Clarence Head Caravan Park

Look, I’ll be honest – when I first pulled up to Clarence Head Caravan Park on Charles Street, I wasn’t expecting much. It’s got that unassuming entrance that makes you wonder if you’ve made the right choice, but honestly? This place completely surprised me in the best way possible.

What you’ve got here is one of those rare spots where the locals actually know what they’re doing. The park sits right at the mouth of the Clarence River, and I mean *right* there – you can literally hear the water lapping from most of the sites. The whole setup feels like someone’s well-organized backyard rather than a commercial operation, which sounds weird but it’s actually perfect. The managers (and I’m pretty sure they live on-site) seem to genuinely care about the place, not just collecting fees and disappearing. Check-in was refreshingly straightforward – none of that corporate rigmarole you get at the big chains.

The powered sites are well-spaced, which honestly matters more than you’d think when you’re trying to enjoy your morning coffee without listening to someone else’s generator. Most spots have decent shade from the old Norfolk pines, and the ground is level enough that you won’t be sleeping on an angle all week. What really got me though was the proximity to everything that actually matters in Iluka – you’re maybe five minutes’ walk to the lighthouse (which, by the way, has some of the best whale watching on the north coast during migration season), and the fishing spots along the breakwall are legendary among the locals. The beach access is proper too, not one of those tourist traps where you need a 4WD to get anywhere decent.

The facilities are clean without being fancy – you know, functional showers with decent water pressure and toilets that don’t make you hold your breath. There’s a decent camp kitchen if you need it, though honestly, with sites this close to the water, you’ll probably want to cook outside anyway. Parking is straightforward, which I mention because I’ve stayed at places where you need an engineering degree just to get your van positioned correctly. The only minor gripe I’d have is that it can get a bit busy during school holidays (well, it’s Iluka – everywhere gets busy then), but even when it’s full, it doesn’t feel cramped or chaotic like some of the bigger parks up the coast. You’ll sleep well here – the river sounds are actually soothing, and there’s usually a decent breeze coming off the water that keeps things comfortable even in summer. For a 3-star spot, it punches well above its weight, and that 8.7 rating makes total sense once you’ve spent a few days here.