Beat the summer heat in the Northern Tablelands, and camp in UNESCO-listed forests.
Glen Innes sits in the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, in the inland New England region and not far from the Queensland border. The town is chock-full of heritage-listed buildings, is a popular site for gem fossicking (sapphires and other gems have been found here), and is near the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area. Several national parks east of Glen Innes run into each other, so outdoors-loving campers won’t be short of recreational activities. There are a handful of caravan parks around the town, while the nearby national parks offer more natural options, especially the Mann River Nature Reserve and Washpool National Park.
The closest natural park area to Glen Innes, Mann River Nature Reserve is ideal for swimming on a hot day. There’s one small riverside campground that’s suitable for tents, caravans, and camper trailers, but you’ll need to bring your own water and firewood if you want to use the provided barbecue facilities. There’s no camping fee here but you’ll need to pay a booking fee, and bookings are required.
Northeast of Glen Innes, Washpool National Park is part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, and it offers the opportunity to camp within a UNESCO-listed landscape. There are a couple of campsites within the park, one very small and the other of medium size. The smaller Coombadjha Campground is suitable for tents only and you’ll need to bring your own water, while the larger Bellbird campground is suitable for tents, caravans, and camper trailers. National park entry fees apply.
New England’s main town and an elegant university town at that, Armidale is about an hour’s drive south of Glen Innes. As well as its arts scene and farm-fresh produce, Armidale offers easy access to other parts of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area. There are several places to camp with tents or caravans around town, as well as more remote and basic campgrounds available in the national parks east of Armidale.
This region of Northern New South Wales sits at relatively high altitude (Glen Innes sits at 1,062 metres), so it experiences pleasantly warm summers without the heat of lowland and coastal areas. Spring and autumn are also pleasant times to visit thanks to the flora and foliage, which provides a contrast to lower-altitude parts of the state.