Stinson Remote Bush Camp

The Stinson remote bush camp is a secluded and historic camping site located deep within the southern Lamington rainforest in Australia. This campsite offers a unique opportunity to spend a night close to the site of the 1937 Stinson Airliner crash, making it a memorable experience for adventurers and history enthusiasts alike.

Additional rules

1) Open fires: Prohibited—fuel stoves only.
2) Generators: Not permitted.

Things to know

Accessible by walk-in only, meaning visitors must hike to reach the campsite. To access the campsite, start from the Christmas Creek car park, following Christmas Creek until you reach a spur that leads to the campsite. Allow approximately 4 hours of walking time to reach the campsite. The Christmas Creek car park is the starting point for this hike and can be reached by following the Mount Lindesay Highway from Beaudesert to Laravale and taking Christmas Creek Road. The drive includes sections of unsealed road and typically takes about 40 minutes. The campsite is primitive, suitable for fit and experienced hikers. There are no defined sites, and a maximum of 8 people are allowed per night.
Campers must be self-sufficient, including treating creek water before drinking and carrying out all rubbish. Open fires are prohibited; only fuel stoves are allowed. Generators are not permitted. Essential items to bring include a fuel stove, drinking water, extra food, rubbish bags, first-aid kit, topographic map, compass, torch, warm clothing, wet weather gear, and a small trowel for burying waste. GPS and an EPIRB (Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon) or PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) are highly recommended due to the remote location. Mobile phone coverage in the area is poor, so be prepared for limited or no connectivity.

Neighborhood

The campsite is nestled deep within the rainforest and is surrounded by towering tree ferns. The 1937 crash site of a Model A Stinson Airliner is in close proximity. Although little remains of the wreckage, the rainforest has reclaimed the area, erasing many traces of the crash. The trek to the campsite involves following Christmas Creek to its headwaters and passing James Westray's 1937 grave. Westray survived the crash but tragically fell to his death while trying to raise the alarm.