100% (169)
Top-rated campgrounds
100% (169)
Top-rated campgrounds
Stories from the community
M
Michael
November 2025
7 m Class B
With pets
Joy has created a lovely haven for campers
Good facilities and plenty of room
Great interaction with animals
Would highly recommend staying here
Kenny
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Megan
October 2025
Tent
What a beautiful spot .. we were there mid week
and had the place to ourselves .. lots of shady spots with campfires accessible.. great to have a toilet and shower block and camp kitchen well maintained . The campsites all close to the lake to enjoy fishing and birdlife. We loved having the local characters .. Wolf the retired kelpie hanging out with us .. “Bird” the local duck who adopted us after our morning fishing .. and the horses and cattle who were curious but delightful having them so tame to not fear us invading there territory. Joy a great host ..location perfect from Cairns .. if night skies, campfire and time out is what your seeking .. this is the perfect spot .. had a great time and look forward to taking my family back here .
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Jennifer
October 2025
5 m pop-up camper
With pets
Perfect setting with no one else here and wonderful Kelpie to keep us company
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Sarah
October 2025
5 m car
What a magical place, wish we could have spent more time! Thank you for having us
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Chris
October 2025
6 m travel trailer
With kids
We have stayed here twice now and would definitely come back. Joy is an awesome host and is always popping in and out to make sure the place is spotless and all campers are happy and catered for.
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Jamie
October 2025
15 m Class B
With pets
Nicely set up by the lagoon, lots of friendly animals, cows, donkeys, horses.ect. Joy is a very nice person easy to get along with, comes and sees everyone in the afternoon to see if all is good, plenty of camping spots, lots of canoes for you to use. Very nice spot
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Salvador
October 2025
15 m travel trailer
Group trip
This place is a hidden gem, big open space with fire pits to cater for all sized groups. The campground was spotless and well set out. The dam was great for a paddle in the canoes and also a walk around if feeling energetic. Will definitely put on the list to come back… thanks Joy
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Andi
October 2025
Tent
With kids
We had a great time camping at Joys property over the long weekend. The toilets and hot showers were well maintained and clean and the camp kitchen was equipped with a microwave and kettle which was very handy. The kids had an absolute ball out in the canoes fishing on the dam. The campgrounds were busy but everyone was spaced out with plenty of room. Highly recommend staying here, we will definitely be back 😀🎣🐾
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David
October 2025
7 m Class A
With pets
Really enjoyed our 2-night stay. Would be easy to stay for longer and we’ll definitely be back. Thanks to Joy for being such a great host.
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J
Julia
October 2025
6 m pop-up camper
With kids
Easily accessible, beautiful space to camp having a fire looking over the lake.
Able to fish and use canoes which was a wonderful bonus!
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D
David
October 2025
5 m pop-up camper
With pets
Great little stop on the way back, kids had a ball and the amenities were perfect for what we intended on, Joy and her family have done a great job on the station to suit us visitors and we really appreciate it... thank you
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D
David
October 2025
5 m pop-up camper
With kids
Beautiful stop by during the trip, kids went canoeing and the amenities were enough for what we needed
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Francoise
September 2025
6 m travel trailer
With pets
WHAT A GREAT PLACE.
So peacefully.
Joy and family are lovely.
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nathan
September 2025
Tent
The hospitality of Joy was unsurpassed. The camping ground was clean and well maintained. The shower and faculty’s were well and truly above standard
The animals being horses , donkeys , cows that freely roamed were all friendly, we even had a the cattle dog sleep in the camping spot and felt like he was looking after us .
Recommend the spot highly
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Andrew
September 2025
Tent
With kids
Great place to stay with excellent amenities and a great host to boot. Would definitely stay there again, thank you
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Daryl
September 2025
7 m pop-up camper
Lovely un crowded farm style camping. Fire places with best ever wind shelter in the form of rain water tank corrugated iron half shells. Hot showers and we'll equipped camp kitchen. Canoes provided for paddling around the lake. Tame donkey Winston and tame cows and Brahman bull wandering about. Lots of birds and Barra in the lake (we caught and ate one...delicious, not muddy at all....). Lovely off grid alternative to a caravan park.
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J
Jessica
September 2025
Tent
Group trip
Beautiful spot to kick back and unwind for a few days. Lovely facilities including super hot showers!
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Marnie
September 2025
Tent
I loved the lake and all the camping sites that are available, Joy is a wonderful host and very welcoming and each afternoon would stop by to say a quick hello, toilets showers and even a washing machine all available for use, the surrounding camp grounds kept well maintained with beautiful grassy areas, all up i loved my 3 night stay and would definitely recommend a stay for a night or even a few, so peaceful, also there are canoes provided if you like to go for a paddle, it's a credit to Joy and her daughter on such a beautiful peace of paradise 🙂
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Essie
September 2025
5 m Class B
With pets
We loved our stay at Lakeland Downs! Beautiful location, heaps of space, grassed areas to set up with fire pits and firewood provided. Joy and her daughter were extremely friendly and came to check everything was going well. Friendly dogs and animals for our little pup to play with. Canoeing on the lake was fun. Facilities clean and practical. Highly recommend staying!
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N
Nadine
September 2025
6 m travel trailer
Lovely view of the lake from my van. Lots of bird life. Clean toilets and showers. Even managed to hook my first barra, didn't land it though as it threw the hook when it jumped. Had a great stay!
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The best luxury caravan camping near Cooktown guide
Where to go
Mount Cook
The 231-metre (758-foot) Mount Cook provides a dramatic backdrop to town as part of the Mount Cook National Park. Camping is not allowed in the park, but two walking tracks to lookouts lead to spectacular views over Cooktown, the Great Barrier Reef, and area coastline. The easier Mungurru lookout track is a 1.8-km return trip on the lower slopes of Mount Cook, while the 1.6-km Waymbuurr track is more challenging, requiring some navigational skills and a good level of fitness to reach the lookout. Take binoculars for birdwatching, and watch for pythons and northern quolls.
Keatings Lagooon
Just eight kilometres south of Cooktown, the freshwater Keatings Lagoon Conservation Park is a sanctuary for wildlife and migratory birds. A wooden boardwalk follows the edge of the lagoon through melaleuca forest, leading to a bird-hide and picnic area. For thousands of years the Gungarde Aboriginal people have used the natural resources of the lagoon—which they call Mulbabidgee—for food and medicine.
Hope Islands National Park
Four low-lying coral cays make up Hope Islands National Park. Get there from Cooktown by charter boat for camping on East Hope Island, a sandy cay with great snorkelling and diving, or on Snapper Island, a popular spot for sea kayakers. Campers must be self-sufficient, as the campsites only feature toilets. Each island has four campsites, with up to four campers allowed at each on East Hope Island and up to six at each site on Snapper Island.
When to go
The cool months of the year, from May to October, are best for Cape York Peninsula travel. Many roads and tracks become impassable during the hotter, wet months of late November to April, when cyclones can occur.
Know before you go
- Cooktown has good facilities for stocking up before you go camping, including a post office, pharmacy, visitor information centre, bank, and car hire.
- Dangerous stinging jellyfish may be present in coastal waters in the warmer months, when ocean swimming should be avoided. Their toxic stings can cause serious illness.
- Camping permits are required for all Queensland parks, forests, and reserves. Reserve your spot online and in advance, ideally as early as possible.