North Shepparton Recreation Reserve is a short drive north of Shepparton. It is a free camp that offers a good place to stay while exploring the city and the surrounding area.
Shepparton is located 165km north of Melbourne. From central Shepparton North Shepparton Recreation Reserve is a 6km north on good quality sealed roads. Roads within the reserve are unsealed but OK for 2WD vehicles in dry conditions. The reserve also hosts th Shepparton North Tennis Club.
You must be self contained to stay at this site. No facilities are provided. There are toilets adjacent to the tennis club however during our stay they were locked. There were no indication that they are ever left open. The tennis club locks their rubbish bins in the toilet so they are not available either.
The image below shows the area in which to camp.
Despite the containment requirements, a couple of roof-top tents and small campervans were at the site during our visit.
Pets are permitted at this site.
We didn’t see any indications if fires were permitted. However, given that the area was covered in dry grass, fires on the ground would not be a good idea.
North Shepparton Recreation Reserve Quick Facts
| Campground Name | North Shepparton Recreation Reserve |
|---|---|
| Nearest Town | Shepparton |
| GPS | 36°19'29.12"S 145°23'47.62"E |
| Access Road | Sealed |
| Number of sites | 30 |
| Toilets | No |
| Water | No |
| Dump point | No |
| Power | No |
| Pets | Yes |
| Tents | No |
| Fires permitted | ? |
| Telstra coverage | Yes |
| Optus coverage | Yes |
| Cost | Free |
| Booking | N/A |
Campground Layout and Features
The camping area is located to the west of the tennis club. It is quite large and probably provides about 30 well spaced out sites. We can not see that is would ever be full to capacity.
The sites are scattered around an unkept grassed area. There are many trees providing plenty of shade if you wish to have it. Sites with sun for a good portion of the day are more limited. The sites it the northern part of the area have more sun than in the south.
The area is gently undulating, and you will need to spend some time getting level.
As mentioned earlier, you will need to be self-sufficient as no facilities are provided.
Site are available on a first come first serve basis.
North Shepparton Recreation Reserve Location
The campground is an easy 6km from Shepparton. The map below shows its location. You may zoom out for a more general view.
What to Watch Out For at North Shepparton Recreation Reserve
North Shepparton Recreation Reserve is a good free camp. However, it is not without its issues.
The ground is undulating, and you need to watch your step. There are some holes in which you could easily twist an ankle.
The grass is not cut, so it can be a bit long.
We observed that the ground was clay-rich and had many cracks. It has been reported that the area gets very boggy after rain so you may like to avoid this campground in wet conditions.
Unfortunately, some people have failed to take all their rubbish with them. To be fair, I don’t think that it has all been left by campers. If you stay here and find some rubbish near your camp, please spend a little time picking up after the grubs.
As stated earlier the northern end is best for solar. However, if you camp near the canal you may hear the dogs in the adjoining property. During our stay they were quiet at night. In general our nights were very quiet.
Final Words
During out research on where to stay we found some other areas to the west of Shepparton. Unfortunatley there were reports of local hoodlems causing issues in the area so we avoided them.
We had no issues and with any locals or anyone at all. This campground is quite acceptable for a stay in Shepparton.