Back to previous page
Print factsheet

Racecourse campground

Goolawah National Park

Open, check current alerts 

Overview

Campground booking required

You will need to plan ahead and make a booking if you'd like to stay at this campground.

Fishing, birdwatching, surfing and whale watching are just some of the things to do at Racecourse campground, a great beach camping site near Crescent Head and Kempsey.

Accommodation Details
Number of campsites 20
Camping type Tent, Camper trailer site, Camping beside my vehicle
Facilities Showers, toilets
What to bring Drinking water, cooking water, fuel stove
Bookings Bookings are required. Book online or call the National Parks Contact Centre on 1300 072 757.
Please note
  • Check in after 2pm, check out before 10am.
  • There are no marked sites and sites are not powered
  • This is a remote campground, so please make sure you arrive well prepared.
  • A maximum of 2 sites can be booked in one customer name
  • Fires are only permitted in off-ground braziers. You can hire a brazier from the campground manager.
  • Noise restrictions apply at this campground after 10pm

Positioned right on Goolawah Beach, Racecourse campground puts you in pole position for exquisite scenic views and marine wildlife-spotting. Surrounded by paperbarks and coastal banksia, protected from those gusting southerlies by Racecourse Headland, this beach camping spot is a secluded gem.

Set up your tent or trailer and revel in the feeling of freedom. With few facilities and no distractions, your time is all your own. Try the renowned surf break, go snorkelling or fishing, or see if you can spy a dolphin or two.

Depending when you visit, you’ll find this beachside campground either relatively empty or awash with surfers and small groups. Summer boasts a lively vibe, while other seasons offer more opportunity for quiet.

In this picturesque part of the world, it’s just as much fun to watch as it is to do. Go birdwatching or whale watching. Sit by the water and gauge the ever-changing mood of the ocean, get up early to see the sun rise.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

Also see

  • Delicate campground, Goolawah Regional Park. Photo: John Spencer/DPIE

    Delicate campground

    Delicate campground, in Goolawah Regional Park near Crescent Head, offers beach camping and caravan camping and welcomes those camping with dogs. It’s the ideal Kempsey region camping spot.

  • Limeburners Creek National Park sign. Photo: David Finnegan/DPIE

    Melaleuca campground

    Melaleuca campground is Limeburners Creek’s best-kept secret. It provides a peaceful sanctuary for walking, surfing, swimming, and relaxing coastal camping.

 

Subscribe to Naturescapes

Subscribe to our Naturescapes e-newsletter which is packed with the latest information, experiences and events in NSW national parks. Your next park adventure starts here.

A family walk a boardwalk section of Bouddi coastal walk, Bouddi National Park. Photo: John Spencer/OEH.

 

Download our app

The free NSW National Parks app lets you download maps and explore parks, things to do and places to stay—all without mobile reception.

Hand holding a phone with NSW National Parks app on screen. Photo: Branden Bodman/DPIE

Bookings

Operated by

Park info

See more visitor info

What's nearby:

Things to do (18)

Tours (6)

Itinerary (1)

Camping and accommodation (6)

Volunteering (1)

School excursions (2)