Barratta Creek camping area

🏕️ Barratta Creek Camping Area, Jerona QLD

PAID CAMP

🌄 Description & Location

Nestled in the Bowling Green Bay section of the national park, Barratta Creek Camping Area offers bush camps beside a tidal creek fringed by mangroves and grassy open areas. Located about 90 km south of Townsville and just off Jerona Road, this spot suits 4WD-accessible camper trailers or tents in a quiet, scenic riverside setting.

🏞️ History

This site lies on traditional Bindal Country, near the mouth of Barratta Creek—a name derived from the local Aboriginal term for a chain of lagoons. The area later supported early sugarcane transport from Ayr and Ayr’s lagoon system, while the national park now protects its natural and cultural values.

🧰 Facilities and Amenities

• 🔌 Unpowered, vehicle-access campsites

• 🚽 No facilities—no toilets, shelters, or potable water

• 🔥 Open campfires permitted in above-ground fire containers when no bans are in effect

• 💧 Natural creek water—must be treated before use

• 🐾 Pets not permitted (national park rule)

• 🚮 No bins—pack out all rubbish

• 📶 Poor mobile reception

• 🛻 Suitable for up to 8 people per site; non-designated bush camps

• 🚣 Tidal creek access—watch for flow and croc activity

🚗 Vehicle Access

• 🚐 High-clearance 4WD required—access via unsealed bush tracks off Jerona Road

• ⚠️ Sensitive to rain—tracks wash out easily and tide may impact access

• 🛣️ Drive-in to creekside camps, no walk-in required

Stay Information (as at July 2025)

• 💰 Fees apply (per person or per group)—book via Queensland Parks

• 📅 Booking essential—permit tag must be displayed

• 🏢 Managed by Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service

• 🏕️ Site type: informal creekside bush camping

• ⏳ Max stay: standard national park stay limits (typically 7 days)

• 🐾 No pets allowed

• 🚿 Must be fully self-contained

• 🚪 Access 24/7 during open season (Apr–Nov); check park alerts

🍺 Nearby Pubs & Clubs

• 🍻 Jerona boat ramp kiosk (~2 km): snacks and drinks

• 🍺 Mutarnee Tavern (~15 km): country-style meals

• 🍻 Rollingstone Hotel (~25 km): rural pub atmosphere

🏕️ Nearby Campgrounds

• 🏞️ Cocoa Creek Camping Area (~30 km south): tidal creek and bush camp

• 🌊 Salmon Creek Camping Area (~35 km south): similar creekside bush camps

• 🚐 Alligator Creek Camping Area (~45 km north): drive-in with amenities

🎣 Nearby Attractions

• 🐟 Fishing and birdwatching in tidal mangrove creek

• 🚶 Scenic 4WD tracks through park environs

• 🌳 Natural bush, mangrove forest, and creek ecosystems

🛒 Nearest Supplies

• ⛽ Jerona boat ramp area (~2 km): limited kiosk and fuel

• 🏥 Ayr (~42 km south): full services, including supermarket, medical, bank, and fuel

📋 Reviews Summary

👍 Positive

• 🌅 Peaceful, bushy creekside camp with direct water access

• 🔥 Campfire-friendly when conditions permit

• 🚐 Good for experienced 4WD campers who enjoy solitude

⚠️ Cautionary

• ⚠️ Track access treacherous in rain—washouts common

• 🌊 Campsites vulnerable to high tides

• 📶 Mobile signal unreliable—bring safety gear and comms

🚨 Breakdown & Emergency Info

• ☎️ Emergency: Dial 000

• 📡 UHF channels: Road = 40, Emergency = 5

• ⛽ Fuel and groceries in Ayr (~42 km); mechanical services there too

• 🧭 Advice: Travel on low tide, pack first-aid and GPS, carry insect repellent, and be croc-aware

🧭 Final Note

Barratta Creek offers a remote, beautiful bush camping experience for fully-prepared 4WD travellers. With creek-lined solitude, fishing potential, and genuine immersion in mangrove-country, it’s a rewarding adventure for those who come equipped and informed.