Black Gate Reserve

Black Gate Reserve is a free bush camp on the Bridle Track at Bruinbun, on a bend of the Macquarie River about an hour from Bathurst. It is Crown land with no fee and no booking system, and dogs are welcome overnight, which makes it one of the more dependable dog-friendly stops on a track that is otherwise thin on formal campgrounds.

The dog setup

Dogs are allowed to camp with you, on a lead at all times outside your tent, caravan or camper. There is no published weight limit, but the condition that matters is control: keep your dog under command, clean up after them and pack the waste out, and never leave them alone at the site while you head off exploring. There is no fencing anywhere on the reserve and it backs straight onto open bush, so the lead rule is a real one rather than a formality.

The camp itself

This is informal riverside camping, not a caravan park. Expect level-ish dirt spots that suit tents and off-road camper trailers rather than caravans, and facilities limited to basic long-drop toilets. There is no power, no showers and no drinking water, so bring your own water, firewood and rubbish bags, and take all of it home again. There is no phone reception to speak of, which is part of the appeal and part of the planning.

Getting there and parking

The reserve sits on the Bridle Track, which runs between Bathurst and Hill End along the Macquarie River. The track is narrow and partly unsealed, genuine 4WD and high-clearance territory, and it cuts up badly after rain on the steeper Bathurst-side approach. Caravans are not recommended past the first sections; camper trailers are the practical towing limit. Check track conditions before you leave rather than after you have committed.

While you're out there

You will not be short of fallbacks on the same stretch of river. Bruinbun Reserve is the popular riverside camp just up the track at 2663 The Bridle Track, and Native Dog Reserve is the other dog-friendly stopping point nearby, so a full weekend camp is not the end of the road. Further towards Hill End, Turon Crossing Reserve and Village Campground give you two more dog-friendly bases.

More options across the region are on the Bruinbun destination page, and the full list is in the NSW stays index.

Max: Keep the lead on outside the tent, even if the reserve feels quiet. It backs onto open bush with no boundary, and there is no one else around if a dog decides to go exploring.