Shady Waters Camping

Shady Waters Camping is a self-contained bush camping property on the outskirts of Mareeba, spread around a dam and wetlands with strong birdwatching. Dogs are welcome at every site on one firm condition: leashed at all times, which the owners state plainly in their campground rules.

Dogs at Shady Waters Camping

Pets are allowed but must be leashed at all times, with no stated weight limit or extra pet fee. There are no dog-specific amenities, so bring bowls and bedding, and pick up after your dog promptly, both as camp etiquette and because the wetlands carry a lot of birdlife. Never leave the dog unattended at the site. This is wildlife country, and a loose dog around nesting waterbirds is the quickest way to be asked to leave, with no refunds given under the campground's own rules.

Worth knowing

This is genuinely self-contained camping, not a facilities park: the official rules confirm there are no toilets or showers on site, so every visitor brings their own toilet setup and takes waste away, and campers must leave the property at least every five days to empty grey and black water at the free dump site in Mareeba at 31 Doyle Street. There is no potable water (non-potable water comes from the dam), no WiFi, and patchy phone coverage. Small open fires are permitted at your campsite with firewood available on request, generators are allowed but must be off during the 10pm to 8am quiet time, and the speed limit on the property is 20km/h. Around the dam you can swim, fish on a catch-and-release basis, and walk the bush tracks without crossing fences onto neighbouring private property.

Getting there and parking

The camp is reached off the Kennedy Highway just outside Mareeba, about an hour's drive west of Cairns. Check-in is from 1pm and check-out by 11am, and there is room to park caravans, RVs, camper trailers and tents. Payment details and availability should be confirmed directly with the camp before you head out.

While you're out there

For an off-lead run on the way through town, Mareeba Shire Council's fenced off-lead dog park on Doyle Street is open around the clock with shade, seating and water fountains. If you continue up the range, the Kuranda Village and River Walk makes a good on-lead leg-stretch, Kuranda Birdwing covers coffee in the village, and more Queensland dog-friendly stays are listed for the rest of the tablelands.

Bring your own everything, keep the lead on, and you get a quiet wetland camp where the dog is welcome at your side the whole time.