Lake Keepit reported over a thousand bookings for camping sites over the four days. 

However, wet weather saw only an average of 50 day visitors to the dam each day, rather than the anticipated 120. 

The camping figures were a marked increase for Keepit on last year, where between 600 and 700 campers turned out for the Easter long weekend. 

Lake Keepit entertained families getting together from all over the Eastern states, with many feasting on a big Easter cook-up and children scrambling in chocolate egg hunts.

Copeton Dam park manager David Allan said though they had enjoyed a “fantastic Easter”, the wet weather did put a dampener on crowd numbers. 

Mr Allan anticipated between 4000 and 5000 visited Copeton during the Easter period – “a little down on last year” – with the incessant rain to blame for the lower numbers. 

He said many visitors were escaping even wetter weather on the coast, as well as a strong local crowd and tourists from northern NSW and southern Queensland. “The fish have been biting and everyone’s enjoying themselves with waterskiing, wakeboarding, canoeing, kayaking, bushwalking and birdwatching,” Mr Allan said. 

He was optimistic fairer weather would prevail and would draw crowds during the holidays.

The Gwydir Shire Copeton Freshwater Swim, to be held this Saturday, will see up to 200 competitors and lots more spectators out enjoying the weekend.