There are several free camping areas in and around Sydney including:

• Colo Meroo Campground
• Burralow Creek Campground and Picnic Area
• Gentlemans Halt Campground
• Heartbreak Hill Campground

No, it is not legal to camp anywhere in Sydney or Australia. There are designated camping areas including camping grounds, caravan or holiday parks or national parks. You are not permitted to camp in public areas such as parks, car parks or beaches.

Sydney offers different camping spots and caravan parks from scenic national parks to quiet riverside banks, be sure to check out:

• Kingfisher Pool Campground
• Bielany Campground Colo River
• Hawkesbury Riverside Gardens
• Ingenia Holidays Avina
• Roar and Snore Taronga Zoo
• The Basin Campground - Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
• Wallacia Caravan Park
• Twin Beaches Campground
• Uloola Falls Campground

Check out the amazing camping spots in the different national parks surrounding Sydney.

The Royal National Park is located just south of Sydney near Cronulla. It is about an hour's drive from the Sydney CBD and from Wollongong to the south.

There is a per-car entry fee to the park. There are multiple entry points and ways to get there with several roads leading in to the National Park or a scenic ferry from Cronulla to Bundeena.

The Royal National Park is one of the world's oldest National Park's with an abundance of natural beauty in one place. From pristine beaches to rainforests, ancient Aboriginal sites and native wildlife. It spans 160 square kilometres and is popular for picnics, family days out, bushwalkers, cyclists and surfers. We suggest:

• Checking out Aboriginal rock at Jibbon Head
• Visiting Wedding Cake Rock
• Spotting whales from Governor Game Lookout
• Spending the day at one of the beautiful beaches Wattamolla, Garie or Burning Palms
• Hiring a rowboat or canoe from Audley Boatshed

The best walking and cycling trails in the Royal National Park include:

• Bundeena Drive to Marley walk, an 8km return walk
• The Coast Track, a two-day hike
• Curra Moors loop track, a 10km return walk
• Forest path, a 4.4km loop walk
• Karloo walking track, a 10km return walk
• Uloola walking track, 11km one-way walk
• Loftus loop trail, a 10km return mountain bike trail
• Lady Carrington Drive, a 10 km one-way shared track

The Royal National Park can get very busy and areas may need to be closed if they reach capacity. Try to visit outside of peak times, before 11am or after 2pm. If you arrive at an area that is overcrowded and you can’t maintain physical distancing, you will need to move to another location.