Woody Head campground

Woody Head is for campers who want national-park nature without giving up showers, water and easy road access. You get a protected bay, rock platform, boat ramp, rainforest edge and 91 marked campsites, yet Iluka remains close enough for supplies.

It is not the quietest or most private Bundjalung option. The same facilities and family appeal make school holidays busy, and boat-ramp, picnic-area and beach traffic are part of the setting. Choose Mibanbah–Black Rocks for a more self-sufficient bush stay.

Use the A–J map to choose by need#

The June 2026 campground layout is the useful planning source. It distinguishes tent-only sites, medium sites up to 4.6m, large sites over 4.6m, accommodation and the group site. It also shows two amenity clusters, the kiosk, picnic area, boat ramp, Woody Bay and Back Beach access.

• Beach and boat activity: the A–D side is closest to Woody Bay, the ramp and picnic facilities. That is convenient for paddling and small children’s beach trips, but expect more day-use movement.
• A rig longer than 4.6m: filter for a large-site symbol and confirm the live equipment allowance. A numbered site existing on the map does not mean it accepts every caravan.
• Tent and less road traffic: compare tent-only options away from the main waterfront road, then ask about the actual carry and ground.
• Second amenity cluster and Back Beach: G–J places you nearer the southern toilet/shower area and the Back Beach path, with a longer walk to the kiosk and main picnic area.
• Group stay: use the dedicated group campground/site rather than assuming several individual sites can be allocated together.

The map does not establish shade, breeze, privacy or water views from a pitch. Treat those as booking questions, not facts inferred from green map colouring.

Arrival: an easy road, a large internal layout#

From the Pacific Highway, take Iluka Road, drive through Woombah, cross the Esk River bridge and continue about 13km following Bundjalung National Park and Woody Head signs. NPWS lists sealed, all-weather 2WD access.

Download the map before arrival. At the campground, use the kiosk/information point if open, confirm your A–J site and follow the one-way/internal signs rather than stopping at the first waterfront clearing. Locate the nearest amenity block, fire equipment and beach path before unloading. Do not assume the kiosk is staffed at every check-in; save the booking confirmation offline. Check-in is after 2pm and checkout is by 10am.

Comfort, setup and rules#

The current visitor information lists flush toilets, hot and cold showers, town water and a Dump-Ezy. The campground also has barbecues, picnic tables, rubbish facilities, a kiosk, public phone and boat ramp. Sites are marked and unpowered, so bring your own lighting and charging.

Minimum-noise hours run from 10pm to 7am. Pets are not permitted. Electric scooters, skateboards and hoverboards are banned on campground roads; compliant e-bikes are allowed. Buy firewood at the kiosk if available and never collect timber, rocks or plants. Check local alerts and bring a fuel-stove backup because a campsite fireplace does not override a fire ban.

The accessible parking space is near the kiosk and accessible facilities exist, but an accessible carpark is not proof that a particular pitch-to-shower route suits your mobility needs. Confirm the site and path before booking.

Plan a day around conditions, not the brochure#

Woody Bay is more protected than an exposed surf beach, but conditions still change and no campground page guarantees safe swimming. Check the water on arrival, supervise children and use a patrolled beach if flags are essential to your plan.

A worthwhile low-driving day is to explore the rock platform at a safe tide, walk the signed headland/Back Beach paths and return to camp for a swim or picnic. Fishers and boaters should assess swell, ramp conditions and current NSW licence/safety requirements independently; a booked campsite is not a launch-condition report.

What campers say#

Across 15 visible Anycamp reports, Tripadvisor and an independent campsite review, recurring positives are kangaroos, rock pools, beach proximity and the mix of facilities with a natural setting. Several reports describe the campground as popular rather than secluded.

One recent Tripadvisor camper described accidentally booking a tent site for a camper trailer and needing ranger help. That is a useful equipment warning, not a criticism of a particular pitch. Public reports disagree on how quiet or crowded the experience feels, which is consistent with season and site location. No public source supports guaranteed reception, shade or a universally “best” row.

Booking, costs and alternatives#

Book the correct site class and every camper through NPWS. Online group bookings can cover up to 20 people or 5 sites; the separate group site has its own booking. Camping, the non-refundable booking fee and the $8 per vehicle per day park entry are separate components. Use the live quote for nightly cost and minimum stay.

• Mibanbah–Black Rocks trades sealed access, water and showers for a smaller, more self-sufficient beach-and-creek camp.
• Lake Arragan and Red Cliff campgrounds suit campers wanting another coastal Bundjalung base; compare current equipment, road and water rules before switching.

Before paying, verify the site-size symbol, accepted equipment, people count and whether you would prefer Woody Bay activity or the Back Beach side. Recheck alerts and kiosk/fire arrangements close to travel. If the right site is full, set a CampWatch alert for that equipment category rather than accepting an unsuitable tent-only cancellation.