Wild Camping in the Wimmera - along the beautiful Wimmera River

We’ve just taken our new home-away-from-home out on its maiden voyage - to a little place I know that has clean air, huge skies, views of Gariwerd (the Grampians), and a river to swim and canoe in; and it’s all watched over by river red gums bigger than Godzilla. Even the mud in the river here is clean. The birds, frogs, and insects sing all night and all day; and flocks of cockies with bad attitudes screech their politically incorrect opinions at the vast sunsets that last for hours. The Wimmera is just a few hours from Melbourne and boasts a real outback vibe - it’s a great place to get in some wild bush camping, some freshwater swimming, and soak up some epic sunsets surrounded by the sounds of nature.

The Wimmera is full of beautiful waterways for boating, swimming and fishing

Despite looking like a desert in places, the Wimmera is full of really beautiful waterways that are great for boating, swimming, and fishing. It has some amazing lakes such as Natimuk Lake, Taylors Lake, Green Lake, and Rocklands Reservoir; it’s got the Wimmera River; and also numerous little creeks such as Burnt Creek, Mount William Creek, and the Yarriambiack. The great thing is they’re all freshwater - so, unlike the sea, if you get in for a swim the water is soft and silky on your skin. There’s nothing like taking a dip in a fresh (if slightly muddy) creek and then drying yourself in the sun - no sticky, salty residue, and no sand in your nickers.

The Wimmera feels wild and open and big - it’s all about space.

The sky is big. The trees are big. The horizon is big. The Milky Way at night is absolutely humungous. Of course, I’ve mentioned the river redgums already; as vast as dinosaurs, their enormous limbs twist up into the sky. Wiry old buloke trees dot the planes, forbearing the extreme temperatures, the wind, the sun, and the frost with indifferent, timeless patience. There are countless varieties of wildflowers, native grasses, and carnivorous honeydews to be found as well as abundant wildlife: kangaroos, wallabies, and echidnas in the bush; fish, turtles, and yabbies in the waterways; and, in the sky, a fruit salad of parrot varieties as well as curlews, pardalotes, kingfishers, and willy-wagtails in profusion.

The Wimmera has lots of state forests and national parks to camp in.

If you like to be surrounded by people, you can camp at one of the popular spots such as Green Lake near Horsham to enjoy the festive summer camping atmosphere: complete with kids, pets, jet skis, motorbikes, music, and generators. But if you’re looking for peace, it’s not hard to find a spot with no other visitors. At all. No jet skis, no stereos, no public loos, no noisy kids on bikes. Just you, a creek, and some bush. 

If you camp in a national park, expect to be around other people, and be sure to book ahead. As for state forests and the like, we like to use the WikiCamps app. It has a small one-off fee and is insanely comprehensive. Every possible campsite is there, sorted by what is and isn’t allowed, any relevant fees, and the facilities available - it has everything from rest stops by the highway to caravan parks with swimming pools… and everything in between. And the best part is, other users can submit reviews and photos, so there are rarely any surprises.

Summer’s a great time to go camping in the Wimmera - one of Victoria’s best-kept secrets!