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Tent pitched in a bush camp in the Douglas-Apsley National Park
Bush camping in the Douglas-Apsley National Park (photograph: Dan Broun)

Douglas-Apsley camping

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Alerts for Douglas-Apsley camping

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Safety alert: Tasman Highway road closure near Orford
Applies from 26/5/2021

Road works on the Tasman Highway at Paradise Gorge, west of Orford, may cause some delays.  A 300m of the road is restricted to one lane while works are completed. A 40 km/h speed limit and traffic management control will be in place.

In the interests of public safety please abide by all road signage and allow for delays.

Last reviewed 22/7/2021 09:43 AM

COVID-19 safety information

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  • Camping
  • Overnight walk
  • Parking
  • Toilets

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A valid parks pass is required for entry to Tasmania's national parks.
Tent   
Fees:

​Camping in the Douglas-Apsley National Park is free.

Bookings:

​No bookings required.

The small bush camping area near the Apsley Waterhole is about ten minutes from the carpark off Rosedale Road in the south of the park. For park visitors undertaking the multi-day walk along the Leeaberra Track, which begins at Thompson’s Marshes in the north of the park, there are remote bush campsites near Heritage Falls and Tevelein Falls, both on the Douglas River.

About

​Visitors to the beautiful Douglas-Apsley National Park have a choice of three sites for bush camping.

The Apsley Waterhole site at the south end of the park has no vehicle access but is an easy ten-minute walk from the carpark. This is a pleasant, shaded spot, well-situated for taking a leisurely swim in the waterhole. There are composting toilets nearby. 

The two sites on the banks of the Douglas River – at Heritage and Tevelein Falls – are more remote, do no​t have toilets and mainly used by park visitors who are doing multi-day walks. Both sites are reached by walking along the Leeaberra track​ from the north of the park.

The Heritage Falls site is tucked high on the bank above the Douglas River. Sheltered by a canopy of tall trees, there are several lounging logs for sitting on or against. 

The Tevelein Falls site, further south, is also nestled on the bank above the river. It has direct river views, and cleared communal eating areas. 

Campers will need to bring their own food, water, tent and fuel stove. No booking necessary.

​​​​​​​​​Douglas-Apsley National Park is mid-way up the east coast of Tasmania, about 2¼ hours from Launceston and slightly longer from Hobart. The Apsley Waterhole, at the southern end of the park, is reached by taking the Rosedale Road off the A3 Tasman Highway about 3km north of Bicheno. Thompsons Marshes, at the northern end of the park, can only be reached on foot or via high clearance 4WD using the Forestry ‘E’ Road 24km north of Bicheno.​​​​​

Please take care when driving between sunset and sunrise as you are sharing the road with wildlife​.​

 ​

Where possible, please avoid driving in our reserves at night. You are sharing the roads with our native wildlife, so take it slow and watch out for animals on the road.

​​​At the southern end of the Douglas-Apsley National Park, there is a carpark and signposted walk to the Apsley Waterhole and lookout.

A small information booth near the waterhole gives further information about the local area. Nearby there is a composting toilet. 

Other than a rough carpark, there are no facilities at the northern end of the park.

​Walking boots or strong shoes should be worn, even for shorter walks, due to the rough terrain. 

Water can be obtained from the Apsley River, although it is recommended that this is boiled before drinking. The water running through the park provides Bicheno with its water supply, so if you’re swimming please don’t add soap, shampoo or sunscreen to the water. 

This park is very sensitive to fire. It is largely made up of dry forest, much of it in remote and rugged country, which makes escaped fires very difficult to fight. Because of this, it is a F​uel Stove Only ​area between October 1 and April 30. ​Please only use the established fire pits at the Apsley Waterhole campground.

Please leave campsites cleaner than you found them and be prepared to carry your rubbish out with you as there are no bins. ​See Campfire safety and restrictions​ page.

Find out other essential information for visiting Tasmania's parks and reserves on our Know before you go section.