Campsites: Great South West Walk, Portland , Victoria, Australia

GSWW Campsites

Campsite on the Glenelg river

Walker's overnight campsites are located every 10-20 kilometres along the walk. No bookings or fees are required for the 15 designated GSWW campsites, however groups of 4 or more should contact our walker liaison co-ordinator during your planning or prior to your arrival.
10 of these campsites now have a new shelter (see below), most have a fireplace with a grate and all have a table, pit toilet and a tank for fresh water supply.
N.B. Firewood is very scarce along the coast, so a gas or fuel stove should be carried.

The GSWW overnight camp sites can be easily identified by referring to the map.

click here

Parks Victoria campsites that are located along the Glenelg River in the Lower Glenelg NP, at Nelson and also Lake Monibeong are for the general public, and may be used by walkers.
However these sites are busy during the holiday periods and would need advance booking. Camping fees apply for these sites.
Permits can be obtained from the Nelson and Portland Visitor Information Centres, 7 days a week 9am to 5pm.

WARNING - Water is stored at the campsites in tanks. However stored water cannot be guaranteed safe to drink, as there are numerous ways that it can become contaminated. Drinking untreated water such as creek water, bore water or sometimes even rainwater, can lead to illnesses such as gastroenteritis and diarrhoea. Signs have been placed at each site stating-
'Untreated rain water, do not drink'
These signs have been required by the land managers and are in common usage throughout the state of Victoria.

Walkers should always carry sufficient drinking water and have the knowledge or means to treat the stored water.

For more information, follow the link to the Parks Victoria website information.
Water - Make it Safe to Drink

PLEASE NOTE !

As from December 2011, Battersbys, which now set up with a new shelter, is the official walkers campsite.
N.B. There are also Parks Victoria campsites adjoining this area, which do require a fee for camping.
Post and Rail campsite and Murrells campsite on either side of Battersbys, will eventually be decommissioned.

This change will effectively reduce the total number of walker's campsites from 16 to to 15 and will not be noted
or shown in many of our publications until they are reprinted in the future.

White Sands Campsite. - along Discovery Bay is now functional. This campsite is the most difficult for us to service as it is the least accessible.

N.B. Walking along Discovery Bay requires planning and preparation.
Ensure you have plenty of time, it is low tide - for easier walking along the damp sand, carrying water, there are reasonable weather conditions, and you are appropriately dressed and equipped as there is no shade when extremely hot, or sometimes extreme wind chill.

Click for larger image
Shelter at the Springs Campsite

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Approximate distances between campsites (anticlockwise) GPS co-ordinates

Campsites in bold have new weather shelter			UTM	54H
Portland to Cubby’s	20 km	Cubby's	552024	5767618
Cubby’s to Cut Out	15 km	Cut-Out	543701	5773547
Cut Out to Cobboboonee	9.4 km	Cobboboonee	538437	5777676
Cobboboonee to Fitzroy	12.5 km	Fitzroy	536780	5785296
Fitzroy to Moleside	22 km	Moleside	523562	5788099
Moleside to Batterbys	17 km	Battersbys	513970	5788791
Battersbys to Pattersons	13 km	Pattersons	505341	5793840
Pattersons to Simsons	17 km	Simsons	499486	5790473
Simsons to Nelson Kiosk	3 km
Nelson Kiosk to White Sands	10 km	White Sands	506979	5783825
White Sands to Lake Monibeong (via beach)	12 km	Monibeong	516144	5779190
White Sands to Lake Monibeong (inland route)	13.3 km
Lake Monibeong to Swan Lake	16.5 km	Swan Lake	527272	5770421
Swan Lake to The Springs	21 km	The Springs	532378	5753936
(Swan Lake to Tarragal) via Mt Richmond	20 km	Tarragal	539166	5759718
(Tarragal to The Springs) via Mt Richmond	12 km
Portland Airport to Tarragal camp (To avoid walking, transport must be prearranged!)	2 km
The Springs to Trewalla	15 km	Trewalla	540459	5754111
Trewalla to new Mallee	14.8 km	Mallee	547971	5746724
Mallee to Portland	21.7 km	Portland	553086	5755592

The new Mallee campsite has now been commissioned. The new site is some 2 km from the old and will not be accurately
shown in all of our publications until they are reprinted in the future.

Signs on the track will direct you to this campsite.

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