6 top spots for camping in Cape Tribulation

Emily Murphy Emily Murphy
hero media
Sleeping under the stars in the Daintree is an experience you will never forget.

Cape Tribulation is the only place on Earth where two UNESCO World Heritage sites meet. Home to both the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef, Cape Tribulation is the perfect base. And the best way to see it? Camping of course!

If you’re not a fan of camping, there are a range of other accommodation options in Cape Tribulation or if you’d rather stay elsewhere in the Daintree.

Whether you’re a camping newbie or a seasoned camper, there’s a campsite for you in Cape Trib. Choose between off-grid, remote sites to campgrounds with all the facilities you could possibly want. Here is a guide to everything you need to know about camping in Cape Trib.

1. Noah Beach camping area

An aerial shot of Noah Beach. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland and Reuben Nutt)
Noah Beach is just 50 metres from the campsite. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland and Reuben Nutt)

There is no camping permitted along the Manjal Jimalji (Devils Thumb) trail, the Mount Sorrow Ridge trail, or anywhere else in Daintree National Park. Camping is only available in the Cape Tribulation section of Daintree National Park at Noah Beach camping area. It costs $7.25 per person to camp here with family rates available.

Located just 50 metres from the iconic Noah Beach, this camping area is a stunning spot to base yourself while exploring the Daintree. Noah Beach camping area can be reachdfed by cars and campervans, but not by caravans, motorhomes or really high (more than 3.2 metres high) campervans, due to overhanging trees and tight turns, so just be wary of this.

The campsite has composting toilets and is also very shady, with limited sun for charging solar panels. Open fires are prohibited to preserve the natural rainforest, so make sure you bring a gas stove to cook on. Also, download offline maps before you go, because Noah Beach is a dead zone for phone service.

Important: Noah Beach camping area is closed throughout the wet season every year from the first Sunday after New Year’s Day until Good Friday.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

AI Prompt

2. Cape Tribulation Camping

Looking through trees to Cape Tribulation Beach. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)
Powered and unpowered sites are available right near the beach. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Cape Tribulation Camping has both powered and unpowered sites available right by the beach. Cape Trib Camping has hot showers, toilets and laundry facilities available, so you don’t have to rough it too much!

You’ll be able to cook up a feast here, as there are two camp kitchens with free gas cookers, free BBQs, fridges, sinks, and ice available to purchase. If you’re heading to the 4WD-only Bloomfield Track after a stay here, it’s a great spot to prepare for the remote trip, with caravan storage available for only $10 per night for a powered spot.

3. Daintree Rainforest Village Camping

A tent in front of the rainforest. (Image: Daintree Rainforest Village)
Not a bad spot to set up camp. (Image: Daintree Rainforest Village)

Also located before the road gets too rough for caravans and 2WDs, Daintree Rainforest Village is the perfect mix of caravan park and campsite to base yourself while in the Daintree. It also has caravan storage so if you venture off into the rougher, deeper Daintree, you can leave your caravan here too.

The village has bathrooms, a laundry, a camp kitchen, fire facilities, an onsite general store and a fuel station, among other things, so it really is a one-stop shop.

4. PK’s Jungle Village

PK’s Jungle Village is right in the heart of Cape Trib. PK’s campground welcomes campers, campervans and caravans, who have full use of all resort facilities and designated camping bays. A couple of powered sites are available on advanced request, but they are mainly unpowered sites.

With PK’s large pool and famous Jungle Bar all on site, you’ll still feel very connected and relaxed here.

Weekly travel news, experiences
insider tips, offers, and more.

5. Safari Lodge

Safari Lodge BBQ area by pool. (Image: Safari Lodge)
The BBQ area and camp kitchen have a pool view. (Image: Safari Lodge)

Safari Lodge  offers affordable Cape Tribulation camping sites close to Myall Beach, restaurants and waterholes. There are powered campsites suitable for caravans and motorhomes as well.

Safari Lodge is located onsite at the Ocean Safari check-in office, which is also home to the Turtle Rock Cafe. Ocean Safari is one of the best things to do in Cape Tribulation. The Ecotourism Australia ECO-certified tour starts with a 25-minute exhilarating boat ride that takes you out to two different snorkel spots and a sand cay on the Great Barrier Reef.

6. Yindilli Camping Ground

Yindilli camping ground at night. (Image: Yindilli Camping Ground)
The perfect place to stargaze. (Image: Yindilli Camping Ground)

Yindilli Camping Ground is about an hour-and-a-half drive from Cape Tribulation on the CREB Track or two hours from Daintree Village, the camp has toilet and shower facilities and fireplaces and dry firewood, you will just need to bring your own camping gear, food and supplies.

The CREB Track is only suitable for well-equipped 4WD vehicles and those with vehicle recovery experience. It’s also not suitable for trailers. The track is very steep and very rough, so if you attempt it in a 2WD or with a trailer on, you will get stuck!

The CREB Track also closes temporarily from time to time depending on the conditions, so make sure you check before you go  to avoid disappointment.

4WDs on the CREB track. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland)
The CREB track is strictly for 4WDs. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland)
Emily Murphy
Emily Murphy is Australian Traveller's Email & Social Editor, and in her time at the company she has been instrumental in shaping its social media and email presence, and crafting compelling narratives that inspire others to explore Australia's vast landscapes. Her previous role was a journalist at Prime Creative Media and before that she was freelancing in publishing, content creation and digital marketing. When she's not creating scroll-stopping travel content, Em is a devoted 'bun mum' and enjoys spending her spare time by the sea, reading, binge-watching a good TV show and exploring Sydney's vibrant dining scene. Next on her Aussie travel wish list? Tasmania and The Kimberley.
View profile and articles
Dubuji Boardwalk through the foothills of Mount Alexandra. (Image: Tourism Australia)
Daintree Rainforest

10 of the most scenic Daintree walks

Shake off your tech and reconnect to earth with the most grounding Daintree walks.

Read more
riding horses along Myall Beach, Cape Tribulation
Daintree Rainforest

14 action-packed things to do in Cape Tribulation

For the ultimate list of things to do in Cape Tribulation, where the rainforest meets the reef, you’re in the right place.

Read more
an aerial view of PK’s Jungle Village, Cape Tribulation accommodation
Daintree Rainforest

The best Cape Tribulation accommodation for a tropical stay

Want to see the only place in the world where two UNESCO World Heritage sites collide? The best Cape Tribulation accommodation will guide you.

Read more
a couple on a Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre’s Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk
Daintree Rainforest

10 of the best Daintree tours to uncover the world’s oldest rainforest

To see all the best bits of the Daintree Rainforest without hassle, look no further than one of these incredible Daintree tours.

Read more
hero media

Exploding supernovas & gold fever: discover the past at this outback Qld town

    Kassia Byrnes Kassia Byrnes
    Continue
    Under wide-open outback skies, discover a fossicking gem that’s managed to slip under the radar.

    While the name Clermont may feel new to even the most intrepid traveller, its gilded history stretches back centuries. You’ll find it just off the highway, humming quietly under the hazy veil of Queensland’s outback sun. It’s here, hemmed in by mountains and perched atop soil heavy with the earth’s treasures, that one of Australia’s most accessible outback adventures awaits.

    Thanks to deposits of gold, copper and gemstones – souvenirs left by exploding supernovas and the heave of tectonic plates – Clermont became a centre point of Queensland’s Gold Rush. And now? Australia’s fossicking capital is yours to discover.

    Getting there

    car driving along Capricorn Way in queensland
    Take a drive through Queensland’s Mackay Isaac region. (Image: Sean Scott/ TEQ)

    You’ll find Clermont in Queensland’s Mackay Isaac region. To get here, it’s an easy three-hour drive over sealed roads from Mackay. Or, if you’re heading from the Sapphire Fields of Emerald, the drive will carve out just over an hour from your day.

    Whether you’re road-tripping through outback Queensland or just tracing your way through all that Australia has to offer, Clermont is remote but easily accessible.

    Best accommodation in Clermont

    Theresa CreekDam in clermont
    Camp by Theresa Creek Dam. (Image: Riptide Creative/ TEQ)

    All accommodation comes with a generous helping of country hospitality here. The choice is yours between modern hotels, parking up the camper or pitching a tent.

    Theresa Creek Dam lies just outside town. Begin each day with crisp country air and bright outback sunrises. Spend the night under the sparkling country stars and your days out on the dam fishing or kayaking. Even if you aren’t camping, be sure to save space in your itinerary for an afternoon on the red dirt shore.

    To stay closer to town, opt for a central hotel to base yourself between exploring and fossicking, like Smart Stayzzz Inn and Clermont Country Motor Inn .

    Things to do in Clermont

    three people on a tour with Golden Prospecting
    Join a tour with Golden Prospecting.

    One does not visit Clermont without trying their hand at fossicking. There are strict rules when it comes to fossicking, so stick to areas dedicated for general permission and make sure you obtain your license beforehand. Try your luck at McMasters , Four Mile , Town Desert, McDonald Flat and Flat Diggings . To increase your odds, sign on for a tour with the expert team at Golden Prospecting . They’ll give you access to exclusive plots and expert advice along the way.

    Once you’ve tried your luck on the gold fields, head to the Clermont Township and Historical Museum . Each exhibit works like an archaeologist’s brush to dust away the layers of Clermont’s history. Like the steam engine that painstakingly relocated the entire town inch by inch to higher ground after it was decimated by flooding in 1916. See the tools that helped build the Blair Athol mine, historic fire engines, shearing sheds and all sorts of relics that make up Clermont’s story.

    The historic Copperfield Chimney offers a change of pace. Legend has it that fossickers found a solid wall of copper here, over three metres high, kick-starting Queensland’s first-ever copper mine.

    Bush Heli Services flying over clermont queensland
    See Clermont from above with Bush Heli Services. (Image: Riptide Creative/ TEQ)

    For hiking, nearby Dysart is the best place to access Peak Range National Park. Here, mountainous horizons stretch across the outback as if plucked from another world. Set off for a scenic drive along the Peak Downs Highway for access to countless geological wonders. Like the slanting rockface of Wolfang Peak. Summit it, and you’ll find yourself looking out across a scene surely conjured up by Banjo Paterson. Dry scrub dancing in the warm breeze, grazing cattle, eucalypts and the gentle creak of windmills. Don’t miss visiting Gemini Peaks, either, for one of the park’s best vistas, and a blanket of wild flowers after rain.

    Then, take to the skies with a scenic helicopter tour with Bush Heli-Services . Shift your perspective and cruise above all the sights from your trip. Spots like Lords Table Mountain and Campbell’s Peak are best viewed from the skies.

    Before you head home, be sure to explore the neighbouring townships. Spend a lazy afternoon in the shade of Nebo Hotel’s wrap-around verandahs . The hotel’s 1900s dance hall has since been replaced with one of the area’s biggest rodeo arenas, so consider timing your trip to line up with a boot scootin’ rodeo. Or, stop by a ghost town. Mount Britton was once a thriving town during the 1880s Gold Rush. It’s been totally abandoned and now lies untouched, a perfect relic of the Gold Rush.

    Best restaurants and cafes in Clermont

    meal at Commercial Hotel
    Stop into the Commercial Hotel Clermont.

    Days spent fossicking, bushwalking and cramming on history call for excellent coffee and hearty country meals. Luckily, Clermont delivers in spades.

    Lotta Lattes Cafe is beloved by locals for a reason. Start your days here for the best caffeine fix in town and an impeccable brunch menu.

    For a real country meal, an icy cold beer and that famed country hospitality, head straight to the town’s iconic hotel: the Commercial Hotel (known endearingly to locals as ‘The Commie’). It’s been a staple in Clermont since 1877. The hotel even survived the flood of 1916 when it was sawn in two and moved to higher ground.

    Naturally, time spent in the outback must include calling into the local bakery. For delicious pies and a tantalising array of sweet treats, make Bluemac Bakehouse your go-to while in town.

    Discover more of The Mackay Isaac region, and start planning your trip at mackayisaac.com.