Sometimes you just want one night away. Leave Sydney on a Friday afternoon, and a few hours later you can be at the coast with the tent up. That was our plan for Killalea Campground in Killalea Regional Park, near Shellharbour on the NSW South Coast, with a day in Kiama on the Saturday.
The good
- A few hours from Sydney
- Hot showers and flush toilets
- Full camp kitchen block
- Full phone reception
- Kiama a short drive away
The not-so-good
- Pricey: $35 a night for a small site
- 2-night minimum, no campfires
- Sites close together, can be noisy
About Killalea Campground
Killalea Campground is run by NSW National Parks and has 53 sites for caravans, camper trailers, tents and camping beside your vehicle. It’s a big, grassy campground under gum trees, with paved roads, a modern amenities block and a whole camp kitchen building. The beaches in the park, The Farm and Minnamurra (Mystics) Beach, are a short walk or drive away, but they’re unpatrolled and have rip currents.
It’s ok, but it’s on the expensive side. A standard or small site costs $35 per night, and larger or group sites around $70 to $98. We also had to book a minimum of 2 nights, even though we only wanted to stay one, so in the end we paid $70 for a single night.
Quick facts
- AddressKillalea Campground, 236 Killalea Drive, Shell Cove NSW 2529, AustraliaSee on the trip map →
- Phone reception:Good
- Facilities:Flush ToiletsHot ShowersDrinking WaterCamp KitchenBBQsPicnic TablesCaravan AccessCamper Trailer AccessNo Campfires
- Good to know:2-night minimumArrive before 8 pmKiama nearby
- Fees:$35 per night (small site)$70 to $98 (larger sites)
- 8.3/10Overall rated
- Book via NSW National Parks
Killalea Campground and Surroundings
The sites are on grass between the gum trees, along loops of paved road. They’re pretty close to each other, and on a busy weekend the campground fills up with cars, tents and camper trailers. Be aware that it can be noisy. We prefer more natural campgrounds, with spots further apart and basic amenities, so this wasn’t really our style.
Getting there is a bit of a random drive in. You come off the motorway and drive through a suburban area to the entry of the national park, then follow the park road for a few minutes until you reach the campground. At the entry is a boom gate with a keypad: you get an access code by email when you book. Make sure you arrive before 8 pm. Once you’re in, phone reception is full, which isn’t a given at a campground.
Amenities block
This is where Killalea does well. The main amenities block is modern and clean, with flush toilets and a row of sinks under big mirrors. There’s plenty here if you’re looking for facilities, and after a night in the tent a hot shower is a nice way to start the day.
The showers are hot, in their own cubicles, with a long wooden bench outside them to put your clothes and toiletries on while you change.
Camp kitchen
There’s also a whole kitchen block: a camp kitchen with electric power, barbecues, drinking water and a covered area with picnic tables, so you hardly need to cook at your site. That’s handy, because campfires aren’t allowed.
Inside are long stainless steel benches with sinks, plenty of room to prep a meal or do the dishes, even when the campground is busy.
Kiama town and the ocean pool
On the Saturday we took time to visit Kiama, a short drive south. It’s a great little town and worth a visit, with many nice cafes and restaurants along the main street and the old post office with its clock tower. It feels almost a bit like Byron Bay. Only the beach doesn’t quite match: it’s nice, but not as good as Wategos Beach in Byron.
Down on the foreshore is the ocean pool, a rock pool right on the edge of the sea, with a walkway along the rocks beside it.
Kiama Blowhole and lighthouse
The best-known sight in Kiama is the blowhole. When the swell pushes into the rocks, water shoots up out of a gap in the rock platform, and a crowd gathers along the railings to wait for the next one.
Right next to it on the headland stands the white Kiama Lighthouse, with a car park beside it, so the two are easy to see in one stop.
Summary: Is Killalea Campground Worth It?
Killalea Campground is ok. It’s easy to reach on a Friday afternoon from Sydney, the facilities are good, with hot showers and a whole kitchen block, and you have full phone reception. But it’s on the expensive side at $35 a night for a small site, the 2-night minimum meant we paid $70 for one night, and the sites are close together, so it can be noisy. If you want facilities, it does the job, and Kiama is worth the trip on its own. If you prefer quiet, natural campgrounds with space between the sites, like we do, look elsewhere.
A well-equipped coastal campground a few hours from Sydney, but pricey and crowded for what it is.
- Car campers
- Families
- Weekend trips
It’s ok. The facilities are good, but $35 a night for a small site is on the expensive side, and with a 2-night minimum we paid $70 for one night. If you want space and nature more than hot showers, there are better campgrounds.
