Camping near Lismore

In northeastern NSW’s Northern Rivers area and about 30 kilometres inland, Lismore is a handy detour when road tripping across the NSW–Queensland border. The Great Dividing Range is to the north, with the Border Ranges National Park, Lamington National Park, and other conservation parks within a couple of hours’ drive of Lismore. The town itself offers a handful of well-equipped holiday parks, conveniently located beside the Bruxner Highway. Travellers wanting a simpler, more outdoorsy place to set up camp should look to nearby conservation areas and Hipcamp properties for convenient facilities and scenic surrounds.

One of Northern NSW’s most popular destinations is less than an hour’s drive northeast of Lismore, on the coast. Campers flock to Byron Bay for the beaches, surfing, hiking, and watersports—just know that while it’s a chilled-out spot, it can also be very busy. The plus side? There are a ton of camping options ranging from simple, unpowered beachside camps to more luxurious glamping.

In the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Lismore is prone to serious flooding every few decades, which has increased to every few years due to climate change. The risk is greater in late summer and early autumn (February/March), so pay especially close attention to weather reports and local news if you’re planning on camping in and around Lismore at this time of year.