Extend your shade and experience the adventure sooner

Corella Dam: Best free bush camp we’ve found!

Destination4WD awnings to extend your shade in Australia Corella Dam
Destination4WD awnings to extend your shade in Australia Corella Dam

We’ll say it again … this is the best free camp we’ve ever found!

That’s Corella Dam. 

This picturesque gem with its red rockface cliffs and shimmering blue water is about halfway between Mt. Isa and Cloncurry – also known as The Isa and The Curry, as the locals call them.

And it’s well worth the trek and the stay. 

You enter Corella Dam through a closed gate; it will look locked, but it’s not. Just be sure to close it again.

Driving along the dusty gravel road, you’ll see all the caravans and RVs parked to the left… but don’t stop there! Keep going because that’s not the best spot.

While it is stunning there, it’s where everyone goes and we want to show you an even more special place!

Keep driving along the gravel road until you come to the official campground – Clem Walters Camping Area where you’ll find very modest facilities – tables, toilets, and bins. 

Keep driving as this place will more than likely be packed! 

Around to the left, you will find another beautiful grassy spot right by the river. Now, you could stay here, or you could go all the way to the end of this track and veer up towards the left, over a very rough and rocky goat track.

{You’ll know it when you start going over it and you’ll probably want to turn around!}

Don’t! Because it’s here you will find the most spectacular place, complete with your own private oasis “pool” and swinging rope. 

It’s all free camping (at the time of publishing in November 2020), but this place would be worth the money if you had to pay!

Destination4WD awnings to extend your shade in Australia Corella Dam Cloncurry
Destination4WD awnings to extend your shade in Australia Corella Dam Cloncurry
Destination4WD awnings to extend your shade in Australia Corella Dam Cloncurry

Where is Corella Dam?

Corella Dam is located 54 km west of Cloncurry and 71 km east of Mount Isa.

The dam – which is about 1.5km wide – was created in 1959 by the construction of the Clem Walton Dam to provide water for the town of  Mary Kathleen and its uranium mine.

You can visit the uranium mine and the town, which are no longer in use, but it’s also worth a visit. The history of the place is fascinating.

It’s only about a 14 km drive heading west to Mt Isa on the Barkly Highway.

Where can you stay at Corella Dam?

There is a variety of places to stay at Corella Dam. Dam-side, creek-side, on top of the hill, or in the dedicated camping area, which is actually at Timburu Station (you’ll access this via another closed, but not locked, gate). It’s here that you will find some facilities.

You can also stay at the old Mary Kathleen township.

Destination4WD awnings to extend your shade in Australia Corella Dam Cloncurry
Destination4WD awnings to extend your shade in Australia Corella Dam Cloncurry
Destination4WD awnings to extend your shade in Australia Corella Dam Cloncurry

The best part is that it’s all free for as long as you want to stay!

We suggest you go down some of the little tracks and see if you can find your perfect spot like we did.

What is there to do at Corella Dam?

If you are up for peace, quiet, and relaxation, this is your spot.

– Swimming: You can go frolicking in the creek … there are freshwater crocs here. However, we didn’t see any.

NOTE: After one of our followers saw our video, he said he had personally seen a saltwater croc there. Like with all North Queensland creeks, beaches, and bodies of water, be aware and be croc smart. We didn’t see any signs that said don’t swim and there were many other people in the creek where we stayed.

– Bushwalking – beautiful place to go walking and exploring. We saw brolgas and wallabies.

– Day trips – We went into Cloncurry to get some supplies and check emails and use the internet. Even with Telstra, there is no coverage out where we were staying. Some people report having service at the actual dam where the caravans and RVs are parked.

You could check out The Isa too, Google it for all the tours the town has to offer.

And Mary Kathleen and the uranium mine are worth seeing too. The road to the mine, which is not in operation now, is beat up and there are many potholes, so it might be best to leave the van at the campsite!

– Fishing and other water sports

You can fish here, but we didn’t and you can also throw in a yabbie pot as there are plenty of red claws. The families and kids next door to our camp were so excited to show us their haul and give us some to eat.

Put your SUPs and kayaks in and cruise around; we had tubes that were a welcome treat and provided hours of entertainment as Rafa tried to perfect his ‘run and jump’ tube technique!

– Boating – there is also a boat ramp at the dam. This is also another place where you can stay and camp.

– Birdwatching – if this is your interest, you are in for a treat. There was a massive kite’s nest where we stayed and so many birds to watch. Make sure you take your bird book!

And, of course, reading, lounging, and a whole lot of doing nothing if you desire.

Hidden gems of Corella

Honestly, the whole place is a hidden gem. I’ve asked many people I know who go to Mt. Isa regularly or grew up in the area and they hadn’t been there before.

We met a lovely group of Mt. Isa locals who had lived in the area for 14 years and had only just found it!

But our campsite was the best-hidden gem of all … it was like finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!

Why you should visit

Why wouldn’t you?! It’s a wonderful place where you can switch off, read a book, relax, and get back to nature.

Watch the adventure trip here on video

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