Update — 20 September 2026: Easter 2026 has passed. This page has been refreshed so the booking, cancellation and fire-safety advice remains useful, and so readers planning ahead have the correct Easter 2027 dates: Friday 26 March to Monday 29 March.
Easter is one of the hardest periods of the year to secure a popular NSW campground. The useful part of a seasonal guide is not a claim that a particular campground is "sold out" on a particular day; availability changes whenever bookings are made, changed or cancelled.
For current availability, use the NSW National Parks camping and accommodation search. If the campground you want is full, a cancellation may still create an opening later.
Easter dates: 2026 and 2027#
The NSW public-holiday dates are:
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Good Friday | 3 April | 26 March |
| Easter Saturday | 4 April | 27 March |
| Easter Sunday | 5 April | 28 March |
| Easter Monday | 6 April | 29 March |
Because the 2026 dates have passed, any references to "last-minute Easter 2026" should now be read as historical context rather than current booking advice.
How NSW National Parks bookings work now#
Open the exact NPWS property page and complete any required booking before arrival. Rules, prices, site types and available dates vary by property; remote camping at places not listed on the NPWS website is different.
There is not one reliable universal release date that should be applied to every campground. If planning Easter 2027, open the individual campground page and check whether your dates are currently available. If they are not yet offered, check again later rather than assuming a fixed 12-month release date.
Current NPWS cancellation terms for camping are also worth knowing:
- cancel 31 days or more before the stay: 75% refund, excluding the booking fee
- cancel 0 to 30 days before the stay: 50% refund, excluding the booking fee
- booking fees are non-refundable
Those terms create a reason for people whose plans change to release a booking rather than simply not use it.
Popular NSW options to check for Easter#
These are established camping areas that are commonly considered for NSW long weekends. Availability, access, fees and facilities should always be checked on the current property page before relying on a trip plan.
Near Sydney and the Central Coast#
- The Basin campground, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
- Euroka campground, Blue Mountains National Park
- Cattai campground, Cattai National Park
- Putty Beach campground, Bouddi National Park
- Little Beach campground, Bouddi National Park
South Coast#
- Depot Beach campground, Murramarang National Park
- Pebbly Beach campground, Murramarang National Park
- Killalea campground, Killalea Regional Park
North Coast and inland#
- Woody Head campground, Bundjalung National Park
- Diamond Head campground, Crowdy Bay National Park
- Trial Bay Gaol campground, Arakoon National Park
- Ganguddy-Dunns Swamp campground, Wollemi National Park
- Sheepstation Creek campground, Border Ranges National Park
One location from the original 2026 guide should not be carried forward as a generic Easter 2027 fallback: Gillards campground is in Mimosa Rocks National Park on the NSW South Coast, not the Blue Mountains, and NPWS currently expects it to close from 14 October 2026 until mid-2027 for upgrade works. Check the live NPWS page before considering it for any 2027 trip.
Catching a cancellation#
When a booking is cancelled, availability can reappear without any guarantee that it will remain available for long. Manual checking works, but it is easy to miss a short-lived opening.
CampWatch monitors supported campground availability and can send an SMS when a matching site appears. It does not reserve the site, so the booking still needs to be completed through the campground operator.
A practical approach is to watch more than one acceptable campground rather than relying on a single location.
Fire and cooking rules#
Do not use the month of April as a shortcut for deciding whether a campfire or portable stove is allowed.
Before cooking or lighting a fire:
- check the individual campground's current rules
- check NPWS park alerts and any Park Fire Ban or Solid Fuel Fire Ban
- check the NSW RFS fire-danger and Total Fire Ban information
NSW RFS guidance says campfires and other solid-fuel cooking are prohibited on Total Fire Ban days. An electric barbecue may be used while a responsible adult is present and combustible material is kept at least 2m away. A gas barbecue also needs an immediate, continuous water supply and must be within 20m of a permanent private dwelling, or be an appliance approved by council, NPWS or State Forest in a designated picnic area. Follow current site-specific instructions and carry a no-cook backup rather than assuming a portable gas stove will be permitted.
Planning Easter 2027#
For Easter 2027, the long weekend runs from Friday 26 March to Monday 29 March in NSW. Start with the live NPWS booking page for the campground you actually want, then use alternatives if the preferred property is unavailable.
The most durable strategy is simple: verify the current property page, book when suitable dates are actually offered, keep an eye on cancellation terms, and re-check access and fire alerts immediately before travelling.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Has Easter 2026 already passed?
Yes. In NSW, Good Friday was 3 April 2026 and Easter Monday was 6 April 2026. For 2027, Good Friday is 26 March and Easter Monday is 29 March.
What happens when an Easter campground is fully booked?
Cancellations can return sites to the NSW National Parks booking system. Current NPWS terms provide a 75% refund, excluding the booking fee, for a camping cancellation 31 or more days before the stay and a 50% refund, excluding the booking fee, inside 31 days. CampWatch can alert you when a matching site becomes available.
When do Easter camping bookings open in NSW?
NPWS does not publish one universal release date that applies to every campground. Check the live availability for the specific property you want to book rather than relying on a fixed 12-month rule.
Can I have a campfire at Easter in NSW?
Fire rules depend on the campground and current fire conditions. Check the campground page, NPWS alerts and NSW RFS advice before lighting a fire or using a cooking appliance. On a Total Fire Ban day, an electric barbecue may be used under adult supervision with a 2m combustible-material clearance. Gas barbecues also need continuous water and must be within 20m of a private dwelling or be an approved appliance in a designated picnic area. Solid-fuel cooking is prohibited.