Most recreation sites in state forests offer only basic facilities so it’s important to know what these are and what you need to bring with you.

Visitors will need to pack essentials like drinking water, sun protection, first aid kits and a reliable map or GPS to navigate where there is no phone coverage.

Visitor facilities

  • Our campgrounds don't have running water, showers or hand-washing facilities.
  • You must bring your own drinking water. See below for more information.
  • Rubbish bins are not provided at sites. Please bring garbage bags with you and take your rubbish home.
  • Toilets are typically non-flushing long-drop toilets. They are basic, do not have hand-washing facilities and can often run out of toilet paper. Don’t get caught out – bring your own toilet paper and hand sanitiser.
  • Most of our sites have toilets except for some of our more remote sites or those that generally have fewer visitors.
  • Empty chemical toilets at approved dump points – it is an offence to dump your chemical waste (or any rubbish) into our toilets. Use the National public toilet map website to search for dump points.
A grassy and flat campground with two mteal toilet blocks and a wodden picnic table in the foreground.
Skipworth Reserve, Upper Goulburn State Forest

Mobile phone coverage

Many forest areas do not have mobile phone coverage. If travelling to remote locations with no mobile coverage, you may wish to travel with a satellite phone or a personal locator beacon (PLB) for use in emergencies.

Drinking water

Drinking water is not supplied at state forest sites so you need to make sure you bring enough for your visit.

There may be no water in the area you plan on visiting or only water from natural sources like rivers and lakes. Drinking untreated water from these sources can lead to illnesses such as gastroenteritis and diarrhoea.

Always use water from natural sources with caution:

  • boil the water, where possible, and allow to cool before drinking
  • use other methods to treat water like chlorine and iodine tablets, microfilters and purifiers
  • collect water from free-flowing sources, rather than stagnant ones, and avoid collecting water downstream from visitors and camping areas.

For more information, visit the Better Health Channel.

What to bring

  • drinking water
  • insect repellent
  • protection from the sun (hat, sunscreen, long sleeves)
  • toilet paper and hand sanitiser
  • garbage bag
  • a basic first aid kit.
A ground of friends set up their campground. A tent is in the background, a man crouches down by a firepit and another mn stands behind a picnic table pouring himself a drink.

Page last updated: 20/12/24