MV Sarawak camping area
This is Inskip’s largest camping area and it won’t take you long to work out why it is also the most popular!
Accessible by
- 4WD
Camping area facilities
- Campfires allowed (conditions apply)
- Generators allowed (conditions apply)
- Toilets (non-flush)
- Wheelchair access (may require assistance)
- Tent camping
- Caravan camping
- Camper trailer camping
- Campervan camping
- Tent camping beside car
- Walking
- Fishing
- Dogs permitted (on leash)
Always check
- Park alerts for the latest information on access, closures and conditions.
- Bureau of Meteorology weather forecasts.
- Current bushfire warnings and incidents and also fire bans and restrictions.
- Your camping permit is booked.
- Any park-specific camping information for
Inskip.
- Visiting Inskip safely for important safety information.
Set up your tent, caravan, campervan or camper trailer in one of the shady sites, and head off to explore the surrounding area. Drive and walk the beach or throw in a line and see if you can catch a fish for dinner.
If relaxation is more your goal, sit back and read a book in the shade of the coastal sheoaks and Moreton Bay ash.
Why M.V. Sarawak?
The names of six camping areas on the Inskip Peninsula recall the area’s past shipping history. This former navy minesweeper plied the coastline from Brisbane to Maryborough via Inskip weekly between 1949 and 1970. It brought supplies including drums of fuel and returned to Brisbane with sugar from Maryborough.
Before you visit
Camping area features
Open camping area behind the foredunes. No formally defined sites.
Please note:
- This camping area is popular with larger groups.
- Coastal trees provide dappled shade in most areas.
- A few camp sites offer views across the ocean towards K'gari (formerly Fraser Island), while other ‘inland’ sites provide shelter from the sun and prevailing ocean winds.
Location: Behind the foredunes, off Inskip Point Road. This is the second last camping area from the entrance of the recreation area.
Also see: Inskip Peninsula Recreation Area map and M.V. Sarawak camping area map .
Access: 4WD recommended for sand tracks, access from Inskip Point Road. No beach access for vehicles into or out of M.V. Sarawak camping area.
Number of sites: Open area without separately defined sites.
Please note:
- Occupation of a camp site is on a ‘first in, best placed’ basis.
- Reserving or roping off areas is not permitted.
- All structures under a single camping permit must be in one place and no more than 3m apart.
- Don't spread your camp too far, so others can fit in too; rangers will ask you to move structures that have taken up an unreasonable amount of space.
- Camping more than 30 days is prohibited.
Camp sites are suitable for: Tent camping beside a vehicle, off road camper trailers, campervans and caravans.
Camp site surface: Grass and/or sand.
Facilities: Three hybrid toilet blocks are provided in this camping area. Two toilet blocks have a wheelchair access ramp.
Please note:
- No showers.
- No drinking water taps.
- Rubbish bins are located near the camping area exit.
- If you bring a portable toilet, the nearest waste disposal facility is available at the council service facility located on Clarkson Drive just outside of Rainbow Beach. Do not empty portable toilet waste into the camping area toilets. Penalties apply.
- The service facility also has drinking water—take your own water storage containers.
Open fires: Permitted in pre-existing fire sites, except when QPWS-imposed fire prohibitions or QFES fire bans are in place. Fuel stoves are recommended.
Also see: the short video about campfire prohibitions and fuel stoves.
Generators: Only low decibel generators up to 2.0Kva are permitted. Turn generators off after 9pm.
Essentials to bring: Drinking water, rubbish bags, insect repellent, fuel or gas stove first-aid kit, sunscreen, sand pegs.
Please note:
- For campfires bring clean, untreated firewood such as milled timber off-cuts.
- Bring kindling and fire lighters as collecting and burning wood, including leaves and twigs, from the protected area is illegal and penalties apply.
- If you bring a portable toilet, please dispose of your toilet waste at the council service facility on Clarkson Drive just north of Rainbow Beach. Do not empty portable toilet waste into the camping area toilets. Penalties apply.
Also see:
Bookings: book online or learn about our camping booking options. Advance bookings are required, especially for holiday periods including long weekends and public holidays.
Also see: Camping during peak periods
Mobile phone coverage: Intermittent.
Upcoming camping area availability
Visiting safely
For more safety information see Visiting Inskip safely and camp with care.
- Planned site rehabilitation and maintenance closures 3 February to 6 June 2025
- Restricted camping availability - Sarawak West Camping Area 24 October 2024 to 27 January 2025
- Nearshore landslide Inskip Peninsula 12 July 2024 to 9 January 2026
- Portable toilets are mandatory for Pelican Bay and Dorrigo South camping areas 27 March 2024 to 30 June 2025
- Very large high tides 15 December 2024 to 28 January 2025
- Poison canisters washing up on Southeast Queensland beaches 4 July 2024 to 30 June 2025
- Drive with care during marine turtle nesting season 1 November 2024 to 30 April 2025
- Camper Hygiene 1 February 2024 to 6 March 2025
- Beware marine stingers (jellyfish)
Conditions report
Inskip conditions report Updated 2 Jan 2025
Critical information for your safety is included in the conditions report—always check it before you visit.