Ben Halls campground
Weddin Mountains National Park
Overview
Ben Halls campground is a fantastic base during your stay at the park. Gullies, walks, waterfalls, historic sites - there’s so much for you to see and do from here.
| Camping type | Tent, Camper trailer site, Caravan site, Camping beside my vehicle |
|---|---|
| Facilities | Picnic tables, barbecue facilities, carpark, toilets |
| What to bring | Drinking water, cooking water, firewood |
| Price | There are no camping fees at this campground but a $6 booking fee applies. |
| Bookings | Bookings for up to 2 sites and 12 people can be made online. |
| Group bookings | This campground is not suitable for group bookings. |
| Please note |
|
Ben Halls campground is settled between large eucalyptus trees on the western side of Weddin Mountain National Park.
With Basin Gully as a picturesque backdrop, this open woodland setting with large grassed campsites provides a welcoming atmosphere.
From the campground and adjacent picnic area, follow the marked walk up Basin Gully, around Lynch's loop, or on to Ben Halls Cave, the famous bushranger's hideout. Continue up Bertha's Gully and onward to Seaton's Farm, where historic relics are still scattered, reminding visitors of a farming family’s inventiveness during very tough times.
At dusk, sugar gliders and brush-tailed possums come out to play, and during daylight hours, you’ll be joined by wallabies and kangaroos hopping through. Ben Halls campground is a great place to base yourself over a couple of nights’ stay, as there’s so much to see and do from here.
Map
Map legend
Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/camping-and-accommodation/campgrounds/ben-halls-campground/local-alerts
Bookings
- National Parks Contact Centre
- 7am to 7pm daily
- 1300 072 757 (13000 PARKS) for the cost of a local call within Australia excluding mobiles
- parks.info@environment.nsw.gov.au
Operated by
- Bathurst office
- Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm.
- 02 6332 7640
- 02 6332 7680 To contact the KARST Conservation Unit in this office.
- npws.centralwest@environment.nsw.gov.au
- Level 2, 203-209 Russell Street, Bathurst NSW 2795
Park info
- in Weddin Mountains National Park in the Country NSW region
Weddin Mountains National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Ben Halls campground.
Getting there and parking
Ben Halls campground is on the western side of Weddin Mountain National Park. To get there:
From Grenfell:
- Travel 5.5km west along the Mid-Western Highway towards West Wyalong, then turn left onto Back Piney Range Road, following the signs to Weddin Mountains National Park.
- Follow the road around for 23km and then turn left onto the park entrance road over the grid
- Go through the State Forest and then turn left and then right into Ben Halls campground
Road quality
- Unsealed roads
Vehicle access
- 2WD vehicles
Weather restrictions
- All weather
Parking
Parking is available at Ben Halls campground in gravel carparks, including 3 accessible parking spots in the carparks at the centre of the campground.
You can also park directly at your campsite.
Best times to visit
There are lots of great things waiting for you in Weddin Mountains National Park. Here are some of the highlights.
Autumn
Cooler days make it an ideal time to undertake some of the longer walks. It's also a good time to wander around Seaton's Farm to investigate and compare machinery used back then to what we have today.
Spring
A great time to see the wildflowers that blanket much of the ground. Venture up to the lookouts to see the sprawling surrounding farming country.
Summer
Enjoy a free barbecue at Ben Hall's campground.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
30°C and 33°C
Highest recorded
43.9°C
Winter temperature
Average
12°C and 15°C
Lowest recorded
-5°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
June
Driest month
February
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
110.7mm
Facilities
- Water is not available at this campground
- Rubbish bins are not available, so please take your rubbish with you when leaving.
Toilets
There are 2 accessible non-flush toilet blocks at the campground. One is set at the end of a hard-packed ground footpath and the other is next to the access road that runs through the campground.
- Non-flush toilets
Picnic tables
Barbecue facilities
- Fire rings (bring your own firewood)
- Gas/electric barbecues (free)
Carpark
Step-free access
The campground is flat and step-free, with a hard-packed ground pathway that leads to the toilets.
There are no other pathways at the campground - you'll need to cross over a mixture of flat grass and hard-packed ground to reach the rest of the facilities.
- Step-free outdoor pathways
Maps and downloads
Accessibility
Disability access level - easy
Ben Halls campground is flat and step-free, with the following accessible facilities:
- 3 accessible parking spaces in the gravel carparks towards the centre of the campground
- 2 accessible toilet blocks, one set at the end of a concrete path and the other set along the access road that runs through the campground.
Aside from the path to the toilets, there are no other pathways - you'll need to cross over flat grass and hard-packed ground to reach the rest of the facilities.
Prohibited
Pets
Pets and domestic animals (other than certified assistance animals) are not permitted. Find out which regional parks allow dog walking and see the pets in parks policy for more information.
Smoking
NSW national parks are no smoking areas.
Learn more
Ben Halls campground is in Weddin Mountains National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Any way you like it
The park offers both relaxing and adventurous recreational opportunities. Picnickers can enjoy a campfire and barbecue at Ben Hall's campground, while more adventurous visitors can walk the mountain range on a variety of walking tracks.
Protected population
The Weddin Mountains harbour 12 threatened plant species and 39 threatened bird species. In spring, many lilies and orchids come into bloom, as do winged peppercress and slender darling pea. The diversity in vegetation from the base of the mountain to the top also accommodates a variety of bird species, from larger emus to smaller robins and thornbills. Raptors such as wedge-tailed eagles and peregrine falcons are often seen swooping and diving from the lookouts.
- Bertha's Gully walking track This medium difficulty walk near Grenfell passes small waterfalls and rock overhangs along Bertha’s Gully. Stop by at the campground for a rest after your 6km walk.
- Eualdrie walking track Eualdrie walking track is a short hiking route that offers scenic views, birdwatching and spring wildflowers.
- Lynchs loop trail Lynchs loop trail is a short hike within Weddin Mountains National Park. The route is scenic and there are birdwatching opportunities.
Rock stars
The Weddin Mountains are a large, crescent-shaped range that rises sharply from the surrounding plains. This prominent feature can be seen from up to 50km away. There are a number of interesting rock formations, cliff lines and small caves, particularly on the northern and eastern side of the mountain. Deep gullies between gentler slopes produce some lovely small waterfalls after a good rain.
- Basin Gully to Eualdrie lookout track Enjoy a challenging walk? Highlights on this fantastic hiking track include ridges, gullies and scenic views that stretch toward Grenfell, as well as great birdwatching.
Where there's a will
In 1936, the Seaton family began developing property on the western side of the Weddin Mountains as a pastoral enterprise. Money and resources were scarce during the Great Depression, so the farm was built using second-hand materials fashioned into solid structures. Seaton's Farm is a testimony to the ingenuity used by the Seatons when times were tough. It provides brilliant insight into how this farming family lived during the mid-1900s. The Weddin Mountains are also well-known as the hideout of bushrangers Ben Hall and John Bow, infamously involved in the Escort Robbery at Eugowra.
- Seaton's Farm historic site An easy scenic walk to a perfect picnic spot against a backdrop of historic agricultural relics. Binoculars are also a must for the enthusiastic birdwatcher.