1. Nine Mile Beach, Byfield National Park:
Located in Central Queensland, this is a great place to bring the 4WD, mates and family to get off the grid and experience some of the best coastal camping in QLD. Campsites are super cheap, but you do need to book online. Bring your fishing gear, because if you head south on the Nine Mile Beach, there is a track into the back of Corio Bay, which is a great place to wet a line.
2. Sandy Cape, Fraser Island
This is the place you go on Fraser to escape the crowds and experience some of the best camping in the country. My pick of the crop is the first campsite you come to as you round the camp, right next to the big sand dune. You will need to be self-sufficient up here and these campsites are cut off to the rest of the island during a high tide. Waking up to flat, crystal-clear turquoise water lapping up to the beach in front of your campsite is just about as good as it gets! The fishing up here can be spectacular.
3. Moreton Island
This is the perfect long weekender from Brisbane and while you are relatively close to the big smoke, you will feel miles away from civilisation. This is a proper Island getaway and despite being close to Brisbane, Moreton offers less crowds than Fraser and is the perfect spot to escape over winter. While you’re here, have a swim up at the champagne pools on the north-west corner of the island, get yourself some fresh oysters to enjoy with a coldie back at camp and checkout the WWII bunkers on the eastern side. As for camping, my pick is the coastal sites on the north-eastern side.
4. Teewah Beach, Sunshine Coast
About an hour and a half north of Brisbane and on the doorstep of Fraser Island, you can avoid the ferry costs and this makes this beachside camping area the perfect weekender in SE QLD. There is a stack of campsites up on the dunes overlooking the beach. Once you’ve set up camp it’s worth a day trip up to Double Island point at the northern end of the beach. Park your 4WD up beside the lagoon for a swim and set up your awning up for shade and park your favourite camp chair beside your esky.
5. Pennefather Beach, FNQ
Just north of Weipa is a great campsite not known by many punters making their way up to the tip of Cape York. Pennefather River Camping Area is the pick as you’re near the river and camped up to one of the best fishing spots in the Cape. If you’ve got a roof top tinny you could easily spend a week or more here chasing barra and other tropical speedsters, but even the land-based fishing is phenomenal.
6. Chilli Beach, Cape York
Have you ever wondered where they get those postcard shots of coconut trees lining the whitest sandy beach and aqua blue water? Well, I’m not sure either, but Chilli Beach is the postcard perfect location of Cape York and definitely worth stopping in for a few days to kick back and take it all in. With tropical temperatures and white sand under your feet, you’ll have forgotten all about the fact it’s winter when you crack a beer with your family and mates in one of the most picturesque places on earth.
7. Lorella Springs, NT
Situated on a Million acres of wilderness in the heart of the Gulf country is this little (huge) slice of paradise. Kick back in the natural hot springs, discover one of the many swimming holes or head to the river and fish until your arms get sore. My favourite campsite is out at the mouth of the Wuraliwuntya creek, they call it the ‘secret fishing spot’. Yep, it lives up to its name. This is the ultimate Top End adventurers’ playground.
8. Cameron Corner, QLD
Right on the corner of QLD, NSW and SA is the ultimate Outback experience. Camp beside the pub and crack a coldy and play the only golf course that has a hole in three different states. Winter is the best time to visit the outback, as the days are warm however the nights can get a bit chilly not that it will bother you as you sit around a campfire as you burn some mulga wood and kick back watching the sun set over the sand dunes. From there, either head out to the Simpson Desert or turn south and follow the dog fence down to Broken Hill for a good adventure.
9. Mcgowans Island, WA
This has to be one of the best campsites in the Kimberley region and that’s really saying something because this is one of the best camping destinations in the country. Many people come up here to escape the cold of winter and end up staying here for a few months. Chuck your own oysters straight from the rocks and fish straight off the beach in front of your campsite. There’s a couple of tame emus running around the campsite, so make sure there’s a latch on your esky!
10. Pebbly Beach, NSW
About an hour north of Coffs Harbour in the Yuraygir National Park is a true little secret gem. If you’re looking for a proper beach side campsite where you roll out your swag on the grass right on the beach, then this is it. It’s a 4WD only campsite and a shallow little creek crossing that you should only tackle at low tide. Get the kids to ride down the big sand dunes on an esky lid or body board and walk metres from your camp to fish from the beach, this is one of the best kept secrets on the east coast.