The Bend Campground is a free campground a short drive north of the town of Coen on the Peninsula Development Road. It is a great place for a rest stop on the way to the York Peninsula. A little to the south, there are two other areas where camping is allowed, but this review will be about the one named the Northern Bend Campsite.
To access this site, driving on unsealed roads is required. However, the campsite is on a sealed section, so there is no issue with dust.
There is no requirement to be self-contained. A drop toilet is provided. However, since the Coen River is nearby, it is best to dump your grey water away from it.
Swimming is possible in the river.
The Bend Campground Quick Facts
| Campground Name | The Bend Campground |
|---|---|
| Nearest Town | Coen |
| GPS | 13°55'26.55"S 143°11'38.52"E |
| Access Road | Unsealed |
| Number of sites | 6 |
| Toilets | Yes |
| Water | No |
| Dump point | No |
| Power | No |
| Pets | Yes |
| Tents | Yes |
| Fires permitted | Yes |
| Telstra coverage | Weak |
| Optus coverage | No |
| Cost | Free |
| Booking | N/A |
Campground Layout and Features
At this free campground, there are 6 or 7 unmarked campsites close to the Coen River. The sites are gravel and fairly flat. If you are not towing (or towing a camper trailer), there are some further sites on the other side of the river. The crossing is shallow and sandy.
The site is close to the road. However, there is very little traffic at night.
As previously mentioned, this campsite has a basic drop toilet.
The town waste disposal facility is located on the edge of this campground. It is a large skip making disposal easy. We stopped here on our return journey just to get rid of our rubbish even though we did not stay for the night.
The Bend Campsite Location
The Bend Campground is a 3km drive north of Coen. The map below shows the location of the hotel and campground. You can zoom out for a more general location.
What to Watch Out For at The Bend Campground
The access tracks from the road are quite steep. I would avoid this campsite in the wet or if rain was expected. It might be difficult to get back out in the wet.
Final Words
We enjoyed our stay here and recommend it.
During our stay, we met someone who had been stranded here for a month. He needed a part for his van, but the first delivery contained the wrong part. While it is a good site, a month’s stay would be a little too much.
Closeby Campgrounds
Rocky Creek Gravel Pit near Bramwell Junction is an easy day’s drive north from this campsite and is a good place to rest for the night. If you have the time you may also like to consider Chilli Beach Campground.
If you are heading south you may like to deviate off the Peninsula Development Road and stay at Kalpowar Crossing Campground in the Lakefield National Park. For those continuing down the Peninsula Development Road Rifle Creek Rest Area near Mount Molloy is a good place to spend a rest night.