camping near gold coast looking for recommendations

[sbv20j]

Hi looking for camp ground recommendations with in an hours drive of the gold coast theme parks

Thanks 

[Rumpig]

Canungra Showgrounds if you want both powered and unpowered.
Sharp Park for unpowered only (mid week and non holiday periods only)

[tryagain]

What sort of camping site are you after ie nonpowered/powered? toilets? showers? bush style camp? I assume at least one trip to the theme parks but is it more of just a base to do other things or is camping going to be the main thing with a couple of side trips?

[sbv20j]

looking for something with shower/toilets doing the theme parks, shopping etc don't mind if its a caravan park as long as it sites are big enough for a camper

[Spada]

http://goldcoasttouristparks.com.au/jacobswell-caravan

[Rumpig]

looking for something with shower/toilets doing the theme parks, shopping etc don't mind if its a caravan park as long as it sites are big enough for a camper

Canungra Showgrounds has that, no formal sites as such it's just pick your own spot. If you want unpowered you can camp down by the creek, powered sites are up around the main field area. Jacobs Well I didn't recommend as sand flies and midges can be an issue there for some people.

[tryagain]

Closest to the majority of the theme parks would be http://goldcoastholidaypark.com.au/ I haven't been there but live nearby, has a bucket load of facilities including resort style pool etc but I am sure you will pay for it.

A bit of a roughy https://paradisecountry.com.au/farmstay/hot-offers.aspx is part of movie world/wet and wild/outback spectacular. It's pretty much a glamping experience and not cheap but they sometimes do some very combo deals with entry to the parks etc that can actually make it very worthwhile. It's nothing spectacular and it would cost a lot to stay for any extended period of time but as I said this one is mainly for the combo deals which you would probably only stay long enough to take advantage of.

Close to the beach/centre of the gold coast http://www.goldcoasttouristparks.com.au/mainbeach-parkhome

As rumpig said Canungra showgrounds are about 1/2hr from most of the theme parks and more of a camping spot as opposed to a caravan park.

plenty more options as well, maybe have a look on wikicamps and you can further refine what you are looking for.




 

 

[BigDog816]

Haven't been here myself but it's been recommended to me by 3 separate people.  30/40mins from SeaWorld and Dreamworld.  The weekend we wanted to go they had a scout camp on and we ended up in a caravan park. 

And I believe they allow fires.

http://mtnimmellodge.com.au

[edz]

Two to choose from at Hastings point, the little one on the south side of the bridge would be nicer, though can get a bit of traffic noise ..
Creek to play / swim / fish in, Headland and beach to view the whales and fish / on from .
 http://www.tchp.com.au/tweed-coast-holiday-parks-hastings-point/

[Spada]

or about 15 minutes further out from Canungra (on the road to O'Reileys) is this one- http://springgullystays.com.au/caravan-and-tent-sites/

Powered sites with full facilities are on one side of the creek, un-powered area with chemical toilets (no showers) are on the other side of the creek.

[tryagain]

It probably depends on what sort of holiday you are planning ie are you camping just as a cheap base to do the tourist things of the GC, a beachside holiday, a get away from it all relaxing camping experience etc.

[Rumpig]

or about 15 minutes further out from Canungra (on the road to O'Reileys) is this one- http://springgullystays.com.au/caravan-and-tent-sites/

Powered sites with full facilities are on one side of the creek, un-powered area with chemical toilets (no showers) are on the other side of the creek.

this is a nice spot away from everything, but getting on the limit of how far away you'd want to be. The unpowered area is nicer then where their powered area is IMO (I think the powered area is up near the house from memory, but happy to hear otherwise).

[tryagain]

Haven't been here myself but it's been recommended to me by 3 separate people.  30/40mins from SeaWorld and Dreamworld.  The weekend we wanted to go they had a scout camp on and we ended up in a caravan park. 

And I believe they allow fires.

http://mtnimmellodge.com.au

I drove in one day to have a look, I guess it depends on what you are looking for but decided it wasn't for me. Nothing in particular wrong with it, it's good reviews is what got me to have a look in the first place.
I think if I am camping to get away from everything I want to feel like I am away from everything and I want either want to be by water or have great views and for me, It kind of had the feeling of just camping in the paddock in front of someone's house without either great views or water. Plenty of other people seem happy with it however, I guess it depends on what you are after and what you are comparing it too.

this is a nice spot away from everything, but getting on the limit of how far away you'd want to be. The unpowered area is nicer then where their powered area is IMO (I think the powered area is up near the house from memory, but happy to hear otherwise).

Also did a drive by here one day and it looked nice, was a bit packed in for my liking but it was a long weekend. Although I have been digging the solitude of some youcamp sites as we are set up for them, this one is up there for a trip with friends who aren't. I assume the normal camping is on the side of the creek where their house is and the "bush camping" is on the other side just with the portaloo's?

[Rumpig]

Also did a drive by here one day and it looked nice, was a bit packed in for my liking but it was a long weekend. Although I have been digging the solitude of some youcamp sites as we are set up for them, this one is up there for a trip with friends who aren't. I assume the normal camping is on the side of the creek where their house is and the "bush camping" is on the other side just with the portaloo's?

not surprised it was packed on a long weekend, I'd avoid it on times like that...can get busy on normal weekends now also, but that's most known places within an hour of Brisbane now a days. Normal bush camping is on opposite of the creek from the house where the portaloos were, the side of the creek where their house is has about 8 or so little cabins (basically just some beds under a roof of a small oversized shed) you can rent out for functions. They have a big under cover kitchen communal area there that if you rent it and the cabins, they dedicate that side of the creek for your function. From what I saw there's a couple of powered sites right up next to their house, I don't recall seeing any that looked out over the creek. It's certainly not what you'd call isolated type camping spot, just a nice weekend getaway close to home is all, though getting abit to popular like everywhere else.