Noob,New Camper, where to camp.

[John Sheridan]

Just wonder where in NSW would be some good places to do some camping where it is easy to get to and has a water source and and is genraly easy to get too even if it might take a few hours to walk to though a track.

Just looking for some spots to camp out to get some experience without being too hard

A Place where I can do some fishing would be nice to I like to cook and eat my fish.


Thanks for any suggestions.

/PS I guess the easiest place would be the local Caravan park, but I think I can manage something a little more challenging


Cheers.

[Hendo]

Hi John,
Where abouts in NSW? I grew up south of Goulburn and my favourite spots to camp were at Oallen Ford, which can be accessed by car (http://www.exploreaustralia.net.au/New- ... mping-area)
and Bungonia Gorge, which requires hiking down into the gorge to the river (http://ozultimate.com/bushwalking/park.php?nid=32)
Both are on the Shoalhaven River

[John Sheridan]

Sydney Area, but willing to go elsewhere with a bus and or train.

Cheers.

[johnw]

Sydney Area, but willing to go elsewhere with a bus and or train.

A few thoughts. Royal NP Coast Walk might be one option. Not that I'm a fisherman but you can fish from the rocks and beaches. Often see people doing so along there. Overnight camp at North Era (booking required). Mostly easy walking.

Various spots along the Great North Walk. Although I don't know about the fishing.

Along the Coxs River in the Wild Dog Mountains, starting from Carlons Farm (Dunphy Camping Area) in the Megalong Valley. Various options to walk down there, some easier than others. Need your own transport though, or possibly taxi from Blackheath station (probably not cheap).

[buggeriamold]

Along the Coxs River in the Wild Dog Mountains, starting from Carlons Farm (Dunphy Camping Area) in the Megalong Valley. Various options to walk down there, some easier than others. Need your own transport though, or possibly taxi from Blackheath station (probably not cheap).

Or walk from Katomba Station out Narrow Neck, then down Carlons or Tuross etc to the same area.

[Cassandra]

You probably already know about the national park ones like Blue mountains and Bents basin etc
If your close to the Hawkesbury area there is Wheeny creek, Bielany and Colo River. It really depends on how much you want to rough it, the places ive mentioned have a bush feel but are family friendly ie toilets maybe even water for washing and are all car based..
I camp a fair amount with kids so we try to keep it close to home as kids mean packing the car with way more stuff, I'm only just starting to look into this hiking to your campsite idea lol

[Dale]

Grose Valley is great destination. There are a number of access points. Lochleys Plyon to Blue Gum Forest or Perrys Lookdown to Victoria Falls for a longer walk is great. The Grose river is a star attraction here although I don't know about fishing options.

Train to Blackheath and cab ride will get you to the start for most of these walks.

[John Sheridan]

I have been looking for a place to do a bit of camping, fishing and walking and I may have found a place, what do you think, I think I could even swim if I wanted

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?saddr=Li ... 1&t=h&z=15

Only takes about 36 minutes to get there from my place, could take a train to the closest station and a taxi to the closest road, Looks like a nice place to camp for a long week end or a week.

Let me know what you think.

Cheers.

[ninjapuppet]

There wont be any fish down in the grose valley. cray-fish maybe, but not ones that you're allowed to eat legally.

and John, that section of the georges river has very few fish. In about 10 years, I have seen 1 fish jump up but I have never caught anything there. your best bet is to head to the blue mountains (south of the coxs rivers) or do some rock fishing on the royal national park.

[michael_p]

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?saddr=Li ... 1&t=h&z=15.

John,

The end of Florence Road is private property, not to mention it is also a nudist colony: http://www.heritageaustralia.com/. *

The water in the Georges River is polluted and would need to be treated and filtered before drinking. Even then I would be reluctant to drink it having seen water leaking out of the old rubbish tip at Lynwood Park several k's up-stream.

* BTW - There use to be another nudist camp to the north of Heritage called Brown Acres. And along that section of the Georges there are a number of old timber and corrugated iron shacks as well as some rock overhangs that have been converted to shacks complete with furniture. Don't ask how I know.

[michael_p]

Some guy Bass fishing around Campbelltown (looks like the Georges to me):

[John Sheridan]

Oh man that would have been a little bit of shock to me, I saw buildings on google maps and never thought nudists lived there

Oh well got to try again for place to camps and fish, The problem is I want to find a place that's pretty close so I don't spend too much time getting there as I would only have maybe 3 days to do my camping, would have been funny in hindsight to see the reaction of the taxi driver as I told him where to take me

I really know how to pick a place, LMFAO :p

Cheers.

[John Sheridan]

How about here south of nudist central anything I need to worry about there ?


http://maps.google.com.au/maps?saddr=Li ... 1&t=h&z=16

Looks like some good water ways to fish in there and if I head south on the other water way I think I even see a water fall

Seems easy enough to get to, take the train and a short taxi ride to the edge and hike in.

Thanks for any insight.

Cheers.

[michael_p]

How about here south of nudist central anything I need to worry about there ?


http://maps.google.com.au/maps?saddr=Li ... 1&t=h&z=16

Looks like some good water ways to fish in there and if I head south on the other water way I think I even see a water fall

Seems easy enough to get to, take the train and a short taxi ride to the edge and hike in.

Thanks for any insight.

Cheers.

John,

I am assuming you mean the area marked on the map as the "Georges River Nature Reserve". Locally this is known as the Keith Longhurst Reserve (KLR), info from Campbelltown Council here: http://www.campbelltown.nsw.gov.au/default.asp?iSubCatID=2990&iNavCatID=2909.
As far as I am aware the KLR is only for passive recreational activities. I was involved in the community consultation held back in 2005 (I think it was 2005) and I can't quite remember exactly but I think passive recreational activities meant bushwalking and swimming only, but don't quote me on that. There are some very good spots for a camp along the escarpment (here for example is a very nice area: http://g.co/maps/2uk8e ) but getting down to the water would be harder. You can get a bus (the 884K?) from Campbelltown station. Over many years of wandering along the Georges River and surrounding areas I have come across a number of camp sites, so people are camping in the area. As to whether you camp in the area, it's your decision.

Sorry for the blurry photo. This camp has been in use for many years. I remember finding it as a teenager (I am now mid 40s).

That large triangular body of water in your map link is the Basin swimming hole. The Georges comes in from the bottom left and winds its' way to the Basin before exiting towards the top of the map. The creek coming into the bottom right corner of the Basin is Punchbowl Ck. As I stated earlier the water in the Georges is polluted. And Punchbowl Ck drains a large area which includes the Holsworthy Field Firing Range, so the Army has been bombing the crap out of the place for years. I would also consider Punchbowl Ck as being polluted with who knows what.

View across the Basin from above waterfall.

As too fishing. There is a large waterfall at the Basin (great spot to sit under on a hot day). The only fish I have seen above the Basin where little ones like Galaxia. Not to say there aren't larger fish it's just I have never seen any, mind you I haven't tried fishing the river even though I live at most about 2km away.

Anyway, i hope to have been of some help. If you have any more questions please ask and I will try to do my best.

Regards,
Michael.

One more photo.

If you cross the Georges you see these signs.

[John Sheridan]

Would you say the further up the gorges river the less polluted it is or am I missing something more pollution from up river from somewhere, always though the further up a river the cleaner it would be, unless it's connected to another pulluted river upstream I guess.

Is there anywhere on the gorges river where you think it is save to catch fish and eat em ?

Cheers.

[highlander chris]

Hi John
If your looking for a camping site and want to do some fishing + insist on eating your catch (i don't recomend this unless very clean waters) try the upper Nepean river (ie Douglas Park) you can catch a train from Sydney to Douglas Park and walk down to the gorge heading up or down stream (down stream would be more suitable), some good camping sites and better bass fishing. Just becareful on consuming the water (would carry in own supply).

Hope this helps
chris

P.S. If you see bass fisho's down there DON'T tell them that you plan on eating your catch, they are very protective of that spot and you might not make it back home. LOL

[michael_p]

Would you say the further up the gorges river the less polluted it is or am I missing something more pollution from up river from somewhere, always though the further up a river the cleaner it would be, unless it's connected to another pulluted river upstream I guess.

Is there anywhere on the gorges river where you think it is save to catch fish and eat em ?

Cheers.

John,

Sorry to be slow getting back to you. Read your post days ago and was all ready to reply then somehow got distracted and then today my main computer died just as I was typing. Some days you can't win.

According to this site you can eat fish out of the river: http://www.georgesriver.org.au/FAQs.html. But I'd be reluctant to eat fish from the upper river. Not only leeching from the old tip but way up the river, near Appin, water from the coal mine dam on Brennans Creek gets pumped into the river. Map link for the mine dam: http://g.co/maps/ew7kv, nice green colour isn't it.

Some interesting further reading on the upper Georges.
Interesting item from the Greens website: http://nonewcoal.greens.org.au/mines-by-region/georges-river.
And from the River SOS site: http://riverssos.org.au/mining-in-nsw/georges-river/.

Make your own mind up but I would not eat anything I caught in the upper river.

Cheers,
Michael.

P.S. Read highlander chris's post and immediatly remembered as a kid swimming at the Towers at Douglas Park with my brothers. Those were the days.

[colinm]

How about Minnamurra? Been decades, but in HS we used to catch a train, swim across the river and overnight on the spit. Can't vouch for the fish, but you have your choice of estuary and ocean/beach. Have to take your own water, of course (not that we worried about girly stuff like hydration in those days ... or food ... or shelter, come to think of it.)

[John Sheridan]

I think I will go to Simmos Beach Recreation Reserve, Macquarie Fields, New South Wales and have a weekend their, nice safe spot, good enough to setup my tent and test my gear our for one or two nights stay and do some fishing as well, not that I think I will catch anything, but fishing kills the time

I can do some walking down the river as well and do some sight seeing as well, I looked the beach up, but never saw anything about camping, but If I find a secluded spot I don't think anyone would mind, well I hope not.

Cheers.

[John Sheridan]

Grose valley looks nice, might try that when I get some more experience, see the falls and tacle some nice walks and do some camping over night and know If I get lost sooner or later Ill run into someone to save me


Cheers.