The Basin, New South Wales

The Basin, beach and wharf at Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Australia

The Basin is a locality in northern Sydney, in the Australian state of New South Wales. The Basin is located 42 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Northern Beaches Council.

The Basin is located in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, on the western shores of Pittwater, beside Coasters Retreat. Palm Beach is located nearby.

The Basin is the setting for Ursula Dubosarsky's prizewinning novel The Red Shoe, inspired by the 1954 Petrov Affair.^[1]

About the Basin

The Basin is a great spot and also one of the popular camping spots in Sydney. It's a really great location and perfect for families with kids. It has stunning views surrounding the Basin that looks out onto the wharf with distant views of Palm Beach and Barrenjoey Head Lighthouse. If camping is not for you then you can just come down for the day. It's a gorgeous spot to have a group gathering or family outing. The park is open from sunrise to sunset every day. It feels lovely and peaceful and the beaches are clear, calm and turquoise and safe for the kids to swim in.

Beautiful turquoise and clear waters at the Basin, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park

How to Get Here

You cannot take your car with you to the Basin. Therefore you have two options:

1. By Ferry – board the ferry at Palm Beach Wharf. For the ferry timetable and to find out about the ferry timings and prices see the Palm Beach ferries website

2. Catch a water taxi from Palm Beach wharf which will be an expensive option.

3. Drive to West End and park your car and walk to the campsite which is 2.8km but keep in mind that the track is very steep.

Parking

Depending on what day you come parking may not be an issue. However it is likely you could struggle to find parking especially on a weekend or public holiday. Street parking on one of the side street is available but hard to find, you may need to walk quite a bit to get back to the ferry terminal. Paid parking is also available next to the wharf but this carpark can get full. For more information about parking rates at foreshore reserves and wharf car parks visit the Pittwater council website.

Park Entry Fee

If you are coming to the basin for the day then you will need to pay park fees which include entry fees and landing fees for access to the park. Adult fees cost $3 and $2 for Children under 15. Under 5’s and Pensioners are free. If you are coming camping then entry fees are included in your campsite booking.

Camping at the Basin

You can make a reservation online and booking requests are confirmed within 24 hours. Daily park entry fees are not included in your camping fees. Making a booking is very easy. Go to the Basin Campground website to make a booking. For 2 Adults it costs $34.00 per night. This includes the landing fees to the park.

Sunrise at the Basin Campground in Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park.

Facilities at the Basin

• Cold showers and changing room.
• Toilets
• Vending machines
• Two Gas BBQ sheds each with 4 BBQ’s.
• Fire Pits (Wood BBQ) are available but need to be booked onsite
• Picnic tables
• Drinking water
• Laundry Room
• Public phone

Things to do

The beaches are the highlight here. Clear turquoise calm waters, great for water activities such as rafting, kayaking, and snorkeling. There are heaps of fun to be had at the beach. There are more than one beach area to enjoy. The Basin has a picnic area with tables and gorgeous views of the park and trees and wharf. There is plenty of wildlife to explore. You can see lots of wallabies out during the day and night. They are very friendly; however, feeding animals is prohibited. There are even a few friendly goannas roaming the park and if you're lucky you may even spot a snake (not that you would want to get close to one).

The Basin Wildlife

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References