Kookabitta Campground, Kwiambal National Park, NSW.

Kookabitta Campground looking towards the new camp kitchen shelter.

There are two campgrounds at Kwiambal National Park. Our understanding was that Kookabitta Campground was closed for refurbishment so we drove straight to Lemon Tree Flat Campground and set up. Later, we realised that Kookabitta Campground was open so we went in and had a look. The new kitchen shelter is excellent and overlooks the campground through to the Severn River.

Kookabitta Campground looking towards the Severn River.

There are tables throughout the campground and the fire pits are a bit different as they are concreted holes in the paved platforms.

National Parks New South Wales often supply great camp cooking facilities.

We had heard that Emus come down to the opposite riverbank to drink so we kept an eye open for them. We didn't see any there but overall we saw four in Kwiambal National Park. We did see goats come down for a drink and some Peaceful Doves foraging along the river stones.

Goat coming down for a drink in the Severn River.

Peaceful Doves

In the campground, Brown Treecreepers and White-plumed Honeyeaters were quite active and inquisitive. There were lots of Superb Fairy-wrens and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are common throughout Kwiambal National Park.

White-plumed Honeyeater

Brown Treecreeper

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Superb Fairy-wren; male in eclipse.

Eastern Grey Kangaroos were peacefully grazing in the campground.

Eastern Grey Kangaroo

After walking around the campground we realised that we were covered in grass ticks. We don't know if we came in contact with the ticks at the campground or on the walks we had done that morning. Grass ticks are very small and typically there are lots of them. We do carry a fully stocked first aid kit with us on our travels so we were able to get rid of them but it takes up a bit of time to locate them all.

Details for Lemon Tree Flat Campground:
Where: In Kwiambal National Park. 160 km north-west of Glen Innes via Inverall and Ashford. From Ashford travel along Limestone Road. Turn right into Kookabitta Trail a couple of kilometers before Lemon Tree Flat Campground.
Access: 2WD roads, can become boggy when wet. Approximately 25 km of unsealed roads before arriving at the campground.
Booking & Fees: No bookings, self-register on arrival, $6 per adult, $3.50 per child.
Sites: There is an enclosed grassy area, with separate parking bays, suitable for tent camping. There appeared to be only one site at the end of the campground that would be suitable for a motorhome or a camper trailer. The campground is beside the Severn River.
Facilities: Fire places, wood supplied, tables, non-flushing toilets, large camp kitchen shelter with free gas/electric BBQs, rainwater tank (empty when we were there). Fishing is allowed with a permit.
Prohibitions: No noise after 8 pm, no pets, no smoking.
Caution: Grass ticks.
Managed by: National Parks NSW, Tenterfield Office Ph 02 6736 4298