Mulligans campground and picnic area
Gibraltar Range National Park
Overview
A popular starting point for the Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk, Mulligans campground and picnic area has an idyllic creek for swimming and lush picnic spots with barbecues.
| Number of campsites | 20 |
|---|---|
| Camping type | Tent, Camper trailer site, Caravan site, Camping beside my vehicle |
| Facilities | Amenities block, picnic tables, barbecue facilities, showers, toilets |
| What to bring | Firewood |
| Entry fees | Park entry fees apply |
| Group bookings | Book up to 20 people or 5 sites online. This campground also has a bookable group site. School groups and Park Eco Pass holders can submit a group booking enquiry form. |
| Please note |
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Just a short drive from Gibraltar House, Mulligans campground and picnic area is a tranquil spot near the forested haven of Little Dandahra Creek. Basic facilities make this a good spot for families looking for a weekend getaway, or adventure travellers looking for a jumping-off point for the extended Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk.
Bring the binoculars for a spot of bird watching, or escape the summer heat with a cool dip down at the creek edge. Barbecues make this a great picnic spot for a Sunday rest, too, with lots of grass to accommodate everyone.
The area is named after Bill Mulligan, an early entrepreneur who promoted a hydro-electric scheme in the early 1900s. You can still glimpse Mulligan’s hut and the remains of two historic weirs as you relax by the water’s edge.
Like Gibraltar House, this is a perfect spot to delve into other national parks and reserves in the area, including Butterleaf, Mann River, Nymboida and Capoompeta.
Also see
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Mulligans group campground
Mulligans group campground is an ideal spot for groups of up to 45 people looking for an exclusive camping experience near the Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk.
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The Needles walking track
The Needles walking track offers jaw-dropping views of granite rock formations in Gibraltar Range National Park, near Glen Innes. Part of the Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk, it’s a great shorter walk option.
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Tree Fern Forest walking track
Tree Fern Forest walking track is an iconic 9.2km loop walk through World Heritage-listed rainforest and dramatic heathlands in Gibraltar Range National Park, between Glen Innes and Grafton.
Map
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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/mulligans-campground-and-picnic-area/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
- Glen Innes office
- Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm.
- 02 6739 0700
- npws.ntab@environment.nsw.gov.au
- 68 Church Street, Glen Innes NSW 2370
Park info
- in Gibraltar Range National Park in the North Coast and Country NSW regions
Gibraltar Range National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather, road damage, or high fire danger.
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Park entry fees:
$8 per vehicle per day. The park uses a self-registration fee collection system. Please bring the correct change and display your receipt.
Buy annual pass.
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about the Mulligans campground and picnic area.
Getting there and parking
Mulligans campground and picnic area is in the Gibraltar Range National Park. To get there:
- From Glen Innes, drive 68km east towards Grafton along the Gwydir Highway
- From Grafton, drive 92km west towards Glen Innes along the Gwydir Highway
- Drive along Mulligans Drive for 10km to the campground & picnic area. 10km of these roads are unsealed.
Road quality
- Unsealed roads
Vehicle access
- 2WD vehicles
Weather restrictions
- All weather
Parking
Parking is available at Mulligans campground in gravel carparks. You can also park directly at your campsite.
Best times to visit
There are lots of great things waiting for you in Gibraltar Range National Park. Here are some of the highlights.
Spring
The most popular time of the year to visit, spring sees the park erupt into a vibrant display of wildflowers, including the Gibraltar waratah.
Summer
Take in an early morning bushwalk before the day heats up, then cool down in one of the many waterways, like the Little Dandahra Creek.
Winter
It can be below freezing at night, but the daytime temperatures make this the best time of the year to take in some of the longer treks like the Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
13°C and 24.1°C
Highest recorded
35°C
Winter temperature
Average
1°C and 13.2°C
Lowest recorded
-8.9°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
January
Driest month
August
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
258.4mm
Facilities
Tank water is available at this campground – you’ll need to treat or boil it before drinking.
Amenities
Toilets
There are 2 amenities blocks with accessible flush toilets, one in the middle of the campground and one in the north of the campground.
- Flush toilets
Picnic tables
Barbecue facilities
- Wood barbecues (bring your own firewood)
- Gas/electric barbecues (free)
Showers
The amenities block in the middle of the campground has accessible cold showers.
- Cold showers
Step-free access
The campground and picnic area is mostly step-free, with hard-packed ground and gravel pathways that lead past some of the picnic tables, shelters and campsites.
Some of the picnic tables and shelters have a short flight of steps leading up to them.
- Step-free outdoor pathways
Seats and resting points
There's a bench seat with backrest close to the creek.
Maps and downloads
Accessibility
Disability access level - medium
Mulligans campground is mostly step-free, with the following accessible facilities:
- Accessible toilets in the middle and the northern sections of the campground
- Accessible cold showers
- Hard-packed ground and gravel paths that lead to some of the picnic tables, shelters and campsites.
- A bench seat near the creek for resting
Some of the picnic tables and shelters at the campground have steps leading up to them. Assistance may be required in these areas.
Permitted
Gathering firewood
There may be a supply of firewood at this campground, however it’s a good idea to bring your own supply.
Prohibited
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
Mulligans campground and picnic area is in Gibraltar Range National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Lands of plenty
The European heritage of the park may be shorter, but look around and you'll find its traces clearly etched in the natural environment. Living around the range are direct descendants of graziers, lumberers and miners who made their livings here. Bullock teams and horses once struggled through the bush and granite tors, attempting to tame a landscape that today inspires for its wild ruggedness. Evidence of their work can be glimpsed at Mulligans campground and picnic area, where an aborted hydro-electric scheme from the 1900s is memoralised by a remaining hut and several weirs. Hikers on the wide-reaching Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk might also notice relics of pre-WWII tin and gold-mining operations in the Grassy Creek area.
- Dandahra Crags walking track Dandahra Crags walking track, in Gibraltar Range National Park, is a hiking route with scenic views and birdwatching opportunities.
- Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk Keep an eye out for birds and wildflowers on the 45km Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk through eucalypt forests, rainforests, wetlands and granite tors in the rugged Northern Tablelands.
World Heritage Area
Part of the Gondwana Rainforests Reserves of Australia, Gibraltar Range is listed on the World Heritage register for rainforest plants that have existed since Australia was part of the Gondwana super-continent. Gibraltar Range National Park is home to several threatened species of animal: the endangered giant barred frog, which can grow to the size of a small adult's hand; and glossy black cockatoos, under threat from a loss of breeding habitat. Feeding locations are very important to the continuing survival of the cockatoo.
- Dandahra Falls walking track Suitable for fit and experienced bushwalkers only, Dandahra Falls walking track in Gibraltar Range National Park offers impressive waterfall views in stunning World Heritage surrounds.
- Duffer Falls walking track Within easy reach of Glen Innes or Grafton and ideal for a day trip, Duffer Falls walking track offers waterfall views in the beautiful forest setting of Gibraltar Range National Park.
- Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk Keep an eye out for birds and wildflowers on the 45km Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk through eucalypt forests, rainforests, wetlands and granite tors in the rugged Northern Tablelands.
- Junction Spur walking track For experienced bushwalkers only, Junction Spur walking track in Gibraltar Range National Park will suit adventure seekers who want to get off the beaten track and explore the tablelands.
- The Needles walking track The Needles walking track offers jaw-dropping views of granite rock formations in Gibraltar Range National Park, near Glen Innes. Part of the Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk, it’s a great shorter walk option.
Years in the making
Long stewarded through history by Aboriginal people in the area, the Gibraltar Range continues to hold significance for contemporary descendants. The Range is rich in cultural sites and sacred places, with Aboriginal groups having moved regularly between the tablelands and coastal plains, conducting ceremonies and gathering food along the way.
- Dandahra Crags walking track Dandahra Crags walking track, in Gibraltar Range National Park, is a hiking route with scenic views and birdwatching opportunities.