Camping can provide a fantastic experience of the Great Outdoors or, for the ill-prepared, become an episode in acute discomfort. Happily, Neurum Creek Bush Retreat falls into the former camp (pun intended!). Several members of the ourbrisbane.com team have packed up their kids, “Fido” and the tent and headed off to this former dairy farm and beef cattle property with very happy results. Their unanimous assessment: absolutely fabulous!
Located just 75 minutes from Brisbane, the 127-hectare retreat is ideal for families, offering safe camping conditions in beautiful rural surrounds with lots of activities to keep the kids amused in fine weather or rainy conditions. Best of all, for city slickers hankering for the luxury of an open fire crackling under a canopy of stars, the retreat allows open fires on all sites. (NB: bagged wood can be purchased on site for just $12 a bag – or you can bring your own.)
Accessible by conventional vehicles and suitable for tent camping, camper trailers, caravans and motorhomes, this private property is home to a host of native animals, including platypuses, wallabies and kangaroos.
Camp sites
Campers can choose sites by the creek, in front of the gorge, on the hillside, or be a bit more remote in the bush area. There are thirteen powered sites.
Amenities
Two amenities blocks (one with disabled facilities for shower and toilet) are in easy walking distance of most camp sites. Both amenities have free hot showers, environmentally friendly composting toilets (that don’t smell!) and automatic dusk-to-dawn lighting. There are also wash troughs with hot and cold water along with a plentiful supply of clean rainwater from large tanks. Several sites have wood-fire barbecues. The store
Commodities such as UHT milk, flour, sugar, tea, coffee, marshmallows (for roasting on those open fires), detergent, ice and insect repellent can be bought from the on-site store. Swap & Go Gas is available for those with exchange cylinders.
A limited range of essential camping supplies is also held, but if you do forget something vital, don’t panic! The township of Woodford is a 12-minute drive away while Kilcoy is just a couple of minutes more.
Activities
The retreat’s unofficial motto is: do as much or as little as you please. Both campers and day visitors alike can ride their bicycles along the trails, bush walk along the creek and up the slopes, adventure hike into the gorges, swim in tree-lined water holes and picnic under the trees.
With its emphasis on families, the retreat has an open-sided Shady Shelter that becomes the "Movie Theatre" every Saturday night, or any night during school holidays. This building also hosts the occasional puppet show, disco and other events.
BYO canoe – and have lots of fun exploring the waterways (even when the creek is only trickling). And don’t forget the kids’ bikes. There are approx. 3km of roads within the retreat, plus numerous tracks and trails, including a junior BMX track, where kids can ride in relative safety.
If riding palls, get them involved in a game of sand bocce, marbles, hopscotch, quoits or badminton, all of which are provided free.
For those with a bent for exploration, Brisbane Hinterland 4WD Tours occasionally offer tagalong tours to Neurum Creek campers. The cost is $80 per car, bookings are essential and a minimum of four vehicles is required.
Events
Neurum Creek Bush Retreat hosts a number of events throughout the year. Check their calendar for details.
