Homestead Creek campground
Mutawintji National Park
Overview
Head to Homestead Creek campground on your outback NSW tour. Featuring caravan and motorhome campsites, this well-equipped campground is a great base to explore the park.
| Number of campsites | 50 |
|---|---|
| Camping type | Tent, Camper trailer site, Caravan site, Camping beside my vehicle |
| Facilities | Amenities block, picnic tables, barbecue facilities, carpark, showers, toilets |
| What to bring | Drinking water, cooking water, firewood, fuel stove |
| Group bookings | Book up to 20 people or 5 sites online. For larger groups, make a group booking enquiry. |
| Please note |
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Pitch your tent in the serenity of the Australian outback, surrounded by the towering river red gums at Homestead Creek campground.
This large and well-equipped campground is suitable not only for tents, but also caravans, camper trailers and motor homes. It offers easy access to the park’s visitor centre and walking tracks. Homestead Creek campground makes a great place to rest if you're on a touring holiday and it's a great base to strat from when exploring the area.
The campground is near Mutawintji Historic Site which contains superb Aboriginal rock engravings and ochre stencils, and information about Mutawintji's Aboriginal stories. Access to Mutawintji Historic Site is only available on a guided tour.
Also see
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Homestead Creek picnic area
Set amid outback river red gums and close to a number of Mutawintji National Park’s walking tracks, Homestead Creek picnic area is a scenic place for a barbecue lunch.
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Thaaklatjika Mingkana walking track
A short, easy walk, suitable for wheelchairs, that winds into the splendour of Mutawintji's gorges to Thaaklatjika (Wright's Cave). Within this rocky overhang are some fascinating examples of Aboriginal and post-colonial history, including paintings and stencils.
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/homestead-creek-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
Operated by
- Broken Hill office
- Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm. Closed 1pm to 2pm.
- 08 8084 2880
- npws.westdarling@environment.nsw.gov.au
- 183 Argent Street, Broken Hill NSW 2880
Park info
- in Mutawintji National Park in the Outback NSW region
Mutawintji National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Homestead Creek campground.
Getting there and parking
Homestead Creek campground is a few kilometres from the park entry. Upon entering the park, you'll pass the visitor centre, take the left and you'll see the campground on your right - you might like to stop in at the visitor centre for a map.
Road quality
Check the weather before you set out as the road to Homestead Creek campground is unsealed.
- Unsealed roads
Vehicle access
- 2WD vehicles
Weather restrictions
- Dry weather only
Parking
Parking is available at your campsite at Homestead Creek campground
Best times to visit
Mutawintji National Park is best visited during autumn, winter and spring when daytime weather is pleasant. Summer in the outback can be very hot.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
30°C and 35°C
Highest recorded
48.6°C
Winter temperature
Average
17°C and 31°C
Lowest recorded
-3.3°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
January
Driest month
September
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
140.2mm
Facilities
- Water is not available at this campground.
- There are fireplaces but it’s also a good idea to bring a gas or fuel stove.
- Please take your rubbish home with you as there are no bins at this campground.
Amenities
Toilets
There are accessible flush toilets that are set along a paved footpath. The toilets have a timber ramp with a handrail leading to the entrance.
- Flush toilets
Picnic tables
Barbecue facilities
- Gas/electric barbecues (free)
Carpark
Showers
There are accessible hot showers that are set along a paved footpath with a ramp leading up to the entrance.
- Hot showers
Step-free access
The campground is mostly flat and step-free, with a paved footpath that leads to the amenities block. You'll need to cross over flat, hard-packed ground to reach the rest of the campground's facilities.
- Step-free outdoor pathways
Seats and resting points
There's a bench seat near the picnic shelter at the campground.
Maps and downloads
Accessibility
Disability access level - medium
Homestead Creek campground is flat and step-free, with the following accessible facilities:
- An amenities block with accessible flush toilets and accessible hot showers
- A paved footpath that leads to the amenities block
You'll need to cross over flat, hard-packed ground to reach the other parts of the campground that are not along the footpath. The campsites here are on a flat, rough area.
Prohibited
Generators
Generators are not permitted at the campground.
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.
Visitor centre
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Mutawintji Visitor Centre
51 Old Coach Road, Mutawintji, NSW 2880 - Mutawintji Visitor Centre is always open but it's unstaffed (self service).
Learn more
Homestead Creek campground is in Mutawintji National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
A wildlife wonderland
It might feel peaceful here, but Mutawintji teems with the wildlife that has occupied these lands since ancient times. You might see a wedge-tailed eagle or even a peregrine falcon and enjoy the chatter of noisy short-billed correllas, zebra finches, budgerigars, apostle birds and magpies. Crossing your path may be goannas and snakes, and look out for members of the only colony in NSW of the endangered yellow-footed rock wallaby. The largest of the rock-wallabies, it is Australia's most brightly coloured mammal - look for them on rocky ridges in the park.
- Homestead Gorge walking track Take a breathtaking walk along Homestead Gorge walking track for scenic landscape vistas and ancient Aboriginal rock engravings. Plus you might see wallabies, emus and birds.
- Old Coach Road drive The Old Coach Road drive is a piece of Australian history, following a section of the historic Broken Hill to White Cliffs Coach Run that connected these two outback towns.
An important Aboriginal site
The traditional home of the Pantjikali, Wanyuparlku, Wilyakali and Malyangapa people, Mutawintji National Park has been a significant meeting place for local cultures for thousands of years. Communities have performed initiations, rainmaking and other ceremonies here in gatherings of up to 1000 people. A short, easy walk, suitable for wheelchairs, will guide you amid the splendour of Mutawintji's gorges to the rocky overhang Thaaklatjika (Wright's Cave). Here you'll find paintings, stencils and engravings that depict pre and post colonial Aboriginal history, as well as the animals that live in the area, including kangaroos and emus.
- Homestead Gorge walking track Take a breathtaking walk along Homestead Gorge walking track for scenic landscape vistas and ancient Aboriginal rock engravings. Plus you might see wallabies, emus and birds.
- Mutawintji cultural tour Join this special tour in Mutawintji National Park in the NSW outback and hear Aboriginal guides share their connection to their Country.
- Rockholes Loop walking track Rockholes Loop walking track is an adventurous extension to Homestead Gorge walking track, in Mutawintji National Park. This short but steep hike includes Aboriginal engravings and splendid views of rockholes, Homestead Gorge and Bynguano Range.
Iconic scenery
Mutawintji National Park displays the classic outback landscape for which Australia is famous around the world. Driving along red dirt roads among rugged gorges and desert, against the backdrop of the ever-changing colour of the Byngnano Ranges, you'll discover the peace and space of the desert. Beyond the ridges, the saltbush and mulga plains stretch to the horizon, making city life seem a long, long way away.
- Homestead Gorge walking track Take a breathtaking walk along Homestead Gorge walking track for scenic landscape vistas and ancient Aboriginal rock engravings. Plus you might see wallabies, emus and birds.
- Mutawintji cultural tour Join this special tour in Mutawintji National Park in the NSW outback and hear Aboriginal guides share their connection to their Country.
- Mutawintji Gorge walking track Mutawintji Gorge walking track takes you on a hike through one of the park’s most scenic gorges. Enjoy a picnic at the end or simply spend some time taking in the view.
- Rockholes Loop walking track Rockholes Loop walking track is an adventurous extension to Homestead Gorge walking track, in Mutawintji National Park. This short but steep hike includes Aboriginal engravings and splendid views of rockholes, Homestead Gorge and Bynguano Range.
- Split Rock walking track Explore the rugged outback landscape of Mutawintji National Park along Split Rock walking track. This wild walk near Broken Hill is significant to Aboriginal women's cultural practices.
Plants and animals protected in this park
Animals
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Wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax)
With a wingspan of up to 2.5m, the wedge-tailed eagle is Australia’s largest bird of prey. These Australian animals are found in woodlands across NSW, and have the ability to soar to heights of over 2km. If you’re bird watching, look out for the distinctive diamond-shaped tail of the eagle.
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Red kangaroo (Macropus rufus)
The red kangaroo is one of the most iconic Australian animals and the largest marsupial in the world. Large males have reddish fur and can reach a height of 2m, while females are considerably smaller and have blue-grey fur. Red kangaroos are herbivores and mainly eat grass.
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Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae)
The largest of Australian birds, the emu stands up to 2m high and is the second largest bird in the world, after the ostrich. Emus live in pairs or family groups. The male emu incubates and rears the young, which will stay with the adult emus for up to 2 years.
Plants
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Sturt's desert pea (Swainsona formosa)
One of Australia’s most famous desert wildflowers, Sturt’s desert pea is found across inland arid regions of Australia, including far west NSW. One of the most easily-recognised Australian native plants, Sturt’s desert pea thrives in red sandy soil, or loam, and has vibrant red leaf-shaped flowers with a black centre, known as a ‘boss’.
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Saltbush (Atriplex nummularia)
A hardy Australian native plant, the saltbush is a small spreading shrub that can withstand dry salty soils such as those found in the desert plains of western NSW. It is grey-white in colour and has small spear-shaped succulent leaves. It flowers from December to April.