Mount Kaputar National Park
Dawsons Spring campground is a fully equipped accommodation area with a variety of barbecue options and several good walking tracks, including one to the summit lookout.
| Number of campsites | 17 |
|---|---|
| Camping type | Tent, Camper trailer site, Camping beside my vehicle |
| Facilities | Amenities block, picnic tables, barbecue facilities, carpark, showers, toilets |
| What to bring | Firewood |
| Bookings | Book up to 12 people or 2 sites online. |
| Group bookings | School groups and Park Eco Pass holders can make a group booking enquiry. |
| Please note |
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This popular campground, perched on the side of a mountain just past the Mount Kaputar summit, offers everything you need to kick back and enjoy the best of the national park.
Snow gums surround picnic spots with dedicated barbecues and a well-equipped amenities block. Bring your tent to relax in the shade during warm summer months, don’t forget to pack your binoculars for some spectacular birdwatching.
Bushwalkers will find much of interest here too, with several superb walking tracks nearby. Dawsons Spring nature trail loops from the bottom of the campground, and it connects with the summit walk with dazzling views during clear autumn days. The beautiful Bundabulla circuit walking track, crosses through sub-alpine environments of the Kaputar plateau. The headwaters of Horsearm Creek can be seen along Dawsons Spring nature trail, and provide excellent photo opportunities.
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/camping-and-accommodation/campgrounds/dawsons-spring-campground/local-alerts
Mount Kaputar National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
All the practical information you need to know about Dawsons Spring campground.
Dawsons Spring campground is in the Kaputar plateau precinct of Mount Kaputar National Park. To get there:
Parking is available at Dawsons Spring campground.
There are lots of great things waiting for you in Mount Kaputar National Park. Here are some of the highlights.
This is one of the best times of year to visit the park, with ideal temperatures for bush walking, cycling and camping.
A beautiful time of year to enjoy the abundant wildflowers and birds.
Escape the heat of the plains by heading up into the park.
Experience the mist surrounding the high plateau area and enjoy the beauty of the occasional blanketing of snow. Be prepared for the temperatures about 10°C cooler than in the nearby town of Narrabri.
21°C and 35°C
43.4°C
7°C and 18°C
-5.6°C
January
August
188mm
Water is available, however you’ll need to treat or boil it before drinking.
Firewood is not provided and may not be collected from the park.
Generators are not permitted in this campground.
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.
NSW national parks are no smoking areas.
Dawsons Spring campground is in Mount Kaputar National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Several pioneering families lived in the Mount Kaputar area in extremely harsh conditions. Stockmen looked after sheep and cattle on the Kaputar Plateau, often going for months without seeing another person. Enjoy a walk to the historic Scutts Hut to experience the pioneers' harsh lifestyle. The Scutt family lived in the hut in the 1940s and 50s, and it has been carefully restored to its original condition. Most of the materials to build the hut and furniture were brought in by horse - even the rainwater tank.
Mount Kaputar National Park is the traditional Country of the Gamilaroi Aboriginal people. The park provided a rich resource for food, medicines, shelter and weapons and the landscape is part of Dreaming stories. Reminders of the Gamilaroi's connection to this ancient landscape are evident in Aboriginal rock carvings, campsites, marks on trees and axe grinding grooves throughout the park.
Mount Kaputar is famous for a very unusual, colourful local - a bright pink slug. It can be seen after rain on rocks, trees and amongst the leaf litter. With birds from both the east and west meeting together at Mount Kaputar, the park is also a wonderful place to go bird watching. More than 185 bird species live in the park, so don't forget your binoculars. A torch will also come in handy for seeing some of the other locals that come out at night, including possums and greater gliders. And watch out for the many kangaroos and wallabies, too.
Mount Kaputar National Park is packed with walks, cycling and 4WD trails, plus plenty of scenic spots for camping and picnicking. Test your mountain bike legs up the steep Mount Kaputar Road to the Kaputar Plateau, or the challenging Barraba track. Enjoy a bite to eat at a serene picnic area before walking it off as you take in the stunning scenery. Don't miss the incredible Sawn Rocks formation. There's so much to see, why not book a cabin or set up camp for a few days to make the most of your country getaway.
Two volcanos pushed Mount Kaputar high above the plains, and millions of years of erosion have carved a dramatic landscape of narrow valleys and steep ridges. Many of the mountains are ancient lava terraces. Experience ancient history for yourself by standing on Lindsay Rock Tops - an excellent example of a lava terrace. Or visit Sawn Rocks to see one of Australia's best examples of a spectacular rock formation called organ-piping - it really does look like a wall of giant organ pipes.
The critically endangered Kaputar rock skink is found only in the high rocky peaks of Mount Kaputar National Park. With one of the smallest ranges of any vertebrate in NSW, this rare reptile is at risk of extinction.
The southern boobook, also known as the mopoke, is the smallest and most common native owl in Australia. With a musical 'boo-book' call that echoes through forests and woodlands, the southern boobook is a great one to look out for while bird watching.
With a wingspan of up to 2.5m, the wedge-tailed eagle is Australia’s largest bird of prey. These Australian animals are found in woodlands across NSW, and have the ability to soar to heights of over 2km. If you’re bird watching, look out for the distinctive diamond-shaped tail of the eagle.
Of the 2 species of kookaburra found in Australia, the laughing kookaburra is the best-known and the largest of the native kingfishers. With its distinctive riotous call, the laughing kookaburra is commonly heard in open woodlands and forests throughout NSW national parks, making these ideal spots for bird watching.
The wonga wonga vine is a widespread vigorous climber usually found along eastern Australia. A variation of the plant occurs in the central desert, where it resembles a sprawling shrub. One of the more common Australian native plants, the wonga wonga vine produces bell-shaped white or yellow flowers in the spring, followed by a large oblong-shaped seed pod.
An iconic part of the Australian landscape, the grass tree is widespread across eastern NSW. These Australian native plants have a thick fire-blackened trunk and long spiked leaves. They are found in heath and open forests across eastern NSW. The grass tree grows 1-5m in height and produces striking white-flowered spikes which grow up to 1m long.
