If you like simple holidays filled with activities such as fishing, hiking and cycling, why not book a campsite or cabin in Victoria’s Gippsland region?
Here are eleven fantastic camping and caravan spots perfect for a Gippsland family holiday.
East Gippsland
Buchan Caves Campground
Home to an underground wonderland of 400-million-year-old limestone caves, Buchan Caves Reserve should be on any family’s bucket list. Daily guided tours offer the chance to explore the calcite-rimmed pools of Royal Cave and the elaborate stalactites and stalagmites in Fairy Cave.
Buchan Caves Campground offers powered and unpowered sites with hot showers, laundry, a camp kitchen and and electric and wood-fired barbecues available. Accommodation is also available at the self-contained Caves House which sleeps up to eight guests.
Cabin and Wilderness Camp accommodation are no longer available at Buchan Caves Reserve following the Black Summer bushfires of 2019-20.
Cape Conran Coastal Park & Banksia Bluff Campground
Stretching along 60km of isolated beaches on the rugged Bass Strait, Cape Conran Coastal Park is a mecca for nature lovers. It spreads across an 11,000ha wilderness area, with heathlands and banksia woodlands brimming with nectar-feeding birds.
The Park offers several camping options, including the main Banksia Bluff Campground. While unpowered, it has flushing toilets and cold outdoor showers as well as a dog-friendly section. There are also three remote campsites sans amenities for a truly off-grid experience.
Cabin and lodge accommodation at Cape Conran is currently under reconstruction following the Black Summer bushfires of 2019-20.
Marlo Caravan Park & Motel
Sitting on the Snowy River Estuary, which has some of the best perch and bream fishing around, the small village of Marlo is a well-kept secret just 15 minutes from Orbost and the Princes Hwy and 15 minutes along the beach from Cape Conran.
Marlo Caravan Park & Motel sits behind the iconic Marlo Hotel, one of the best waterfront pubs you can find, with plenty of lawn for the kids to run around while you enjoy a meal and soak up the view. The park has powered sites, budget cabins, park cabins and deluxe cabins. It’s close to the general store and post office and has a playground, barbecue, laundry and DVD rental.
Nicholson River Holiday Park
On the banks of the Nicholson River, this holiday park is a great spot for fishing and within easy driving distance of bustling Lakes Entrance, picturesque Metung and the koala colony on Raymond Island. Have a chat to owner Jamie Malady about where the bream are biting and what bait to use before heading out.
Nicholson River Holiday Park has self-contained cabins overlooking the river, more affordable cabins and large grassy powered sites for caravans and camping. While animals are not allowed in cabins, the grounds are pet-friendly. It also has a pool and a large recreation room with a pool table, table tennis, full cooking facilities, a PlayStation and TV. There’s also two free barbecues, a rotunda with views over the river and boat mooring is available.
Orbost Caravan Park
On the banks of the Snowy River in the pretty town of Orbost, just 15 minutes’ drive from the coast, Orbost Caravan Park has a lovely tranquil atmosphere, just a 500m walk from town. Shaded powered and unpowered sites are available, as well as standard and deluxe cabins, plus barbecue and picnic areas, playgrounds, laundry, and a park just across the road.
Central Gippsland
Dargo River Inn
Pitch a tent or stay in a self-contained cabin at Dargo River Inn, which lies on the site of an old timber mill. Nestled in the Dargo High Plains, the town is at the gateway to the Alpine National Park, Avon Wilderness Area and Mitchell River National Park, making it a popular pick for 4WD and motorbike enthusiasts.
This iconic high country inn has a large beer garden overlooking the countryside and hosts gigs with country music stars such as Lee Kernaghan, Travis Sinclair and Adam Brand.
Licola Caravan Park
Developed from an old sawmill town that was mostly destroyed in the 1960s, Licola is the only privately-owned ‘town’ in Victoria. Licola Caravan Park is a pet-friendly park on the edge of the meandering Macalister River. It makes a great base for 4WDing, fishing, hiking and dirt bike riding.
It has bunkhouses, cabins and powered and unpowered campsites and there’s a general store on site which sells groceries, camping equipment, take-away food and fuel.
Seaspray Caravan Park
There’s a three-bedroom cabin with a TV, DVD player, microwave and air-conditioning, as well as powered sites that are either pet-friendly or in no pet zones. It has a camp kitchen and barbecue area, with public tennis courts next door.
Loch Sport Caravan Park
Best Friend Holiday Retreat
If taking your pooch is a priority, look no further than Best Friend Holiday Retreat in the Tarra Valley. As well as six large, fenced off-leash areas, the holiday park has a giant dog ball run, a dog hydrobath hut and luxury kennels where your furry friend can hang out while you visit nearby national parks, such as the temperate rainforest Tarra-Bulga National Park, just 3km away.
All cabins, campsites and caravan sites are fully fenced. It’s a 25-minute drive to the beach, or just pop across the road to cool down in a natural rock pool and waterfall. Koalas live in the gum trees overlooking the holiday park and you can feed the birds daily, and pick your own organic fruit, berries and nuts when they are in season, which you can roast along with marshmallows on the campfire at night.
Golden Beach
Bush camping under the teatrees at Golden Beach means you are just metres away from the sand and waves of the seemingly endless Ninety Mile Beach. There’s great surf and many wildflowers in spring, while a walk along the beach will take you to the wreck of the Trinculo, swept ashore by a gale in 1879 and still rusting nicely.
In partnership with Destination Gippsland
