Mt Nimmel Lodge Campground

Mt Nimmel Lodge Campground is a budget, dog-friendly campground at 271 Austinville Road in the Gold Coast hinterland, about eleven minutes off the M1 near Mudgeeraba. It is a no-frills, cash-preferred site that trades polish for space, rainforest surrounds and low nightly rates, and dogs are part of the deal.

Dogs at the campground

Dogs are welcome, and the resident owners keep their own animals on site, so well-socialised dogs settle in easily. There are miniature donkeys and other animals about the property, which means leads and close control are the default outside your own site. Fenced sites are available for owners who want extra containment, and it is worth requesting one at booking if your dog is not reliable off lead, since the property as a whole is open acreage rather than securely fenced boundary to boundary.

Expect powered and unpowered sites big enough for tents, camper trailers and larger rigs, hot showers, clean amenities and free washing machine access. Water on site comes from tanks and is not guaranteed to run clear, so pack drinking water for your dog. Reports put nightly rates from around $15, and most describe the campground as cash only or cash preferred.

Max: ask for a fenced site if your dog chases. The resident donkeys and wallabies are exactly the kind of wildlife a lead sits between you and.

Location and nearby

The campground sits in the Austinville valley close to Mudgeeraba, where the Hinterland Regional Park fenced dog park handles the off-leash run and cafes like Shack and Co do the coffee stop. Springbrook National Park is a scenic drive away, but dogs are not permitted on national park trails, so treat it as a lookout drive rather than a hike. Gold Coast beaches, including off-leash stretches, are a reasonable drive east.

Worth knowing

Good for owners after a cheap, low-fuss hinterland base with a well-behaved dog. Confirm current rates and availability directly before you drive out, since small campgrounds like this change hands and policies occasionally.