Waves Campground
954 Point Plomer Road, Crescent Head, New South Wales 2440 Australia
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About
#1 of 2 campsites in Crescent Head
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Waves Campground situated in pristine bush environment. We are located on the back roads of Crescent Head (NSW), halfway between Sydney and Byron Bay. We pride ourselves on being a bush campground where people can enjoy the beauty of nature and soak in a relaxing atmosphere. Camping at Waves means camping with the bush and still getting to enjoy many extra’s. We offer powered and unpowered camping and our campsites can accommodate any type of set up (NO water hook ups/drive through sites/concrete slabs!). Our sites are private, bushy, shady and have a firepit and sometimes a picnic table. We also have a 62-bed Bunkhouse with three shared dorms and two private rooms with a bathroom, perfect for group accommodation! Prices for unpowered camping are from $24 for 2 people per night ($15 for solo travellers). This includes free access to all on site amenities - hot showers, camp kitchen, BBQ's, etc. Just a short stroll over the road and you will find yourself at the beach, great for catching dinner or some empty waves. The surrounding National Parks and local towns provide plenty of activities to keep you busy during your stay. Our friendly and helpful crew make sure that all are welcome and happily provide local knowledge. Perhaps the biggest bonus here is the onsite Surf Fuel café, where they serve barista coffees and a brunch & dinner menu. Check out the Fronds Food Co page for their latests news, menus and mouthwatering foodie shots. They can also cater for special events! In a nutshell: Waves is a professionally managed, super friendly, down to earth campground. We are big enough to deliver a splendid holiday experience and still small enough to care about you. For more information on the campground and our story, please visit our website! ** ATTENTION: When coming in from the South please stick to the highway until the Kempsey/Crescent Head exit. The road after the ferry from Port Macquarie turns into an advanced 4WD-track. **
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Property amenities
Free parking
Paid wifi
Coffee shop
Beach
Hiking
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
BBQ facilities
Gift shop
Breakfast available
Outdoor dining area
Snorkelling
Fishing
Board games / puzzles
Outdoor fireplace
Picnic area
Shared bathroom
Shared kitchen
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Room features
Stovetop
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL STYLE
Hidden Gem
Languages Spoken
English
Location
954 Point Plomer Road, Crescent Head, New South Wales 2440 Australia
Getting there
Rental CarsSee all Crescent Head car hire
65Reviews3Q+A4Room tips
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Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
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My now husband and I recently celebrated our wedding at Waves Campground. We came across their website when looking for venues so we decided to drive up from Victoria to check it out. As soon as we got to the campground we fell in love with the place and knew it was the perfect spot. The rainforest and wildlife are amazing, plus you have a beautiful beach right across the road. From then on, Anna and Kit were incredible to work with, not only on the days leading up to the wedding, but in the previous months. They stayed in touch with us through the entire process, answering each of our questions and giving us very useful advice from previous experiences. We didn’t hire event planners and did everything ourselves, and Anna and Kit were a big factor in making the experience a smooth, enjoyable one. On the days leading up to the wedding, our guests started to arrive (a big group camped at Waves), they made sure everyone was camping in the same area, which was specially allocated for the event. The campground staff where always super friendly and offering their help, which made everyone feel very welcomed. The oval (where the event was held) is situated at the back of the campground and surrounded by bush, which makes it very private and away from other campers. The facilities were amazing, bathrooms were super clean at all times and having the coffee shop on site was definitely a plus! We could not be happier with our decision and would choose Waves over and over again. …
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Well spent 7 nights there with my 2 kids and we had a very relaxing time. The amenities are VERY basic but sufficient if you are after budget accommodation. The café is a nice touch and staff were friendly. One bonus is that you can have a camp fire, which many places don't allow. Beach walks were great with more Pipis at the northern end that I have ever seen. Crescent head shops are great with all your shopping needs met. The cake shop is next level and the pies are absolutely awesome. many varieties tried. Lamb the best by far. Would definitely go again.
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Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
+1
Avoid at all costs. Took all out money despite us never staying there. My partner and I booked for a 4 day trip as the site had many good reviews. But when we arrived we were shown to our site which was pretty much sand and sticks. A few minutes after arriving we witnessed a massive tree branch snap off a tree and land on top of another campsite which narrowly missed a man and his son. After we saw that he was okay the manager/owner came over and rudely just said “these things happen”. After witnessing that my partner and I couldn’t stay there in a tent as there is absolutely no sites away from trees as it’s pretty much in dense forest. After returning to reception we were greeted by a rude lady who simply said we don’t do refunds. NO REFUNDS AT ALL. No apology or sympathy for us or help in coming to a solution. Worst experience I have had at a camp site. AVOID AVOID AVOID…
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Date of stay: February 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: RUDE management with no care about people staying in their property
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
This is quite a long review, so here’s a summary: the campsite itself has everything you need for a short stay and the location is great...but none of that is worth it. It is outstandingly unorganised and the staff are cruel. Search for longer than we did...find somewhere better. When our booking was accepted, we were asked what time we expected to arrive. I said we were travelling from the central coast, so it would probably be later on, between 7 and 8. The lady on the phone said that was no worries, just to call if we were going to be later than 8. When it got to 7:30 and we were stuck in awful traffic on the freeway, we realised we’d definitely be late, so we called the campground and found out from an automated message that the phone lines close at 5pm every day. While this was slightly annoying, (only because the lady on the phone had said to just call if we had a problem, without warning us that we’d need to call before 5) we just kept going and assumed it would be okay, because if it wasn’t, surely we’d have received a phone call? They had all our details and were expecting us, so if we were going to encounter issues or be locked out somehow, we would have been informed. The later it got and the more congested the traffic became, we decided to call again and use the option to be put through the emergency line to a manager. The situation wasn’t exactly an emergency, but as 4 young women travelling alone who didn’t want to be stranded with nowhere to sleep overnight, we decided we needed to make sure we’d still have somewhere to stay otherwise we’d take the financial hit and stay in a motel. When we got through to the emergency line we explained the situation and were met with no understanding or help. We were told two things: we should’ve called earlier if we were going to be late, and that there will be a late arrivals staff member there to greet us. The attitude of the man on the phone was incredibly dismissive (something that will become a recurring theme here!!!) and it was incredibly annoying that he spoke to us like children. We had been very much on track to arrive at 7 until there was a crash on the freeway - how could we have called a phone line before it’s 5pm closure if we didn’t know we had an issue until 7? Still, we were happy that there was a plan in place for our arrival either way so we kept driving and eventually arrived on site at around 9:45. When we arrived we saw that there were no staff members around, and no information posted anywhere about what late arrivals were supposed to do. All we could find was a map on the table and an “emergencies only” radio. We would later be told by a nasty, condescending man that there was a sheet left out specifically for our party with instructions on what to do - this was a blatant lie. Anyway; we used the radio to ask what we were supposed to do. A monotonous, patronising voice came back to us and said: “yeah, there’s no one there. You’re incredibly late. Set up on the plots opposite reception and come see us in the morning.” Interesting how we would later be told there was a sheet left out for us...because if that were true, why not tell us on the radio? We took our stuff and set up on the first available plot we found opposite reception. The rest of our party arrived and we went about that night as planned. The next morning when two of our party were in reception that same condescending man from the day previous told them that the plot we had chosen (opposite reception, as he so clearly specified the night before) was a powered one. He upset them both greatly and told them to get the rest of the party to come to reception and sign some paperwork and get ready to move all of our things to a different side of the site. When we all went to reception together his attitude was abhorrent. He was a nasty, passive aggressive man with a superiority complex from working behind a desk; his smile was grotesque and dripping with condescension as he asked us simple questions as if we were stupid little children. He talked to us as if getting stuck in traffic and being given no instruction on what to do when we arrived was all our fault. He said “we’re only human here, that’s our mantra. We only work office hours, nine ‘til five.” Well, that’s really good for you, if that’s your mantra then have the people who answer your phones tell guests that so they don’t get stuck in this exact situation. There were two other parties in the same situation as us - two vehicles driving around aimlessly at 9/10pm who both set up next to us and both similarly had to move the next day. We were not outliers. The small print of the website and no information for late arrivals in your FAQ section simply isn’t enough to help people in this situation, and a nasty manager who speaks to you like it’s your fault helps no one. He told us there had been a sheet clearly put out on the desk for our benefit when we arrived in the evening. There wasn’t. He lied to our faces and talked to us like we were clueless. When I signed the covid-19 declaration sheet that stated the three standard, government-issued questions about having a cough or testing positive in the last 14 days, he asked if I needed help comprehending the document I’d just signed, as if it was unique to the form you have to sign at every other establishment in the world right now. A lot about the interactions we had with him in this conversation alone were like this; he made three of us cry. His treatment of us was unacceptable. Judging by previous reviews in which his attitude consistently comes up and the way management always seems to reply and stick up for his awful treatment of guests (just as i expect them to do with this review), the only conclusion that can be reached as to how he still has a job, is that he is either an owner of the campsite or he is sleeping with one. If you still decide to stay here, I hope you have a great time; I hope even more that you don’t cross paths with this awful member of staff. The facilities and atmosphere provide a great base of operations for your trip, the site’s location relative to the beach being a specifically great feature...but none of that was worth the stress and anxiety he caused our entire group. …
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Date of stay: February 2021Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
5 Helpful votes
Helpful
Just returned from yet another annual camping trip with family and friends. The rain couldn’t dampen our spirit or the experience, is truly nature at its best. Kit and all the staff always make you feel welcome and always with a smile on their faces. Renovated bathroom facilities are great, as is Fuel cafe and appreciate being able to buy staples like ice, milk, food treats and firewood. Thanks guys, can’t wait to return
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Date of stay: January 2021Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Annemieke Yperlaan, General Manager at Waves Campground
Responded 19 Feb 2021
Hi Rachel! Thanks so much for your kind words, it's great to hear you had a wonderful time again! We certainly always enjoy your visits! Thanks for sharing your appreciation and we look forward to seeing you again soon! Cheers, Anna + Waves Crew
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
All campgrounds in Crescent Heads were full so we had no choice but they this place. The reviews seem good but as soon as soon as we arrived we couldn't believe what a dump it was. I don't have problems with a Bush camp but on our 5 months on the road we have not come across anything like this. There were 3 showers only in the women's bathroom and it was all a mess and did not feel clean at all. There is a camp kitchen but half of it is reserved to the many backpackers who work there. (Which also seems bizarre, so many backpackers work there..doing what?). I used it only once you wash up but the tap kept falling of. If you want to use the bbq you have to bring your own has bottle. The manager seems incredibly unfriendly, unhelpful and arrogant. Once you pay your site there's zero interest from him to help in any way. Powered site was $50 for a family of four. That's more than we paid on most national Park sites, which are a lot more cleaner and organised. Bush camp doesn't mean you can get away with a mess and faulty and dirty facilities. This camp site suits a 20 year old backpacker who doesn't realise there's way better out there and that probably explains the good reviews.…
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Date of stay: December 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Annemieke Yperlaan, General Manager at Waves Campground
Responded 19 Feb 2021
Hi there, Thank you for taking the time to write down your experiences, we appreciate your feedback. It’s a shame to hear we were a last resort for you, it makes me feel that maybe you weren’t overly excited about visiting us in the first place? But before I offer you my insights, I would like to encourage everyone to speak to us at the office immediately if you feel like something is amiss during your visit. We are always open to feedback and will do everything we can to resolve any issues. We are a very invested, highly motivated team and I am having trouble identifying with the description of a lack of interest. So I am sorry to hear you had that experience. Our facilities are cleaned every day and kept to high standards. What we offer in terms of facilities is very clearly described online, and we don’t think we make any promises we can’t keep. We have put a lot of work into the building to upgrade and refresh the building. To be extra clear though: yes, there is a central block with hot showers, normal toilets and hot water sinks for laundry & dishes and we clean it every day. And yes, sometimes you will have to wait in line. Our kitchen is an outdoor, covered seating area. We are not required to provide any cooking facilities but have provided a hot plate & gas barbecue for our guests’ convenience. Yes, you have to provide your own gas – this is also clearly stated on our website. The dishwashing sinks for all guests are actually located at the amenities block, I have adjusted the visibility of the signs in the kitchen to make sure no one else gets confused about this. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Our private staff kitchen is for use by our very lovely, always changing body of internationals who join our volunteer program. I won’t explain our full operations and their work ethics here but am happy to say there is much more work being completed then can be judged from a quick glance. Kind regards, Anna + Waves Crew
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
I stayed here for 3 nights and paid a little extra for powered site. The camp sites are very large and you have plenty of privacy from neighbouring sites. The price is pretty good and location is about 50metres across the road from the beach and endless beach. There are hot/cold shower and kitchen facilities on site and also cold water bamboo shower and rain water tanks. The camp site is about a 10minute drive south from Crescent Head and near National parks. There are plenty of hidden gems and scenery if you are prepared to do a bit of walking. Great spot and was able to relax.
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Date of stay: November 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Annemieke Yperlaan, General Manager at Waves Campground
Responded 19 Feb 2021
Hi there! Thanks so much for your review, it gives a terrific description of our campgrounds lay-out, facilities and surrounding activities! We're stoked to hear you had a relaxing time. Thanks for visiting and hope to see you again soon! Cheers, Anna + Waves Crew
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The Waves is a v v special place - the entrance has such a lovey feel with the trees providing shade and everyone seemed incredibly chilled out and friendly. The use of trees and shrubs between campsites also provided great privacy. The cafe food has to be the standout which was incredible - you don't expect to have souve vide lamb, as well as polenta chips with foraged greens on a pea puree with a duck egg in a campsite let alone have it delivered looking beautifully and tasting amazing. We quizzed the cook and discovered he has cheffed at some of London's finest restaurants - Chez Bruce - including. So pls go and eat his food - it's BYO too. Possibly one of the nicest meals we have had all year. the only downside were the camp staff-seemingly thousands around but can only open the shop and reception for four hours a day and run by an really annoying Brit who was doing training for other staff and was incredibly dismissive about us. Not the best look guys! Also lots of promotion of sound music therapy but no pushing of the food which seemed utter madness to us.…
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Date of stay: October 2020
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Annemieke Yperlaan, General Manager at Waves Campground
Responded 19 Feb 2021
Hi! Thanks for your review, we appreciate the compliments and the feedback. It’s great to know you felt our lively atmosphere straight away and made sure to stay around for a while longer. Getting people to slow down and relax is what we aim for! We sometimes still can’t believe the spectacular experience the amazing duo behind the Surf Fuel Cafe provide us with. It’s great to hear you wanted find out their story and are as impressed as we are every time! Upon check-in we mention all our on-site facilities, whether that’s our bathrooms, sinks for dishwashing, our huge recycling efforts, the on-site café or a one-of opportunity to experience a sound healing session. We usually take some extra time to stress the importance of recycling and when there is something special going on. And whilst we always mention the café and their amazing coffees & food, they actually just don’t need us to promote their work, as they simply rock it. Their reputation is excellent and how can it not be with reviews like yours?! As for our crew, I can say with 100% certainty that they are a very hard-working bunch of people. Maybe they just have so much fun at it, it doesn’t even look like work from the outside? The reason there are so many workers is simple: we offer a volunteer program for the very reason that it builds a wonderful community of people that get to live and work here. The office side of the business is not run by volunteers though, in there you just find my partner and myself. Every day of the year. At the time of your booking, we were actually understaffed for the office (hence the training) and falling behind on our communications. As management, we decided to change our procedures and focus on future bookings by being available for phone calls and emails instead of shop hours. The Brit you describe is probably the most hardworking of us all and it’s a shame you caught him at a bad time. I’m sure he did not mean to be dismissive and apologise that he made you feel that way. Hope this gives you a clearer insight into our operations and we will welcome you up here again soon. Cheers, Anna + Waves Crew
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Day trip from home found us travelling south of Crescent Head toward Point Plomer. We found the camp ground and Surf Fuel Cafe. What a pleasant surprise. Light lunch of a bacon and egg roll and Pulled pork nachos. Enjoyed in the beautiful gardens. So relaxing. We'll be back. Thanks
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Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Annemieke Yperlaan, General Manager at Waves Campground
Responded 23 Oct 2020
Hi there! How exciting to discover new places close to home! Thanks for sharing your experience and we hope to see you guys up here again soon! Cheers, Anna + Waves Crew
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
An incredibly beautiful place to stay, relax and recharge. There is an abundance of wildlife and nature that surrounds each camp spot with picnic tables and fire pits. The seamless transition from nature to buildings presents an outside bush kitchen which is always clean along with the epic bathrooms. There are powered and unpowered sites, dorms and a fantastic cafe, 'Surf Fuel Cafe', which makes everything in house and has great coffee and a delicious modern menu! The best thing is the warm and inviting managment and staff that run the place. Kit and Anna are always so helpful and super friendly. We've have been returning for the past few years and every year is filled with making wonderful memories in a beautiful place. Thanks Waves Crew! Jared Melrose Campbell
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Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
LOCATION
AustraliaNew South WalesCrescent Head
NUMBER OF ROOMS
60
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Claim Your ListingWAVES CAMPGROUND (AU$11): 2023 Prices & Reviews (Crescent Head) - Photos of Campground - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about Waves Campground
Which popular attractions are close to Waves Campground?
Nearby attractions include Goolawah Regional Park (0.3 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Waves Campground?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free parking, kids activities, and paid wifi.
What food & drink options are available at Waves Campground?
Guests can enjoy breakfast, barbeque facilities, and an outdoor dining area during their stay.