Discovery Parks – Lane Cove, formerly known as Lane Cove Holiday Park, is a genuine bushland escape tucked inside the 1,000-acre Lane Cove National Park, yet only around 10 kilometres from Sydney’s CBD. Set on the banks of the Lane Cove River in North Ryde, the park is a rare find for travellers wanting the convenience of a major city with the peace and quiet of native forest right outside the tent flap, cabin door or caravan awning.
The park offers a genuinely wide spread of accommodation, from grassy and concrete-slab powered and unpowered camping and caravan sites through to fully equipped one and two bedroom cabins and luxury glamping safari tents for those wanting a little extra comfort. A camp kitchen, guest laundry, mini-mart and a well-loved swimming pool and children’s playground round out the on-site facilities, while the surrounding bushland is home to cockatoos, rainbow lorikeets, bush turkeys and the occasional water dragon, giving the park a genuine sense of being far from the city despite its location.
What sets Discovery Parks – Lane Cove apart is the ease of getting into Sydney itself. North Ryde train station is an easy walk from the park, with services running directly into the city in around thirty minutes, making it a comfortable base for exploring the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Sydney Opera House and the rest of the CBD without needing to move your van or set up camp closer to town. Closer to home, Lane Cove National Park itself offers historic sites along its heritage walk, picnic spots dotted throughout the bushland, canoeing on the Lane Cove River, and access to the Great North Walk, a lengthy hiking trail linking Sydney to the Hunter Valley.
Because the park sits within Lane Cove National Park, a national park vehicle entry fee applies for the duration of your stay, and access is via sealed roads suitable for cars, caravans and motorhomes, entering from Plassey Road off Delhi Road in Macquarie Park. Please note pets are not permitted within the park, given its location inside the national park boundary.
Whether you are looking for an affordable, well-located base to explore Sydney’s icons, a bushland retreat close to the Macquarie Park business and shopping precinct, or a genuine slice of Australian wildlife and forest without leaving the city limits, Discovery Parks – Lane Cove delivers a rare combination of convenience and natural surroundings. Bookings are recommended well ahead of school holidays and major Sydney events, when demand for both camp sites and cabins runs high.
Discovery Parks – Lane Cove – NSW Location Map
Discovery Parks – Lane Cove
- Address: 13 Plassey Road, Macquarie Park (North Ryde), NSW 2113, Australia
- Phone: (02) 9888 9133
- Email: lanecove@discoveryparks.com.au
- Website: www.discoveryholidayparks.com.au
- GPS Coordinates: -33.78927, 151.14321 (approximate)
Map Location
Location
- Inside Lane Cove National Park, North Ryde / Macquarie Park
- Approximately 10 km from Sydney CBD
- Approximately 900 m walk to North Ryde train station
- Approximately 1.5 km from Macquarie Centre shopping precinct
- Northern Sydney, New South Wales
Site Suitable For
- Tent camping
- Caravans and camper trailers
- Motorhomes and campervans
- Cabin and glamping safari tent stays
- Families, couples, solo travellers and city sightseers
- Short city stopovers and longer bushland retreats
Road Access
- Sealed road access via Plassey Road, off Delhi Road, Macquarie Park
- Suitable for cars, caravans, camper trailers and motorhomes
- Access is not via Riverside Drive — follow Plassey Road directions
- National Park vehicle entry fee applies (approximately $8 per vehicle per day)
- One vehicle per site; additional vehicles must park outside the park
Site Surface
- Grassed and concrete-slab powered and unpowered sites
- Shaded sites within native bushland
- Level, formed caravan bays
Facilities
- Powered and unpowered sites
- Shared amenities blocks with hot showers and toilets
- Camp kitchen
- Guest laundry with coin-operated machines
- Swimming pool and children’s paddling pool
- Children’s playground
- Mini-mart at reception
- Cabins and luxury glamping safari tents
- On-site park office and reception
Essentials to Bring
- Coins for laundry machines and pay-and-display parking
- Insect repellent for bushland surrounds
- Reusable water bottle
- Torch or headlamp
- Comfortable walking shoes for the national park trails
- Public transport card (Opal card) for train trips into the city
Pet Friendly
- Pets and domestic animals are not permitted within the park, in line with national park regulations
- Certified assistance animals are the exception
- Please check nearby off-leash areas outside the national park boundary if travelling with a pet
Fishing
- Fishing is possible along the Lane Cove River, subject to national park rules
- A NSW recreational fishing licence is required
- Check current national park fishing guidelines before casting a line
Short Walks
- Lane Cove National Park Heritage Walk
- Fairyland Circuit, North Ryde
- Riverside picnic area walking tracks
- Access point to the Great North Walk hiking trail
Local Amenities
Local Pubs
- The Governor Hotel, Macquarie Park — approximately 1.7 km
- The Ranch Hotel, corner Epping & Herring Roads — approximately 3 km
- Royal Hotel, Ryde — approximately 5 km
Places to Eat
- Macquarie Centre food precinct — approximately 1.5 km (approximate)
- Waterloo Road cafes and restaurants, Macquarie Park — approximately 1.7 km (approximate)
- Lane Cove Road dining strip, North Ryde — approximately 1 km (approximate)
Local Attractions
- Lane Cove National Park Heritage Sites — on-site / approximately 1 km
- Macquarie Centre shopping, cinema & ice rink — approximately 1.5 km
- Sydney Opera House — approximately 12 km
- Sydney Harbour Bridge — approximately 11 km
- Taronga Zoo — approximately 13 km
Nearest Caravan Parks
- Active Holidays Sydney Hills, Dural — approximately 20 km (approximate)
- BIG4 Sydney Lakeside Holiday Park, Narrabeen — approximately 20 km (approximate)
Nearest Free / Low-Cost Camps
- Uloola Falls Campground, Royal National Park — approximately 45 km (approximate)
- Bents Basin Campground — approximately 65 km (approximate)
- Note: genuine free camping is very limited within the Sydney metropolitan area
Nearest Dump Points
- North Ryde Caravan Dump Point (on-site at the park) — approximately 0 km
- BIG4 Sydney Lakeside Holiday Park, Narrabeen — approximately 20 km (approximate)
Nearest Petrol Stations
- Delhi Road service station, Macquarie Park — approximately 1.5 km (approximate)
- Lane Cove Road service station, North Ryde — approximately 1.8 km (approximate)
Nearest Drinking Water Resupply
- On-site park amenities blocks — approximately 0 km
- Macquarie Centre water refill points — approximately 1.5 km (approximate)
Nearest Public Toilets
- Macquarie Park train station public toilets — approximately 1.3 km (approximate)
- Macquarie Centre public toilets — approximately 1.5 km (approximate)
Seasonal Weather Forecast
- Summer (Dec–Feb): warm and humid, days around 26°C, nights near 18°C
- Autumn (Mar–May): mild days around 22°C, cooler nights near 13°C
- Winter (Jun–Aug): mild days around 17°C, cool nights near 7°C, occasional rain
- Spring (Sep–Nov): pleasant days around 22°C, mild nights near 12°C
- Sydney weather can turn quickly with coastal storms — always check the current Bureau of Meteorology forecast before travelling
