious spot. You feel miles from anywhere, but are just a few minutes drive from the highway.

Natasha

July 2025

Weekend Trip to Top of the Lake

Top of the Lake is great! This was our second time, but this time we stayed in a unit rather than camping. It was warm, cozy, and well equipped, with a full kitchen for us to cook in. Our favourite part? Just how dog friendly it is, they were happy for us to keep our fur babies inside with us, as well as leaving them in the secure courtyard if we needed to go shopping. And the secure off-lead yard was so much fun for them to run around in. 10/10 will definitely stay here again, whether camping or glamping in a unit.

Michael

July 2025

Tent

With pets

2 nights at Sunset Point

We had two great nights at Sunset Point which is picture perfect and just how nature holidays should be. Sally was super accommodating by letting us switch camp sites to the eastern side from the western side which was blowing up a very chilly SW wind.

P

Peter

May 2025

3 m pop-up camper

3 nights at Sunset Point

Ideally located on a beautiful part of the river my stay was perfect. Sally was an excellent host.

Sunrise from other side on our morning walk.

M

Mark

April 2025

Tent

2 nights at Sunset Point

We planned our whole trip to this area based around this camp site and it did not fail to deliver! An absolutely beautiful spot, so peaceful and quiet next to the water. We stayed at site 4, which we just loved and would highly recommend booking this one, if it’s available. We had such a perfect night sitting by the campfire and star gazing all night long. Sally is an amazing host, incredibly communicative and friendly. It was lovely she stopped by to check in on us, she is the icing on the cake! It’s only a 10-15 minute drive into Bodall, which has everything you will need. Highly recommend checking out the brewery, great owners and great beers. Also they are dog friendly, which is handy as unfortunately the pub isn’t. All in all it’s a fantastic spot and we couldn’t recommend it any more. We’ll be back in the future 100%.

T

Tim

April 2025

Tent

5 nights at Sunset Point

This was a wonderful campsite and Sal was a great host. Definitely highly recommended!

Tammara

April 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Sunset Point

Camping here was super peaceful, welcoming by the host and a completely beautiful location. Took all 5 fur babies and everyone loved it.

E

Ellen

April 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Sunset Point

This place was absolutely stunning, Sally was so kind and friendly and we will with out a doubt be coming back for another longer stay!

G

Gerard

April 2025

5 m travel trailer

7 nights at Sunset Point

Great host. Lovely spot for kayaking or just relaxing

Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

The best waterside camping in South Coast guide

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.