Chaffey Dam; great camping near Tamworth
The East Coast has some ripper dams that you can camp on, and we spent 3 brilliant nights at Blowering Dam earlier on that were to die for. When the option of camping at Chaffey Dam popped up, we jumped on it real quickly, knowing how good these can be if you get good weather. Chaffey Dam is another fantastic camping option that won’t break the bank!
Where is Chaffey Dam?
You’ll find this popular spot roughly 45 minutes South East of Tamworth, on a decent, bitumen road.
Amenities at Chaffey Dam
If you camp near the amenity block, you’ll have access to flushing toilets, hot showers (gold coin donation), a dump point and rubbish bins. If you camp further away, you’ll still be able to walk up and use what you need, but there’s no other amenities further away.
What does it cost to camp, and do you need to book?
Camping here is a donation arrangement, at a suggested $10 per person per night. You’re supposed to fill out an envelope upon arrival, and stick the other side on your dash for people to see, but no one seems to follow it up.
There’s no need to book, with more room than you could ever fill, but it is a popular (and rightfully so) place.
Boating and fishing at Chaffey Dam
Chaffey Dam is a very popular place for fishing and boating, with a variety of fish being caught. There’s a big, concrete boat ramp that is suitable for launching all kinds of boats, but its also popular for kayaking and stand up paddle boarding when the weather is good.
We saw a number of people fishing from the land as well, and whilst we never tried it here (but we did well at Keepit Dam), there’s plenty of fish to be caught.
What’s the camping like?
There’s a lot of choice when it comes to camping at Keepit Dam. You can pull up near the main amenity block, and camp with dozens of campervans on the lawn, if that’s your thing. Alternatively, you can go further around the dam in several directions, and camp as close to the water as you want.
Some spots are grassy and flat, and many are gravel and rock and not that flat. We pulled up in a nice private spot and spent a bit of time levelling the camper, but thoroughly enjoyed it.
Would we stay at Chaffey Dam again?
Yep, without question. This is a magic part of the world, and we really enjoyed our stay here. Keepit Dam is probably a step up again, but its much further out, and you’d expect that. If you’re looking for a nice, easy to access camp site that wont break the bank you can’t go wrong with Chaffey Dam.
