Camping in State Forests

[Brucer]

During a recent trip http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=27942.0 I passed through one National Park and several state forests. And I got to thinking.. camping  access in National Parks is reasonably well known and publicised http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/searchCampgrounds.aspx. Most of them have designated camp grounds and most of those involve some small fee. But what about the thousands of sq/km of State Forests?
Maybe this is common knowledge but it was news to me; Apparently you can camp pretty much wherever you like in a State Forest for no fee. http://www.forests.nsw.gov.au/visiting/activities/camping-and-picnics
http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/102130/FS0006_-_Camping_in_State_forest.pdf
Some of them have campground facilities and some don't, but you can camp there regardless. The thing is that many of these forests have bush camps that are out of the way, not well known (or known at all) and not advertised anywhere. I'll be exploring these areas with alot more interest from now on, knowing that that perfect camp spot by the river is probably legal to use.
btw Google Earth has a place option to show parks and reserves. This identifies and draws the boundaries of all State Forests and National Parks, making it easy to figure out where you can drive/camp and where you're likely to get moved on.
NSW Forestry put out a book too http://www.shop.nsw.gov.au/pubdetails.jsp?publication=9869 which I've ordered. Only $6.95

[bussoboy]

we used to camp in state forrests all the time because of our dog, but no matter how secluded we got you would always find a trailbike roaring past your tent at 6am

[Bobsan]

We have a national park and a State forest both 9 miles from home seperated by a river  we camp in the state forest, freedom, no restrictions except as mentioned in a earlier post, motorbikes, which have totally destroyed some of the tracks.   

[Kit_e_kat9]

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[Marschy]

South Oz forests allow camping and are free from my understanding. Have quite a few free campsites in Mt Crawford, which is mainly pine forest. Filthy bloody trees, drop needles which get into everything. Just south of Adelaide you have Kuitpo Forest which is very popular, but I believe you have to book and the access is via locked gate

[Hairs]

As much as I would love to explore our State Forests around the Clarence and camp over night, I think I will give it a miss.
Just on night fall the distinct sound of a Banjo can be heard, besides Ivan Malat still has relatives breathing. 

[r0ssrg]

Anyone know what the situation is in My and WA?

Rossco

[Mandrake]

Are there any forests in W.A. ? I thought it was mostly desert 

[achjimmy]

As much as I would love to explore our State Forests around the Clarence and camp over night, I think I will give it a miss.
Just on night fall the distinct sound of a Banjo can be heard, besides Ivan Malat still has relatives breathing. 

 

Every time  we head south I threaten to pull in and camp at the Belango state forest site. The wife disagrees strongly.

[Bird]

Every time  we head south I threaten to pull in and camp at the Belango state forest site. The wife disagrees strongly.

Mate of mine has bought 100acres down there... has offered for us to come visiting... He said it was cheap as chips too..
I'm worried.

[DannyG]

Tassie allows camping in the state forests Thats where we like to camp, its free, plenty of wood, dogs allowed, usually find a nice secluded spot on a river

http://www.forestrytas.com.au/visiting/camping

[Mallory Black]

Belangalo... don't dig your pit dunnies too deep, never what you will find

[prodigyrf]

Belangalo... don't dig your pit dunnies too deep, never what you will find

Hrrrmph! Well you won't find any such thing in the land of plastic shopping bag bans and container deposit legislation because we're forever scolded to take it away with us and put it in the appropriate receptacle-
http://snowtown.blogspot.com.au/
Personally I'm a bit wary of folks with those porta-pottis 

[gronk]

Every time  we head south I threaten to pull in and camp at the Belango state forest site. The wife disagrees strongly.

Camped there a few times...was a great spot....I've heard the CSG mob are in there drilling at the moment..

[Brucer]

Belangalo... don't dig your pit dunnies too deep, never what you will find

As much as I would love to explore our State Forests around the Clarence and camp over night, I think I will give it a miss.
Just on night fall the distinct sound of a Banjo can be heard, besides Ivan Malat still has relatives breathing. 

http://www.forests.nsw.gov.au/visiting/forests?camping=Yes lists 32 NSW State Forests with camping facilities, which doesn't include the dozens of other State Forests which don't (but camping is still permitted). Belanglo is just one of them, and a small one at that..
Many State Forests are directly adjacent to National Parks such that you'd often never know when you cross from one to the other. I don't see how you're any safer in one vs the other

[Hairs]

G'day Brucer,
Some of the state forests around the Clarence are not the place to be in after dark.
How do I know this? A few mates are pig hunters, have been for many many years and they tell of all kinds of people that hang out in the forests.
I just don't think people should be given the idea that camping in a state forest is the same as staying the night in a caravan park. Don't get me wrong, I have a few favorite spots that I love to visit and stay at in forests or beside a River somewhere that are hidden off the beaten track.
Yes you are right

that you'd often never know when you cross from one to the other

I come across this on most of my day trips,  some are well sign posted others are just a rotten post on the side of a track.
There a few State Forests in the Clarence Valley that are not listed in the link because they don't have established camping areas.
Candole, Bom Bom, Gibberagee, New Foundland, Glenugie, Kangaroo River, Conglomerate, Clouds Creek, Sheas Nob, Nymboida, Ramorine, Dalmorton, Grange, Washpool, Mount Marsh. These are the ones just off the top of my head. I'm sure there would be more to the north of the junction of the Mann & Clarence Rivers, many of these boarder National Parks.

I believe state forests are a wonderful alternative to the more traditional camping destinations, just some of them I wouldn't like to stay in.

 

[Rumpig]

  we camp in the state forest, freedom, no restrictions except as mentioned in a earlier post

i thought NSW forest had restrictions on campfires at a certain time of the year? i'm not sure if it's all or just some of them though.

[Brucer]

Candole, Bom Bom, Gibberagee, New Foundland, Glenugie, Kangaroo River, Conglomerate, Clouds Creek, Sheas Nob, Nymboida, Ramorine, Dalmorton, Grange, Washpool, Mount Marsh.

All those are listed here http://www.forests.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/436189/SF-LIST-May-2011.pdf

I don't consider or recommend State Forests an alternative to Caravan Parks.. different sort of camping entirely (although no shortage of obnoxious bogans in those too) but for some of us that like bush camping, with some research and exploration they can offer a good alternative to the better known National Park campgrounds which seem to becoming more and more restrictive with limited sites, booking systems, poor vehicle access, etc.

[prodigyrf]

Actually I was wondering if the nervous nellies haven't chopped down the Belanglo Forest a la knocking down that Port Arthur restaurant after bad things happen. Apparently if you knock these things down all the nasties that go bump in the night vanish with it, although some are a lot less superstitious, or perhaps more rational it seems-
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/realestate/snowtown-bank-sells-for-185000/story-fnczi4hc-1226461365710
Mind you those 20000 interested lookers tell a story and there were certainly many calls to knock over the bad bank building that did all those evil things 
 

[Hairs]

i thought NSW forest had restrictions on campfires at a certain time of the year? i'm not sure if it's all or just some of them though.

Yeah, your right.
I believe when there is a fire ban or a total fire ban it includes SF.
Important information when visiting state forests

Also within State Forests there are SCA (State Conservation Areas),
Reserve types in NSW - State conservation area

State conservation areas are lands reserved to protect and conserve significant or representative ecosystems, landforms, natural phenomena or places of cultural significance, while providing opportunities for sustainable visitation, enjoyment, use of buildings and research.
The principal difference between the management, objectives and principles of national parks and state conservation areas is that mineral and petroleum exploration and mining may be permitted in state conservation areas

I love how this bit of text contradicts it's self.
"conserve significant or representative ecosystems", Then it states, "mineral and petroleum exploration and mining may be permitted"
 
I have come across these areas in my journeys through the state forests, once where it was a common track from one connecting road to another, now have locked gates across them.
Anyway, I believe State Forests should be explored & used more.

 

[Redback]

Well we have camped in Belanglo, Jelore, Penrose, Wingelo, Onley, Watagans, Orimbah, Badja, Yadboro, Bondi(Sth Coast) Mogo, Yalwal and heaps more in NSW/VIC and Sth Australia, Sth Australian State Forest require a fee and your not allowed to drive in the forest unless it a through road or main forest road, the NParks are free however, other free camps are council run.

You'll be surprised how good some of the State Forest are in NSW and VIC, the Vic High Country is a perfect excample, the DSE camps in the High Country are brilliant.

By the way, Belanglo is a great forest to camp in, the rangers there are clamping down on trailbikes and are very active in the forest every weekend, I've camped there a number of times over the last 8yrs.

Baz.

[Marschy]

Sth Australian State Forest require a fee and your not allowed to drive in the forest unless it a through road or main forest road, the NParks are free however, other free camps are council run.

Its the other way around, most SA forests are free, NP's require a fee everywhere in South Oz.

[Redback]

Its the other way around, most SA forests are free, NP's require a fee everywhere in South Oz.

We stayed at 2 and we had to pay in both of them, Wirrabara SF and the Rangers there said all of the forests had a fee unless the campsite was run by the council, although we have camped a few times for free, we just assumed they had changed things, the other SF we stayed in was in the Adelaide Hills, Kuitpo SF, they said the same thing.

[Marschy]

Kuitpo is very popular, haven't been there myself, what is it like?

[Redback]

Kuitpo is very popular, haven't been there myself, what is it like?

It was wet when we were there and the fire pits were full of water, I didn't like it at all, no fire and it was cold, but having said that, if the weather would have been good, it may have been differant, the campsites are quite small most were flat but OK for one camper, the larger ones would be for groups, there's a lot of passing traffic, so can be noisey, we stayed 2 nights, mostly because we wanted to look around the area, Birdwood Mill, Goodensons Brewary, Harndorf Brewary, cheese and berry farms and so on.

I wouldn't go there in School hols or a long weekend though