We're heading south from Perth (once the rain stops) closely following the coast then crossing the Nulllarbor. Any ideas from you experienced GNs as to best free or low cost caravan sites, and places to see?
Duh said
09:27 AM Sep 30, 2013
Read Yeoeleven's blog and find his WA journey in the south/southwest/southeast which will give you some good info, see;
Lots of good free camps on the Nullabor. Some roads into the cliffs are closed because of cliff collapse, a warning if you do find a spot don't park close to the cliff edge. Check out Head of the Bight, I think the whales will be still there. The road across the Nullabor is good and plenty of travellers.
Shannon National Park near Walpole is a good camp though not free I think it was about $11 night for the 2 of us , hot showers and clean amenities.
A good free camp ( donation) is at Kimba SA. At Rotary Park. If you like oysters Smoky Bay is the place to buy them $7 dozen and they are straight out of the water and huge.
Esperance,Albany, Pemberton, Walpole , Margaret River are all beautiful places.
Have a good safe trip, I wish we were doing it again.
Pam
aussietraveller said
05:18 PM Sep 30, 2013
After leaving Esperance where you should have gone out to Le Grand National park and camped as this is one spectacular place you will come across Salmon Gums which has a great little low cost park with power and hot shower this is a good stop prior to heading across the Nullabor.
Before leaving Norseman fuel up at the servo opposite the Tourist center as it is usually much cheaper that the BP on the corner
Hope you have a great holiday.
Loki said
09:02 PM Sep 30, 2013
There are good campsites around Pemberton, the Arboretum being one; my favourite is Snottygobble Loop because its great to tell people ypu've camped at Snottygobble Loop AND the Goblin Swamp is just down the road.
Stirling Ranges campsite is very nice. If you are going to Wave Rock, I can recommend Tressies CP at Karlgarin, it is very nice & only 18Km from Wave Rock. If you are going through the Granite & Woodland Trail, The Breakaways are a beautiful feature and also a free camp.
Along the coast, keep an eye out for Betty's Beach & Cozy Corner near Albany, and further along, the other side of Esperance, Cape Arid is spectacular, and Cape Le Grand is also very nice; both National Parks.
Enjoy your travels, certainly plenty to see!
bothofus said
09:12 PM Sep 30, 2013
Thanks for all the info from you friendly folks. We're looking forward to getting on the road later this week, and you've certainly given us plenty of food for thought. And maybe we can meet a few GNs along the way. Cheers! Bryan
-- Edited by bothofus on Tuesday 1st of October 2013 06:04:47 PM
Duh said
10:18 PM Sep 30, 2013
Check out Loki's blog too beneath his post signature below.
I too have stayed a some of these place including Cape Le Grande and the scenery etc was magnificent. Try to get there early and line up waiting for someone to leave in the morning as it is a very popular spot. Check with Esperance Tourist Bureau too for info etc before heading out. Buy a parks sticker at a Tourist Centre, also ask for a DEC Camping booklet or check them out online, see;
Here is some info on a short trip I did with my Outlander rear end tent, not the first trip I have done down south and not the last I hope, see;
"
Left Perth on 22nd January , arrived Denmark late afternoon and stayed at the Rivermouth caravan park, despite being school holidays the owner gave me an unpowered site for one person for $15 for the night.
Next day stayed at a rellies overnight for free and the next day went onto Shelley Beach (near Cosy Corner, off Denmark Lower Road). Had a look at Cosy Corner first and it was packed solid, assume because of the free camping. There is a charge for Shelley Beach but the Rangers were on strike for higher pay, so my overnighter there didnt cost me a cent. The next day being the Australia Day weekend, a hang glider club arrived to camp over the long weekend to use the surrounding hills which have a couple of launch pads on top. There is only one long drop unisex toilet for everyone to use and coupled with the noisy crowd decided to move on.
By passed Albany (have been there a number of times) my next overnight stop was a free camp just off the highway near the Palling River, no toilets etc but a lovely spot right on the river. The next day drove down to Bremer Bay and enquired at Bremer Bay Caravan Park who wanted $40 a night for a one person tent site (without power) being school holidays. (as a matter of interest a fellow solo tenter I bumped into said that an Albany CP wanted to charge him $42 for an unpowered tent site due to the school holiday prices which like me he declined).
After stocking up at the local IGA and a free luke warm (not cold) shower at the Bremer Bay Beach ablution block I drove into Fitzgerald National Park and stayed at Quaalup Homestead ( http://www.whalesandwildflowers.com.au/quaaluphomestead.htm ), where I had a shady non powered camping spot for $12 for the night. A very nice bushwalk including some flowering shrubs and a real gravesite at the edge of the track was had also. Tank drinking water only and bore hot showers/ toilets etc. Road in is mostly gravel with some corrugations in parts.
Next day I travelled on and after a visit to Hopetoun, drove on and stayed at the free camp at the Munglinup Roadhouse, brick ablution flush toilets which are free, but a small $2 donation for the local fire brigade at the Roadhouse gives you a key for the shower in the same block, which has nice hot showers for those who want one.
Next day I drove to Esperance and stayed at the Bushlands Caravan Park (recommended by Yeoeleven) for $12.50 a non powered tent site for two nights. Drinking water is tank only nice hot showers (bore water) and a great campers kitchen including all the usual kitchen appliances and TV .
While there I was offered a cabin with ensuite for $50 per night for 6 nights with 7th night free (average $43 a night) so booked that for my return as I was going to camp at Cape Le Grand for a couple of days, I had an annual WA National Park pass so the cost for two nights was $6 per night pensioner rate. I managed to get a good spot (first in, first served, limited spaces) near the toilets and showers.
After two nights, I left the Cape Le Grand campsite and drove to Lucky Bay Campsite to take some photos and visit Captain Flinders monument after having breakfast at the beach picnic area. I also visited Thistle Cove (this is where the "Whistling Rock" is located, a rock shaped like a wave facing the ocean which gives off the sounds of the breaking waves and wind similar to a shell) and also Hellfire Bay and Frenchmans peak before returning to Esperance.
On my return to the Bushlands caravan park and my cabin for the next week (whoopee, fridge, microwave, convection oven etc and sharing with two resident lake lizards who were reluctant to leave, I generally took in the local scene, including visiting the local beaches and the town jetty where the resident sea lion shades himself on the beach under the jetty, and on the day I visited the jetty the Lions Club had a stall and were giving out free sausage rolls complete with onions and sauce/mustard etc. Being a Sunday, there was a local market going on also in the grounds near the Tourist Bureau. The Pink Lake had only patches that were pink, I was told by a local that it was because of salt pan mining that was going on at the lake which had changed things somewhat.
I also decided to visit the town cinema and saw Zero Dark Thirty, about the search for and death of Osama Bin Laden, a very good movie. The Bushland Caravan Park is in a large area what they call Pink Lakes and while there they had a large bush fire which burnt out one home and did other damage in the area generally. The local fire brigade did an excellent job of containing the fire and saving a number of homes. Due to the wind direction the caravan park was not threatened and we did not have to evacuate before the fire was brought under control.
One family who had to evacuate their rural property were given an onsite caravan next to my cabin which had a small fence around it, to house them and their five dogs they had to bring from the property. Several horses on the property could not be moved in time so gates were left open for them to escape if the fire reached their home. Fortunately for them, other than fences and power lines being destroyed, the fire vollies were able to save their home and shed and they returned the next day when given the all clear.
When it was time to leave my cabin and resident lizards, I decided to take a route home via Ravensthorpe, Lake King, Hyden (Wave Rock area) , Corrigin, York etc and other than checking out some free camps along the way, arrived back in Perth the same night, a distance of 700 kms. A very satisfying getaway, despite school holidays being on in the earlier part of my trip.
herbie said
06:07 AM Oct 1, 2013
We decided to travel to Norseman to Hyden (The Holland Track ) good gravel road some great camping spots along the road and some very interesting places to see.It cuts about 250ks off the distance following the HWY down from Esperance to Norseman.Could become a little tricky if had a lot of rain though,WE camped at Lake Johnston just out of Norseman and it was truly a beaut spot.Another camp is near Wave Rock and don't miss Hippo's Yawn Rock and the Aboriginal art at Mulkas Cave nearby.( think that's how you spell it )
bothofus said
06:00 PM Oct 1, 2013
Good to hear from folk who have been that way. Now found my 4WD needs a bit of TLC before leaving, so might be a couple of days afore we hit the road. Still, looks like the wildflowers are starting to bloom, so all's good
-- Edited by bothofus on Tuesday 1st of October 2013 06:05:32 PM
Bunkerbob said
01:54 AM Oct 2, 2013
Pine Grove Caravan Park in Esperance is $20 per night/day at the moment and a nice park as well. We'll be there until at least the 12th waiting for the harvest to start. Site 21. While here, go to Cape Le Grand, fabulous and on the way past visit Esperance Stonehenge. Entry is $8.00 each with a senior card and $5.00 for a car if the driver has a seniors card gets you into the National Park. Great value and the colour of the water at Lucky Bay has to be seen. There is a caravan park there but take your own drinking water and be self sufficient re power.
Duh said
11:31 PM Oct 5, 2013
bothofus wrote:
We've made it to Busselton, SW WA. Beautiful spot, but at $47 night (powered site for two) is getting up there. Quite a few caravan parks in town - don't know what they each charge but should imagine they're similar. Three nights here should be enough.
The Kookaburra C/P on the foreshore is about the cheapest and walking distance to the jetty and town, it is a council park but is not fenced so you need to be security conscious and lock things away, especially at night. The Esplanade Hotel is just down the road, great pub meals.
Dogs allowed on leads except for Xmas and Easter, they also give seniors discount, see;
Bear in mind that it is school holidays and most coastal parks charge more during that period.
-- Edited by Duh on Saturday 5th of October 2013 11:32:18 PM
bothofus said
07:22 AM Oct 6, 2013
We've made it to Busselton, SW WA. Beautiful spot, but at $47 night (powered site for two) is getting up there. Quite a few caravan parks in town - don't know what they each charge but should imagine they're similar. Three nights here should be enough.
We're heading south from Perth (once the rain stops) closely following the coast then crossing the Nulllarbor. Any ideas from you experienced GNs as to best free or low cost caravan sites, and places to see?
Read Yeoeleven's blog and find his WA journey in the south/southwest/southeast which will give you some good info, see;
http://yeoeleven.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/wednesday-4th-october.html?view=flipcard
The road across the Nullabor is good and plenty of travellers.
Shannon National Park near Walpole is a good camp though not free I think it was about $11 night for the 2 of us , hot showers and clean amenities.
A good free camp ( donation) is at Kimba SA. At Rotary Park. If you like oysters Smoky Bay is the place to buy them $7 dozen and they are straight out of the water and huge.
Esperance,Albany, Pemberton, Walpole , Margaret River are all beautiful places.
Have a good safe trip, I wish we were doing it again.
Pam
Before leaving Norseman fuel up at the servo opposite the Tourist center as it is usually much cheaper that the BP on the corner
Hope you have a great holiday.
Stirling Ranges campsite is very nice. If you are going to Wave Rock, I can recommend Tressies CP at Karlgarin, it is very nice & only 18Km from Wave Rock. If you are going through the Granite & Woodland Trail, The Breakaways are a beautiful feature and also a free camp.
Along the coast, keep an eye out for Betty's Beach & Cozy Corner near Albany, and further along, the other side of Esperance, Cape Arid is spectacular, and Cape Le Grand is also very nice; both National Parks.
Enjoy your travels, certainly plenty to see!
Thanks for all the info from you friendly folks. We're looking forward to getting on the road later this week, and you've certainly given us plenty of food for thought. And maybe we can meet a few GNs along the way. Cheers! Bryan
-- Edited by bothofus on Tuesday 1st of October 2013 06:04:47 PM
Check out Loki's blog too beneath his post signature below.
I too have stayed a some of these place including Cape Le Grande and the scenery etc was magnificent. Try to get there early and line up waiting for someone to leave in the morning as it is a very popular spot. Check with Esperance Tourist Bureau too for info etc before heading out. Buy a parks sticker at a Tourist Centre, also ask for a DEC Camping booklet or check them out online, see;
http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/campgrounds/
Here is some info on a short trip I did with my Outlander rear end tent, not the first trip I have done down south and not the last I hope, see;
"
Left Perth on 22nd January , arrived Denmark late afternoon and stayed at the Rivermouth caravan park, despite being school holidays the owner gave me an unpowered site for one person for $15 for the night.
Next day stayed at a rellies overnight for free and the next day went onto Shelley Beach (near Cosy Corner, off Denmark Lower Road). Had a look at Cosy Corner first and it was packed solid, assume because of the free camping. There is a charge for Shelley Beach but the Rangers were on strike for higher pay, so my overnighter there didnt cost me a cent. The next day being the Australia Day weekend, a hang glider club arrived to camp over the long weekend to use the surrounding hills which have a couple of launch pads on top. There is only one long drop unisex toilet for everyone to use and coupled with the noisy crowd decided to move on.
By passed Albany (have been there a number of times) my next overnight stop was a free camp just off the highway near the Palling River, no toilets etc but a lovely spot right on the river. The next day drove down to Bremer Bay and enquired at Bremer Bay Caravan Park who wanted $40 a night for a one person tent site (without power) being school holidays. (as a matter of interest a fellow solo tenter I bumped into said that an Albany CP wanted to charge him $42 for an unpowered tent site due to the school holiday prices which like me he declined).
After stocking up at the local IGA and a free luke warm (not cold) shower at the Bremer Bay Beach ablution block I drove into Fitzgerald National Park and stayed at Quaalup Homestead ( http://www.whalesandwildflowers.com.au/quaaluphomestead.htm ), where I had a shady non powered camping spot for $12 for the night. A very nice bushwalk including some flowering shrubs and a real gravesite at the edge of the track was had also. Tank drinking water only and bore hot showers/ toilets etc. Road in is mostly gravel with some corrugations in parts.
Next day I travelled on and after a visit to Hopetoun, drove on and stayed at the free camp at the Munglinup Roadhouse, brick ablution flush toilets which are free, but a small $2 donation for the local fire brigade at the Roadhouse gives you a key for the shower in the same block, which has nice hot showers for those who want one.
Next day I drove to Esperance and stayed at the Bushlands Caravan Park (recommended by Yeoeleven) for $12.50 a non powered tent site for two nights. Drinking water is tank only nice hot showers (bore water) and a great campers kitchen including all the usual kitchen appliances and TV .
While there I was offered a cabin with ensuite for $50 per night for 6 nights with 7th night free (average $43 a night) so booked that for my return as I was going to camp at Cape Le Grand for a couple of days, I had an annual WA National Park pass so the cost for two nights was $6 per night pensioner rate. I managed to get a good spot (first in, first served, limited spaces) near the toilets and showers.
After two nights, I left the Cape Le Grand campsite and drove to Lucky Bay Campsite to take some photos and visit Captain Flinders monument after having breakfast at the beach picnic area. I also visited Thistle Cove (this is where the "Whistling Rock" is located, a rock shaped like a wave facing the ocean which gives off the sounds of the breaking waves and wind similar to a shell) and also Hellfire Bay and Frenchmans peak before returning to Esperance.
On my return to the Bushlands caravan park and my cabin for the next week (whoopee, fridge, microwave, convection oven etc and sharing with two resident lake lizards who were reluctant to leave, I generally took in the local scene, including visiting the local beaches and the town jetty where the resident sea lion shades himself on the beach under the jetty, and on the day I visited the jetty the Lions Club had a stall and were giving out free sausage rolls complete with onions and sauce/mustard etc. Being a Sunday, there was a local market going on also in the grounds near the Tourist Bureau. The Pink Lake had only patches that were pink, I was told by a local that it was because of salt pan mining that was going on at the lake which had changed things somewhat.
I also decided to visit the town cinema and saw Zero Dark Thirty, about the search for and death of Osama Bin Laden, a very good movie. The Bushland Caravan Park is in a large area what they call Pink Lakes and while there they had a large bush fire which burnt out one home and did other damage in the area generally. The local fire brigade did an excellent job of containing the fire and saving a number of homes. Due to the wind direction the caravan park was not threatened and we did not have to evacuate before the fire was brought under control.
One family who had to evacuate their rural property were given an onsite caravan next to my cabin which had a small fence around it, to house them and their five dogs they had to bring from the property. Several horses on the property could not be moved in time so gates were left open for them to escape if the fire reached their home. Fortunately for them, other than fences and power lines being destroyed, the fire vollies were able to save their home and shed and they returned the next day when given the all clear.
When it was time to leave my cabin and resident lizards, I decided to take a route home via Ravensthorpe, Lake King, Hyden (Wave Rock area) , Corrigin, York etc and other than checking out some free camps along the way, arrived back in Perth the same night, a distance of 700 kms. A very satisfying getaway, despite school holidays being on in the earlier part of my trip.
We decided to travel to Norseman to Hyden (The Holland Track ) good gravel road some great camping spots along the road and some very interesting places to see.It cuts about 250ks off the distance following the HWY down from Esperance to Norseman.Could become a little tricky if had a lot of rain though,WE camped at Lake Johnston just out of Norseman and it was truly a beaut spot.Another camp is near Wave Rock and don't miss Hippo's Yawn Rock and the Aboriginal art at Mulkas Cave nearby.( think that's how you spell it )
Good to hear from folk who have been that way. Now found my 4WD needs a bit of TLC before leaving, so might be a couple of days afore we hit the road. Still, looks like the wildflowers are starting to bloom, so all's good
-- Edited by bothofus on Tuesday 1st of October 2013 06:05:32 PM
The Kookaburra C/P on the foreshore is about the cheapest and walking distance to the jetty and town, it is a council park but is not fenced so you need to be security conscious and lock things away, especially at night. The Esplanade Hotel is just down the road, great pub meals.
Dogs allowed on leads except for Xmas and Easter, they also give seniors discount, see;
http://www.busselton.wa.gov.au/facilities/kookaburra
Tariffs; http://www.busselton.wa.gov.au/facilities/kookaburra/tariffs
Bear in mind that it is school holidays and most coastal parks charge more during that period.
-- Edited by Duh on Saturday 5th of October 2013 11:32:18 PM
We've made it to Busselton, SW WA. Beautiful spot, but at $47 night (powered site for two) is getting up there. Quite a few caravan parks in town - don't know what they each charge but should imagine they're similar. Three nights here should be enough.