Located just 8km east of the town of Aratula on the Cunningham Highway, the Lake Moogerah Caravan Park is right on the shore of this very popular freshwater fishing and boating destination. If you like camping right next to the water to enjoy your fishing or water sports, then this is the place for you!

Located in a quiet rural area and with tall mountains forming a back drop on all sides, the ambience of this pretty lake and its accompanying caravan park can promote a feeling of well being that’s often hard to find in our busy lives.

What’s more Lake Moogerah and its attractions are very easy to travel to either by following the signs from Aratula or travelling via Boonah south west of Ipswich; again with plenty of signage on the way. Both Aratula and Boonah have prominent directions to the lake.

Grassed camp sites right to the high water mark are the order of the day here and there’s ample room to spread out without invading other’s personal space. With a casual set up such as this one, the general rule is for first in to be best dressed so you simply select a site and set up camp. Be aware though that despite the very large camping area this is a mighty popular camping area in peak times (Christmas, Easter and the like) so it will pay to make appropriate arrangements early.

As the main camping area faces northwards onto the lake shore it’s a very easy matter to have the boat sitting right at the door, so one can have a crack at the fish whenever it suits.

Within the wide expanse of camp grounds there are powered and unpowered sites, plus dedicated areas for caravans so all comers are catered for readily. Main amenities are centrally located, as is a camp laundry which also provides drinking water for camper’s use. The taps throughout the grounds are not suitable for drinking from as the water comes straight from the lake.

In keeping with the generally laid back atmosphere of this camping ground, the only embargoes seem to be regarding pets and generators, there are fire places for campers to enjoy although I am advised that campers should check with the Camp Office staff before lighting their fire. A fair few metal fire rings are provided, otherwise the idea is to light your fire in one of the areas used before. Makes sense.

The kiosk at the park’s entrance does offer basic grocery items to save driving into Aratula or Boonah for supplies.

Other attractions within the caravan park are a children’s playground, wood barbecues, and for bird lovers the presence of a fair number of lorikeets within the trees.

There is also a well appointed holiday cabin at the park and it offers air conditioning, sleeps six people, and comes with a fully equipped kitchen, TV and DVD and enjoyable outdoor area with barbecue and campfire.

For larger groups of up to ten people there’s a well appointed three bedroom Queenslander, The Lakehouse, which is air conditioned and totally self-contained. It offers under cover parking for up to four vehicles and features a garden camp fire area from which to survey the lake and its surrounds at end of day.

Fishing is obviously of importance here so we will look at it’s potential. There are two main boat ramps at the lake, the northern ramp being located to the west of the camping area, the second to the south some 500m away on the side of the small day use area set aside for visitors. Both ramps do offer very easy launching.

Lake Moogerah is well stocked with bass, silver and golden perch and native catties (tandanus) with the main baitfish being bony bream, in their untold numbers, and of course there are shrimps. Moogerah bass are arguably the main species sought, although golden perch are also popular. Both species grow big and fat on a diet of bony bream and can be caught with all methods that work on bass elsewhere. This dam has little in the way of weed edges so the fish are usually located via the sounder schooled up in around 5-15m of water or, alternatively, by searching for them in the extensive timbered area in the southern part of the dam.

Either area should produce fish and it was very interesting to see that during my recent visit to the dam quite a few anglers were doing very well on the resident bass by fishing with bait from the bank beside the northern of the two launching ramps.

For the non-boater who would like to spend time on the lake, there are kayaks available to hire arranged via the camp office, as is a pontoon barbie boat. A Stocked Impoundment Permit is required and there are no restrictions regarding powered engines.

There’s a lot to be said for casual camping such as Lake Moogerah Caravan Park offers. There’s plenty of room and the ambience is about as relaxed as camping can be and with the lake currently full it really is a picturesque sight. Bush walking is also a big attraction in the area but from my observations a lot of folk simply like to enjoy the general ambience and relax.

Find Lake Moogerah Caravan Park on Muller Park Road in Moogerah or call them on 07 5463 0141 to make a booking.