Washpools campground

Towarri National Park

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Overview

At the end of Middlebrook Road is Towarri National Park’s Washpools campground. Situated beside Middle Book, it’s the place for picnicking and barbecues.

Accommodation Details
Camping type Tent, Camper trailer site, Caravan site, Camping beside my vehicle
Facilities Picnic tables, barbecue facilities, carpark, toilets
What to bring Drinking water, cooking water, firewood
Group bookings Book up to 20 people or 5 sites online. For larger groups, make a group booking enquiry.
Please note
  • There are no marked sites.
  • This is a remote campground, please arrive well prepared.
  • Check the weather before you set out as the road to Washpools campground has a creek crossing which may become impassable when it rains.
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Washpools campground is Towarri’s established camping area. Park your caravan or pitch your tent beside Middle Brook and enjoy spending time relaxing in this gorgeous natural setting. The viewing platform for scenic views is closeby, and Washpools waterhole is only 500m away. For those who want to explore the park further, use the campground as a base and hike the park from there. Enjoy a campfire in the winter months.

Staying overnight in Towarri means you might spot birds and animals that are generally out after the sun sets. The powerful owl will be hunting medium-sized tree-dwelling creatures after dark. The ringtail and brushy tail possums are nocturnal, travelling up through the air between branches (sometimes to escape those owls). Wombats tend to take to wandering when the sun has disappeared from the sky. So strap on a headlamp and see what else is near your camp.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

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For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://uat.nswparks.cloud/camping-and-accommodation/campgrounds/washpools-campground/local-alerts

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All the practical information you need to know about Washpools campground.

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Washpools campground is in Towarri National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:

Fabulous flowers and creatures of flight

A pair of glossy-black cockatoos on tree branch. Photo: John Spencer/OEH.

Towarri is inhabited by a range of birds and animals, many with a particularly distinctive call, appearance or ability that appears in their name. The powerful owl is as strong as it sounds, hunting and feeding on medium-sized mammals and marsupials including gliders, possums and wallabies. The glossy-black cockatoo is as self-explanatory as the red-tailed and yellow-tailed black cockatoos. The greater glider spreads itself out like a sheet of paper to change trees. The Liverpool Range sees the blending of many plant species. Towarri National Park is home to about 650 species. From the cassuarina forests along the creeklines to the majestic snow gum on the ridgeline, that are capped with snow on occasion. The miltant grass trees stand on the hills amongst the serene poa grasslands. The gully lines off the falls of sandstone play host to dry rainforest pockets providing habitat to many fauna species. The unique area is a floristic wonderland with many species at the edge of the range.

  • Washpools picnic area and viewing platform Set beside the tranquil Middle Brook, Washpools picnic area and nearby scenic lookout are ideal for spending a relaxing day of swimming and barbecues with friends and family.
  • Washpools waterhole Only 500m along Middle Brook from Washpools picnic area and viewing platform is the shallow, naturally formed Washpools waterhole — great for a dip on a hot day. 

Snow gums and spinifex

Farm land and distant mountains, Towarri National Park. Photo: Brent Mail

Three distinct bioregions meet in Towarri: the Sydney Basin, the Brigalow Belt South and North Coast. This means that the soil type, fertility and depth differ throughout the park. Throw in a variation in rainfall, elevation and geological features and the result is a mosaic of plant communities. Snow gums decorate the skyline above a snowgrass understorey on the high plateau areas of Mount Tinagroo and Bald Hill.

  • Washpools picnic area and viewing platform Set beside the tranquil Middle Brook, Washpools picnic area and nearby scenic lookout are ideal for spending a relaxing day of swimming and barbecues with friends and family.
  • Washpools waterhole Only 500m along Middle Brook from Washpools picnic area and viewing platform is the shallow, naturally formed Washpools waterhole — great for a dip on a hot day. 

The first people

Mountains in Towarri National Park. Photo: Brent Mail

The Wonnarua people were the first inhabitants of the Hunter Valley, which was known as Coquun before European settlement. Their name, ‘Wonnarua’, means ‘people of the hills and plains’, and their traditional lands reach from near Maitland in the Upper Hunter to the Great Dividing Range towards Wollombi. Their history in the area is shared with nearby groups such as Worimi to the northeast and Awakakal to the southeast. Towarri means ‘warrior’ in the language of the Wonnarua, and these people fought hard for their land after European settlement.

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