Camping area summary

Camping area access

Four wheel-drive (4WD) vehicles with high clearance are recommended. During dry weather, access to the camping areas can be challenging. Two wheel-drive (2WD) vehicles, camper trailers, caravans and boat trailers may have difficulty accessing some camping areas.

M.V. Sarawak, Sarawak West and S.S. Dorrigo camping areas

• Are best accessed by 4WD vehicles.
• Have limited 2WD accessible sites from the bitumen road.

Pelican Bay, Dorrigo South, M.V. Natone and M.V. Beagle camping areas

• Are accessible by 4WD only.
• Are not accessible for 2WD and all-wheel-drive vehicles, vehicles with low clearance.
• Very limited access to camp sites available for off road high clearance caravans and camper trailers.

Don’t get stuck!

• Choose a suitable camping area for your type of vehicle and/or trailer set-up.
• Stop at the camping area signs near the entrances and check out the best access routes.
• The following camping area maps have the same information.

Camping area maps

• Pelican Bay camping area map (PDF, 298.7KB)
• Dorrigo South camping area map (PDF, 349.5KB)
• S.S. Dorrigo camping area map (PDF, 320.6KB)
• M.V. Natone camping area map (PDF, 343.4KB)
• M.V. Beagle camping area map (PDF, 349.4KB)
• M.V. Sarawak camping area map (PDF, 330.0KB)
• Sarawak West camping area map (PDF, 268.6KB)

Permits

• Camping permits for Inskip Peninsula camping areas are required and must be purchased before setting up camp—fees apply.
• Buy permits well in advance.
• When making your booking, you will need to know the name for the camping area you are booking. You must stipulate the place and dates you intend to camp. You cannot camp elsewhere during that period unless you amend your booking beforehand.
• A camping permit booking number must be clearly displayed at your camp site.
• Camping more than 29 nights is prohibited in the Inskip Peninsula Recreation Area.
• As mobile phone reception at Inskip can be intermittent, QPWS suggests purchasing your camping permit prior to arriving online or by visiting a permit issuing centre.

Facilities

Water

• No water or shower facilities are provided in any of the camping areas.
• Water is available at the service facility on Clarkson Drive in Rainbow Beach.
• Bring your own water storage containers.

Toilets

• Most camping areas have hybrid toilets (minimal water use). Wheelchair access ramps are available at some hybrid toilets (minimal water use), but assistance may be needed to push chairs along the sandy paths that lead up to the ramps. See below for the list of locations.
• Bush toileting, including digging pit toilets, is not permitted at Inskip. Use existing toilet facilities or bring a portable toilet.

Wheelchair accessible toilets

Located in these camping areas:

• M.V. Beagle—toilet near the exit
• M.V. Sarawak—toilet on the beachfront
• M.V. Natone—toilet at the entrance
• S.S. Dorrigo—toilet parallel to the bitumen road.
• Sarawak West—toilet is alongside the bitumen road and toilet at the western end.

Portable toilets

Portable toilets are mandatory to camp at Dorrigo South and Pelican Bay camping areas (penalties apply). Even if you are only staying for one night you must bring a portable toilet.

Waste management

Bins are not generally provided.

Rubbish bins are located at the following camping areas:

• Sarawak West
• M.V. Sarawak
• M.V. Beagle
• M.V. Natone
• S.S. Dorrigo

Alternatively, take your rubbish home with you. Littering and inappropriate waste storage are prohibited, and penalties apply for non-compliance. Littering and illegal dumping are prohibited, and penalties apply for non-compliance. Report littering and illegal dumping.

Waste management tips when camping:

• Do not hang rubbish bags from trees or tents. Securely store your waste until disposal, in sealed containers to prevent negative interactions with wildlife.
• Be part of the solution - reduce, reuse and recycle.
  • Choose a menu with less packaged goods.
  • Take recyclables home for proper disposal.
• Choose good quality camping equipment that will withstand the harsh elements of the coastal environment.
  • Reuse camping equipment.
  • Repair broken equipment – do not be a consumer with a throwaway mentality.
• Remove all waste, including broken camping equipment and domestic waste.
• Don't burn or bury anything.
• Carry out sanitary products, disposable nappies and cigarette butts. Do not put these in the toilet facilities.
• Avoid bringing glass as it can’t be crushed. Broken glass can harm other visitors and wildlife.
• Bring small sealable canisters for cigarette butts. Don't discard butts in the park.

Also see:

• Reduce and recycle rubbish

Camp fires

• Camp fires are permitted at Inskip. No camp fires are permitted when a QPWS-imposed fire prohibition or Queensland Fire Department (QFD)-imposed fire ban is in place. Check park alerts and the Cooloola conditions report (PDF, 702.6KB) before going.
• Use a pre-existing camp fire site and extinguish camp fires with water, not sand.
• Never leave a fire unattended—penalties apply.
• Supervise children carefully around fires
• Firewood is not provided. Bring clean, untreated firewood such as milled off-cuts.
• Bring kindling and fire lighters. Collecting and burning wood, including leaves and twigs, from the protected area is illegal and penalties apply.
• Don't bring bush timber for firewood. It may contain pests and diseases, which could kill native plants.
• Do not dispose of non-combustible or toxic materials (e.g. glass, cans, plastics) in a camp fire. Penalties apply.
• Chainsaws cannot be used.
• Preferably bring a gas or fuel stove for cooking—test them before leaving home and never use them in confined spaces, such as tents. Ensure your cooking and heating appliances meet the below requirements.
  • The appliance must use gas or manufactured fuel (heat beads, briquettes). Manufactured fuel does not include timber or wood.
  • It must be used only for cooking and/or heating.
  • It must be a minimum of 20cm off the ground and more than 2m from flammable materials, which includes vegetation.
  • It must not have the potential to generate airborne embers, or possibly ignite nearby ground fuels.
  • It must be fully self-contained (heat source enclosed and no exposed flame) and never left unattended when in use.
  • Appliances that are not fully self-contained, such as braziers, are not permitted.
  • All appliances, materials and burnt fuel must be removed from the recreation area on your departure.
  Approved cooking and heating appliances may vary from above list during Queensland Fire Department (QFD) total fire bans. Check park alerts and QFD fire bans and restrictions for more details.

Also see:

• Safety video clips
• Fire prohibitions and bans - cooking appliances (PDF, 729.4KB)
• Camp fire, fuel stoves and barbecues
• Camp fire prohibitions and fuel stoves

Camping areas for schools and large groups

Certain groups may be able to request a special account—group account, school account or commercial operator account—for booking camping.

Also see:

• Permits for special group accounts Schools and other organised groups

If you are planning an organised use of a QPWS-managed area, you will need to complete the online Organised events form.

• Organised event permits may be required for weddings and large, organised group activities, such as school excursions or adventure training.
• Maximum group sizes and other conditions may apply depending on the location you wish to use and the type of activity you are planning.
• It is recommended that group leaders view the Teachers’ and group leaders’ package (PDF, 247.3KB) for planning hints and safety information.

Also see:

• Staying safe
• Looking after the park