Postmans campground
South East Forests National Park
Overview
4WD enthusiasts will love secluded Postmans campground, which offers creekside camping in a remote area of South East Forests National Park, near Bombala.
| Number of campsites | 5 |
|---|---|
| Camping type | Tent, Camping beside my vehicle |
| Facilities | Picnic tables, barbecue facilities, toilets |
| 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 |
|
You’ll need a 4WD to reach this small campsite, located between Bombala and Bega, but the effort's well worth it. You may even have this tranquil South Coast spot all to yourselves.
Pitch your tent in the forest by a sandy bend of Tantawangalo Creek, then enjoy a dip in one of the creek’s fern-lined swimming holes. When you're ready, there's plenty to explore by 4WD.
Retrace the footsteps of yesteryear's postmen and cattle drovers with a drive along Postmans and Cattlemans tracks. Check out the short walk and viewpoint at nearby Six Mile Creek campground. The original Tantawangalo Mountain Road to this site was forged in 1860.
Stock up on fuel and pack a tasty lunch to explore more of South East Forests National Park. Historic Alexanders Hut is the perfect backdrop for a picnic. If you're feeling energetic, stretch your legs on the extensive walking track network around Nunnock Swamp and Grasslands.
Back at Postmans campground, enjoy the solitude by your crackling campfire. As night falls, keep an eye (and torch) out for the local nightlife including sugar gliders, swamp wallabies, and long-nosed bandicoots. Then fall asleep to the sleepy 2-note tune of the southern boobook owl.
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/postmans-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
- Bombala office
- Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4pm.
- 02 6458 5900
- npws.sapphirecoast@environment.nsw.gov.au
- 153 Maybe Street, Bombala NSW 2632
Park info
- in South East Forests National Park in the South Coast and Snowy Mountains regions
South East Forests 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 Postmans campground.
Getting there and parking
Postmans campground is in the Tantawangalo area of South East Forests National Park.
To get there from Nimmitabel (4WD only):
- Drive south for 10km along Snowy Mountains Highway
- Turn right onto Monaro Highway and follow for 4 km
- Turn left onto New Line Road and follow for 19km
- Turn left onto Packers Swamp Road for 4km
- Turn right onto Cattlemans Link track, after 3.5km veer right onto Cattlemans track and continue around 11km
- Turn right onto Postmans track and follow 3km to the campground.
- This route includes 1 creek crossing. Tantawangalo Creek maybe impassable after heavy rain, so it’s a good idea to check access with Bombala Office before you set out.
To get there from Bombala:
- Drive east for 19km along Cathcart Road and Mount Darragh Road
- Pass through Cathcart then turn left onto Tantawangalo Mountain Road
- After around 8.5km veer left onto Postmans track and follow around 5km to the campground.
To get there from Bega:
- Turn off Princes Highway onto Candelo-Bega Road
- At Candelo, turn right onto Eden Street then left onto Sharpe Street
- Turn right onto Tantawangalo Mountain Road
- After around 18km turn right onto Knox Link track, then right onto Postmans track and follow road to the campground.
Road quality
- Unsealed roads
Vehicle access
- All roads require 4WD vehicle
Weather restrictions
- 4WD required in wet weather
Facilities
- You’ll need to bring your own supply of drinking and cooking water.
- There are no bins at Postmans campground so you’ll need to take all rubbish away with you.
Toilets
- Non-flush toilets
Picnic tables
Barbecue facilities
- Fire rings (bring your own firewood)
Maps and downloads
Accessibility
Disability access level - hard
Hard access is via steps or a steep slope, or you'll have to move across a rough surface with obstacles such as potholes, tree roots, and rocks. Assistance will be necessary.
Permitted
Camp fires and solid fuel burners
Prohibited
Recreational hunting in NSW National Parks is an illegal activity and is a fineable offence.
Gathering firewood
Generators
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
Postmans campground is in South East Forests National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Ancient connections
South East Forests National Park is part of the traditional country of the Yuin People, who had a diverse economy and cultural links with neighbouring Aboriginal clans and tribes. South East Forests National Park and the surrounding area provided a diverse food source of animals and fish, a rich resource for weapon and tool construction, as well as a source of medicines and transport. The park protects a number of Aboriginal sites and remains an important landscape for Aboriginal people today.
Old-growth
In the early 19th century, explorers, miners, squatters and timber getters led the way into the area that is now South East Forests National Park. The forests within the park were utilised as resources for many years up until the 1980's when their transition to national park commenced. The old-growth forest contains eucalypt trees in their final cycle of growth; trees that provide many different types of nest or home sites for wildlife. Some animals, like large forest owls and glider possums depend on these forests for hollows that develop over long periods of time. Pipers lookout in the northern part of the park is a good place to see old growth forests. Take the short loop walk to see magnificent views of Bemboka and the Bega Valley below, and walk through towering old growth forest.
Rock on
South East Forests National Park protects unique physical features that are sure to appeal to budding geologists, keen photographers and nature-lovers alike. The huge granite tors at Pheasants Peak are the result of volcanic activity and millions of years of weathering and erosion. For a close up view, take the challenging Pheasants Peak walk, you'll also be rewarded with stunning views towards the Snowy Mountains and down the south coast escarpment. Don't miss the elliptically shaped Jingera complex at Jingera Rock near the town of Wyndham; a sheer syenite rockface that is the first reported complex of its type in Australia.
- Goodenia Rainforest picnic area Combine a barbecue with birdwatching at Goodenia Rainforest picnic area, near Merimbula. The easy Goodenia Rainforest walk starts from this scenic picnic area.
- Myanba Gorge walking track Myanba Gorge walking track is a short walk near Bombala with wheelchair-friendly access to the first lookout. It’s great spot for birdwatching and an idyllic place for a picnic.
- Nunnock Swamp and Grasslands walking tracks Go to South East Forests National Park near both Nimmitabel and Bombala for a day walk through the Far South Coast hinterland. Go birdwatching or camping at Alexanders Hut.
- Pipers lookout A good place to stop for a picnic, but Pipers lookout in South East Forest National Park also features stunning views – take the easy boardwalk to see for yourself.
Wildlife haven
Koalas, powerful owls and giant burrowing frogs are among the threatened species protected within South East Forests National Park. The park also shelters the state's only known populations of endangered long-footed potoroos. Head to White Rock picnic area and look for small conical pits in the ground - evidence of a potoroo's night-time search for fungus. If you're camping overnight at Six Mile Creek or Nunnock campgrounds, listen and watch for nocturnal creatures like gliders and possums.
- Goodenia Rainforest picnic area Combine a barbecue with birdwatching at Goodenia Rainforest picnic area, near Merimbula. The easy Goodenia Rainforest walk starts from this scenic picnic area.
- Waalimma picnic area Located near both Bega and Bombala on the NSW south coast, Waalimma picnic area in South East Forests National Park is great for birdwatching, bushwalking and camping.
Plants and animals you may see
Animals
-
Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)
One of the most renowned Australian animals, the tree-dwelling marsupial koala can be found in gum tree forests and woodlands across eastern NSW, Victoria and Queensland, as well as in isolated regions in South Australia. With a vice-like grip, this perhaps most iconic but endangered Australian animal lives in tall eucalypts within a home range of several hectares.
-
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.
-
Long-nosed bandicoot (Perameles nasuta)
A nocturnal marsupial and one of the smaller Australian native animals, the long-nosed bandicoot is found across eastern Australia. Populations in the Sydney region have dwindled since European settlement, leaving only endangered colonies in inner western Sydney and at North Head, near Manly. The long-nosed bandicoot has grey-brown fur and a pointed snout which it uses to forage for worms and insects.
-
Sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps)
The sugar glider is a tree-dwelling Australian native marsupial, found in tall eucalypt forests and woodlands along eastern NSW. The nocturnal sugar glider feeds on insects and birds, and satisfies its sweet tooth with nectar and pollens.
-
Southern boobook (Ninox novaeseelandiae)
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.
