If you’re heading up the coast from Sydney and you’re in need of a quick stop over for the evening, Korsmans Landing is easy to get to, and you’ll be spoilt with some seriously nice views.

On the off chance there’s a bucks party on the night you’re staying – I guess that’s just a bonus.

Well, it was for us.

When we rolled into camp at 10:30pm, we found a spot in the middle of a grassy field, surrounded by a few families to our right, some lads on a fishing trip up the back, quiet campervaners to our left, and a bucks party right in front of us beside the lake.

We’ve become pretty good at setting up camp quickly. As we rolled out the swag, we could hear the bucks-partyers laughing and talking about shit your mother wouldn’t want to know.

When we slid into the swag, we figured they’d pipe down soon.

They didn’t.

The problem is, their voices echoed up to the clearing, so all the campsites above them, heard every word. Crisp. Loud. And very clear.

“Go have a chunder in the bush. You’ll be good as gold mate. Ready to drive home.”

I drifted in and out of sleep, listening to their ’80s pop, ’90s grunge, and singing along. Honestly, it didn’t actually bother me.

Until the next morning.

After about 2hrs sleep, I got out of the swag around 6am, and went to the wharf to watch the sun rise over the lake.

Ahead of us, we’d have a 4.5hr drive to Chaelundi National Park – inland from Coffs Harbour.

Now is probably a good time to talk about the unspoken rules of camping etiquette. The code applies to newbies, and seasoned campers. Funnily enough, it’s actually just common courtesy.

Camping Etiquette 101

• You’re allowed to have fun, be loud, and play your music. But keep in mind there might be people camping near you that are actually escaping for a bit of peace and quiet, away from their daily lives. If you have set up camp after them, but you’ve put your gear close to existing camper’s sites – and you’re in for a big night – maybe consider moving further away, somewhere they won’t hear you as much? Common courtesy 101.
• Don’t deliberately be rude to other campers if they ask you to pipe down. Depending on how drunk you are, try to keep your calm, turn the music down a bit, and enjoy the rest of your evening.
• Campsites echo (sometimes), so if you’re going to talk shit about other campers late at night, use your inside voice.
• In the morning, give a friendly nod to the other campers if you did keep them up late – if they put up with you all night, they’ll likely give back an uneasy smile and wave.
• Clean up after yourself: don’t leave your rubbish behind. Always pack garbage bags. Never leave toilet paper in the bush for someone else to find. Cover your puke up with some dirt or leaves (if you’ve had a quick vom). If you’ve broken glass, pick it up safely (use gloves). It’s not fair for someone else to step on it.
• Don’t camp right on top of someone else when there’s plenty of space elsewhere. First in best dressed. Too bad if you missed out on the most insta-worthy spot available. There’s always next time.
• Give a friendly nod when you drive past another camper. A smile goes a long way when you’re setting up camp, too.

Where we stayed:

• This campsite isn’t far off the Bulahdelah turn-off – perfect for anyone leaving Sydney late on a Friday night to go further up the coast, and ditch early morning traffic on a Saturday.
• There are toilets (that stink), with toilet paper.
• A heap of campsites. Seems to get quite busy closer to the jetty.
• You can back your boat into Myall Lakes here.
• No bookings for these spots, first in best dressed.

 

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