Camp Barrabadeen

🏕️ Camp Barrabadeen — Lake Tinaroo QLD

PAID CAMP

🚩 Description & Location

🌲 Set on a bushland peninsula at the southern end of Lake Tinaroo, Camp Barrabadeen sits inside a secluded national park enclave yet is privately managed by Scouts Australia. With over 3 km of lakeshore, sheltered coves, sandy beach frontage, and forest shade, it offers a beautiful blend of lakeside scenery and natural ambience. The campsite is reached via a short turn-off from Danbulla Road, about 1–2 km past the dam wall.

🪶 History

📜 Located on the traditional lands of the Yidinji people, Custodians of Lake Tinaroo and surrounding Tablelands country. Since the dam filled in the 1960s, the site has been leased to the Tableland District Scout Association and developed into a public and group camping facility that incorporates youth education, conservation, and community engagement.

🚻 Facilities and Amenities

• 🚾 Composting toilets and accessible drop facilities

• 🚿 Hot and cold showers in a central amenity block

• 🔌 Power and internet available near caretaker’s office only

• 🔥 Campfires allowed in provided fire drums, subject to bans

• 🍽️ Gas BBQ areas and portable camp kitchens (equipment hire available)

• 💧 Town drinking water supplied

• 🗑️ Rubbish bins stationed near communal areas

• 📶 Mobile reception reasonably reliable around camp office

• 🐾 No pets permitted — protected fauna sanctuary

🚗 Vehicle Access

• 🛣️ Accessible by sealed Danbulla Road off Tinaroo Township

• 🚐 Suitable for tents, camper trailers, and small campervans

• 🚫 Large caravans and motorhomes restricted—double-axle access may be limited

• 🧍 Drive-through access to most sites; some require backing in

• ⚠️ Entrance road is gravel with 20 km/h speed limit and narrow stretches

🏕️ Stay Information (as at August 2025)

• 💵 Fees apply—camping fee per adult (no tariffs); public and group rates vary

• 📅 Booking essential—online reservation or phone contact required

• 🏛️ Managed by: Scouts Australia (Tableland District)

• 🏕️ Site type: Private bush camping site within national park boundary

• ⏳ Maximum stay: Not specified

• 🐕 No pets allowed (fauna sanctuary)

• 🔐 No gate codes; open 24 hours with caretaker check-in request

• 🕑 Check-in times flexible; share camp rules on arrival

• 🚫 Not required to be fully self-contained

• 📞 Phone: 07 4091 4387

• 🌐 Web Address: barrabadeen.com.au

• 📧 Email: bookings@fnqscouts.org.au

🍻 Nearby Pubs & Clubs

• ☕ Tinaroo Township (~2 km): Lakeside café and service area

• 🍽️ Yungaburra (~20 km): Historic pubs, boutique cafes, and local meals

🏕️ Nearby Campgrounds

• 🌿 Platypus Camping Area (~4 km): National park lakeside bush camping with minimal facilities

• 🏞️ School Point Camping Area (~6 km): Formal lakeside camp with numbered sites and basic amenities

🌄 Nearby Attractions

• 🚣 Lake Tinaroo: Canoe hire, fishing (barramundi, grunter), swimming and boating

• 🐦 Surrounding bush offers wildlife sightings—sugar gliders, goannas, curlews, bandicoots

• 🧗 Adventure activities: ropes course, abseiling, orienteering onsite for scout groups and public hire

🛒 Nearest Supplies

• ⛽ Tinaroo (~2 km): Small general store, fuel, café

• 🏬 Yungaburra (~20 km): Full supermarket, clinic, fuel, hardware

📝 Reviews Summary

✅ Positives

• 🏞️ Picturesque lakeside location with shaded campsites and scattered beachfront areas

• 🚿 Hot showers and compost toilets add comfort to rustic setting

• 🔥 Fire areas enhance bush experience when permitted

• 🚣 Canoe and kayak hire available onsite; walkable to water’s edge

• 📶 Less remote access than national park; mobile and internet available

⚠️ Cautions

• 🐾 No pets allowed due to protected wildlife habitat

• 🚐 Limited suitability for caravans or large vehicles

• 📅 Popular group site, so solo campers must book early

• 🦟 Mosquitoes and tropical insects common—bring repellent

• 🚲 Group facilities and dormitories may limit privacy during school events

🚨 Breakdown & Emergency Info

• 📻 UHF CB: Road Channel = 40 | Emergency Only = 5

• ⛽ Fuel: Fuel available in Tinaroo (~2 km); larger services in Yungaburra or Atherton

• 🏥 Medical: Clinic in Yungaburra; hospital services at Atherton (~20 km)

• 🗺️ Carry maps or offline GPS—campers encouraged to check in at caretaker’s office

• 🧯 Site operates with volunteer caretakers; vehicles and campers may be directed on arrival

🔚 Final Note

🌿 Camp Barrabadeen blends lakeside serenity with structured convenience, making it a standout among Tinaroo camping spots. Ideal for groups, families, and solo campers looking for sheltered natural beauty, it pairs essential amenities with access to water sports, bushwalks, and forest wildlife. Book ahead, arrive prepared, and immerse yourself in both tranquility and activity at this beloved Scout‑managed site.