Bowen Showgrounds Camping – Your Gateway to the Whitsunday Coast

Located in the beautiful coastal town of Bowen, the “Gem of the Coral Sea,” the Bowen Showgrounds offers a fantastic, low-cost camping experience for travellers exploring the Whitsunday region. This massive facility provides a friendly, spacious, and convenient base for caravans, motorhomes, and big rigs, making it an extremely popular stop on the Bruce Highway. The showgrounds boast huge, flat, grassy areas, ensuring there is always ample room to find a comfortable spot to settle in. It’s the perfect place to relax after a long drive and position yourself to discover Bowen’s eight magnificent beaches, its rich pioneering history, and its reputation as a world-class fishing and snorkelling destination.

The amenities at the Bowen Showgrounds are excellent and offer outstanding value for a modest nightly fee. Visitors have access to a large number of powered and unpowered sites, multiple clean amenities blocks with toilets and hot showers, laundry facilities, and a dump point. The friendly on-site caretakers and welcoming atmosphere make for a very pleasant stay. The showgrounds are conveniently located just a short drive from Bowen’s town centre, with its full range of supermarkets, shops, and classic Queenslander pubs. The town’s biggest drawcards are its stunning, award-winning beaches like Horseshoe Bay, which offers fantastic snorkelling right off the shore. Don’t forget to get a photo with the iconic Big Mango, explore the town’s many beautiful murals, and enjoy some fresh local seafood. For an affordable, well-equipped, and perfectly located base in a true tropical paradise, the Bowen Showgrounds is an unmissable destination.

Site Information

• Name: Bowen Showground
• Address: 25 Mount Nutt Rd, Bowen QLD 4805, Australia
• Phone Number:

• GPS Coordinates: -19.993999, 148.229188

• Website:

Campground Details

• Location: At the Bowen Showgrounds, on the western side of the township.
• Site Suitable For: All vehicle types, from tents to the largest motorhomes and fifth-wheelers.
• Road Access: Sealed road access.
• Site Surface: Mostly flat grass and some dirt areas.
• Camping Permitted: Yes, low-cost camping with fees payable to the on-site caretaker.
• Maximum Overnight Stays: Check with management for stays longer than one week.
• Facilities: Powered and unpowered sites, toilets, hot showers, dump point, laundry facilities.
• Potable Water: Yes, available on site.
• Mobile Phone Coverage: Excellent for all major carriers.
• TV Reception: Excellent.
• Onsite Public Toilets: Yes.
• Rubbish Bins: Yes.
• Open Fires: Strictly prohibited.
• Generator Use: Permitted with consideration for others, but powered sites are plentiful.
• Number of Sites Available: Huge, unmarked area with capacity for hundreds of vans.
• Essentials to Bring: Cash for fees, swimmers, snorkel gear, and a fishing rod.
• Pet Friendly: Yes, pets are very welcome but must be on a leash at all times.
• Fishing: World-class fishing from the jetty, beaches, and by boat for Coral Trout, Mackerel, and many other reef species.
• Short Walks: Plenty of space for walks around the showgrounds and beautiful walking tracks around Bowen’s beaches and lookouts.

Local Amenities & Attractions

• Local Pubs:
  • The Grand View Hotel: Approx. 3 km
  • Central Hotel: Approx. 3 km
  • Bowen Hotel: Approx. 3 km
• Places to Eat:
  • Birds Fish Bar at the jetty: Approx. 4 km
  • Jochheims Pies: Approx. 3 km
  • Le Sorelle The Sisters Coffee House: Approx. 3 km
• Local Attractions:
  • Horseshoe Bay (snorkelling and swimming): Approx. 6 km
  • The Big Mango: Approx. 8 km
  • Bowen’s Murals and waterfront lookouts.
• Nearest Caravan Parks:
  • Horseshoe Bay Resort: Approx. 6 km
  • BIG4 Bowen Coral Coast Beachfront Holiday Park: Approx. 5 km
• Next Free Camps:
  • Guthalungra Rest Area (basic): Approx. 45 km north.
• Nearest Dump Points:
  • Located on-site at the showgrounds.
• Nearest Petrol Station:
  • Multiple major 24/7 stations located in Bowen.
• Drinking Water Resupply:
  • Available on-site.
• Public Toilets (offsite):
  • Located at all major beaches and parks in Bowen.

Seasonal Weather Forecast

• Dry Season (Apr-Oct): The ideal time to visit. Days are warm, sunny, and dry with pleasant nights. The peak season for tourists. Temperatures average 17°C to 29°C.
• Wet Season (Nov-Mar): Hot and very humid, with a high likelihood of heavy tropical downpours and thunderstorms. This is also the marine stinger season. Temperatures average 24°C to 32°C.