Looking for recommended campsites on the Murramarang South C

[Clarrie]

Hey all,

I’m planning to do the Murramarang South Coast Walk soon as a 3-day hike (roughly 30km total), aiming for about 10km each day. Just wondering where the best spots to camp along the way are?

I’m looking for sites that have toilets and water — not super remote, but still feel like a proper bushwalk (not right on a road or anything). If anyone knows good places to stop, or has any tips for booking or nice spots along the track, I’d really appreciate it!

Here’s the AllTrails link for reference:
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/australia/new-south-wales/murramarang-south-coast-walk

[sandym]

You are really limited to the official camps unless you are thinking of camping illegally.

There are legal camps at Pebbly (vehicle accessed campground but quite small and nice), Depot Beach (also vehicle accessed but quite nice). At Durras there are four commercial campgrounds, one at North Durras set a bit back from the beach on the lake (probably the quietest), then two along the beach and the final one at the South Durras (also known as Cookies).

Other national park campsites are the walkers camp at Oaky Beach (this will be the best for you as a walker) and North Head (vehicle accessed).

Doing the walk over three days you will have lots of time to explore. I think the walk is actually more like 37 kilometres if you take all the side tracks (worth doing).

Durras Lake mouth was closed but after all this rain I'm not sure if it will end up opening again. It can be interesting trying to ford Durras Lake mouth if the channel is open. You can check the "Friends of Durras" facebook page as they sometimes post a picture of the Durras Lake mouth.

You'll also need low tide for the section south of Pebbly Beach.

[duncanm]

You are really limited to the official camps unless you are thinking of camping illegally.

Remote camping is ok in Murramarang, according to the plan of management, no?


https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/publ ... management

[johnf]

Walk-in camping will be permitted in Murramarang National Park:
- at designated camping areas (subject to availability);
- more than 100 metres from the coastline, any walking track or road;
- more than 500 metres from picnic areas, camping areas and villages.
* If impacts of walk-in camping prove unacceptable, affected areas may be closed to
camping or numbers of campers may be controlled by a permit system

If the idea is to follow the coastal track, not many obvious good spots that meet the criteria.

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

Oaky campsite sucks. Just camp on north head itself, in the trees (above the cliffs) away from the main campsite. Not sure if that meets the 500m criterion but meh

[sandym]

Yes, johnf. Remote camping is permitted but (from a local's perspective): All the people I see camping outside of the designated areas do NOT meet the remote camping rules and, sadly, they leave toilet waste, fire pits and garbage behind.

The Murramarang walk is designed to use the designated campsites. If you are embarking on a walk like the Murramarang Coastal Walk surely walkers expect to use the designated campsites. If you don't like designated campsites, go walk somewhere wild like the Budawangs and camp where you want.

[DJ Wombat]

A bit off topic but please be aware of the Durras Lake now is wide open to the ocean and the water is in very strong torrent force - from the lake to the ocean, due to fainfall in the past week.
We have a group of 7 dashing through the full length yesterday and spent nearly an hour at the lake entrance testing waters. My advice - wade close to the ocean side as possible at low tide. The lake side looks narrow however it's too deep and torrent force is too strong.
Check national park alerts before you go https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/vi ... cal-alerts

[sandym]

There is always the kayak option. You just have to contact the operator from the NSW Parks Information site and he will bring some kayaks across to transport your group.

I agree, the channel can be a challenge to cross.

[johnf]

Yep, agree sandym, that is why I posted it in response to the post above mine as not so many obvious spots meet the criteria.
It probably would be good to have a low key official camp near South Durras, Oaky beach is a bit far on if you want to enjoy and explore all the coves and beaches before it (going south).
It would have to be walk in or would have too many non walkers invading.

[sandym]

I totally get wanting a non-caravan park camp. I've done so many so called "great walks" in Australia only to find myself jammed in with vehicle campers at the end of the day who have smoky fires and blast the boom box all night but the intention of the Murramarang Walk was to bring people to the local villages during our (I live down here) off season (winter) so the walk is set up to use the available commercial campsites. It's by design.

IMHO, this is the new model of NSW National Parks, build facilities to bring business to the local area. Look at the millions spent on the "new" Katoomba walk which is actually an existing walk just upgraded for the masses to bring tourists to the cafes and accommodation options.

Which does not mean the new Murramarang walk isn't a great walk - it is. I've done it multiple times but, because I don't like the tenting options I do it in a day. We also do a lot of sea kayaking along this coast and when the Murramarang walk was being designed and NPWS were looking for feedback the kayaking community (including the state kayaking club) submitted a request for one kayaking camp. But Parks had no interest in that because, apparently, it would not bring enough business. Kayakers don't need water, we can easily carry our own, but we do need a reliable landing site and a bit of clear ground near the ocean.

All that being said, if the OP is willing to carry drinking water, there are lots of little spots in the forest where you could legally camp. The forest is actually quite open, so walk into the bush where-ever you want and find yourself a little campsite. Experienced bushwalkers will have no difficulty finding a tent location.