Accommodation & Camping Info

Grayish-green irregularly shaped spots scattered on a black background.
Outdoor wooden table with decorative colored jars and chairs on a deck overlooking a lush landscape with trees and hills under a partly cloudy sky.

Accommodation options in the Bellingen Shire are as diverse as the area itself – there’s a huge variety to suit all tastes and budgets.

Accommodation does book out quickly for the Camp, so it is a good idea to get it sorted when you make your enrolments. Across the Shire you’ll find country homestays, camping grounds, motels, country pubs, hostels, luxury cottages, whole holiday homes and B&B’s.

Bellingen town has a well-equipped camping area at the local showgrounds.

We don’t currently offer a list of accommodation options because there are so many. We recommend searching the popular accommodation booking websites including AirBNB, Visit NSW, Booking.com, Stayz etc .

There is a great article in Found Regional magazine about Bellingen accommodation here.

Book in advance as accommodation quickly sells out for the week of Camp Creative!

Please ensure you check your accommodation on google maps and be aware of the walking distance to your Camp Creative venue.

Stylized illustration of a black cat silhouette with beige wings.

Billet Accommodation

We run a billet program for our tutors every year. Billets are provided by Bellingen locals, with the majority of the options being a room in their home. There are sometimes whole homes available, if the owner is going to be away during Camp Creative.

Once tutors are all housed, then we can offer any remaining billet opportunities to students. Please see the list below of all billet options that are available now. These offers are all for Sunday 11th January until Saturday 17th January 2026. If you need anything outside of these dates please let us know.

If you are interested in any of these, please contact the Camp Creative Coordinator on 0419 379 146 OR info@campcreative.com.au

All pricing is set by the home owner. None of these offers allow pets, unless otherwise advised.

OPTION 1

Private room in Valla $500 - King bed plus single bunks in the one bedroom, there are inside pets, off-street parking.

OPTION 2

Private room in Bellingen $450 - Double bed, female billet only, continental breakfast ingredients provided

OPTION 3

Private room in Bellingen $500 - Double sofa bed (only suitable for one person)

OPTION 4

Private room in Bellingen $500 - This space is in a separate part of the house with a queen bed and the option to have a single bed made up too, also has a microwave, air-conditioning and private bathroom, female billet only

OPTION 5

Private room in Fernmount $540 - Queen bed, air-conditioning, pool

OPTION 6

Campervan parking in Bellingen $210 - Driveway parking with access to inside bathroom and power

OPTION 7

Private room in Bellingen $900 - Queen bed, ensuite bathroom, female billet only

OPTION 8

Private room in Bellingen $600 - Single bed, female billet only

OPTION 9

Whole house in Bellingen $1040 - 1 queen bedroom, 1 single bedroom, adults only

OPTION 10

Private room in Bellingen $600 - Double bed, friendly dog, private bathroom

OPTION 11

Private room in Bellingen $500 - Queen bed, close to town, pet friendly

OPTION 12

Self contained in Valla $250 - Queen bed, air-con, kitchenette, DIY continental breakfast provided, close to beach

OPTION 13

Private room in Bellingen $600 - Single bed, private verandah, near swimming hole

Camping Options in Bellingen

There is a campground in Bellingen where you can pitch your tent or park your campervan. There is also a glamping area onsite, for those who want something a bit fancy!

The Showground has only BASIC facilities. There is a toilet/shower block but NO KITCHEN. Please ensure you are either heading to town for meals or you have your own meal prep supplies.

Bellingen Showground is a 4 minute drive or 19 minute walk from Bellingen High School.

There is a daily Shuttle Bus morning and afternoon, but there is no transport to/from the Showground at lunch time.

Info about the Shuttle Bus service can be found here.

IMPORTANT:

The campground books out early, and is at 50% capacity as of 23rd July 2025.

This year they will only be admitting Camp Creative students and tutors, no extra members of the public.

To get a booking you must use the code: 40thcampcreative

Parked caravans and vehicles on a grassy area with trees in the background at a campsite.

Camping at Bellingen Showground

  • www.bellingenshowground.com.au/

  • 37 Hammond Street, Bellingen

  • 0490 537 047

View on map
Woman sitting outside a large beige tent on a sunny day in a grassy area.

Glamping at Bellingen Showground

  • Louisa at Stylish Camping can set you up with and amazingly fancy bell tent! The tent will be set up at Bellingen Showground, you just need to turn up and move in for the week. To go straight to the Stylish Camping website to book, click here.

    NOTE: You must book a camping site at Bellingen Showground for your glamping tent separately. To book the Showground during Camp Creative you MUST use the code 40thcampcreative on their booking website here.

  • 37 Hammond Street, Bellingen

  • 02 9188 1578

View on map

Camping Options out of town

If you have your own vehicle to drive to town each day, there are two FREE but very basic camping options out of town.

You cannot make bookings for these campsites.

ROSES PARK REST AREA - 2656 Waterfall Way, Thora (Next to Thora Store) - 15 minutes drive to Bellingen High School

BURDETT PARK - 763 Waterfall Way, Fernmount - 3 minute drive to Bellingen High School (2 night maximum)

HIPCAMP is also a great website for finding local, budget friendly options.

Head to the Coast

Two children running on a wooden pier over water on a sunny day.

On the coast at Urunga, Mylestom, Valla and Sawtell there are caravan parks and cabins, motels, a holiday resort and holiday homes for rent.

Urunga is an 18 minute drive from Bellingen

Mylestom is a 22 minute drive from Bellingen

Valla Beach is a 26 minute drive from Bellingen

Sawtell is a 27 minute drive from Bellingen

Urunga

Mountain Retreat

Scenic waterfall cascading over a rocky cliff into a green pool, surrounded by lush foliage and trees.

The beautiful nearby mountain town of Dorrigo is another option, with a number of motels, B&Bs, lodges, pubs and caravan parks.

Dorrigo is a 40 minute drive from Bellingen

Dorrigo