6 Best Camping Spots Along the Coast

It’s all about slowing down, switching off your devices, and appreciating the simple things in life. And the region offers plenty of excellent camp sites where you can switch off and soak it all in. Whether it’s by the Blackwood River, bush camping on the coast, or somewhere with all the comforts of a caravan park – here are some of the region’s best camp spots to get back to nature.

The beachside hamlet of Yallingup, voted by Australian Traveller in 2019 as Australia’s top town, offers two options for campers.

A large caravan park beside the historic Caves House Hotel, the Tasman Holiday Parks – Yallingup Caves is right beside all the facilities you need in Yallingup.

It’s a quick walk across the road to the hotel or the general store, and you can cut through the stunning gardens for a 500m walk to the main beach. The spectacular Ngilgi Cave is also not far, and it’s just a short drive to many of the region’s renowned wineries.

The Tasman Holiday Parks – Yallingup Beach is a family owned and run holiday park, and about as close as you can get to the Indian Ocean. There are a range of options with powered and unpowered sites, and the picturesque communal barbeque area makes the ultimate picnic, particularly when accompanied with local produce and wine.

The Prevelly Caravan Park was the original establishment in Prevelly.  English-born Australian soldier, Geoffrey Edwards established the park in the 1950s when he and his family purchased the oceanside plot 10km west of Margaret River. He named it Preveli as a memorial to the Preveli monastery, where monks provided a safe haven for him during the Battle of Crete in WWII.  He carved a small settlement, clearing a plot with the help of a local building crew.

The park still continues today and is as picturesque as it ever was.  It is one of the premier beachside camping destinations in the Margaret River Region, and offers all kinds of camping options, from unpowered sites to chalets and cabins.

Just up the road is Gracetown Caravan Park, a perfect spot for kids and adults alike close to Gracetown beach. Set in natural and shady bush setting, the caravan park is fortunate to receive frequent visits from wildlife such as kangaroos and possums and offers plenty of on-site entertainment – for those afternoons and evenings not spent at the beach, that is.

Sometimes it’s nice to switch up the water scenery, and in the Margaret River Region’s beautiful Blackwood Valley there are plenty of options to do so.

Try camping on the banks of the Blackwood River at Sues or Alexandra Bridge, where you can launch a boat and head up -or downstream, paddleboard, kayak, fish, or engage in the other plenty of water activities the river has to offer. 

There are 21 beautiful shady sites at Alexandra Bridge, all of which are managed by the Department of Conservation, Biodiversity and Attractions, and are available on a first come, first serve basis. 

Further upstream, Sues Bridge offers 25 sites, an undercover camp kitchen, gas barbecues, toilets, cold water taps, dishwashing sinks and picnic tables. Of the 25 individual booking camp sites, nine are suitable for regular size camper trailers or caravans. The other 16 can accommodate tents and regular size campervans in an adjacent parking space.

The magical Boranup Forest is natural bushland of towering Karri trees, some of which are up to 60m tall. In the heart of the forest is a small but stunning and shady campsite nestled beneath the peppermint trees. From here it’s only a short drive to the Boranup lookout via a gravel track.

There are limited facilities here, with only a long-drop toilet and fire rings. Fires are permitted but only in the fire rings during permitted times of the year. During the summer months, total fire bans are enforced to prevent bushfires.

The Flinders Bay Caravan Park is positioned right on the beachfront, and still close enough to town to nip in for supplies. During the spring and early summer months you can watch humpback whales cruising past this old whaling settlement, not far from where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet at Cape Leeuwin. 

The sites are private, shady and grassed, offering a relaxing retreat for the whole family. Dogs are welcome on leads and there are BBQs, three amenity blocks, a fish cleaning area, and direct access to the Flinders Bay boat ramp, foreshore, and playground.