Holy Camp
Weddin Mountains National Park
Overview
Holy Camp is a quiet campground that has birdwatching opportunities, a picnic area nearby and offers access to a walking track and lookout.
| 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, fuel stove, firewood |
| Price | Free. There are no camping fees at this campground but a $6 booking fee applies. |
| Bookings | Bookings are required. Book online or call the National Parks Contact Centre on 1300 072 757. |
| Please note |
|
Holy Camp is a sheltered campground which offers a picnic area, walking track and a lookout with scenic views stretching over the sandstone outcrop of Weddin Range.
Go bushwalking around Holy Camp, alive with mugga ironbarks, red stringybarks and black cypress pine. You might even hear the haunting call of the southern boobook and tawny frogmouth, as you drift off to sleep.
There are opportunities to spot native wildlife such as red-necked wallabies, eastern grey kangaroos and brush-tailed possums. The area is also rich in birdlife, so if you enjoy birdwatching, pack your binoculars and look out for kookaburras, peregrine falcons, wedge-tailed eagles, turquoise parrots and speckled warblers, calling the area home.
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/holy-camp/local-alerts
General enquiries
- 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 Holy Camp.
Getting there and parking
Holy Camp is in the eastern side of Weddin Mountains National Park. To get there:
- Travel south from Grenfell for 1.5km along Mary Gilmore Way
- Turn west onto Holy Camp Road
- After 14km, the road ends at Holy Camp.
Road quality
- Unsealed roads
Vehicle access
- 2WD vehicles
Weather restrictions
- All weather
Parking
Car and bus parking is available at Holy Camp.
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.
- You’re encouraged to bring gas or fuel stoves, especially in summer during the fire season.
- Rubbish bins are not available so please take rubbish with you when leaving
Toilets
- Non-flush toilets
Picnic tables
Barbecue facilities
- Fire rings (bring your own firewood)
Carpark
Maps and downloads
Accessibility
Disability access level - medium
Picnic tables and toilets in this campground are wheelchair-accessible.
Permitted
Generators
Generators can be used in this campground, though please respect other campers by keeping noise to a minimum.
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.
Nearby towns
Forbes (112 km)
Rich in gold-mining history and the site of the biggest gold robbery in Australia's history, Forbes is renowned for its connections with notorious bushrangers Ben Hall and Frank Gardiner. Find out more on the town's heritage trail.
Grenfell (90 km)
The historic goldmining town of Grenfell is the birthplace of poet Henry Lawson, who was born on 17 June, 1867. Bushranger Ben Hall was also born nearby. Hall and his gang rampaged through the area from late 1863 until his death in a hail of bullets in May 1865.Visit the Grenfell Historical Museum to learn about Grenfell and its famous and (infamous) sons.
Young (109 km)
Young is home to many different stone-fruit orchards, wineries and gourmet food shops. Pick your own cherries from November to December and explore the local cellars and restaurants.
Learn more
Holy Camp 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.
