Canberra Camping Advice?

wicklow said :

A few more questions for you: many of you mention camping in places that I can’t seem to find info about site fees on the net (eg. Wee Jasper, Brandy Flat). Does anyone have that sort of info?

‘Should only be around $8 a night at any of the Wee Jasper reserves.
The local ranger has a residence at the Billy Grace reserve. That also happens to be a very comfortable spot to camp. With showers, BBQs, and purchasable firewood.

Um, I’m not sure about Brandy Flat. But I’d suggest a stop in at the Namadgi Visitors Centre on your way through.

wicklow said :

Thanks to all for your replies; a lot of helpful info has been posted. A few more questions for you: many of you mention camping in places that I can’t seem to find info about site fees on the net (eg. Wee Jasper, Brandy Flat). Does anyone have that sort of info?

Also, a few people mentioned some remote options. Just wondering with all these sites, how safe the spots are for a female camper (or two females)? Sounds ridiculous I know, but like I said, I’m a novice and would like to choose somewhere that ticks the safety box on my first out. 🙂

Thanks to all for the links to “official” info. As for firewood, where do most of you get yours from? What sort of prices would you be looking at and how much firewood is enough for 2 nights?

Car camping I assume is where you can park your car next to your spot? How far away do most of you park your cars when camping? Seems like an interesting point to consider.

Again, it’s great to hear from all the experienced campers here at RA. It’s even better to be able to learn such useful camping tips from you.

If you don’t have tools for chopping stuff up, then you’ll find many servos have firewood in bags out front.

Car close to camping spot (aka glamping – glamorous camping) would be fine for many of the spots mentioned – esp Honeysuckle etc in Namadgi.

As for safety I can’t make an observation re female. But I think the greatest risk is that anyone can find themselves at a site with drunks being morons, and the upshot of that can always be a luckydip. So I think the safest is away from others, or away from weekends at least. I always regard a camping trip during which I see no-one as a good trip.

Hehe, unless you are talking about truck convoys, Action buses, car v bike or politics you will usually get some helpful advice 🙂

Can’t help you with the fees but yes, car based camping is where you drive into the camp area, pick a site & camp near your car. You usually only have to cart your stuff about 20m max + most of the sites mentioned are acessable by 2wd vehicles.

Safe, want do you mean by safe? Safe from dickheads or wildlife? Dickeads are ever present & the more remote the better generally. Wildlife? Too early for snakes & bugs so you will be fine there. Wild dogs? They will usually leave you alone, you will hear them but that’s all. Homeless had an incident one night but he was alone & obviously looked vulnerable so the dogs had a go. Very rAre though.

Firewood, I usually gather close to camp (within a few km’s) & always carry a bow saw. If I am going for a long time & there are a heap of us we will take the chainsaw. Bunnings always have bags though for about 20 bucks a bag.

I will add some more later as i am about to tuck into a lamb roast…..

wicklow said :

Car camping I assume is where you can park your car next to your spot? How far away do most of you park your cars when camping? Seems like an interesting point to consider.

I think this is more referring to the fact that you’re driving right up to your camp site, so the amount of gear you can take with you isn’t limited by how much you can carry. So instead of needing to buy an expensive sleeping bag, that weighs next to nothing and packs down to the size of a postage stamp, you can take a cheaper bag – and a couple of blankets or a doona if you want to!

Thanks to all for your replies; a lot of helpful info has been posted. A few more questions for you: many of you mention camping in places that I can’t seem to find info about site fees on the net (eg. Wee Jasper, Brandy Flat). Does anyone have that sort of info?

Also, a few people mentioned some remote options. Just wondering with all these sites, how safe the spots are for a female camper (or two females)? Sounds ridiculous I know, but like I said, I’m a novice and would like to choose somewhere that ticks the safety box on my first out. 🙂

Thanks to all for the links to “official” info. As for firewood, where do most of you get yours from? What sort of prices would you be looking at and how much firewood is enough for 2 nights?

Car camping I assume is where you can park your car next to your spot? How far away do most of you park your cars when camping? Seems like an interesting point to consider.

Again, it’s great to hear from all the experienced campers here at RA. It’s even better to be able to learn such useful camping tips from you.

For car camping on the Shoalhaven. Try Oallen Ford.
All sealed roads via Bungendore > Tarago.

dvaey said :

While not in the ACT, there is also a nice little camping area about 10km on this side of Braidwood, near the Shoalhaven River. There is plenty of space for all methods of camping, from a simple swag to a big motorhome or caravan. Plus you can have your own fire, and theres often firewood provided. There is also a ‘free camping’ area just near Majors Creek, google will find it for you.

I have often thought about camping there as we drove past but we stopped on the way home from Batemans Bay at Easter & I didnt really like it.

The Majors Creek one would be OK.

Grail: where is Brandy Flat?

While not in the ACT, there is also a nice little camping area about 10km on this side of Braidwood, near the Shoalhaven River. There is plenty of space for all methods of camping, from a simple swag to a big motorhome or caravan. Plus you can have your own fire, and theres often firewood provided. There is also a ‘free camping’ area just near Majors Creek, google will find it for you.

If you or others are looking for people to hook up with to go camping with in the Canberra region: http://www.meetup.com/Camping-Canberra/

Brandy Flat is a lovely quiet little place, has a nice view over part of Canberra while still being far away from it all. There was a nice hut there last time I visited, though it may have been burned/vandalised/stolen in the meantime.

Only a couple of km off the road, so those who aren’t used to hiking don’t have to die to get there 🙂