Beach Camping Cairns? 5 Reasons to give it a Go PLUS some Hot Spots!

Explore FNQCairns

Oct 6

Want to know my favourite spot this time of year in Tropical North Queensland?

Down by the ocean. And if you’ve got a few days up your sleeve you really can’t beat setting up camp and spending those days beachside. A beach camp will give you more time to soak up some golden sunrises and sunsets, enjoy the afternoon sea breezes and chill with your family and friends. Here’s MY list of 5 good reasons to set up camp along the Tropical North Queensland coast during the Aussie Winter……

**Winter is the best time to enjoy the beach in TNQ**

1. The Best Season (The Dry)

Whilst the rest of Australia (South) is freezing their socks off, we up in the Far North are enjoying our best time of the year – think warm days (20C+), blue skies and cooler evenings.In the Tropical North it’s also the driest part of the year (from April – October) and perfect for setting up a home away from home and chilling in the great outdoors. You won’t find the sea temperatures too chilly either – it averages around 18C at this time of year - just enough to cool you down after all that winter sunshine.

**You’ll see the night sky early in TNQ**

2. Early Nights

Have you ever noticed whilst camping that all that fresh air and outside activity can make you pretty keen for an early night? In the Far North you’ll notice that when the evening sky appears, it arrives with a bang. Up here there is no long lingering dusk or twilight time. You’ll find that by 6ish the sun will have slipped behind the mountains and darkness will have set in during our winter months.

Body surfing the waves in TNQ is loads of FUN for all ages!!

Toasting marshmallows is always a favourite!!

The good news is that if you have kids (and they’ve run themselves ragged like mine normally do) they’ll be pretty keen to rest their heads as soon as the sun drops. Even if you do opt for a campfire with the obligatory marshmallows you’ll often find them nodding off in your lap in the glow of the fire.

Please NOTE: early to bed also means early to rise BUT just remember how much fun you’ll have watching those beach sunrises together ;) .

3. Kid Friendly Waves

Waves (really good surf waves) are pretty much non-existent up along the Far North coastline – you can thank the Great BARRIER Reef for cutting down on those big oceanic swells. BUT for smaller kids and adults (who are young at heart) the waves that do occur in TNQ are the perfect size for loads of body boarding fun.

**Palm Cove sunset on a ‘busy’ night in PEAK tourist season!**

If you have a child that is a bit nervous around seawater, or water in general, then introducing them to a beach in the Far North is a great way to improve their confidence. And thanks to our lack of real surf you won’t find any of those other scary bonuses, such as strong rip currents that often occur along the southern coastline of Australia.

4. Uncrowded Beaches

You will be pushing to get big numbers on any of the Far Northern Beaches of Australia at any one moment. Even in tourist hubs like Palm Cove (north of Cairns) and Four Mile Beach (Port Douglas) it is rare to have another family pitch their towel close to yours in an effort to ‘find some space’ on the sand.

**There are treasures to be found on TNQ beaches**

If you choose to camp at some of our lesser known beaches you may be lucky enough to spot another individual full stop.

5. Nature, Nature Everywhere!

When you have rainforest that spills straight out onto tropical waters you’re going to have an interesting array of wildlife visiting you whilst camping beachside. You’ll also discover some fascinating stuff washed up on the sand thanks to the Great Barrier Reef being straight offshore.Here are some of our ‘Nature’ Highlights of Beach Camping life in the Far North:

A Cassowary scouring the tideline on the beach And a cassowary in our campgrounds
Pipi’s in the sand (which taste yummy cooked up)
Driftwood big enough to create a shelter/fortress
Live anenomes and goose barnacles on the bottom of pumice stones
Chunks of dead coral, hermit crabs, sand dollars and a whole range of seashells from the Great Barrier Reef itself.

**Spend some time in the outdoors in TNQ & you might see a cassowary**

Camping Cairns Beachside? Interested Yet?

Here’s my LIST of Family-Friendly Beach Camps around the Cairns region - from the Daintree down to Mission Beach.

Daintree Region

This really is seriously gorgeous beach territory. Lush tropical rainforest cascades down the mountains of the Daintree and seemingly spills into the ocean. Take the ferry across the Daintree and you’ll feel like you are stepping back in time – expect nature at it’s finest (and rawest) here.

Cape Tribulation Campgrounds

If you are seeking amenities and powered sites then this place is clean and tidy and straight off the beach. There was a big communal campfire which the kids loved hanging out at and when we were there they even served wood-fired pizzas some nights (and word is that they are pretty yummy).For more info Click HERE – Cape Tribulation

Noah Beach

This camping spot is run by the National Parks and only has a small number of campsites available (no caravans). You’ll find a basic toilet block and a freshwater tap here so it’s suited for those campers that are happy to rough it a little. The beach here is wide and expansive and hardly gets any visitors (despite being close to the ‘Main’ road) – The main thing you will run into is fellow campers chilling in this spot. We LOVE camping here!For more info Click HERE – Noah Beach

Port Douglas region

You won’t find any beachside camping close to the town of Port Douglas itself. Your best option is to head north past the town of Mossman to Wonga Beach (a 30-minute drive).

Pinnacle Village Holiday Park

This campground is very big and very family friendly with lots of big open spaces for camping (powered and unpowered) and large shady trees. There’s cabins available too if you prefer not to set up the tent for the night. There's a lagoon style swimming pool and if you choose an unpowered site you’ll find yourself able to pitch your tent closer to the beach.For more info Click HERE – Pinnacle Village Campground

Wonga Beach Caravan Park

This campground comes complete with beach views and coconut palms and is tucked away in amongst the small beachside community of Wonga Beach. With only 34 sites available and a Happy Hour running each night from 5pm its hard not to get to know your neighbours.

The caravan park is council run, offers reasonable rates and has powered sites. All sites are in the shade and there’s a basic amenity block, camper's kitchen and laundry.

For more info Click HERE – Wonga Beach Campground

Cairns

As Cairns doesn’t really have a beach to shout out about you have to head north (20-minute drive) for some beachside camping.

Palm Cove

Palm Cove is a popular beach for locals and tourists alike. Despite the amount of resorts and restaurants that line the beach esplanade there is an option to stay here on the cheap. The campground is council owned but the facilities under went major renovations and the park is professionally managed.

There’s a jetty right across from the campgrounds that is known locally as a great fishing spot. You’ll also find plenty of restaurants to choose from within walking distance if you enjoy ‘dining’ out whilst camping.

For more info Click HERE - Palm Cove Campground

**Palm Cove Jetty is a popular fishing spot**

Ellis Beach

This is a great place to camp with views of the beach. There’s a wide choice of camping styles available as well as cabins and a pool. There are only a handful of unpowered sites so it’s best to ring ahead and enquire what the bookings are like.There is also a popular beach bar nearby that has live music and cheap oysters available on the weekend. Even though we live in Cairns (a 30-minute drive away) we’ve camped up here a number of times – it’s a great option for a family weekend escape and yet handy enough to ‘pop’ home if you have pets to tend to or one of you has to keep on working.For more info Click HERE – Ellis Beach Campground

Cassowary Coast (South of Cairns)

South of Cairns you will have to travel about an hour along the Bruce Highway before you find any beaches that are accessible by car. Most of these beaches will be a short 20 to 30-minute journey off the highway.

Beach Camping - Brampston Beach @adventuremumma.jpg

Bramston Beach

This is the closest beach to camp South of Cairns and a bit of a local’s secret. There are several options here – the council campgrounds are our preference – it’s dog friendly with unpowered sites only but has a toilet block and laundry facilities. It’s also very shady and directly on the beach.

For more info Click HERE – Bramston Beach Council Campground

At the northern end of Bramston Beach (accessed by a dirt road) you can camp in the national park BUT there are no toilets OR water available here. Before kids you could always find us here but circumstances have changed and we find the family friendly atmosphere ‘township’ of Bramston Beach our number one preference.

For more info Click HERE - Bramston Beach Queensland Parks option

Etty Bay

A beautiful little bay with cabins and a small campground available. If you ever want to see a cassowary in the wild then this is the spot for it. There is a regular daddy cassowary who struts around the campgrounds and bay on a regular basis (sometimes with chicks in tow). For this reason it’s best to keep your dogs at home if you visit this place. Even if you don’t camp here it’s worth turning off the highway and paying this place a visit. Beautiful!

For more details Click HERE - Etty Bay Caravan Park

Kurrimine Beach

This is a popular family destination for families who love their fishing as Kurrimine Reef lies directly offshore. There are a couple of different options for camping here BUT by far the most popular for families is the Kurrimine Beach Holiday Park. Although it is not essentially a ‘beach camp’ it is only a 2-minute walk away to ocean’s edge. We have yet to stay here but from all the reports from close friends this gets a BIG thumbs up – especially the water park!For more details Click HERE - Kurrimine Beach Holiday Park

Mission Beach

This beach is worth visiting at least once whilst you are in Tropical North Queensland. With the picturesque Dunk Island lying just off its shores PLUS kilometres of white sand bordered by coconut palms, Mission Beach truly is the perfect tropical setting. There’s also the chance of spotting the elusive cassowary around here so what’s not to love about this spot. Because Mission Beach is sooooo long there are a few beach camping spots to choose from

Wongaling Beach

This is a pet friendly campground (between Mission and South Mission Beach) with a wide range of options – cabins, powered and unpowered sites. We have yet to stay here but friends have told us it’s family friendly with a pool and direct access to the beach. Right next door is a popular restaurant which might make a nice alternative to the camp kitchen.

For more details Click HERE – Dunk Island View Caravan Park

**Cassowary spotting in the campground at Mission Beach**

South Mission Beach

You’ll find a BIG 4 Caravan Park which sits straight opposite Dunk Island that has plenty of camping options, including cabins if you don’t feel like setting up camp. The beach is straight across a small road out front and the pool is family friendly. We’ve stayed here a number of times and one of the highlights was a cassowary wandering through the campsite – beats scouring through dense rainforest for a view of this elusive bird.

For more details Click HERE – Beachcomber Coconut Caravan Park

If you do venture to Mission Beach check out my Blog Post >>Stay & Play at Mission Beach – Family Friendly Things to Do<<

Good Things to Know:

Camping Cairns is best suited for the winter months (April – October)- less humidity and heat and less chance of (torrential) rain.
You’ll find crocodile signs on all beaches around the Far North and crocodiles may be present in the ocean. The time to be aware of crocodiles is at night and during their breeding season, September to April. As TNQ locals, we prefer camping and swimming at the beach during the winter months – crocodiles are less inclined to be ‘on the move’, less ‘hungry’ and more sluggish in general. NOTE: this is only our opinion – please make your decisions based on your own knowledge and facts of the area. For a good article on Crocs Click HERE.
Stinger (jellyfish) season is generally from November through to May. Click HERE for more information.