The man charged with murdering another man with an axe in a northern NSW camping ground has been identified.

Ahwen Kohn was camping with two friends at Ebor when he allegedly struck a 33-year-old man in the head with an axe about 10.30pm on Sunday, police said.

The injured man was driven by a friend, a 25-year-old woman, to seek medical help in the town of Thora about 50 minutes from the campsite and 25km northwest of Bellingen.

The woman told police she had also been assaulted and was treated for bruising to her neck.

Paramedics said the man had critical head injuries and could not be revived.

Police began examining a campground off Point Lookout Rd in Ebor.

A tip-off later led police to a 26-year-old man, later identified as Kohn, who was found walking along Waterfall Way about 11.30am on Monday.

Superintendent Chris McKinnon said the two men were known to each other and had some kind of altercation prior to the alleged murder.

“It’s our understanding that they knew each other, they were known to each other, and they were camping together along with a female,” McKinnon said on Monday.

Kohn was arrested and taken to Armidale Police Station where he was charged with murder.

He was also charged with intentionally choking a person, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Kohn appeared in court via video link on Tuesday morning when he was refused bail.

His next court appearance is scheduled for April.