THIS camping and holiday venue is another of Northern New South Wales' well kept secrets. The camping ground, now a holiday park, has been there for years but we just don't hear much about it. In much the same manner as Pottsville to the south, Kinsgcliff Beach has greatly benefited from the Pacific Highway upgrade which has seen the majority of through traffic bypass the coastal strip in favour of the 110kph limit freeway. This is great for holiday makers! There is far less noise and far less impact upon the general environment with road traffic so drastically reduced.

Kingscliff Beach Holiday Park is one of the Tweed Coast's most loved holiday parks. Situated on Marine Parade at Kingscliff, there are two main ways to access the Kingscliff area. If you’re coming from the north, take the Pacific Highway south from Tweed Heads. After crossing the Barney's Point Bridge take the Kingscliff exit and then make a left turn into Wommin Bay Road. This curves to right and becomes Marine Parade, which dominates the waterfront area.

When travelling from the south, look out for the Kingscliff/Fingal off-ramp just north of the Murwillumbah exit. Once you’ve taken the off-ramp (at Chinderah), diverge into Phillip Street (T left) and then left again into Wommin Bay Road which again leads to the beachfront.

The Holiday Park (ph. (02) 66741311 or (02) 66741828) is situated right on the beach. Sprawling, as it does, for some distance along the waterfront the park's very nature ensures that folk staying there won't find it hard to have a surf, a swim, or do some fishing. Yet the area is by no means devoid of services or facilities. All of the well-known Tweed Heads clubs are only a short drive away, and there are plenty of shops in the area as well. In fact, there are ample food and other retail outlets on the opposite side of the road to the Holiday Park, including the ever-popular Kingscliff Hotel.

Within the Holiday Park there’s plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy some camping, caravan living, or maybe hire a villa, cabin or on-site van. All on-site accommodation comes with cutlery, crockery and basic electric appliances to ensure a comfortable stay. The cabins and villas also have microwave oven, electric frypan and an air-conditioner for those hot summer nights. Linen is available for hire.

For those who like to camp there are both powered and un-powered sites on hand, and when I visited the park it was nice to see plenty of grass on which to set up the tent or campervan. Generally speaking, Kingscliff Beach is a clean, well run sort of place that will suit both local and interstate visitors very well. Facilities were spotless, everything was in its place and I noted that the barbecue for use by occupants was also spic and span. The gentle roar of surf at night would make a very soothing lullaby indeed.

If I had to nominate just one special thing about this tidy holiday venue it would have to be the fact that it’s so central to a great many fishing spots. Certainly, the fact that you can just walk straight out of the east side of the caravan park and enjoy some beach fishing for whiting, bream, tailor, or dart is significant, but so too is the section of rock on the beach just south of the holiday park – plus the walls on nearby Cudgen Creek. These are renowned for fish like bream, tailor, and whiting plus luderick for the fine line and float brigade during winter months.

And of course, just to the south are places like Bogangar Headland (tailor, bream and maybe jew) plus Hastings Point with its small rock headland known for tailor and bream catches on high tide. Also at Hastings Point is the very fertile Cudgera Creek where whiting and flathead are in abundance during summer months.

Incidentally, both Cudgen Creek at Kingscliff plus Cudgera Creek at Hastings Point are ideal for folk who like to fish from kayaks or canoes using the ‘softly, softly’ approach to their fishing pursuits.

On the subject of boating, serious boaties will enjoy fishing in the renowned Tweed River, which is only a short drive away. There are plenty of sheltered sections of the river to explore and whiting, bream and flathead are the most commonly sought fish.

Yes, Kingscliff Beach is indeed central to many decent fishing places. Even so, anglers seeking a truly relaxed time could do a lot worse than to simply grab a light rod rigged with, say, 3kg line and simply fish right behind the Holiday Park. I have a relation who stays there from time to time and some of the quality whiting and dart he takes simply within walking distance of the Holiday Park are astonishing. Worms are the best bait for these fish, but if pipis are about – and sometimes there are good numbers of them on this beach – a sliced outer section of pipi tongue carefully threaded onto a number 4 hook is a very tempting bait for both whiting and dart.

Fishing from the rocks to the south, again within walking distance, can vary according to prevailing conditions. If rough seas are evident the fishing can be more difficult than when it’s quiet, but the only way to be sure is to simply go and have a look. A sheltered or semi-sheltered section among rocks with a bit of depth about it can be a real bonus for the angler. Fish, particularly bream, congregate in such spots. Remember though, that like just nearly any other section of rock located on an ocean beach, conditions can vary greatly from one week to the next. It's the way of it.

Just a last word on the rock walls at the mouth of Cudgen Creek. These walls are both worth a bit of effort – not that much is involved mind you, as both can be virtually driven to. The key to selecting a wall to fish from is the wind direction. Keeping the wind at your back is the idea, and of course high tide will provide the best fishing opportunities.

1) Fishing the wide expanse of clean water right behind Kingscliff Beach Holiday Park is as easy as walking out of the park and onto the sand.

2) Setting up camp on grass is easy at Kingscliff Beach Holiday Park.

3) A quiet section of Cudgen Creek. The creek is renowned for it's quality whiting with flathead also a good possibility.

4) A communal barbecue area is a feature of this Holiday Park.