Camping in the Murray-Sunset National Park
In the far north-west corner of Victoria lies the remote, untouched wilderness of the Murray-Sunset National Park. This semi-arid national park stretches 633 000 hectares between the South Australian and New South Wales borders with the mighty Murray River crossing through it. Camping in the Murray-Sunset National Park is a true Australian outback experience. You’ll need more that a few days to explore this vast park and appreciate all it has to offer.
The open sandy plains in this harsh, remote part of Victoria, Australia allow for unparalleled stargazing, untouched hiking, and of course, spectacular sunsets. The wide-open spaces and vast landscape allow for uninterrupted views of the impressive pink lakes in the park’s south-east, the Murray River in the north, and the local flora and fauna. The flora in the park includes over 600 species, including the Mallee eucalyptus, wildflowers, Murray lily and porcupine grass. Teeming with wildlife, the Murray-Sunset National Park is home to red kangaroos and grey kangaroos, plus over 300 types of birds. You may even be able to spot the threatened Paucident Planigale whilst visiting some campsites.
There are many activities available to visitors to the park. Among the most popular is camping as it allows visitors to appreciate the vast and deserted nature of the semi-arid region. There are ten free camping sites with the Murray-Sunset National Park and one paid hut accommodation. These are:
Camping in the Murray-Sunset National Park is for serious campers who are entirely self-sufficient. While some campsites do have facilities (see individual links for details) the park is very large and it is not uncommon to go long periods of time without seeing another person. Bring drinking water, food, hat, protective clothing and gas stove. Weather conditions can be harsh in summer, winter and at night, and can change drastically at any time. Campfires are allowed at some sites but DSE fire regulations must be adhered to at all times. Both 2WD and 4WD access is possible to some campsites,whereas a 4WD will be necessary for some during poor weather. Seasonal flooding is not uncommon on at these camping sites, so please check parkweb.vic.gov.au before you go.
Other activities in the Murray-Sunset include hiking and bush walking, four-wheel driving, boating, fishing, swimming and kayaking. Dogs and pets are prohibited in the National Park.
Make sure you are properly prepared for a camping trip into the Murray-Sunset National Park. There is no phone reception, very few people, and harsh weather conditions. Pack more water than you think you will need and enough food in case you become bogged or held up along the way. A visit to the wilderness of north-west Victoria is spectacular and a real outback adventure.