Jimmy Creek is a nice campground right in the forest on the southern side of the Grampians, halfway between Halls Gap and Dunkeld. It’s a bit bigger than Coppermine, where we’d spent the night before, and far easier to reach, with a big loop of sites around an open centre. We pulled in late in the afternoon after the Pinnacle walk above Halls Gap, had a fire going in the fire ring on our site, and headed off the next morning towards Lake Bellfield and Melbourne.
What we like
- Right in the forest
- Fire ring on the sites
- Toilets in good condition
- Easy 2WD access
- Walk straight from camp
What we don’t
- Close to your neighbours
- Busy in the holidays
- No drinking water
About Jimmy Creek CampgroundAbout
Jimmy Creek is a Parks Victoria campground in native bushland beside the Wannon River, in the southern part of Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park. It has 21 sites: 13 for tents, 4 drive-in sites for caravans and campervans, and 4 drive-in sites for camper trailers, caravans and campervans. Each takes up to six people, none have power, and every site has to be booked on the Parks Victoria website before you arrive. When we checked, a site was $35.60 a night.
Quick facts
- AddressJimmy Creek Campground, Grampians Road, Grampians National Park VIC 3314, AustraliaSee on the trip map →
- FacilitiesToiletsShowersFire PitsPicnic TablesWalking TrailsCaravan AccessCamper Trailer AccessNo Drinking WaterNo Power
- Good to know21 booked sites2WD accessBusy in summer
- Fees$35.60 a night, up to 6 people
- 8.4/10Overall rated
- Book via Parks Victoria
Getting There
The campground is on Grampians Road, about halfway between Halls Gap and Dunkeld, and the road is sealed most of the way. A short gravel road leads in through tall forest, with plenty of blackened trunks from past fires, and it’s fine for a 2WD, a caravan or a camper trailer. Bring your drinking water and firewood with you.
The Campsites
The campground is a big loop with an open, grassy centre, and the sites sit around the outside of it, at the edge of the forest. Most have a fire ring with a hotplate arm and a picnic table, and the sites are marked out with timber posts. It was pretty busy when we were there, and the sites are fairly close together, so keep in mind you’ll be near your neighbours. There was still plenty of room for the Prado, the rooftop tent and our table and chairs, with forested hills behind.
Campground LayoutLayout
The road in from Grampians Road leads onto a gravel loop around the open, grassy centre, where the toilets and the bush shower are. Tent sites sit around the edge of the loop, the four caravan sites (1, 2, 5 and 6) are on short spurs to the south, and the camper trailer sites (15, 16, 20 and 21) are on the north side. The Wannon River runs past the west end, where the track to Teddy Bear Gap starts.
Facilities
The long-drop toilets are in the open centre of the loop, in a timber block with a water tank beside it, and they were in good condition. Parks Victoria also lists a cold water shower. The water is untreated, so bring all your drinking water. There’s no power, and you take your rubbish out with you.
Cooking Over the Fire RingCampfires
Jimmy Creek was one of the few campgrounds on our trip where we could use the fire ring that comes with the site for a campfire. The rings have a hotplate arm for cooking, so you can grill over the coals. Fires are never allowed on a Total Fire Ban day, and you have to bring your own firewood, as collecting it in the national park isn’t allowed.
Things to Do NearbyThings to do
The Teddy Bear Gap Loop Walk starts right from camp: 7.4 km, about two and a half hours, through tall manna gum and black wattle forest up to a rocky outcrop with views over the Serra Range. The campground is also next to a trailhead of the Grampians Peaks Trail, and kangaroos and wallabies come in to feed at dusk and dawn. Halls Gap is a short drive north, and on the way you pass Lake Bellfield, where we stopped the next morning to stretch our legs.
Summary
Jimmy Creek is an easy, well-kept forest camp in the southern Grampians: a big loop of sites around an open centre, good long-drop toilets, picnic tables and fire rings you can actually use for a campfire, on a 2WD road between Halls Gap and Dunkeld. Book ahead in summer, bring your water and firewood, and expect neighbours close by.
A nice, easy forest camp in the southern Grampians.
Jimmy Creek is a big loop of sites around an open centre, with good pit toilets, picnic tables and a fire ring on the sites that you can actually use for a campfire. It gets busy, though, and the sites are fairly close together, so you’ll be near your neighbours.
- Campers
- Families
- 4WD tourers
Yes. $35.60 a night for up to six people gets you a forest site with a fire ring and a table, on an easy 2WD road between Halls Gap and Dunkeld.
Recommended Gear for Jimmy Creek Campground
The water is untreated, so carry plenty in good water containers. You’ll need your own firewood, and a folding saw makes it easy to cut to size. For cooking when there’s a fire ban, pack a gas stove like the Dune single burner, and a headlamp like the Black Diamond Astro 300 helps on the walk across the open centre to the toilets after dark.
