These Are The Best Camping Spots In Australia, Bar None
Captain Morgan is Junkee's new Captain of Culture and he's about to make some captain's calls about everything you love.
After a hard day’s swashbuckling, there’s really only one place I prefer to kick my boots off: out on the high water, locked in my chamber, or on the galley deck if the night sky is raging. Having said that, every so often, me crew and I abandon ship for the comforts of the shore, camping like a bunch of landlubbers.
After sailing around this great nation, I’ve mapped countless sweet spots to pitch tents and get a fire going – ready your land legs, pack up your van, and take a swagger with me through some of Australia’s best, and most pirate-friendly, camping spots.
Cape Schanck, VIC
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I like the sound of Cape Schanck. Equal parts delicious and foreboding. Just a hop and step from Melbourne, on the exquisite Mornington Peninsula, you’re not only close to the shores of Bass Strait and Western Port here, but proximate to a world of delicious treats, not least of all the region’s finest wineries, restaurants and gastronomic delights.
Camping-wise, you’ve got a bunch of options in and around this turf or further afield in Shoreham, Point Leo and Flinders, if such spots take your fancy.
Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW
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A mimosa is no pirate drink, let me tell you – but it does make for a fine camping refuge. Whenever my crew and I find ourselves cruising along NSW’s plentiful Sapphire Coast, we make a point of stopping by Mimosa Rocks, which is just a few nautical clicks from Bega in the southern end of the state. Check out Picnic Point for a prime campground choice – the sound of the raging whitewash after dark’ll have you lulled to sleep like a baby.
Bushy Parker Park, QLD
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My first mate’s cousin’s uncle’s sister’s room mate was called Bushy Parker, which is why we make the trip here whenever we’re bound for northern turf. Bushy Parker Park is a fine spot for a lot of reasons: it’s free, for one thing; it’s close to a clean creek, too – good for a morning dip. Plus, it’s a dog leg from the lifeguard-patrolled Balgal beachside, which is doubly good because we pirates can’t swim (cruel irony, I realise).
More to the point, Bushy Parker Park is quite close to some of my favourite islands, including Rattlesnake Island and Magnetic Island, where I like to bury my gold.
Devil’s Marbles, NT
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Nothing beats a few rounds of the devil’s marbles as a wind down after a stiff day of pillaging – doubly so at this namesake turf. More prominently known as Karlu Karlu – an important Dreaming place for the Warumungu, Kaytetye and Alyawarre people – the Devil’s Marbles are an ethereal sight: a collection of boulders in the middle of nowhere, filled with magic and intrigue.
These marbles sure are a long way from dock – but boy if they ain’t a treasure to find.
Peaceful Bay, WA
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We swashbucklers aren’t gung-ho 100 per cent of the time – we need our R ‘n’ R as much as anyone else. So, when we find ourselves on the rugged shores of Western Australia, we know where to head: Peaceful Bay, one of the most relaxing spots in the seven seas.
Located smack-bang in the mid-point between Walpole and Denmark, this soothing spot offers campers an array of excellent features, including stunning beaches, amazing bushwalks, and excellent fishing – cast the reel, haul ‘em in, and dine like sea royalty.
Rapid Bay, SA
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What’s not love about Rapid Bay? From it’s soaring stretch of golden sand and its sweeping, eerie cliffs, to its bona fide spooky abandoned vibe, this is a real pirate’s kind of place. Peppered with splendid beaches and proximate to the lush McLaren Vale wine country, SA’s Fleurieu Peninsula is a year-round favourite of the crew, and Rapid Bay is our choice place to dock. With camping right on the beach, you’ve also got ample space to practice your parrys and lunges, and laze beneath the starry heavens with a rum after dark.
Bay of Fires, TAS
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Argh! Blow me down and call me Morgs, if there’s one camping space a cut above the rest in Tasmania, it’s the stunning Bay of Fires, sitting all the way out there on the north-east coast, between Ansons and Binalong Bay. Known for its orange fire-tinged rocks, glorious white sands, and pure teal waters, it doesn’t get much more idyllic than this timber-shivering nook. Though it’s a somewhat more rough-and-ready experience than other Tassie offerings, this firey bay is 100 per cent pirate-sanctioned: a spruce spot with all the trimmings.
This article originally appeared on Junkee.
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Be sure to keep up with my van life adventure on Instagram @captainmorganau.
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(Lead image: Toa Heftiba / Unsplash)