10 of the best Margaret River camping spots

Monique CeccatoBy Monique Ceccato
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Planning to go camping in Margaret River? We’ve got all the information you’ll need before you go.

There’s a lot to love about Western Australia’s Margaret River region: the coastline, the rolling farmland, and the world-class wines and fresh produce. Like most regional areas, driving around Margaret River is the best way to see it, travelling slowly and stopping frequently. While there are plenty of accommodation options around the region, the flexibility and freedom of camping is unparalleled. Use this as your guide to Margaret River camping because in such a diverse region, where you choose to camp matters.

How to get to Margaret River

If you fly into Perth, Margaret River is a three-hour drive south. But, Jetstar also flies direct from Sydney and Melbourne to Busselton Airport, which is a 45-minute drive from Margaret River.

Permits and regulations

No permits are required to camp in Margaret River. Free camping in the bush, on the beach, or in residential streets is illegal in the region, and all campers must stay in dedicated campgrounds or caravan parks. To book any of the campsites in WA’s national parks, you’ll have to visit Park Stay WA .

National parks and forests campsites

Canebrake Pool

the upper Margaret River within Canebrake Pool Campground
Escape to a secluded bush camping site in the middle of the bush. (Image: Bronwyn Wells)

Camp right on the banks of the upper Margaret River at Canebrake Pool Campground . It’s a secluded spot and takes approximately 25 minutes to drive there from the Margaret River township. There are just nine sites here, all unpowered and shaded beneath fragrant Peppy and Marri trees. They’re all a matter of steps from the deep, cool Canebrake Pool, too. Bring your SUP board or kayak for a paddle on the water, or slip in for a refreshing dip. Though there are freshwater fish and marron in the pool, fishing for them is prohibited.

Address: Canebrake Road, Treeton

Price: $15 adults, $10 concession, $5 kids (bookings essential)

Facilities: Firepit, drop toilets, bins, picnic tables

Accessibility: Limited information

Dog-friendly?: Yes, on a lead

Jarrahdene Campground

the Jarrahdene Campground in Margaret River
Stay in an unpowered campsite in the bush. (Image: Kevin Smith)

Caravans, campers, vans, and tents are all welcome at Jarrahdene Campground , some 25 minutes out of town. It’s one of the larger Margaret River campsites, with 36 different-sized and differently surfaced sites (all unpowered). Jarrahdene was originally a timber mill that opened in the late 1800s and closed in 1913. On the short interpretive walks through the surrounding Marri, Jarrah, and Peppy bushland, you can still find remnants of the old mill to explore.

Address: Jarrahdene Rd, Boranup

Price: $20 adults, $15 concession, $5 kids (bookings essential)

Facilities: Barbecue, dump point, fire rings, picnic tables, drop toilets, bins, sinks with running water

Accessibility: Varying surfaces mean low accessibility

Dog-friendly?: No

Chapman Pool Campsite

the Blackwood River at Chapman Pool Campsite
Set up a picnic by the river. (Image: Bronwyn Wells)

The Margaret River isn’t the only major river that flows through this region; there’s also the Blackwood River, which opens into the Southern Ocean at Augusta. You can camp right by it at the Chapman Pool Campsite , 25 minutes from town. The nine small sites sit right near where Chapman Brook intersects with the river, separated from the water by an expansive wooden deck perfect for picnicking on. Enjoy swimming, SUP boarding, kayaking, and fishing at the pool, or take the short walking tracks through the surrounding bush.

Address: Warner Glen Road, Warner Glen

Price: $15 adults, $10 concession, $5 kids (bookings essential)

Facilities: Pit toilets, sheltered gas barbecues, fire rings, tables, benches

Accessibility: Limited information

Dog-friendly?: Yes, on a lead

Boranup Campground

the Boranup Campground, Margaret River
Camp right in Boranup Forest. (Image: DBCA)

Boranup Campground is as close as you’ll come to seclusion while camping in the Margaret River region. There are just seven small sites here on the edge of the Boranup Forest, each big enough only for a tent and a small car or a small camper van. The whole campground is unpowered, and there’s no running water or cooking facilities, so come prepared (just not with generators; they’re not allowed). If you need to pop into town, it’s a half-hour drive away.

Address: Boranup Road, Boranup

Price: $15 adults, $10 concession, $5 kids (bookings essential)

Facilities: Picnic tables, fire rings, pit toilets

Accessibility: Limited information

Dog-friendly?: No

Conto Campground

a tent on Conto Campground, Margaret River
Set up camp on the coastal headland. (Image: DBCA)

Perhaps the most popular site for Margaret River camping is Conto Campground , both because of its unparalleled location and its size. It’s on the coastal headland and within striking distance of Contos Beach, the Boranup Forest, and the famed Cape to Cape hiking trail. A whopping 109 sites are available for campers in unpowered motorhomes, caravans, vans, campers, and tents. You can’t book a specific site, but you can specify which of the eight sections you’d like to stay in.

The 37 sites in the Chuditch and Quenda areas are on a crushed limestone surface, and if you’re in a motorhome, van, or caravan, reverse-in only. The amenities are also great, with sheltered food prep, barbecue areas, and clean pit toilets. Campers in tents can stay in the Wanil area, a fenced-off space specifically for tents and swags, with parking available outside. Gas barbecues are available for use here, too. The remaining areas are mixed-use, all with pit toilets and only some with barbecues.

Address: Conto Road, Boranup

Price: $20 adults, $15 concession, $5 kids (bookings essential)

Facilities: Each area within the campground differs

Accessibility: Parking at all sites is on compact sand, with some paved paths. Bollards at the parking are spaced 1.2m apart to allow wheelchairs. There are some wheelchair-accessible toilets.

Dog-friendly?: No

Farms and caravan/camping parks

Big Valley Campsite

Get a taste of the farm life by setting up camp on one of the Margaret River region’s working sheep farms, ten minutes southeast of the Margaret River township. Big Valley Campsite has space for tents, campers, caravans, or motorhomes on powered or unpowered sites. It’s the perfect stop for families, with kids able to meet the farm animals in a petting enclosure and join in on daily sheep feedings. The nearby walking trails are also a family favourite, while the park’s proximity to the nearby wineries goes down well with the over-18 crowd.

Address: 46 Baronia Road, Rosa Glen

Price: From $40/night (unpowered)

Facilities: Camp kitchen, dump point, power, water, bathrooms, washing machine, barbecues

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Contact for more information

Dog-friendly?: Yes

Fair Harvest Permaculture Campground

Snag yourself a tent, caravan, or motorhome site at the Fair Harvest Permaculture Campground when it’s open to the public—they close annually from mid-June to mid-September for permaculture course guests—and you’re in for a treat. The expansive gardens and surrounding forest make this a picturesque place to stay, and you’ll also get great insight into a more sustainable way of life. Enjoy a hot rainwater shower (on a timer to curb excessive water usage) and the convenience of clean, composting toilets. You can also do your bit to minimise waste with the farm’s comprehensive recycling system. Feel free to marvel at the bountiful fruit and vegetable gardens, but refrain from taking any produce.

Address: 426 Carters Road, Margaret River

Price: From $36/night

Facilities: Fire pit, camp kitchen, cafe, rainwater showers (2), composting toilets (2)

Accessibility: Call for information

Dog-friendly?: Yes, on lead. There is also one designated off-lead paddock

Gracetown Caravan Park

a tent at Gracetown Caravan Park, Margaret River
There are stylish tents available for an elevated camping experience.

A tennis court, an 18-hole mini golf course, and a season of ‘movies under the stars’: the A+ amenities keep coming at Gracetown Caravan Park . With the Margaret River township 15 km away (and Cowaramup Bay 2.5 km), it may be a rural campsite, but it has everything you could ever need. And, because it’s on 13 acres of bushland, each camp and caravan site (powered or unpowered) has plenty of space between them, often separated by a row of trees. It’s the holy grail of Margaret River camping.

Address: 744 Cowaramup Bay Road, Gracetown

Price: From $35/night (unpowered)

Facilities: Laundry, boat parking, convenience store, free wi-fi, 18-hole mini golf, tennis court, basketball court, volleyball court, playground, camp kitchen, toilet block, baby bath

Accessibility: Call for more information

Dog-friendly?: No

Hamelin Bay Holiday Park

It doesn’t get much better than setting up the tent, caravan, or motorhome a stone’s throw from the beachfront. At Hamelin Bay Holiday Park , you get just that. Walking down to the protected waters of the park’s namesake bay takes less than five minutes; it’s a favourite for families keen on safe swimming and beach fishing. To throw the line in further out, bring the boat and launch it from the ramp. The bay is also known for its resident ray population that glides through the shallows daily, searching the sandy bottom for a feed. They’re harmless, but giving them their distance is essential when you see them.

Address: Hamelin Bay Road West, Hamelin Bay

Price: From $40/night (unpowered)

Facilities: Fire pits, water (bore), kiosk, camp kitchen, barbecues, boat ramp, ablution block, laundry, playground, power

Accessibility: Call for more information

Dog-friendly?: No

RAC Margaret River Nature Park

the RAC Margaret River Nature Park surrounded by lush greenery
RAC Margaret River Nature Park is tucked away amongst shady trees.

Of all the options you have for camping in Margaret River, RAC Margaret River Nature Park is the closest to the township. But you don’t have to give up nature and seclusion for the convenience. The facility sits within the Wooditjup National Park, surrounded by tall Karri, Marri, and Jarrah trees, which you can ride through on the numerous mountain biking trails. All campsites are powered, big enough for caravans and motorhomes, and on compact ground. If you’re tenting, heavy-duty pegs are needed.

Address: Bramley National Park, Carters Road, Margaret River

Price: From $47/night (powered)

Facilities: Dump point, laundry facilities, water, barbecue area, nature playground, camp kitchen, ablution block, free wi-fi, kiosk, bike hire

Accessibility: Accessible bathroom. Contact the park for more accessibility information

Dog-friendly?: No

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Monique Ceccato
Monique Ceccato is a freelance travel writer and photographer hailing from Perth. Though she now spends most of her time overseas, WA's sandy beaches, jarrah forests and world-class food and wine scene will always feel like home.
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Your Mandurah guide: art, dining & dolphins await in WA’s coastal gem

    Monique CeccatoBy Monique Ceccato
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    Discover the perfect road trip stopover between Perth and wine country.

    Western Australia punches above its weight when it comes to coastal hot spots, but no other town or city has seen a tourism boom quite like Mandurah. Named Australia’s Top Tourism Town in 2023 , it’s the relaxed, beachside break you’ve been searching for. And it’s perfectly placed, sitting between Margaret River and Perth, as it’s just a 55-minute drive from Perth’s CBD. Which is why we’ve put together your ultimate Mandurah guide.

    Aerial view of Mandurah.
    Plan your perfect coastal escape to Australia’s Top Tourism Town of 2023.

    The best things to do in Mandurah

    Wetlands and rivers, ocean and inlet; Mandurah’s laid-back lifestyle centres around the aquatic. Its waterways cover twice the ground of Sydney Harbour – measuring some 134 square kilometres in total – and form a unique environment for oceanic and estuarine flora and fauna to thrive.

    In the city’s estuary lives perhaps the region’s most famed inhabitants – a resident pod of 100 bottlenose dolphins – and the inlet’s silty bottom is home to the prized blue manna crab. Spot the former breaching and playing on an hour-long dolphin cruise through the channels, or try your hand at catching the latter by wading through the estuary’s shallows with a scoop net in hand.

    While swimming at the circular Kwillena Gabi Pool, chance encounters with the local wildlife aren’t uncommon. The sheltered estuarine pool takes its name from the traditional custodians of the land, the Bindjareb people, and directly translates to ‘dolphin waters’. Jutting out of the eastern foreshore, it’s enclosed by a ring of net-free floating pontoons, which allow the dolphins to swim freely through the attraction.

    If that’s a little too close for comfort, book a kayak tour with Down Under Discoveries . The dolphins have been known to cruise beside the paddle-powered crafts, which are a fun, family-friendly way to explore the city’s inner waterways.

    Dolphins swimming in Mandurah.
    Watch dolphins glide by as you explore Mandurah.

    You don’t have to be on the water to appreciate the coastal city’s aquatic beauty, with 600 kilometres of cycleways and scenic walking trails traversing Mandurah’s estuary, inlet and coast.

    Follow the 30-kilometre coastal trail and you’ll come face to face with one of Thomas Dambo’s headline-making ‘Giants of Mandurah  sculptures, Santi Ikto, along the way. There are five sculptures around Mandurah in total, hidden among gum-filled reserves or sitting sentry over the water.

    Head to the Mandurah Visitor Centre to pick up a map to pinpoint their exact location and download the traveller’s companion to learn more about the sights along the way. Or join a three-hour e-bike tour from The Bike Kiosk and you’ll stop by two of the giants – Santi Ikto and Yaburgurt Winjan Cirkelstone – as you sightsee central Mandurah.

    The towering Santi Ikto, one of Thomas Dambo’s iconic Giants of Mandurah.
    Meet Santi Ikto, one of the legendary Giants of Mandurah.

    Where to eat in Mandurah

    Mandurah’s culinary scene reflects its laid-back lifestyle, with large, honest meals and locally brewed beer. After visiting Lake Clifton’s 2000-year-old thrombolites, head to the peppermint and gum-shaded beer garden at Thorny Devil Brewery . Tuck into a platter of house-smoked meats and an ale pulled fresh from the tanks. Closer to town and right on the waterfront is Boundary Island Brewery ; here, woodfired pizza, pub-style seafood dishes and easy-drinking brews are centre stage.

    On a Murray River Lunch Cruise , the focus is as much on the environment around you as the food you’re filling up on. Help yourself to the colourful salads and freshly cooked meats on the buffet as you meander up the winding, jarrah tree-lined waterway, stopping at the heritage Cooper’s Mill for a quick walking tour along the way.

    Keep your eyes trained on the Creery Wetlands as you pass – you’ll spot much of the region’s migratory birdlife, and, as always, might see the playful bottlenose dolphins in the inlet.

    The most memorable meals aren’t necessarily always the fanciest, and lunch aboard a self-skippered Mandurah BBQ Boat is a testament to that. All food and beverage prep is left up to you as you cruise through the canals, sausages and steaks sizzling away on the central hot plate.

    If seafood is more your kind of fare, board the Wild Seafood Experience , where dolphin cruise meets long table lunch. Eight courses of crab, crayfish and scallops await.

    A table filled with plates of crab, crayfish, and scallops.
    Dine on the water with eight courses of ocean-fresh fare.

    Where to stay in Mandurah

    With so many waterways comes abundant waterside stays. Like the self-contained Seashells Mandurah on the shores of Comet Bay. The calm, oceanic outlook from the one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and villas is as close to Maldivian as Mandurah gets. Families especially enjoy the property, bouncing between the protected cove and the beachfront pool for endless hours of fun.

    Seashells Mandurah; on the shores of Comet Bay.
    Stay right by the sea.

    The Sebel Mandurah , just a hop, skip and jump from the Mandurah Ocean Marina, has a different outlook entirely, overlooking the estuary and lively foreshore on the other side. It’s also within walking distance of the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre , cinema and a swathe of waterfront bars and eateries.

    But you can’t get any closer to the water than on a vessel from Mandurah Houseboats . You don’t need a skipper’s ticket to hire one, nor do you need comprehensive boating experience; just a full driver’s license and your undivided attention during the pre-departure tuition will do. Then you’re free to take to the estuaries and tributaries for a few nights of peaceful rest, surrounded by the very element that makes Mandurah so special.

    A houseboat cruising in Mandurah along the river
    Captain a houseboat to explore Mandurah at your own pace.

    Plan your next WA getaway in Mandurah.