9 Best Family Camping Destinations for Campfires in Brisbane and Sunshine Coast
Photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash
venture into the wild this winter
Check out our quick guide to fabulous family camping destinations, all within 2 hours of Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, where you can enjoy an open fire under the stars and quality family time.
The days are shorter and the nights are cooler, making it the perfect time to gather around the campfire. Smoke drifting over the camp, simple food, hot drinks, woolly socks – ah, the joys of nature! Even though it can get chilly, there’s nothing like a blazing fire at camp to soak up the benefits of being outdoors.
We’ve put together a list of the best family camping spots for campfires in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. So what are you waiting for? Gather your kindling and marshmallows and venture into the wild this winter.
1. Cobb ‘n’ Co, Gympie
Located 2 hours north of Brisbane, this is a fabulous family camping destination. With something to keep the whole family happy, this campsite in Tandur near Gympie offers comfortable amenities and over 50 acres of camping space. There are even glamping and gypsy wagons for those wanting to minimise their packing. The campground has established open campfire pits, or you can bring your own portable one and set up where you like. Featuring established bike tracks, two playgrounds, water activities, farmyard, a memorabilia museum and the ‘Cobbapilla’ train, this is a fun-filled destination with something for everyone.
2. Kookaburra Park, Kenilworth
Set on 75 acres in the Mary Valley, 2 hours north of Brisbane and 1 hour from Maroochydore, this park offers plenty of space to spread out. Use the established fireplaces or bring a portable fire pit with you and enjoy the serenity of this verdant nature reserve. Stay in a cabin or bring your own set-up, stay close to amenities or find your own secluded spot. A great option for large groups, Kookaburra Park also has some furry friends which the kids will love to visit. Visit the Deer Sanctuary to hand-feed their white and spotty deer, meet Pumpkin & Spud the pigs (plus their Piglets Bangers and Mash), or cuddle a floof after the Guinea Pig Parade. Animal feeding happens at 8.30am Saturday and Sunday mornings and most mornings through the school holidays or can be accessed with a day pass.
3. Charlie Moreland Campground, Kenilworth
Another Wildlings favourite in the Kenilworth area, this picturesque spot is perfect for a family getaway. Camp in open eucalypt forest along the banks of Little Yabba Creek, enjoy a relaxing bushwalk, take a plunge in the freshwater, or head into Kenilworth town for the best donuts around (trust us, it’s worth the trip just for the donuts!) With established campfire pits, this is a serene family camping spot surrounded by the lush greenery of Imbil State Forest. At night, grab a torch and spotlight for red-necked pademelons, yellow-bellied gliders and possums before toasting marshmallows around the fire.
4. Brooloo Park, Imbil
Brooloo Park is a family owned and operated farm, situated on 270 acres in the beautiful scenic Mary Valley. Located only five minutes from the country town of Imbil, this peaceful campground offers a limited number of exclusive eco camping sites with easy access, each equipped with an outhouse toilet and firepit. Pitch your tent beside the picturesque Coonoon Gibber Creek and enjoy swimming, fishing, canoeing or just relax under a tree reading a favourite book. If you’re lucky, you might spot a platypus or turtle while you take in the tranquil surrounds. Breathe deep with big open spaces where children can kick a ball, play cricket or fly a kite, or bring your bikes and ride the designated tracks. Brooloo Park also offers horse-riding, with the option of half hour- or hour-long trail rides to explore the back paddocks.
5. Kenilworth Homestead
Another great option for family camping just 2km from town, Kenilworth Homestead is a privately run outdoor education, family camping and function centre, situated on the bank of the beautiful Mary River. Open for camping on the weekends and Queensland school holidays, they offer a limited number of powered sites and an almost unlimited number of unpowered sites. There’s plenty of space to spread out and enjoy the wide-open skies next to a toasty fire, either in an established firepit or your own portable one.
6. Ocean Beach & Poverty Creek Campgrounds, Bribie Island
If you’re up for a 4WD adventure between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, look no further than Bribie Island. Choose from a variety of scenic campsites in Bribie Island National Park and Recreation Area, and enjoy a relaxing retreat in nature on the shores of Pumicestone Passage. Play on the open grassy areas at Poverty Creek, or if you feel like exploring, head down Ocean Beach to discover the remnants of gun emplacements, mine-control huts and searchlight buildings at nearby Fort Bribie. Open fires are permitted at both campgrounds, dependent on conditions.
7. Gordon Country, Warwick
Gordon Country is located in the Goomburra Valley near Warwick, 2 hours west of Brisbane and 3 hours’ drive from the Sunshine Coast. Set on more than 4,000 acres, Gordon Country is a pet-friendly private eco-tourism property offering camping, glamping, cabin & caravan stays. Enjoy endless activities like four-wheel driving, hiking, bird watching and stargazing. Permanent firepits are scattered throughout the campgrounds and you can collect firewood from fallen branches on-site, meaning less to pack! The property borders the Great Dividing Range and incorporates stunning native bushland and large, beautiful reaches of rainforest in the World Heritage listed Main Range National Park. This is a spot that’s well worth the drive to get there.
8. Bigriggen, Rathdowney
Bigriggen Camping and Caravan Park is located in the Scenic Rim approximately 90 minutes from Brisbane and Gold Coast. Set on 100 acres of high hilltops and gentle river flats, surrounded by National Parks and bordered by the Logan River and Burnett Creek, this is a stunning location for a family camping trip. Featuring open firepits with firewood available for purchase on-site, kick back and enjoy the serenity while the kids play.
9. Thunderbird Park, Mt Tamborine
Thunderbird Park is nestled along the boundary of Tamborine National Park, 1 hour from Brisbane and 2 hours from Maroochydore. Enjoy translucent rock pools along Cedar Creek flowing through the property whilst sleeping under the towering star-studded canopy of Tamborine Mountain. Stretching across 112 hectares of subtropical rainforest with lush palm groves and open eucalypt forest, there is a huge range of activities on offer here to keep the whole family happy. Visit Cedar Creek Falls, verse each other in a laser skirmish, have a mini golf tournament, take on the treetop challenge or play pickleball as a family. Or better yet, with a permanent firepit at each campsite, simply sit down beside a toasty fire and enjoy the views and good company.
And our favourite…
10. Your backyard – for family and connection time
Avoid the massive packing mission and set-up camp in your own backyard! Get the kids involved with collecting kindling and sit under the stars in the comfort of your own space. As much as we love a good adventure, sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees (excuse the pun) and we forget to notice the beauty of the places that are right under our noses. A bit of campfire cooking in your own yard might be just the thing to help you reset and regain perspective, plus it’s a wonderful way to slow down and prioritise quality time as a family.
There you have it – our quick guide to the best family camping spots for campfires in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.
We hope this inspires you to pack up the car and head somewhere new this season.
Even though the mornings and evenings might be a little chilly, there’s something so enchanting about enjoying slow days beside an open fire while the kids play.
The truth is, there’s a little wildling in all of us, and adults need nature just as much as children do.
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Plus, if you need a little encouragement and support on your journey with risky play, book into one of our programs and join a community of like-minded families putting the dirt back into childhood. Spaces available in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast here https://www.wildlingsforestschool.com/bookings.
Written by Ellen Nesbitt. Ellen is a nature play advocate and creative writer with a passion for helping families connect with the outdoors. She is dedicated to exploring ways to nurture children's creativity, independence, wellbeing and love for nature.