Camping near Newcastle: 6 places to pitch a tent
Six places to camp in and around Newcastle, from the harbourside park at Stockton to the Worimi dunes and the Watagans rainforest, with prices and facilities.
Newcastle itself has one campground, at Stockton. For more choice, go north to the Worimi dunes, south to the Lake Mac Holiday Parks, or west into the Watagans. Book ahead for school holidays and long weekends.
By the beach
NRMA Stockton Beach Holiday Park
4.3(1,119)Google reviews
The closest campground to the city: a holiday park steps from Stockton Beach, a ferry ride across the harbour from Newcastle. Powered and unpowered caravan sites, plus cabins and villas.
It has a camp kitchen, barbecues, a playground, a kiosk and a laundry.
Good to know
- Sites
- Powered and unpowered caravan sites, cabins and villas
- Pets
- One small pet on a site, not in cabins, outside peak and high season, with approval
- Check in
- 11am for sites, 2pm for cabins
- Where
- 3 Pitt Street, Stockton
Ganyamalbaa Camping Area, Worimi Conservation Lands
4.3(22)Google reviewsBeach camping in the dunes at the southern end of the Worimi Conservation Lands, north of Newcastle. It's 4WD only: enter at the Lavis Lane entrance at Williamtown and drive south about 5 kilometres.
There are 26 sites, 20 metres by 20 metres, with fire pits but no toilets, water or power. Bring a portable toilet and take your rubbish home.
Good to know
- Price
- $33 a night for 2 adults, $16.50 each extra adult, $8 each child 5 to 12
- You also need
- A Worimi Conservation Lands beach vehicle permit for every vehicle
- Sites
- Tents and single-axle camper trailers only; no caravans
- Pets
- Not allowed
- Book
- Up to 180 days ahead; 7 nights at most
Blacksmiths Beachside Holiday Park
4.3(456)Google reviewsA Lake Mac Holiday Parks park about 200 metres from Blacksmiths Beach, near the lake entrance. Dog friendly all year, including school holidays, with a free dog wash.
It has a pool, playground, camp kitchen with a communal fire pit, tennis court, boat ramp and free barbecues.
Good to know
- Sites
- 68 powered, 12 ensuite and 9 unpowered grass sites, plus cabins and villas
- Pets
- Dog friendly all year, including pet-friendly villas
- Check in
- 11am for sites, 2pm for cabins
- Where
- 30 Gommera Street, Blacksmiths
On Lake Macquarie
Belmont Lakeside Holiday Park
4.5(679)Google reviewsA Lake Mac Holiday Parks park on the shore of Lake Macquarie with direct lake access for boating, fishing and water sports, and a pool with a splash park. Dog friendly all year, with dog-friendly cabins.
Good to know
- Sites
- Powered slab and grass sites, ensuite sites, cabins, villas and tiny homes; no unpowered sites
- Pets
- Dog friendly all year
- Where
- 24 Paley Crescent, Belmont South
Swansea Lakeside Holiday Park
4.4(584)Google reviewsA big Lake Mac Holiday Parks park on the lake at Swansea, with a pool and splash park with water slides, mini golf, a ninja park and safari tents. Blacksmiths and Caves Beach are a short drive.
Good to know
- Sites
- 171 standard powered, 8 water view powered, 12 ensuite and 21 unpowered sites, plus cabins, villas and safari tents
- Pets
- Not allowed; Belmont and Blacksmiths are the dog-friendly parks
- Where
- 1 Dobinson Drive, Swansea
In the bush
Gap Creek Campground, Watagans National Park
4.4(130)Google reviewsA small, remote rainforest campground in the Watagans with a walking track to Gap Creek Falls, which can drop more than 40 metres after heavy rain. Bangalow campground is about a kilometre down the road.
There's no mobile coverage and no water, so bring drinking water and firewood.
Good to know
- Price
- No camping fee; a $6 booking fee applies
- Sites
- 3 sites, tents or camping beside your car
- Facilities
- Toilets, barbecues, picnic tables
- Good to know
- The top campsite needs a 4WD; fire bans apply at times
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Questions people ask
Where can I camp in Newcastle?
NRMA Stockton Beach Holiday Park, across the harbour at Stockton, is the campground closest to the city, with powered and unpowered sites.
Can you camp on the beach near Newcastle?
Yes, at the Ganyamalbaa Camping Area in the Worimi Conservation Lands, north of Newcastle. It's 4WD only, has no toilets or water, and you need a beach vehicle permit as well as a camping booking.
Which campgrounds near Newcastle are dog friendly?
Blacksmiths Beachside and Belmont Lakeside holiday parks are dog friendly all year, including school holidays. Stockton takes one small pet outside peak season, with approval. Pets aren't allowed at Ganyamalbaa or Swansea Lakeside.
Is there free camping near Newcastle?
Gap Creek campground in Watagans National Park has no camping fee, just a $6 booking fee. It has three sites, toilets and no water.
How we made this guide
We read each campground's own website on 14 October 2026: NRMA Parks and Resorts, Lake Mac Holiday Parks, NSW National Parks and Worimi Conservation Lands, and each one's Google listing for its rating and position. Prices and rules change, so check when you book. Nobody paid to be in this guide. If something has changed, tell us.
Sources (7)
- NRMA Parks and Resorts: Stockton Beach Holiday Park
- Worimi Conservation Lands: Camping
- Lake Mac Holiday Parks: Blacksmiths Beachside
- Lake Mac Holiday Parks: Belmont Lakeside
- Lake Mac Holiday Parks: Swansea Lakeside
- NSW National Parks: Gap Creek campground
- Google Maps listings for each campground (read 14 October 2026)