Ghost Gully campground

High Plains area in Kosciuszko National Park

Open, check current alerts 

Overview

Ghost Gully campground is a small campground with basic necessities, horse facilities and easy access to the northern section of Kosciuszko National Park.

Accommodation Details
Camping type Tent, Camper trailer site, Camping beside my vehicle , Camping with horses
Facilities Barbecue facilities, toilets
What to bring Firewood
Opening times

There is no vehicle access in winter (June to October long weekends) and at other times due to snowfall.

Price There are no camping fees at this campground but a $6 booking fee applies.
Bookings Book up to 12 people or 2 sites online.
Group bookings This campground is not suitable for group bookings.
Please note
  • Sites are not powered.
  • Maximum length of stay is 14 days at this campground and 21 days in this national park.
  • This campground is suitable for small groups and is very popular with horse riders.

Ghost Gully is a small, hidden gem tucked away off Long Plain Road within Kosciuszko National Park. The area offers a variety of activities, making it an appealing option for people looking to get the most out of a solo visit.

Located in a valley at the junction of two creeks, Ghost Gully campground is surrounded by black sallee eucalypt trees. The site is sheltered and spacious, perfect for portable horse yards. Bring your trailer and saddle up for a horse ride along Mosquito Creek trail, which reaches north to Hainsworth and Old Currango huts, blending colonial heritage with gorgeous natural beauty.

If you want to get your heart pumping, take a short mountain bike ride and cool off afterwards at either Murrumbidgee River or Tantangara Dam. You can also take a short drive for an afternoon swim, so be sure to pack your swimmers. Yarrangobilly Caves are just down the road too, where there are plenty of walks to warm up your muscles.

In spring, wildflowers bloom and envelope the area with a burst of colour, while autumn brings cool clear nights and a sky full of stars. Combine opportunities for fishing or birdwatching with plenty of picnic spots available, and you have a compelling reason to stay for days.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

Map


Map legend

Map legend

Current alerts in this area

There are no current alerts in this area.

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/ghost-gully-campground/local-alerts

Bookings

Operated by

Park info

See more visitor info

Visitor info

All the practical information you need to know about Ghost Gully campground.

Getting there and parking

Ghost Gully campground is in the Long Plain precinct of Kosciuszko National Park. To get there:

From Tumut Visitor Centre:

  • Drive along Snowy Mountains Highway for 72.8km
  • Turn left on to Long Plain Road
  • Turn right on to Port Phillip Trail and continue for 4.5km to the campground

From Adaminaby:

  • Drive along Snowy Mountains Highway for 56.2km
  • Turn right on to Long Plain Road
  • Turn right on to Port Phillip Trail and continue for 4.5km to the campground

Road quality

  • Check the weather before you set out, as the road to this campground can become boggy when it rains.
  • It's recommended that all vehicles carry snow chains from June to October long weekends. Read our snow driving in Kosciuszko tips.

  • Unsealed roads

Vehicle access

  • 2WD vehicles

Weather restrictions

  • 4WD required in wet weather

Facilities

  • Rubbish bins are not available – please take rubbish with you when leaving.
  • Creek water is available at this campground – you’ll need to treat or boil it before drinking.
  • Firewood is not provided, but deadfall timber may be collected from the park (chainsaws not permitted).

Toilets

  • Non-flush toilets

Barbecue facilities

  • Fire rings (bring your own firewood)

Maps and downloads

Safety messages

Alpine safety

Alpine areas present special safety issues. Conditions can be extreme and may change rapidly, particularly in winter. It’s important to be prepared and find out how to stay safe in alpine areas.

Camping safety

Whether you're pitching your tent on the coast or up on the mountains, there are many things to consider when camping in NSW national parks. Find out how to stay safe when camping.

Fire safety

During periods of fire weather, the Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service may declare a total fire ban for particular NSW fire areas, or statewide. Learn more about total fire bans and fire safety.

Fishing safety

Fishing from a boat, the beach or by the river is a popular activity for many national park visitors. If you’re planning a day out fishing, check out these fishing safety tips.

Mobile safety

Dial Triple Zero (000) in an emergency. Download the Emergency Plus app before you visit, it helps emergency services locate you using your smartphone's GPS. Please note there is limited mobile phone reception in this park and you’ll need mobile reception to call Triple Zero (000).

Permitted

Horses

Camping with horses is permitted at this campground.

Prohibited

Drones

Flying a drone for recreational purposes is prohibited in this area. Drones may affect public enjoyment, safety and privacy, interfere with park operations, or pose a threat to wildlife. See the Drones in Parks policy.

This area may be a declared Drone Exclusion Zone, or may be subject to Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) rules for flying near airports, aerodromes and helicopter landing sites. See CASA's Drone Flyer Rules.

Commercial filming and photography

Commercial filming or photography is prohibited without prior consent. You must apply for permission and contact the local office.

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

Ghost Gully campground is in High Plains area. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:

Experiences and facilities

Horses tethered to posts in northern Kosciuszko National Park. Photo: Elinor Sheargold/OEH

The vast grassland plains, with their hidden huts, are a superb backdrop for walking tracks, mountain bike trails and scenic drives. Blue Waterholes campground is a favourite summer destination to explore stunning walks, creeks, and gorges. There are plenty of campgrounds to choose from across the plains, and with horse riding popular here, many offer facilities for camping with horses. These include: Cooinbil Hut, Long Plain Hut, Ghost Gully, Old Snowy, Wares Yards, Rocky Plain, and Bullocks Hill campgrounds. You can also bring your horse if you’re staying at Currango Homestead, Daffodil Cottage or The Pines Cottage (fees and limits apply, bookings required).

Unique landscapes

Cave and creek at Blue Waterholes, Kosciuszko National Park. Photo: Elinor Sheargold/OEH

As you explore the High Plains area you’ll see plains of snow grass, herbs and heath. Snow gums and black sallee eucalypts dominate the woodland, while mountain gum, candle bark and alpine ash also appear at higher elevations. The karst environment of the Cooleman Plain is best seen in the steep cliffs, narrow gorges, limestone caves and remarkable blue-tinged spring around Blue Waterholes.

  • Clarke Gorge walking track The 5km Clarke Gorge walking track follows Cave Creek downstream through limestone gorges and cave formations. Stop along the way to do some fishing and birdwatching.
  • Nichols Gorge walking track The 7km Nichols Gorge walking track, suitable for experienced hikers, follows Cave Creek and passes some karst features before rejoining Blue Waterholes trail.
  • Snowy Mountains adventures with Cochran Horse Treks Join Cochran Horse Treks for an unforgettable adventure in Kosciuszko National Park. Their 3 to 7-day guided tours are a great way to experience stunning Snowy Mountains landscapes on horseback.

High country huts and heritage

Coolamine Homestead, Kosciuszko National Park. Photo: Elinor Sheargold/OEH

From the mid-1800s into the 1950s, the high plains of Kosciuszko National Park attracted summer graziers who constructed timber and tin huts as shelter throughout the area. More than 20 of these photogenic high country huts are dotted along the many tracks and trails of the plains. Larger properties, like Currango or Coolamine Homesteads, became permanent residences and now provide a fascinating window into pioneer life.

A wonderland for wildlife

Eastern water dragon. Photo: R Nicolai/OEH

The complex karst environment of Cooleman Plain supports a rich community of animals and plants. Platypus, wombats, brushtail and ringtail possums, eastern grey kangaroos and red-necked wallabies are commonly seen along tracks and at campgrounds. The caves provide an important roosting site for the vulnerable eastern bentwing bat, and winter refuge for one of Australia’s highest populations of eastern water dragons. Keep an eye out for the leafy anchor plant along the banks of Cave Creek - it’s one of Australia’s only deciduous native plants.

  • Clarke Gorge walking track The 5km Clarke Gorge walking track follows Cave Creek downstream through limestone gorges and cave formations. Stop along the way to do some fishing and birdwatching.

World-class wilderness

Aerial view of Clarke Gorge, near Blue Waterholes, in the High Plains area of Kosciuszko National Park. Photo: Robert Mulally/DPIE

In recognition of Kosciuszko's unique value as a conservation area, it's been named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. More than half the area of the park, over 350,000ha, has been declared wilderness and includes the Goobarragandra, Bramina and Bimberi wilderness areas, which cover 61,500ha.

  • Snowy Mountains adventures with Cochran Horse Treks Join Cochran Horse Treks for an unforgettable adventure in Kosciuszko National Park. Their 3 to 7-day guided tours are a great way to experience stunning Snowy Mountains landscapes on horseback.
  • Snowy Mountains multi-day horse ride treks Immerse yourself in the wild beauty of the Snowy Mountains on a multi-day horse riding trek guided and supported by Reynella Rides. You'll enjoy hearty mountain food and roomy tents as you explore the High Plains area in Kosciuszko National Park.

Plants and animals protected in this park

Animals

  • Eastern bentwing bat. Photo: Ken Stepnell

    Eastern bentwing-bat (Miniopterus schreibersii oceanensis)

    Eastern bentwing-bats congregate in caves across the east and north-west coasts of Australia, in colonies of up to 150,000. These small Australian animals weigh around 13-17g and can reach speeds of up to 50km per hour. Eastern bentwing-bats use both sight and echolocation to catch small insects mid-air.

  • Swamp wallaby in Murramarang National Park. Photo: David Finnegan

    Swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor)

    The swamp wallaby, also known as the black wallaby or black pademelon, lives in the dense understorey of rainforests, woodlands and dry sclerophyll forest along eastern Australia. This unique Australian macropod has a dark black-grey coat with a distinctive light-coloured cheek stripe.

  • Eastern common ringtail possum. Photo: Ken Stepnell

    Common ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus)

    Commonly found in forests, woodlands and leafy gardens across eastern NSW, the Australian ringtail possum is a tree-dwelling marsupial. With a powerful tail perfectly adapted to grasp objects, it forages in trees for eucalypt leaves, flowers and fruit.

  •  Superb lyrebird, Minnamurra Rainforest, Budderoo National Park. Photo: David Finnegan

    Superb lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae)

    With a complex mimicking call and an elaborate courtship dance to match, the superb lyrebird is one of the most spectacular Australian animals. A bird watching must-see, the superb lyrebird can be found in rainforests and wet woodlands across eastern NSW and Victoria.

  • Eastern water dragon. Photo: Rosie Nicolai

    Eastern water dragon (Intellagama lesueurii lesueurii)

    The eastern water dragon is a subaquatic lizard found in healthy waterways along eastern NSW, from Nowra to halfway up the Cape York Pensinsula. It’s believed to be one of the oldest of Australian reptiles, remaining virtually unchanged for over 20 million years.

  • Bare-nosed wombat. Photo: Keith Gillett

    Bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus)

    A large, squat marsupial, the Australian bare-nosed wombat is a burrowing mammal found in coastal forests and mountain ranges across NSW and Victoria. The only other remaining species of wombat in NSW, the endangered southern hairy-nosed wombat, was considered extinct until relatively recently.

  • Yellow-tailed black cockatoo. Photo: Peter Sherratt

    Yellow-tailed black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus)

    The yellow-tailed black cockatoo is one of the largest species of parrot. With dusty-black plumage, they have a yellow tail and cheek patch. They’re easily spotted while bird watching, as they feed on seeds in native forests and pine plantations.

  • A juvenile platypus saved by National Parks and Wildlife staff. Photo: M Bannerman/OEH

    Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)

    One of the most fascinating and unusual Australian animals, the duck-billed platypus, along with the echidna, are the only known monotremes, or egg-laying mammals, in existence. The platypus is generally found in permanent river systems and lakes in southern and eastern NSW and east and west of the Great Dividing Range.

  • Echidna. Photo: Ken Stepnell

    Short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus)

    One of only 2 egg-laying mammals in the world, the short-beaked echidna is one of the most widespread of Australian native animals. Covered in spines, or quills, they’re equipped with a keen sense of smell and a tube-like snout which they use to break apart termite mounds in search of ants.

  • Brush tail possum. Photo: Ken Stepnell

    Common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula)

    One of the most widespread of Australian tree-dwelling marsupials, the common brushtail possum is found across most of NSW in woodlands, rainforests and urban areas. With strong claws, a prehensile tail and opposable digits, these native Australian animals are well-adapted for life amongst the trees.

Environments in this area