Located near the western NSW township of Cowra, Wyangala Dam is a terrific spot for a leisurely weekend of camping, or for the more active, a great water sports haven!

It might sound like a pretty ordinary place to go camping, but Wyangala Dam has a lot to offer and makes for a very relaxing weekend away.  The Dam itself can vary in water level from as low as only a few percent (it was 12% when we where there but dropped down to 5% in 2009), but then two years later it was up to 98%.  It currently sits at 77% which makes it perfect for all kinds of water sports.

The Wyangala Dam wall

In terms of a place to go camping, there are plenty of wide open spaces suitable for non-powered set ups, but if you want power, you’ll need to locate yourself in the caravan park section.  The bathroom facilities are great and if you want to go up market a little bit, there are cabins and house boats available to rent.

Relaxing at your campsite will allow you to take in the many rolling hills and countryside that lays itself before you and in the early morning and late afternoon, the kangaroos will come down to feed at the base of the hills right next to the campsite area.  There are a few walking trails, bitumen and dirt roads for bike riding, some fairly easy 4WD tracks and any water sport you can think of such as power boating, skiing and sailing.  In 2009 there was a water slide on the hill overlooking the lake, however it was roumoured that it would be closing for good.

Fishing is also popular in the dam with perch, yellow belly, Murray cod, brown and rainbow trout.  There is also lots of catfish in the dam and chances are this will be the first fish you reel in.

Nearby in Cowra are many other attractions such as the Japanese Gardens, the war memorial and the Visitor Centre which has information on the Prisoner of War breakout.  Locally in some of the towns are other attractions such as wineries and an astronomy centre with large home-made telescopes and a proprietor who knows nearly everything there is to know about the night skies.

4WD Opportunities

There aren’t a huge amount of 4WD options in the park, however there are a few tracks around to explore the area. Outside the park there are a few options nearby in Pennsylvania State Forest.

Getting There

From Sydney, travel over the Blue Mountains through Lithgow to Bathurst.  From Bathurst follow the signs to Cowra and then look for the turnoff to Wyangala Dam on the left.  Camping fees apply.