Diamond Head campground
Crowdy Bay National Park
Overview
The beachside campground at Diamond Head is one of the most popular places to stay in Crowdy Bay National Park. It has caravan sites, additional walk-in campsites and picnic amenities.
| Number of campsites | 75 |
|---|---|
| Camping type | Tent, Camper trailer site, Caravan site, Camping beside my vehicle |
| Where | 763 Diamond Head Road, Diamond Head, NSW, 2443 - in Crowdy Bay National Park |
| Facilities | Amenities block, picnic tables, barbecue facilities, carpark, showers, toilets, rubbish bin |
| What to bring | Drinking water, cooking water |
| Entry fees |
Park entry fees apply and can be paid at the time of booking. |
| Group bookings | Book up to 20 people or 5 sites online. For larger groups, make a group booking enquiry. |
| Please note |
|
With its excellent camping and picnic facilities, the beach side campground at Diamond Head is one of the most popular places to stay in Crowdy Bay National Park. It includes campsites for motorhomes, caravans, campervans, camper trailers and tents.
Once you’ve ogled the ocean and the blackened pillars of Split Rock from the beach, there is lots more to explore. Take your choice from several hiking tracks, including the 4.8km Diamond Head loop walk via Indian Head with its panoramic views of coast, mountains and forest, or the shorter Mermaid Lookout track. And don't forget to pick up your wildflowers identification brochure, bird and fauna lists from the onsite office before you head out.
You’ll find gas barbecues, picnic shelters and outdoor showers right next to the beach.
Take a virtual tour of Diamond Head campground captured with Google Street View Trekker.
Map
Map legend
Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/camping-and-accommodation/campgrounds/diamond-head-campground/local-alerts
Bookings
- National Parks Contact Centre
- 7am to 7pm daily
- 1300 072 757 (13000 PARKS) for the cost of a local call within Australia excluding mobiles
- parks.info@environment.nsw.gov.au
Park info
- in Crowdy Bay National Park in the North Coast region
Crowdy Bay National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
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Park entry fees:
$8 per vehicle per day.
Buy annual pass.
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Diamond Head campground.
Getting there and parking
Diamond Head campground is in the northern section of Crowdy Bay National Park. When you enter the park, follow Diamond Head Road to the campground.
There is 4WD access to the beach from Diamond Head but you’ll need to organise a permit from Port Macquarie-Hastings Council before setting out.
Road quality
The road can deteriorate quite quickly during periods of rain and high visitation. Please drive to the road and weather conditions.
- Unsealed roads
Vehicle access
- 2WD vehicles
Weather restrictions
- All weather
Parking
Parking is permitted within your campsite boundaries only. There is a designated parking area for walk-in camping area bookings.
Additional parking onsite is provided in gravel and asphalt carparks for day visitors only.
Best times to visit
Crowdy Bay National Park generally enjoys a warm subtropical climate. However outside of winter the temperature can reach above 30C, so be sure to carry sunscreen, a hat and plenty of water. Drinking water is not available within the park. Winter days and nights can be cool to cold, particularly in exposed areas of the park.
Spring
Wildflowers paint the dunes and heath in spectacular colour during spring.
Summer
Swimming, boating and fishing – enjoy the delights of Crowdy Bay's magnificent beaches. Look out for the festive Christmas Bell blooms.
Winter
Remember your binoculars and camera to experience the sight of migrating whales.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
19°C and 25°C
Highest recorded
43.3°C
Winter temperature
Average
10°C and 19°C
Lowest recorded
-1.7°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
February and March
Driest month
September
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
310mm
Facilities
- The main part of the campground has marked sites and is suitable for motorhomes, caravans, campervans, camper trailers and tents. No powered sites are available.
- Campsites in the walk-in camp area are suitable for tents only. All equipment must be carried from vehicles to the camp area (about 150m).
- Water is not available at this campground.
- Fires are permitted in off-the-ground braziers only. Hire is available from the onsite office.
- Firewood and ice can be purchased from the onsite office. Collecting firewood from the park is not permitted.
- There is a Dump-Ezy for chemical toilet waste
- Please be considerate of others and keep noise down. Noise restrictions apply from 10pm.
Amenities
Outdoor beach showers and cold showers are available.
Toilets
- Flush toilets
Picnic tables
Barbecue facilities
- Gas/electric barbecues (free)
Carpark
Additional parking onsite is provided for day visitors only.
Showers
- Cold showers
Rubbish bin
Rubbish and recycling bins are available near the amenities block.
Step-free access
The campground is mostly flat and step-free, with a paved pathway that leads past a couple of the picnic tables, the barbecue shelter and the amenities.
Please note there are steps along some of the access paths to the beach.
- Step-free outdoor pathways
Seats and resting points
There are 2 bench seats near the roundabout at the campground, one with a backrest and one without.
Maps and downloads
Accessibility
Disability access level - medium
Diamond Head campground is flat and mostly step-free, with the following accessible facilities:
- A paved pathway that leads past a couple of the picnic tables, the barbecue shelter and the main amenities block.
- Accessible flush toilets at the main amenities block and also in the eastern part of the campground near Kojaks Beach access track.
- Bench seats for resting
There are some parts of the campground where people with reduced mobility may need assistance:
- The showers at this campground are not accessible
- There are steps along some of the access paths to the beach
Permitted
Camp fires and solid fuel burners
Fires are permitted in off-the-ground braziers only. You can hire one from the Diamond Head office.
Fishing
Spear fishing is permitted in designated areas only.
Prohibited
Amplified music is not permitted.
Gathering firewood
Generators
Pets
Pets and domestic animals (other than certified assistance animals) are not permitted. Find out which regional parks allow dog walking and see the pets in parks policy for more information.
Smoking
NSW national parks are no smoking areas.
Learn more
Diamond Head campground is in Crowdy Bay National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Gifts of nature
The views may grab the headlines, but within the park are more secretive delights that change with the seasons. These include rolling dunes that spring to life with wildflowers and migratory birds that populate the lagoons. There are lots of great lookouts to spot whales from as they migrate along the coast in winter or watch ospreys and falcons circle in the skies. Not to mention, kangaroos, koalas and cockatoos galore. Christmas visitors will receive an extra gift, Crowdy Bay's famous festive season blooms of Christmas bells.
- Mermaid lookout track Mermaid lookout track takes you on a tour of Crowdy Bay National Park's secret surprises. Secluded coves, sweeping beaches and mountain views await you on this short hike.
- Metcalfes walking track Get up close with nature on Metcalfes walking track, which links Indian Head and Kylies Beach in Crowdy Bay National Park. It's a family friendly hike and the kids might even spot a koala.
Past present
The Birpai People have climbed the headlands, swum in the rivers, crossed the sand dunes and walked the beaches of Crowdy Bay National Park for thousands of years. The sea and forest areas were a rich food source for the Birpai People, providing fish, shellfish, wallabies and berries. The park protects a number of Aboriginal sites, like shell middens and campsites, the oldest of which are about 6,000 years old. The park continues to be an important place for local Aboriginal people today.
Postcard perfect
This spectacular environment is truly something to write home about. If you can't find the words, try these - panoramic, breathtaking, even gobsmacking. Then again, you'll probably be too busy exploring the tracks, gazing agape at the huge rock arches, communing with wildlife or throwing a line to write lines on a postcard.
- Crowdy Gap walking track The short and sweet Crowdy Gap walking track in Crowdy Bay National Park, near Taree, offers a stroll through rainforest with scenic views and the chance to see koalas.
- Diamond Head Loop walk Diamond Head loop walk offers scenic coastal views across Crowdy Bay National Park. Expect beaches, lookouts, and glinting rock faces, giving Diamond Head its name.
Writers' retreat
During World War II, the Australian author Kylie Tennant moved to Laurieton where she met the reclusive Ernie Metcalfe, a farmer who grazed cattle on Diamond Head. Ernie built Kylie a timber slab hut to use as a writer's retreat. In return, Kylie portrayed Metcalfe and Crowdy Bay in the book The Man on the Headland. Kylie Tennant donated the hut and the surrounding land to Crowdy Bay National Park in 1976. If you're walking along Metcalfe walking track, stop to have a look inside Kylie's hut.
- Kylies Hut Visit Kylies Hut along Metcalfes walking track in Crowdy Bay National Park, near Port Macquarie. The historic hut was used as a writer’s retreat by award-winning Australian novelist Kylie Tennant.
Plants and animals protected in this park
Animals
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White-bellied sea eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)
White-bellied sea eagles can be easily identified by their white tail and dark grey wings. These raptors are often spotted cruising the coastal breezes throughout Australia, and make for some scenic bird watching. Powerful Australian birds of prey, they are known to mate for life, and return each year to the same nest to breed.
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Brown-striped frog (Lymnastes peronii)
One of the most common frogs found in Australia, the ground-dwelling brown-striped frog lives in ponds, dams and swamps along the east coast. Also known as the striped marsh frog, this amphibian grows to 6.5cm across and has a distinctive ‘tok’ call that can be heard all year round.
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Lace monitor (Varanus varius)
One of Australia’s largest lizards, the carnivorous tree-dwelling lace monitor, or tree goanna, can grow to 2m in length and is found in forests and coastal tablelands across eastern Australia. These Australian animals are typically dark blue in colour with whitish spots or blotches.
Plants
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Black sheoak (Allocasuarina littoralis)
The black sheoak is one of a number of casuarina species found across the east coast of Australia and nearby tablelands. Growing to a height of 5-15m, these hardy Australian native plants can survive in poor or sandy soils. The barrel-shaped cone of the black sheoak grows to 10-30mm long.
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Grass tree (Xanthorrea spp.)
An iconic part of the Australian landscape, the grass tree is widespread across eastern NSW. These Australian native plants have a thick fire-blackened trunk and long spiked leaves. They are found in heath and open forests across eastern NSW. The grass tree grows 1-5m in height and produces striking white-flowered spikes which grow up to 1m long.