LEVUKA, NORTHEN NSW

LEVUKA 4WD PARK

Camping is one of our second loves when it comes to holidays and being in a couple of 4wd and camping groups we do a number of weekend getaways. Most of the time we have managed to keep my camping trips confined to South East Queensland to Northern New South Wales.

The order for our first camping trip in 2016 was to be with one of our Social Camping and 4wd Club to Levuka Rainforest Recreation Park - a 4wd-ers paradise located just outside the sleepy town of Urbenville in North West New South Wales.

We must say we were pleasantly surprised at just how well organised Levuka actually is. When you check in Robert (the very friendly property owner) hands you a laminated map of the 600 acre property and is happy to answer any questions you may have.

Levuka is a working cattle property so you also have to be prepared for the odd herd that will wander by your campsite. With cows there of course also comes cow poo - an abundance of it in fact but luckily enough one of our group was a boy scout in a past life and informed us that it goes very well in a campfire. Most sites come equipped with their own pre-prepared fire pit. You can bring your own fire wood if you want but we found it far easier just to buy some on site. Robert has a seemingly endless supply of good quality timber to burn for just $10 per 35kg bag.

We are no great 4wd-ing experts but the group all seemed to enjoy themselves thoroughly. Options range from open farm tracks, to rocky climbs, bog holes and tight rainforest drives. The aptly named playground is apparently a must for those wanting to test their skills. Tracks are graded in difficulty from 1-5 so you always know exactly what you are getting yourself into. For those who prefer their weekends a little slower paced there is also bushwalking available around the property and Lake Levuka for a swim or a kayak. But note Lake Levuka is a small dam, not much for swimming or kayaking.  There is also apparently dams stocked with fish on the property but our resident fisherman said, at the time of our visit, they were less than impressive. We didn’t do any track work, but we took a drive up to the lookout, overlooking the range and looked at the lake for the dog to have a little swim.

The group on Saturday split into 2 groups, one was for and easy scenery drive around some easy tracks and the second group took to the more challenging tracks. That afternoon they all drove some medium tracks. The week before there was some rain, so some of the tracks were more of a challenge.

Night fell we cooked up some tea and the group headed to the main campfire to talk some yarns of their challenging day. The great aspect of the group is that they come together as a group and not unsociable pockets of groups.

Whether you are an experienced 4wder or a new 4wder, Levuka has tracks that will test, challenge and entertain you. If you have a highly modified 4wd or a stock standard 4wd, you can certainly have fun at Levuka. Whether you are looking for a country escape with the family or a weekend of high octane fun we would highly recommend this beautiful piece of New South Wales countryside.