Woody Head Campground near Iluka, Bundjalung NP: how booking works, when its 91 sites sell out, and how to get an alert when a cancellation frees a night up.
About
Woody Head Campground is in Bundjalung National Park on the NSW North Coast, just out of Iluka. It's on a protected sandy beach that's good for swimming and fishing, with a boat ramp, a rock platform to explore, and rainforest and shallow reefs nearby.
NPWS's own advice is to book early because it's so popular.
The sites
NPWS lists 91 campsites suited to tents, camper trailers, caravans and camping beside your vehicle. The sites are marked and unpowered.
Facilities:
- Toilets and showers
- Drinking water (town water)
- Barbecue facilities and picnic tables
- A boat ramp
- A cafe/kiosk, which also sells firewood
- A public phone near the office
- A Dump-Ezy for chemical toilet waste
Some rules to know before you book:
- Everyone staying on a site has to be booked and paid for.
- Fires only in the wood barbecues provided or in small approved braziers. Don't collect firewood, timber, rocks or plants. NPWS also recommends bringing a fuel stove.
- Quiet hours are 10pm to 7am, and amplified music isn't allowed.
- No pets, apart from certified assistance animals.
- No e-scooters, skateboards or hoverboards on campground roads. Compliant e-bikes are fine.
- Check-in is after 2pm and check-out is by 10am.
- Park entry fees are separate from camping fees.
- You'll need a NSW recreational fishing licence to fish.
There's also a separate Woody Head group campground for bigger groups, and the Woody Head cottages and cabins, which NPWS describes as retro beach shacks between the rainforest and the beach. Both are booked separately from the main campground. The cabins come under the NPWS accommodation refund rules, which are stricter than the camping ones.
The campground page doesn't list a minimum stay, but peak periods can have one, so check the booking screen for your dates.
How booking works
Book online through the NSW National Parks website. You can book up to 20 people or 5 sites online. School groups and Park Eco Pass holders use the group enquiry form. Availability shows by site type for each night.
Cancellation terms for camping, per the NPWS booking conditions:
- Cancel 31 or more days before arrival: 75% refund.
- Cancel 30 days or less before arrival: 50% refund.
- The booking fee isn't refunded.
You can transfer a camping booking to other dates at the same campground and site type if the booking window allows, but the whole booking moves together.
The National Parks Contact Centre is on 1300 072 757, 7am to 7pm daily. The campground is run by the NPWS Grafton office, on 02 6641 1500 on weekdays.
When it sells out
When we checked in October 2026, Woody Head was booked out from Christmas through to Australia Day, the same as every other NSW coastal campground we sampled. Easter, school holidays and long weekends book up early too. If you want summer holidays here, assume you're chasing a cancellation unless you booked months ago.
How to get a cancellation
With 91 sites, Woody Head gets a steady trickle of cancellations, but they don't sit around for long.
They also follow the refund rules. The refund drops from 75% to 50% once arrival is less than 31 days away, so people who are unsure tend to cancel just before then. For stays in late December and January, the window to watch is roughly 20 November to 26 December. There's another small run of cancellations in the last week or so before arrival.
Rather than refreshing the booking page, watch Woody Head on Aussie Camp Alerts and we'll alert you when a booked-out night opens up. The free plan gives you one live watch with email alerts, which go out 15 minutes after paid alerts. If you're flexible on dates or campgrounds, the Summer pass covers up to 10 watches with instant alerts, Telegram and web push.
Getting there
Take the Iluka Road turnoff from the Pacific Highway. That's 72km south of Ballina if you're coming from the north, or 56km north of Grafton if you're coming from the south. Follow Iluka Road through Woombah and over the Esk River bridge for 13km, then follow the park signs. The address is 92 Woody Head Road, Woody Head.
The roads are sealed, suitable for 2WD vehicles and open in all weather. There's parking at the campground, including one accessible space near the kiosk. Iluka is the nearest town for shopping, but bring most of your supplies with you. Mobile reception is limited in the park.
Nearby alternatives
If Woody Head is full for your dates:
- Sandon River, down the coast in Yuraygir National Park: smaller and more basic, with no showers or drinking water.
- Trial Bay Gaol, further south near South West Rocks, with powered sites and a cafe.
- Point Plomer, a large, remote beachside campground near Crescent Head.