Turon Crossing Reserve

Turon Crossing Reserve is a free, riverside camping reserve on the Turon River between Bathurst and Hill End, reached along the historic Bridle Track. It sits right beside the concrete causeway crossing, and it welcomes dogs, which alone sets it apart from the national park campgrounds around it. Gold rush history runs deep here: the Turon was one of the richest 1850s diggings in NSW, and fossicking, panning and metal detecting are still permitted in the general reserve areas along the riverbed.

Dogs at Turon Crossing Reserve

The Bridle Track reserves and the surrounding Crown land are widely regarded as dog-friendly country, unlike the strict no-dogs zones in the nearby national parks. There is no formal leash bylaw posted, but the expectation is clear: keep dogs under effective control, cleaned up after, and restrained when livestock or wildlife such as kangaroos are around. One serious caution for dog owners: 1080 wild dog and fox baiting runs periodically on public lands in this region, and 1080 is lethal to domestic dogs. Watch for baiting signage at reserve entry points, and if baiting is active, keep your dog leashed, stop them scavenging off the ground, and know where the nearest vet is in Bathurst.

The camping

This is back-to-basics bush camping on a leave-no-trace philosophy. Facilities are basic at best: no powered sites, no reliable drinking water and no showers, so bring all water for people and dogs. Recent Crown land upgrades have added basic toilet blocks with untreated rainwater tanks at the major reserves along the track, but do not count on more than that. Camping is free, there is no booking system and no formal check-in, and sites sit informally right next to the river. Camp fires are generally allowed outside fire ban periods if fully extinguished before you leave.

Getting there and when to go

Access is via the unsealed Bridle Track from the Hill End or Bathurst side. In dry weather most vehicles can get through carefully, but the causeway crossing can become impassable during and after heavy rain, so check conditions before committing. Aim for the drier months, and treat it as a fair-weather stop. For owners wanting more structure, Village Campground and Glendora Campground are township-based alternatives, and Hill End Lodge has a roof over your head.

Max: The river is the whole point of this camp. Keep your dog clear of stagnant pools and off anything dead on the ground, and this is about as good as free riverside camping gets.

Suits self-sufficient campers with dogs who want a quiet, free base for fishing, 4WDing and fossicking. More options in the region are on the Hill End destination page, and the full list is in the NSW stays index.