Chilli Beach Campground Review
Location: Lockhart, QLD
Visited: September 2020
Chilli Beach Campground
This beautiful tucked away gem on the coast of Cape York Peninsula is well worth the challenging drive that’s required to get there – just stunning!
The Chilli Beach campsite is in Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, about 200km north of Coen on the east coast of Cape York Peninsula. The campground can be accessed via the Peninsula Developmental Road or from the north along the more challenging Frenchmans Track. It’s a bit of a mission to make it there, but well worth the effort!
The campsite is tucked behind the sand dunes, right on the beachfront. The spot is beautiful and is the meeting point between the white quartz sand and the lush green forest, offering visitors the privilege of exploring both. Waking up early to capture the sunrise is another must, as it’s a spectacular sight!
Latitude, Longitude: -12.631786°, 143.427154°
GPS Coordinates: 12° 37′ 54.43’’ S, 143° 25′ 37.754’’ E
COST
$33.75 for 2 adults and 3 children (booking and permits required).
POWER
Not available.
WATER
Not available.
TOILET
Yes available (hybrid toilets).
DUMP POINT
Not available.
ACCESS INTO SITE
A very tough drive with vans. 4WD is a must, and you need to be pretty proficient in four-wheel driving.
SIZE SITE
Large sites with multiple sizes available.
PHONE + INTERNET
One bar reception with Telstra that wasn’t reliable and kept dropping out.
DOG FRIENDLY
Not allowed.
FIRES
Yes allowed (fire bans permitting).
COST
$33.75 for 2 adults and 3 children (booking and permits required).
POWER
Not available.
WATER
Not available.
TOILET
Yes available (hybrid toilets).
DUMP POINT
Not available.
ACCESS INTO SITE
A very tough drive with vans. 4WD is a must, and you need to be pretty proficient in four-wheel driving.
SIZE SITE
Large sites with multiple sizes available.
PHONE + INTERNET
One bar reception with Telstra that wasn’t reliable and kept dropping out.
DOG FRIENDLY
Not allowed.
FIRES
Yes allowed (fire bans permitting).
Sites Features
Things to Do
General Comments
It was a huge drive to reach the Chilli Beach campsite, especially with the vans. The roads were constantly changing and there was a ton of roadwork – they were definitely the worst roads we’d attempted whilst hitched up to the vans.
The closest place to stock up on supplies was Lockhart River, about 20 minutes away. We stopped for food and fuel there before heading to Chilli Beach – just make sure you check opening hours first, as the supermarket was only open on the weekend.
The campground itself was beautiful. We were right on the beachfront and nicely sheltered from the wind. We woke early with the kids so we could catch the sunrise over the Coral Sea, and this was phenomenal! Next time we will definitely stay more than one night.
The not so good
Overall Rating
How to get there?
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