Weary heads will delight in a blanket of stars and swaying snow gums scattered throughout the best Thredbo camping destinations.
Riverside barbecues and adventures through rich Australian bushland – Thredbo camping offers humbling escapes and memories to last a lifetime. While Thredbo’s best hotels and resorts provide comfortable lodgings against breathtaking backdrops, nothing awakens your senses like immersing yourself in nature.
We’ve rounded up the most picturesque camping spots at Thredbo to add to your bucket list.
1. Thredbo Diggings Campground
Thredbo Diggings campground has great access to hiking and local attractions. (Image: Destination NSW)
Where: Bullocks Walking Track, Kosciuszko National Park
Driving distance from Thredbo village: 10 minutes
Price: $
Amenities: Drop toilets, picnic tables, wood barbecue and fire ring facilities (BYO firewood), limited mobile reception and car parking.
Perks: A standout Thredbo camping location, Thredbo Diggings Campground in the Thredbo-Perisher area of Kosciuszko National Park is a super scenic bush camping site bounded by the meandering Thredbo River.
You’ll find access to peaceful walking tracks and mountain biking trails, plus spectacular mountain views. It’s a popular spot with anglers who come to catch rainbow trout, but families also love to pitch up here and take to the trails or swim in the river’s crystal-clear waters.
Hardy, well-prepared souls can camp or park a campervan on the grounds during winter, too. You’ll need to fork out for park entry, which is typically $17 per vehicle per 24-hour period, and you’ll be hit with a winter surcharge between June and October so check the website for accurate pricing. A $6 booking fee also applies.
2. Ngarigo Campground
Riverside grassy spots are open to all tents and camper trailers.
Where: Alpine Way, Kosciuszko National Park
Driving distance from Thredbo village: 8 minutes
Price: $
Amenities: One non-flush toilet, picnic tables, wood barbecue and fire ring facilities (BYO firewood), limited mobile reception and car parking.
Perks: A Thredbo camping hot spot set even closer to the village than Diggings, Ngarigo campground is an adventure-lover’s paradise just a turn off the long and winding Kosciuszko Alpine Way.
Fly fishing folk love it here as rainbow and brown trout abound, plus there’s plenty of amazing hiking to be done as a diverse forest is decorated with scenic trails.
All tents, camper trailers and caravans are welcome to set up shop on one of the grassy riverside patches. Quiet generators are also welcome in some parts. You’ll need park entry, which is typically $17 per vehicle per 24-hour period, and there’s a winter surcharge between June and October so check the website for accurate pricing. A $6 booking fee also applies.
3. Leatherbarrel Creek Campground
Where: Alpine Way, Kosciuszko National Park
Driving distance from Thredbo village: 20 minutes
Price: $
Amenities: Drop toilets, fire ring barbecue facilities (BYO firewood), picnic tables, space for tents and small campervans but nothing larger.
Perks: Another spectacular Thredbo camping spot within Kosciuszko National Park, Leatherbarrel Creek campground is a great spot for a picnic and is frequented often by day-trippers. However, the campground itself is worth hanging around for.
Dotted by fascinating birdlife like rosellas, kookaburras and currawongs plus plenty of shade, the space is peaceful and idyllic. The terrain is steep so arriving in anything bigger than a small campervan isn’t advised, however you can sleep in vans so plan accordingly. You’ll need park entry, which is typically $17 per vehicle per 24-hour period, and you’ll pay a winter surcharge between June and October so check the website for accurate pricing. A $6 booking fee also applies.
4. Island Bend Campground
Island Bend is a magical campground in the Snowy Mountains. (Image: Destination NSW)
Where: Guthega Road, Kosciuszko National Park
Driving distance from Thredbo village: 45 minutes
Price: $
Amenities: Non-flush toilets, picnic tables, wood barbecue and fire ring facilities (BYO firewood), limited phone reception.
Perks: Open to tents, camper trailers and sleeping beside your car, the Island Bend campground is closer to Perisher than Thredbo but well worth the consideration for other reasons.
Located right on the Snowy River, it’s a Thredbo camping spot made for kayaking and canoeing and there’s also a network of hiking and biking trails to be tackled.
You’re also on the same road as the historic Guthega Power Station and a series of old huts along the Whites River so exploring fascinating relics is a bonus. You’ll need park entry, which is typically $17 per vehicle per 24-hour period, and you’ll pay a winter surcharge between June and October so check the website for accurate pricing. A $6 booking fee also applies.
5. Tom Groggin Campground
Tom Groggin is a serene camping spot. (Image: Office of Environment and Heritage NSW)
Where: The Bicentennial National Trail, Murray Gorge, Kosciuszko National Park
Driving distance from Thredbo village: A little over 40 minutes
Price: $
Amenities: Picnic tables, drop toilets and fire ring barbecue facilities (BYO firewood). It should also be noted there is no mobile reception.
Perks: Located in the southern section of Kosciuszko National Park, the Tom Groggin Campground is right on the NSW and Victorian border. It rests right along the upper Murray River, offering ideal fishing conditions and serene riverside campsites.
There is also plenty of impressive wildlife including emus and sensational birds. You’ll need park entry, which is typically $17 per vehicle per 24-hour period, and you’ll pay a winter surcharge between June and October so check the website for accurate pricing. A $6 booking fee also applies.
6. Adventist Alpine Village
Wildlife lovers will have a fantastic experience at Adventist Alpine Village.
Where: 122 Tinworth Drive, Jindabyne
Driving distance from Thredbo village: 35 minutes
Price: $-$$
Amenities: Showers, toilets, coin-operated washing machines (BYO powder), dryers, a children’s playground, camp kitchen, tennis court, disc golf course, basketball court, equipment hire, barbecue facilities and dump point.
Perks: Offering plenty of grassy space within the grounds of a tourist park, the Adventist Alpine Village is littered with local wildlife including kangaroos and wombats, plus the odd farm animal, making it a hit with families seeking a memorable Thredbo camping experience.
The campground welcomes tents, caravans and camper trailers and it’s dog-friendly so you can bring your furry friend if they stay on a leash.
7. Old Geehi Campground
Where: Geehi Hut Road, Geehi
Driving distance from Thredbo village: 55 minutes
Price: $
Amenities: Non-flush toilets, picnic tables, wood barbecue and fire ring facilities (BYO firewood). There is no water available at this campground and mobile coverage is limited.
Perks: Another hidden gem along the Swampy Plain River, the Old Geehi Campground offers unmarked and unpowered camping in the middle of nature. From ground level — nestled into a camping chair with a cold one, we say — you’ll spy the Snowy Mountains’ peaks, and there’s also historic stone huts to explore along a nearby walking trail.
Mountain biking, swimming and fishing is the norm during the warmer months as kangaroos, wallabies, wombats and possums scurry along this magical destination right past you.
You’ll need park entry, which is typically $17 per vehicle per 24-hour period, and you’ll pay a winter surcharge between June and October so check the website for accurate pricing. A $6 booking fee also applies.
8. Geehi Flats Campground
Geehi Flats Campground is a picturesque spot near the Swampy Plain River. (Image: Murray Vanderveer)
Where: Geehi Campground Access, Geehi
Driving distance from Thredbo village: 50 minutes
Price: $
Amenities: Non-flush toilets, picnic tables and wood barbecue and fire ring facilities (BYO firewood). There is no water available at this campground and mobile coverage is limited.
Perks: Another soothing site located within the Kosciuszko National Park, the Geehi Flats Campground offers flat, unmarked grassy grounds in which to set up digs as the Snowy Mountains loom around you.
Set on the banks of the Swampy Plain River, it’s the perfect Thredbo camping spot for some fun-filled tubing, kayaking, canoeing and fly fishing.
And if 4WDing is more your thing, you’ll find several great roads nearby. You’ll need park entry, which is typically $17 per vehicle per 24-hour period, and you’ll pay a winter surcharge between June and October so check the website for accurate pricing. A $6 booking fee also applies.
9. Gungarlin River Campground
Where: Gungarlin River, Burrungubugge
Driving distance to Thredbo village: Just over 1 hour
Price: $
Amenities: Non-flush toilets, picnic tables, wood barbecue and fire ring facilities (BYO firewood). Mobile coverage is limited.
Perks: Catch sparkling water views straight from your campsite at the Gungarlin River Campground in Kosciuszko National Park. It’s only accessible by 4WD and camper trailers are as big as you can get, but the remote nature of this pick makes every effort worth it (just nine campsites are offered in total).
If it’s warm, mountain biking, swimming and fishing are good time killers, while alpine huts are also worth checking out, originally built in 1909 and offering unrivalled insight into what once thrived.
You’ll need park entry, which is typically $17 per vehicle per 24-hour period, and you’ll pay a winter surcharge between June and October so check the website for accurate pricing. A $6 booking fee also applies.
10. Khancoban Lakeside Caravan Park
Khancoban Lakeside Caravan Park boasts lake frontage and majestic mountain views. (Image: Matt Beaver/Snow Valleys Council)
Where: 1362 Alpine Way, Khancoban
Driving distance to Thredbo village: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Price: $-$$
Amenities: Camp kitchen, games room, outdoor barbecues, showers, toilets and a laundry
Perks: Pick from structured powered and unpowered sites within Khancoban Lakeside Caravan Park. You’ve got the option of cabins, too, but given all the bells and whistles included in this Thredbo camping hot spot, you’re hardly slumming it in canvas walls.
The property is situated right off Khancoban Pondage, renowned for great fishing and home to a boat ramp. A visit here is best experienced in summer, as crowds will prove.
