The mercury may be pretty low in the southern parts of the country, but this is the best time of year to escape the cold by planning a camping trip to Queensland. As such, this month’s Adventure List is focused exclusively on some of the best camping locations the Sunshine State has to offer.
Cape York, Cape York Peninsula
You’ll be hard pressed to find an Aussie adventurer who doesn’t have Cape York on their bucket list. The northernmost tip of Australia is not easy to get to due to the rough terrain and challenging 4WD tracks you’ll need to cover, but the challenge is well worth it. The Cape is a landscape of large and vast plains lined with waterholes and rivers, while its shoreline includes large sandy beaches with indigenous flora and amazing sunrises.
Sandy Bay, South Molle Island
South Molle Island is a natural refuge that has managed to remain largely untouched by civilisation. Sandy Bay is the island’s most popular campsite,and although there are toilets and picnic tables, there’s not much else in terms of facilities. The appeal instead lies in its location as it’s positioned directly on the water, and boasts some truly spectacular views over the surrounding area. It’s almost as though Sandy Bay was crafted by nature specifically for active campers with plenty of hiking trails, mountain biking tracks and snorkelling spots on offer.
The Big Red Bash, Birdsville
If solitude, beaches and the palm trees aren’t your scene, why not try a destination with thousands of music fans in the middle of the desert? The Big Red Bash in Birdsville is the world’s most remote music festival and every year, thousands people flock to the Simpson Desert to see some of the biggest names in Australian music. According to their official website:
“The Big Red Bash is the most amazing and unique outback concert experience you’ll ever have. Set in the Simpson Desert, we don’t have to keep the volume down out here! The Big Red Bash is an RV Friendly event, and we welcome campers, backpackers, caravan and 4WD travellers to the far west for this special outback adventure.”
Be sure to check out their website for details on this year’s bash.