This trip was Tom from Smooth AV and his son Andy's first ever NSW bush camping trip. No facilities. No powered sites, no laundry and when I mentioned the toilet - I was holding a shovel. And yes, Nugget was obviously in attendance
The plan? To show Tom & Andy what bush NSW bush camping actually looks like when you strip it back to the essentials. But how could i achieve this? Head out toward Sofala camping country, find a quiet stretch near the Turon that he was guaranteed to enjoy.
Sofala 4WD Tracks: The Right Way to Start a First Time Camping Trip
If you’re introducing someone to remote camping, access matters.
The run in along the Sofala 4WD tracks is the perfect filter, nothing extreme or reckless. Just enough terrain to feel like you’re earning the camp.
We aired down upon leaving the bitumen. Simple stuff, but it sets the tone.
This isn’t a caravan park. This is Sofala 4WD country.
Tom looked equal parts excited and cautious, half expecting the mighty Jackaroo to choose this weekend for one of its “character building” moments. Andy was all in.
That transition from sealed road to dirt always feels symbolic. It’s the point where the sealed road ends and the real part of the trip begins.
Sofala Camping Along the Turon River
There’s a reason Turon River camping keeps coming up when people talk about Sofala camping.
It’s quiet. It’s scenic. And you don't need to look hard to find genuinely amazing camps with swimming in NSW.
We rolled down to the river and had that familiar moment:
“Is this the spot?”
That’s always the decision. Not whether there are facilities. Not whether there’s phone service. Just "is this comfortable and ours for the night?"
When you’re taking your mate on their first camping trip, those questions matter more. You want the experience to feel comfortable, not chaotic.
We settled in beside the Turon, lit the fire and enjoyed some well earned beers under the stars.
Dog Friendly Camping on the Turon River
One of the best things about this part of NSW being the Central Tablelands is how naturally it lends itself to dog friendly camping.
Nugget wasted no time claiming the riverbank.
If you’re looking for dog friendly camping NSW locations that also double as dog friendly camping with swimming, this stretch of river is hard to beat with warm water, flat campsites and space to roam.
For first timers, having a dog along actually helps. It softens the edges of the unfamiliar. It makes the bush feel alive rather than isolated.
Andy and Nugget were enjoying life before we could crack a beer, let alone set up a tent - That’s usually a good sign.
OzTent RV4 Setup: Keeping First Time Camping Simple
When you’re easing someone into first time camping, complexity is the enemy.
The last thing you want is sprawling awning builds that make for an hour long camp setup and domestic disputes with your mate, or even your romantic partner.
The OzTent RV4 makes this kind of trip easy. Quick to deploy, solid in the wind, and extremely comfortable without overcomplicating things.
Within minutes we had shelter sorted.
That’s the key to how to enjoy camping as a beginner - remove friction. The faster camp feels functional, the sooner everyone relaxes.
Tom admitted he’d expected it to be more complicated, I made sure it wasn't.
I rate the RV series highly, but you don’t need to drop $1500 on a tent to get started. Any decent fold-out or spider-frame tent will do the job. Just avoid those old nesting pole setups that fall apart while you’re feeding them through the canvas.
Camping Essentials: What You Actually Need
When people think about camping essentials, they tend to imagine gear lists and things that really aren't required.
The truth about how to enjoy camping isn’t complicated. Sleep well. Stay dry if it rains. Stay cool if it’s hot. Eat properly and keep the beer cold. Sit somewhere comfortable and have a few laughs.
The toilet became the running joke of the trip.
That moment usually defines whether someone’s going to enjoy NSW bush camping or not. Either they laugh or they panic.
Tom laughed, which is always a good sign.
Turon River Camping & NSW Camps With Swimming
By late afternoon the river had become the centrepiece.
This is where Turon River camping separates itself from more exposed bush camps. The water adds something. It gives people a reset button.
Andy was tossing the ball and Nugget was swimming out to retrieve it. Tom had that look people get when they realise how relaxing drinking by a river is when your bed is only a few metres away.
If you’re looking for NSW camps with swimming, especially around Sofala camping areas, this region delivers without feeling overrun.
How to Enjoy Camping When It’s Your First Time
The biggest barrier to first time camping isn’t fancy gear, it's simply being comfortable.
Tom said at one point he’d always assumed bush camping meant discomfort.
By nightfall, sitting around the fire with a beer in hand, that idea had disappeared.
Here’s the quiet truth about how to enjoy camping:
- Comfortable bedding
- Stay dry if it rains, cool if it's hot, or warm when it's cold.
- Good quality food. The effort required to turn a bland meal into an amazing one is marginal.
- Cold Beer
- A Fire, or something scenic to look at, in this case we had a fire by the river on both nights.
- A Comfortable camp chair
When you’re taking a friend on their first camping trip, your job isn’t to impress them with capability.
It’s to show them comfort exists out here, just in a different form.
Mystery Beers: 3 Amazing beers!
You know the rules better than Tom. Blind tastings around the fridge while camping near Sydney. This time, we had three contenders:
- Tiny Typhoon Tropical Larger (Six Twelve Brewing, St Agnes, SA): 5%, 1.5 Standards. It’s bright, crisp, and tropical - everything you want in a springtime smasher. They've packed their favourite hops right now - Krush, Ekuanot, and El Dorado - into a pilsner base, letting those vibrant notes of mango, guava, and pineapple shine over a light, clean malt body. A great easy drinking Larger.
- Juice Trip Hawaiian Punch (Mountain Culture Beer, Katoomba, NSW): 7%, 2 standards, 355ml can. A multi-dimensional trip to tropical fruit juice flavour. Each sip is an eruption of Hawaiian punch flavours that’ll take you on a mind-bending, eye-opening journey to light up any session. It’s juicier than your group chat but lighter than your mates wallet. An Incredible beer that doesn't taste like it's 7%, but man you'll want to drink more than you should! (Mountain Culture have advised they also have a lighter version called Neon Splice @ 4.5%)
- Golden Ale (Latin Beer, Melbourne, Vic): 4.7%, 1.4 standards. Inspired by the tropical fermentations of pre-Columbian America and the European techniques brought by explorers centuries later, we blend pale Latin malts and sun-kissed hops to evoke passionfruit, mango, and citrus. A solid beer, but it had some tough competition.
Overall? Juice Trip was the common Favourite, Tiny Typhoon was incredible. Golden Ale? It was a good beer, but probably not one to be put up against the other two. We shouldn't have done this after 2 Dark & Stormy's on a hot summer's day.
Sofala Camping: A Proper First Bush Experience
By the end of the night, it was about watching a father and son realise that remote camping doesn’t have to be extreme to be meaningful.
That’s what Sofala camping does well.
It gives you enough remoteness to feel real, but enough accessibility to make it achievable.
For Tom and Andy, it wasn’t just a trip. It was their introduction to bush camping done properly.
And for Nugget? It was another excuse to swim and have fun in a new location.
If you’re considering your own Sofala 4WD trip or planning your first dog friendly camping NSW adventure, start simple.
You don’t need much, just a few minor comforts and the willingness to leave the bitumen behind.