Wombats at dusk, flat water at dawn and campsites you can only reach by paddle. Here's the gear we'd bring, four campgrounds in and around the valley, and what to sort before you load the car.
Gear for a weekend that's half land, half water.
Water shoes, a comfy mattress and a big chair.
Hiking and everyday sandals for warm riverside walks.
Air, self-inflating and foam mattresses for valley campsites.
Chairs and rugs for long evenings by the river.
Our full ranges for SUPs, coolers and head torches.
Inflatable paddle boards, board packs and fins for calm water.
Eskies, cooler backpacks and portable fridges for camp food.
Head torches and torches, plus batteries for longer trips.
A busy drive-in, two paddle-in arms of Lake Yarrunga and a quiet highlands option.
Wide grassy flats by the water where wombats wander through camp, with a canoe launch point for exploring the lake.
Good to knowYou need a booking to camp. There are toilets and treated tap water, but only gas barbecues, as fires and pets aren't allowed.
View Campground DetailsSixteen unmarked sites along the Kangaroo River arm of the lake, reached only by kayak or canoe on calm, flat water.
Good to knowToilets only, so carry all your drinking and cooking water. Fires aren't permitted because this is drinking water catchment, so pack a fuel stove.
View Campground DetailsPaddle upstream from Tallowa Dam into the Shoalhaven River arm, where sixteen sites sit along the water under steep, forested slopes.
Good to knowSites are unassigned, so if one area is full, keep paddling to the next. It's popular in summer, so book early.
View Campground DetailsA small, tidy campground in the Southern Highlands, up the range from the valley, with walking tracks and lookouts close by.
Good to knowThe most comfortable of the four, with hot showers, drinking water, barbecues and picnic tables. Ten sites suit tents, camper trailers and caravans.
View Campground DetailsWater, wombats and the odd wet weekend.
Everything for Lake Yarrunga goes in a kayak or canoe, so keep it compact and waterproof. Dry bags for your sleeping bag and clothes save a miserable night.
Find a Hiking PackFires aren't allowed at Bendeela or on Lake Yarrunga, and Bendeela allows gas barbecues only. A small gas stove covers every meal and packs down for the paddle.
Find a Camp StoveThe Lake Yarrunga campgrounds have toilets and nothing else. Bring all your drinking and cooking water in the boat with you.
Find a Water BottleBendeela's wombats are part of the charm, but they're wild animals. Stay about five metres back and never feed them.
Paddle-in camping is remote, and reception can be patchy. Fill in a trip intention form and let someone know when you'll be back.
Check Safety GearAccess to Lake Yarrunga is restricted when Tallowa Dam is spilling, and some lake sites can be closed. Check alerts for your campground the day before you leave.
Sorted for a weekend on land and lake.
Gear grouped by how you live and move.
Bendeela Recreation Area is the easy drive-in, right on the water with wombats roaming camp. For something wilder, the Lake Yarrunga campgrounds on the Kangaroo River and Shoalhaven River arms are reached only by kayak or canoe. Gambells Rest near Bundanoon is a comfortable option up on the range in Morton National Park.
Yes. The Lake Yarrunga campgrounds in Morton National Park are paddle-in only, launching from Tallowa Dam. The water is flat with no powered boats or rapids, so it suits beginner paddlers. Sites are unassigned, so if one spot is full you simply paddle on to the next.
At some of them. Bendeela has treated tap water and Gambells Rest has drinking water, but the Lake Yarrunga sites have toilets only. If you're paddling in, carry enough water for drinking, cooking and washing up for your whole stay.
No. Fires aren't permitted at Bendeela, and only gas barbecues are allowed, which can't be used on total fire ban days either. Lake Yarrunga is part of Sydney's drinking water catchment, so fires aren't permitted there. A portable gas stove is the way to cook.
Not at these four campgrounds. Bendeela doesn't allow dogs or other pets, and pets aren't permitted in most NSW national parks, including Morton. If the dog is coming, look at private holiday parks around the valley and check their pet rules when you book.
We design our tents, stoves and dry bags with people who camp and paddle, then test them outdoors before they ever reach our shelves.
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