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General => General Discussion => Topic started by: woolgoolgaoffroad on July 19, 2017, 06:59:18 PM

Title: COPETON DAM
Post by: woolgoolgaoffroad on July 19, 2017, 06:59:18 PM
evening all....

I want to get away this weekend up to Copeton Dam near Inverell.
Around the dam there are two camping areas that have showers and toilet- Inland waters Holiday Park or the Northern shores area. Can anyone recommend one better than the other ?...

Fanks all
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: MrCruza on July 19, 2017, 07:26:40 PM
The Inland Waterways one is like a Big4, complete with a jumping balloon thing for the kids. The northern shore area is a more basic camp area.
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: woolgoolgaoffroad on July 19, 2017, 07:36:00 PM
The Inland Waterways one is like a Big4, complete with a jumping balloon thing for the kids. The northern shore area is a more basic camp area.

I've found that...but have you camped at the two or either and could recommend one ?
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: MrCruza on July 19, 2017, 07:50:26 PM
I've found that...but have you camped at the two or either and could recommend one ?

Haven't camped there myself but drove past a couple of weeks ago looking for somewhere to stay overnight. The jumping balloon thing put me off. Ended up in the Inverell showground.
If I was going to camp there it would be at the North shore. My Brother camped there a couple of months ago and said it was good.
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: alnjan on July 19, 2017, 07:57:41 PM
With the Dam at 52.6% http://www.waternsw.com.au/supply/visit/copeton-dam (http://www.waternsw.com.au/supply/visit/copeton-dam) there is going to quiet a few camping areas.  Depends if you want to stay in the 'designated camp area or not.  Choice of three area, Bingara or main wall side which is the Inland waters Holiday Park, the Inverell side, northern side, or the Eastern side, Tingha side, Howell Road.  There is an ablutions block with just the basics, well last time we were there, there was.  Have been there a few times and know a few area you would be interested in exploring.  Call around home and I can give you some directions on what to see and where.
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: Rumpig on July 19, 2017, 08:11:27 PM
We camped at Copeton years ago, up near the entrance to the park was all the powered area and not overly appealing to me (clean but just like being in a caravan park)...we followed the main road around i'm thinking looking at the park map past the ammenities block at Banka Bay and bush camped right on the shoreline of the dam i'm thinking between Banka Bay and  Little Manly Point...where we camped there was portaloos around the area, it was a pretty short drive back to the ammenities block that had flushing toklets and hot showers.
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: Paddler Ed on July 19, 2017, 08:14:44 PM
Rug up... it's not going to be a warm on the Tablelands/NENW...

We're forecast -5 and -6 Friday and Saturday... Inverell is due to be a bit warmer...
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: woolgoolgaoffroad on July 19, 2017, 08:37:01 PM
With the Dam at 52.6% http://www.waternsw.com.au/supply/visit/copeton-dam (http://www.waternsw.com.au/supply/visit/copeton-dam) there is going to quiet a few camping areas.  Depends if you want to stay in the 'designated camp area or not.  Choice of three area, Bingara or main wall side which is the Inland waters Holiday Park, the Inverell side, northern side, or the Eastern side, Tingha side, Howell Road.  There is an ablutions block with just the basics, well last time we were there, there was.  Have been there a few times and know a few area you would be interested in exploring.  Call around home and I can give you some directions on what to see and where.


thanks mate....i wanted to camp around Howell - for showers and toots but couldn't find any info- just day trippers allowed
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: alnjan on July 19, 2017, 09:15:04 PM
https://toiletmap.gov.au/toilet/6562

Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: woolgoolgaoffroad on July 20, 2017, 08:29:41 PM
https://toiletmap.gov.au/toilet/6562

oh wow...thats unreal. Thanks bud
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: alnjan on July 20, 2017, 10:11:51 PM
Plenty to explore around Howell and below it.  Can tell you where to go to have ball up there
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: rags on July 20, 2017, 11:12:33 PM
A favourite spot of ours is in the INland waters sites. We head around by the waters edge on the north- west road around Diamond bay  Fireball point area. You can either camp up the hill above high water mark or anywhere down to and by the waters edge. Depending where you stay there is a good amenities block with hot showers etc in the locality I mention. We will just drive up to the amenities for showers  and a b#g.
Around near the office and shop is the powered sites etc more like a caravan park.
Fires ok, dogs allowed in also.
Great spot especially as there are acres of options so you are usually not camped on top of others.
Enjoy, I'm thinking of heading up there after AgQuip next month.
Park map https://www.inlandwaters.com.au/assets/uploads/parks/6ecdb-copeton-waters-site-map-junehttps://www.inlandwaters.com.au/park/info/copeton-waters16-reduced-for-web.pdf (https://www.inlandwaters.com.au/assets/uploads/parks/6ecdb-copeton-waters-site-map-june16-reduced-for-web.pdf)
In fact I would recommend all of the Inland Waters parks and have stayed at a few different ones.
Web site to Copeton https://www.inlandwaters.com.au/park/info/copeton-waters (https://www.inlandwaters.com.au/park/info/copeton-waters)
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: woolgoolgaoffroad on July 24, 2017, 07:16:08 PM
Plenty to explore around Howell and below it.  Can tell you where to go to have ball up there

thanks Al.... just got back after 3 days and it is pretty amazing. Found a few relics around Howell but unfortunately the diamond mine and ruins are off limits due to a massive cleanup.   But went forsaking and found color, great camping and photos. Will catch up soon.
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: woolgoolgaoffroad on July 24, 2017, 07:17:56 PM
A favourite spot of ours is in the INland waters sites. We head around by the waters edge on the north- west road around Diamond bay  Fireball point area. You can either camp up the hill above high water mark or anywhere down to and by the waters edge. Depending where you stay there is a good amenities block with hot showers etc in the locality I mention. We will just drive up to the amenities for showers  and a b#g.
Around near the office and shop is the powered sites etc more like a caravan park.
Fires ok, dogs allowed in also.
Great spot especially as there are acres of options so you are usually not camped on top of others.
Enjoy, I'm thinking of heading up there after AgQuip next month.
Park map https://www.inlandwaters.com.au/assets/uploads/parks/6ecdb-copeton-waters-site-map-junehttps://www.inlandwaters.com.au/park/info/copeton-waters16-reduced-for-web.pdf (https://www.inlandwaters.com.au/assets/uploads/parks/6ecdb-copeton-waters-site-map-june16-reduced-for-web.pdf)
In fact I would recommend all of the Inland Waters parks and have stayed at a few different ones.
Web site to Copeton https://www.inlandwaters.com.au/park/info/copeton-waters (https://www.inlandwaters.com.au/park/info/copeton-waters)
Hey Rags,
thanks for the info--- actually camped at fireball point- totally amazing with wildlife, speccy scenery, we did the drive around the park.... and with 25km of water frontage campsites its an amazing place. Thanks for the heads up
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: rags on July 24, 2017, 07:27:00 PM
Hey Rags,
thanks for the info--- actually camped at fireball point- totally amazing with wildlife, speccy scenery, we did the drive around the park.... and with 25km of water frontage campsites its an amazing place. Thanks for the heads up

Glad you had a great time, the State water dams of NSW ( and others) are a fav of ours. Have camped a quite a few and have only found one that was not to our liking that was buurunjuck near Yass and that was mainly due to restricted waterside camping and rough rocky lake edge,
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: Rumpig on July 24, 2017, 07:37:07 PM
thanks Al.... just got back after 3 days and it is pretty amazing. Found a few relics around Howell but unfortunately the diamond mine and ruins are off limits due to a massive cleanup.   But went forsaking and found color, great camping and photos. Will catch up soon.
how'd you go temperature wise Kev?...we were near Paddys Flat for the weekend, property owner reckoned Saturday was minus 5 and Sunday minus 3. Below is my Cruiser covered in ice Saturday morning
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: woolgoolgaoffroad on July 24, 2017, 07:42:25 PM
how'd you go temperature wise Kev?...we were near Paddys Flat for the weekend, property owner reckoned Saturday was minus 5 and Sunday minus 3. Below is my Cruiser covered in ice Saturday morning

had a reported -4 yesterday morning.....ice on everything. Went to fire the drone up for a sunrise session over the dam and camp but an error came up as battery too cold !!!....so had to warm it for 20min and just missed the sunrise.....the battery was in the box in the car and it was still too cold..... Days were perfect tho

Saturday was -1 and only a hint of frost around the camp and towards the waters edge
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: woolgoolgaoffroad on July 24, 2017, 07:44:37 PM
Glad you had a great time, the State water dams of NSW ( and others) are a fav of ours. Have camped a quite a few and have only found one that was not to our liking that was buurunjuck near Yass and that was mainly due to restricted waterside camping and rough rocky lake edge,
i dont normally like van parks, but am a massive fan of inland waters now....so welcoming at Copeton and the fact that you have so many different and vast areas to camp is a massive winner for me. Was $24 per night for an unpowered site with was def fair.
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: Rumpig on July 24, 2017, 08:14:59 PM
had a reported -4 yesterday morning.....ice on everything. Went to fire the drone up for a sunrise session over the dam and camp but an error came up as battery too cold !!!....so had to warm it for 20min and just missed the sunrise.....the battery was in the box in the car and it was still too cold..... Days were perfect tho

Saturday was -1 and only a hint of frost around the camp and towards the waters edge
sounds like your yesterday morning was same as our Saturday morning, we had ice on everything....my diesel heater stopped running when the diesel gelled up, much like your battery not working...lol
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: rags on July 24, 2017, 08:28:31 PM
Love the photos of the frost, not sure what you blokes are worried about.
Spent a lifetime living with the stuff, freezing and cracking pipes, buggering up hot water heaters and solar panels etc. Chips in windscreens becoming cracks over night, are they were the days.
Camping is always fun in those temps, working in the cold can be hard.
Must say though that it has been cold here in Brissy the last few days I must be getting soft.
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: Rumpig on July 24, 2017, 09:25:58 PM
Love the photos of the frost, not sure what you blokes are worried about.
Spent a lifetime living with the stuff, freezing and cracking pipes, buggering up hot water heaters and solar panels etc. Chips in windscreens becoming cracks over night, are they were the days.
Camping is always fun in those temps, working in the cold can be hard.
Must say though that it has been cold here in Brissy the last few days I must be getting soft.
probably cause today was our coldest morning of the year so far, think it was 5 degrees this morning...i actually put track daks on for work this morning...lol
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: rags on July 24, 2017, 09:40:05 PM
probably cause today was our coldest morning of the year so far, think it was 5 degrees this morning...i actually put track daks on for work this morning...lol

I actually got my beanie out on the weekend, first time I have needed that since moving to Brissy 2 years ago.
Title: Re: COPETON DAM
Post by: alnjan on July 24, 2017, 10:53:38 PM
thanks Al.... just got back after 3 days and it is pretty amazing. Found a few relics around Howell but unfortunately the diamond mine and ruins are off limits due to a massive cleanup.   But went forsaking and found color, great camping and photos. Will catch up soon.

It is a bit of an environmental mess at the mines and well overdue for a clean up.  Locals don't call it Poison Creek for nothing.