Lightning Creek Campground

🏕️ Lightning Creek Campground – Mitta Mitta, VIC 🏕️

📍 DESCRIPTION & LOCATIONTucked deep within the forested ridges of the Alpine National Park’s eastern edge, Lightning Creek Campground is a quiet, riverside bush camp along the Cobberas–Morass Creek corridor, accessible via the remote Limestone–Mitta Mitta Road. This free campground offers a raw nature experience under towering eucalypts, ideal for self-sufficient travellers and 4WD tourers looking to escape the crowds and enjoy riverside solitude.

🕰️ HISTORYThis region sits on ancient Taungurung Country and later became part of the gold and grazing frontier during early European exploration. The campground area itself lies within the broader history of alpine cattle grazing, bush tracks, and remote state forest corridors stretching into Victoria’s High Country.

🚿 FACILITIES AND AMENITIES

• Unmarked grassy and bush tent spaces

• Drop toilet

• Picnic tables and fire pits (seasonal use – check fire warnings)

• Access to Lightning Creek (untreated water)

• No drinking water provided

• No bins – pack in, pack out

• No pets (Alpine National Park regulations)

🚛 VEHICLE ACCESS

• Via unsealed Limestone–Mitta Mitta Road

• High clearance 4WD recommended – especially after rain

• Not suitable for caravans or large rigs

• Conditions may be slippery, boggy, or rutted depending on weather

🛌 STAY INFORMATION (as at July 2025)

• Free stay

• No bookings required

• Basic bush campground with no signage or formal bay markings

• Best suited for tents, camper trailers, and 4WD setups

• Subject to weather closures or road warnings – check before departure

• Often used as a stopover for extended off-grid trips across the Alpine National Park

🍻 PUBS & CLUBS NEARBY

• Mitta Mitta Brewing Co. (~1 hr drive): Independent brewery and pub meals with mountain views

• Dartmouth Pub (~1.5 hrs): Small country pub with meals and live music nights

• Tallangatta Hotel (~2 hrs): Historic pub and bistro for restocking or final night stays

⛺ NEARBY CAMPGROUNDS

• Limestone Creek Campground – popular with 4WDers, ~20 min east

• Native Dog Flat Campground – more open alpine camp ~1 hr southeast

• Taylor’s Crossing (on the Mitta Mitta River) – riverside bush camp on the Cobberas Trail

🌄 NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

• Limestone Creek and Morass Creek – bushwalks, trout fishing, and hidden cascades

• Mt Gibbo & Mt Sassafras Tracks – 4WD and hiking trails with summit views

• Cobberas Range and Cowombat Flat – remote High Country access

• Historic huts and cattleman routes – scattered through surrounding alpine valleys

🛒 NEAREST SUPPLIES

• Mitta Mitta (~1 hr drive):

  • General store (limited groceries, fuel, bottled gas)

  • Brewery and café

• Tallangatta (~2 hrs):

  • IGA, fuel (incl. LPG), pharmacy, bakery

  • Water refill, hardware, auto repair

• Water refill: None at site – creek water must be boiled or treated

🗣️ REVIEWS SUMMARY

Loved for:

• Remote, quiet forest setting far from towns

• Creekside campfires and stargazing

• Ideal for 4WD touring and solitude

Watch-outs:

• Rough access – not recommended for 2WD or low-clearance setups

• No services – must be fully self-sufficient

• Heavy rain can make roads impassable

🚨 BREAKDOWN & EMERGENCY INFO

• Emergency: 000

• Fuel and LPG: Mitta Mitta and Tallangatta

• Auto repair: Tallangatta Auto Repairs

• Medical: Mitta Mitta Bush Nursing Centre / Tallangatta Health Service

• Mobile reception: None at campground; weak Telstra possible on ridges

• CB UHF: Channel 40 (road traffic) | Channel 5 (emergency only)

• Additional alpine safety: Register your trip with a contact person before departing. PLB or sat phone strongly advised for remote Alpine NP travel.

📝 FINAL NOTELightning Creek Campground is a rugged bush camp for travellers who value space, silence, and self-reliance. It’s not for caravans or comfort-seekers—but for the well-prepared, it offers a rewarding slice of Victoria’s alpine wilderness beneath the gum trees.