Is NSW About to Privatise Your Favourite Campsite? The “Supported Camping” Plan Explained
There’s a bit of noise coming out of New South Wales at the moment, and if you’re into camping or 4WD touring, this one’s worth paying attention to. The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is rolling out something called “supported camping licences.”
On paper it sounds harmless — but once you dig into it, you start to see why a lot of campers and 4x4 travellers aren’t impressed.
Under the model, private commercial operators can apply for long-term licences to run “supported camping experiences” inside national parks. Not next door, not on private land — inside public parks Australians have used for generations.
These operators will be allowed to pre-pitch tents, run glamping setups, offer gear hire and catered packages, and most importantly — reserve and block out campsite space months ahead. That space may never show up as “available” to the general public.
It’s no wonder people are talking.
How Supported Camping Actually Works
Here’s a clear look at what NPWS is proposing:
23 campgrounds across 16 national parks are on the table.
Operators can secure multi-year licences.
They can pre-book sites for their customers, reducing the number available to the public.
This isn’t limited to fully serviced, luxury-style sites — some affected parks traditionally cater to low-impact, self-sufficient campers.
NPWS describes it as “making nature more accessible.” But for many of us who camp remotely, cook on a fire drum, and enjoy being self-sufficient, it feels more like parts of the bush are slowly shifting toward a tourism business model.
Why Campers Aren’t Happy
Most people don’t have a problem with glamping or supported camping itself. There’s clearly a market for it.
But this is about access — and how public land gets shared.
If commercial operators can reserve sites months in advance, those sites effectively disappear from the public booking system. You jump online to book a weekend trip, and the campground looks full. But is it actually full… or just privately held?
That’s the concern.
4x4 travellers especially feel it because we camp for the freedom — fresh air, fewer people, no noisy caravan park culture, just a bit of bush around us. Turning national parks into curated tourism spaces slowly chips away at that experience.
And while NSW does still have plenty of dispersed and remote camping options, these supported camping licences focus on popular, accessible, in-demand campgrounds — the very ones families and beginner 4x4 travellers rely on.
How This Impacts 4x4 Campers
If you’re planning a NSW camping trip over the next few years, here’s what to expect:
Reduced availability in high-demand parks
Earlier bookings needed, even for simple tent or swag camping
More structured camping, less of the casual “roll in late Friday and find a spot” style
Possible price creep in serviced areas as commercial operators bundle their offerings
Confusion over which parts of a park remain public vs. commercially allocated
The good news? NSW still has huge stretches of state forest, travelling stock reserves, crown land and remote bush where you can still just find a spot and set up. Supported camping isn’t replacing that.
But in national parks — the places many people start their camping journey — things may look a little different in the years ahead.
Final Thoughts
Supported camping isn’t a bad idea on its own. It gets new people outdoors, helps those without gear, and creates opportunities for guided experiences. But when those experiences start crowding out regular campers on public land, people are right to speak up.
This is a shift worth watching.
Because once campsites start being carved into commercial and non-commercial sections, it’s rare for that trend to go backwards.
The bush is for everyone — and any change that affects access deserves a good, honest look from the camping community.