If you are camping and self catering you will need to come self contained. The nearest shops are in Bacchus Marsh, a 15 minute drive from the camp. If you have booked bunk room accommodation you will need to bring your own sheets, blankets/sleeping bag, pillows and towels. A torch or head lamp is highly recommended to help with movement around the camp at night. And of course, bring your musical instruments and some music to share!!
Phone and Internet
Phone coverage is fair to good for most providers though some may need to hunt for a sweet spot. There will be a message board for old school networking so you could consider going phone free. We can dream!! Wifi will not be available - but there will be plenty else to do.
Weather forecast
We are currently forecast for two hot days across the camp, but we encourage you to have a look at the Bureau of Meteorology website for up-to-date weather. Nights could still get chilly so bring some warms too.
Swimming pool
The rumours are true... the swimming pool at Lady Northcote will be open for use between 12pm and 3pm Saturday and Sunday. The pool opening hours are dependent on good-hearted volunteers who have first aid training offering to supervise the pool. If you have first aid training and are happy to assist for 1-2 hours on either day, please get in touch at turramurra@reallygoodmusiccamps.org.au, or approach one of the volunteers at the camp.
Saturday arrival
For those arriving on Saturday, the registration table at the Rec Hall will be open from 9AM - 11AM. If you arrive outside this time, please look for one of the camp volunteers with the yellow lanyards and they will help you.
Parting is such sweet sorrow
Although we wish it wasn't so, we will have to say goodbye at some point. Specifically by 10.30AM on Monday. Bunk room guests, please ensure all your belongings are packed and out of your rooms by 9:00AM before we have our final sweep.
Carry-in carry-out
We ask all campers to take all their belongings and any rubbish with them. Some composting will be available, but if you have the capacity to take your own waste home for recycling and composting we encourage you to do so.
Are dogs allowed?
To look after the biodiversity of the site, we aren’t able to accommodate pets, but service animals are welcome.
I’m camping – where can I use the bathrooms?
There are several gender neutral bathrooms located at the rear of Yoogali and at the main hall. Shower facilities are available in Towrie and Angliss bunkhouses. We ask all camp-goers to be mindful of shower time to conserve water and ensure we can all have a turn!
Where can I plug in my devices?
The main hall has powerpoints available, as well as the other workshop venues.
What’s the difference between campsites?
The campsites have been named to help you share your location with your friends and family. The campsites closer to the hall will be more susceptible to late night music and jamming noise, so for those who are looking for a quieter night, we might suggest choosing further sites.
Are campsites powered?
Camping is informal, rather than in assigned sites, so power sources are not available. Powerpoints can be found in the main hall and in the workshop venues.
Can I bring my caravan or camper?
You are welcome to bring your van to the camp.
Are the bunkrooms heated?
All bunkrooms are heated and cooled centrally. You can read more about the accommodation on the Lady Northcote website.
Will there be meals available even if I didn't pre-order catering?
There will be a handful of meals available for purchase at meal times with EFTPOS only, get in early to avoid disappointment.
I forgot my tent - can I still use a bunk?
There will be a small number of spare bunks available in our dormitory style bunkhouse. Please speak to registration when you arrive if you are in need.
Bruce!
A long, long time ago in a folk music bush camp not so far away, the planets aligned in a peculiar way and resulted in an abundance of Bruces convening at the same location, at the very same time. This strange phenomenon was celebrated as an omen of good tidings from the universe. Ever since then, Bruces have been revered as good luck charms at Turramurra, celebrated in songs about Bruces, commemorative T-shirts and an ominous but good spirited chanting of the word ‘BRUCE!’ when one is sighted.
Housekeeping
Housekeeping is a time-honoured ritual at Turramurra, performed at our beginning and final concerts. We bow our heads in reverent silence, or maybe we are nodding off a bit because we’ve just had desert from the caterers, and listen to someone from the organising committee tell us important information while we think “Couldn’t this have been an email?”. We encourage you to share any banal information or uninteresting fact with the group during our concerts.
What happens at the bushdance?
The Turra bushdance is a relaxed, informal setting where no dancing experience is required, the focus is on moving for the joy of it! Just like with music-making, we encourage all-comers to join in and learn as you go. We welcome dances of all traditions and would be thrilled to have you teach a dance that is special to you. You can reach out to turramurra@reallygoodmusiccamps.org.au before the camp if you have a dance you’d like to teach, or speak to one of our program volunteers at the camp. The Turra dance begins with a set of kid-focused dances to get young ones wiggling and then advances into the slightly trickier ones.
Scratch band
Everyone is welcome to join in the band at the Turra Saturday night bush dance. A scratch band is a coming together of ‘whoever is in the room and roughly knows the tunes’! Being part of the scratch band might be for you if you enjoy watching the dances rather than spinning around. The bushdance tunes are mostly based in the Ceilidh tradition, and will include Scottish and Irish standards.
Info for self-caters and camp cooks
The main hall has a washing up area where you can access hot water and dish washing facilities – please bear in mind this area will be quite busy during meal times.
Yoogali and Angliss bunk houses have shared kitchens. While the kitchen facilities are for the use of those who’ve booked bunk rooms, you will be able to access hot water and sink time here. Yoogali has a small commercial grade kitchen while Angliss has a standard domestic kitchen.
Fridges in the bunkhouses are for the use of those who’ve booked bunkroom tickets, and space is limited. If you are bunking and have lots of chilled items, we recommend that you bring an esky.
The barbeque area is available for use throughout the camp for self-caterers and has picnic tables for eating together - this area is open air and near to the main hall. We ask that you clean up after use and keep it ready for the next cook.
Campers are welcome to use portable camping stoves at their camp site, however no fire pits can be used. This is subject to change in the event of a total fire ban.
View the Turra 2025 Program