Easy escape: Wave Hill Station, NSW

Going bush can sometimes mean you’ll be driving for days to get to your destination.

But what if we told you there is a pristine property in New South Wales with a country-by-the-coast feel to it not far from a major town?

Sure, NSW isn’t blessed with an abundance of island-camping options like Queensland, but it makes up for it in offering top-notch bush camping stays like this one, and the description ‘awe inspiring’ would be doing Wave Hill Station an injustice.

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Wave Hill Station and Farmstay is a 5000ha working cattle property situated along the Clarence River, just a couple of hours from Grafton, within the foothills adjacent to the Gondwana Rainforests.

This area is well known for its excellent bass fishing, more so at the waterfalls, as well as providing pristine views of the Clarence Valley – the scenery here is simply breathtaking.

Once you’ve arrived at the property, checking in is simple. You will most likely be greeted at the gate by the owner Steve, but if he’s otherwise engaged there are labelled mailboxes for each campsite and accommodation option, in which you will find all the information you need. Remember, Wave Hill is a working cattle property, so if you come to a closed gate, make sure you close after you.

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It’s hard to comprehend the wide variety of terrain that Wave Hill is situated on, and there are plenty of tracks to explore. These dry-weather-only tracks are rocky in areas, and will require a reasonably capable four-wheel drive vehicle to traverse, but they are well maintained.

The campsites are approximately 9km from the homestead and accessing them can take up to an hour as they are so spread out; on the plus side, you have plenty of space to yourself.

The campsite we were lucky enough to enjoy is called the Top Gorge Back Channel Site, which is situated at the entrance of the Mann and Clarence Rivers.

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Perched up high on a hill, this large grassy campsite is secluded and the views are endless, making it an absolutely awesome spot to pitch camp for a week. It is also within walking distance to the Safari Tents just over the hill, which offer a glamping experience for those who don’t want to pitch their own tents.

There is plenty of firewood here and the firepit is situated so that you have a fantastic view of the valley; pull up a pew, crack a coldie and indulge in a cheese board… it doesn’t get any better than this.

While this particular campsite does not have easy access to the water – you have to climb down the rocks to go for a dip – just down from camp there are calm waters that are a great place for the kids to swim and use their floaties.

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Launching kayaks can be done a few hundred metres from camp, around the corner from one of the cottages where the landscape is flatter for easy access, but be warned, the current is quite strong because you are at the top of the waterfall and Wave Hill Station strongly recommends you wear personal buoyancy devices and helmets at all times.

If fishing is your thing, there is a walking track not far from the Top Gorge Back Channel campsite. It crosses just in front of the Safari Tents and then becomes quite narrow and overgrown in sections, but there are handrails along the more difficult sections of this 200m-long track.

Once you get to the bottom of the track, you’ll be greeted by the thundering sound of water pumping over the rocks. The best spots for fishing for bass are in the backwash where they hide from the strong current and wait for a feed.

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Good footwear is advisable as the rocks are pretty rugged here, however once you land your first fish you’ll soon forget about such trivial matters. Wave Hill Station has a catch-and-release fishing protocol, so please abide by this request.

Sitting by the edge of a river that’s roaring with so much power and energy really makes you appreciate the thousands of years it’s taken the water to carve through the rock. It’s astounding and you can understand why the owners of this place love it too.

If camping isn’t your thing, other accommodation options include the aforementioned Safari Tents that overlook the gorge, as well as a lodge with views of the river.

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For those who don’t have a four-wheel drive to explore the property, guided horseback tours can be arranged, or for those who want something a little more sedate, you can sit back and read a book at one of the two cottages near the homestead, or you could even make use of the tennis court.

There really is something at Wave Hill Station for everyone. A visit here, if only once, will have you champing at the bit harder than a 47cm bass to get. It is affordable, close to town yet so secluded that you’ll just want to put down your devices and take it all in.

Five essential things to do

1. There’s a dry-weather 4WD track around the property.
2. The bass fishing is fantastic, but there is a catch-and-release policy.
3. There are calm waters for the kids to swim in and places to launch a kayak.
4. Accommodation ranges from camping to glamping and even lodges and cottages.
5. Arrange a horseback tour of the property, or make use of the tennis court.

Contact info

Wave Hill Station

Address: 543 Carnham Road, Fineflower via Grafton, NSW, 2460
Email: info@wavehillfarmstay.com.au
Phone: (02) 6647 2145 or 0428 472 145
The best time to catch Steve is between 12pm and 1pm daily or after 6pm.