Where To Camp By The Beach In Western Australia

With the warmer weather around Perth, it’s time to go camping. But for those who don’t want to sleep on the ground and need a little more comfortable than sleeping in a tent provides, beach camping is an ideal option! 

For those of you who don’t know, Perth is a coastal city in Western Australia. It’s not just the capital of our great state, but it’s also one of the most beautiful places to visit on Earth! I’m sure you’ve heard about that little place called Rottnest Island. 

If you’re looking for something more adventurous and less touristy, we have some spots for you too! Of course, the perfect place for camping around Perth would be Cottesloe Beach. It may seem like an odd choice with all the busy beaches in this gorgeous city, but there are plenty of reasons why it should be your next destination. You can read on below to find out what they are!

There are plenty of beaches all over Perth that offer campsites with toilets and showers. So pack up your gear, head out and enjoy nature while still having access to civilisation.

Alright, so if we’re honest with ourselves, a lot of us have nice little two-person tents that only really laid deep in the cupboard waiting for Southbound Festival – yeah? Well, it’s time to dust them off and use them as part of the new, adventurous, get-outside-and-explore-WA you!

We’re all well aware of Western Australia’s stunning coast, but you might not be quite as aware of the ample opportunities for camping getaways right alongside those beautiful beaches. So here’s a little primer to get you started on some of the best spots from the well-known to hidden away.

Here in Western Australia, our coastline is our pride and joy. You haven’t seen a beach until you’ve seen a WA beach, are we right? Therefore, setting up camp on any stretch of beach is generally not allowed to protect our precious coast.

But there are some pockets of WA where generous locals, shires and government bodies have made it both possible and legal for you to pitch a tent with an ocean view. Keep in mind that because these spots are right on the sand, you won’t find things like toilets or shower blocks – you’re genuinely at one with nature. 

Best Beach Camping Around Perth

If a weekend of beach camping is in order, you don’t want to spend hours driving there and back. Instead, you want to head out of Perth, set up camp and be relaxing with a drink within a few hours.

There is plenty of free beach camping in some areas of WA, but not so much close to Perth – most of the best campsites are at least a few hours drive away. In the past, you could go an hour out of town, find a remote beach and set up camp, but now it’s illegal, and you’re risking a fine.

Perth’s beaches are stunning, so it’s understandable residents and visitors want to enjoy a waterfront campground. There’s nothing quite like waking up to the sound of waves after watching a stunning sunset the night before.

There are plenty of beachside campsites a couple of hours north and south of Perth – From low-cost sites with minimal facilities, caravan park sites with all the mod-cons and campgrounds near beaches, rivers and lakes.

If that doesn’t sound like your jam, check out six beachfront camping spots where you don’t have to rough it. But if you’re ready to sacrifice some of life’s little luxuries in the name of getting an epic view and a dose of tranquillity, here are places in WA where you can actually camp on the beach.

Belvidere Campground

This campground is nestled among the forest, near the edge of Leschenault estuary, just out of Australind.

The camping area is suitable for caravans and has wood barbecues. There are 11 camping sites, each with a table and barbecue each. Campfires are usually permitted in the provided fire rings. Campsites start from $7.50 adult per night. There are no pets allowed in the campground, running water is also not on site so remember to bring plenty of drinking water.

Yallingup

Yallingup is home to one of Australia’s most picturesque surf breaks and is renowned for its consistent quality waves.

The town is one of Western Australia’s most beloved and popular destinations in the Margaret River Region. Explore the reef just off the beach, an excellent spot for snorkelling, especially during calmer hours of the day.

The Yallingup Holiday Park is located right on Yallingup Beach, the site is busy most months of the year. The area is one of the most ‘Instagrammed’ in WA, with the Three Bears, Yallingup, Smiths and Injidup beaches all stunning. The unusual rock formations (like at Wyadup Rocks) and the limestone caves are popular places to explore.

Hamelin Bay

Hamelin Bay Holiday Park is one of Western Australia’s most beautiful and memorable locations for beach camping. The holiday park is a short stroll to the incredible Hamelin Bay in the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park.

Hamelin Bay is famous for its stingray experience. Dozens of massive stingrays often come close to shore throughout the day, attracted by fish scraps and bait often left in the water by those fishing. The rays often come in groups, sometimes up to ten at a time.

Conto Campground

Just outside of Margaret River is a newly upgraded campsite, Conto. The campsites are not far from the stunning Conto Springs Beach, a great place to swim, bodyboard, surf or just unwind on your own stretch of sand.

The well-sheltered campground is nestled around shady peppermint tree woodlands. There are 116 sites to book, with camp kitchens, undercover areas, picnic tables and more facilities. Book online before you arrive, sites from $10 per person, per night.

Peaceful Bay

Peaceful Bay is about halfway between Walpole and Denmark, as the name suggests, one of the most calming places to camp in the world.

The Peaceful Bay caravan park offers visitors car camping opportunities. Right next to Walpole-Nornalup National Park, the site offers access to incredible beaches, 4WD tracks, bushwalking and much more. The Gap, Rame Head, The Tree Top Walk, and Cape Range walk will keep you busy.

The area is perfect for beach fishing, expect to reel in a few whiting, biting just off the shore or perhaps salmon during the annual run between March and April.

There’s a small caravan park store with stocks of essential items and a cafe/shop where you can munch down on fresh fish and chips.

East of Bremer Bay

Some five-and-a-half hours south-east of Perth lies Bremer Bay, a little coastal town almost in the middle of Albany and Esperance. There’s only one main road in, which comes to an end where Devil Creek meets the ocean.

There are two caravan parks in the town itself if you are looking for a few more creature comforts. However, the best camping lies on the beaches east and northeast of Bremer Bay itself. You need a 4WD to get to these locations, and you’ll want to be self-sufficient.

Getting there

To get there, drive to the end of Bremer Bay Road and onto the big sand patch between the ocean and the inlet (as long as it’s not flowing). Deflate your tyres (down to about 16 or less, as the beaches are soft here!), and head northeast around the main beach. Just before the end of the beach, a narrow track on the left-hand side takes you across to Peppermint Beach.

From there, you can either set up camp right next to the water or push on and take the track on the left near the end of the beach, which heads out towards Doubtful Bay, House Beach, and Tooregullup Beach.

Be careful not to get lost

A little tip here –  make sure you take a good quality GPS, with some satellite images of the area if possible. There are that many tracks around, you’ll get lost if you aren’t familiar with the site or can see your exact position. Of course, you will eventually find your way, but it’s so much easier with a GPS.

There are at least four extensive beaches here where you can camp. Free of charge, and as long as you keep it clean and tidy, they will stay open for everyone to enjoy. Set up for the day at Bremer BeachLook at that sand. It’s copy paperwhite!

Pick your spot based on where the wind is going to blow from – it can get a bit blowy down there, so you’ll want to be protected.

The beaches down here are absolutely magic. The water is cold, but it’s crystal clear, with more fish and crays than you need. Launching a boat is pretty easy, and regardless of where the wind is coming from, you can easily find a protected bay to spend the day. Bremer is undoubtedly worthy of a visit!

Yeagarup

If giant dunes, brilliant fishing, 4WDing, and more room to camp than you can poke a stick at tickles your fancy, Yeagarup is the place to go. Located just over four hours, pretty much directly south, of Perth lies Pemberton, where you can refuel and restock your water and food and head out to the D’Entrecasteaux National Park via Old Vasse Highway and Ritter Road.

After checking out Lake Yeagarup, be sure to fill out the paperwork for entering and camping in the national park and pay your fees (some sites can be booked in advance online). Then, let your tyres down (16 psi maximum, but when it’s soft, you will need to go all the way down to 10 psi!), and head out towards the coast.

Getting there and camping

There’s a little dune to get up at the start, and then you just follow the markers through the dunes that take you all the way down to the coastal track. Seventeen kilometres north of where you enter lies the Donnelly River, and roughly 2.5km south is the Warren River. You can camp where you want, but not where you’ve got to knock vegetation down!

Be cautious around the rivers

When you come to the rivers in this area, you need to be highly cautious. I’ve seen photos of at least four vehicles that have sunk and are still buried. The sand can be like quicksand here, and you absolutely must walk the crossing before you drive it. 

The Warren isn’t flowing all year round, but it transforms dramatically over a few days as the river mouth opens up. If it is flowing, your best bet to cross the river is right at the ocean mouth.

If you’ve walked it, cross when the waves are out, and without excessive momentum – you shouldn’t be splashing water all over your vehicle. But, of course, I’d always recommend doing it with another car there to help, should something go wrong.

Fishing

Yeagarup is a brilliant location for fishing, with the usual tailor, herring and skippy around all year. However, come about Easter time, and the salmon start to run. You can pull them in one after the other if there’s a school around. Yeagarup is seriously popular for fishing.

We visited at Easter time a few years back and counted well over 100 4WDs. It’s not so much of an issue, though, because you’ve got plenty of space to spread out.

Leaving the area

When it comes to exiting, you have two choices – go out the way you came in or tackle the notorious Calcup Hill. This is one of the biggest dunes in Australia and possibly the biggest that you can drive a 4WD up. It consists of 3 sections (with flat areas to park in between) and is very soft and quite steep. When there’s been a lot of traffic, the tracks get badly chopped up as people don’t let their tyres down enough. You need to hit it with enough momentum to cruise up without having to change your throttle much.

Leave the room if there are cars in front, as often there isn’t room to drive around them. I’d say almost half of 4WDs fail on their first attempt when the sand is soft. Watch your engine temps, don’t push it too hard, and remember it’s all about tyre pressure and the correct gear choice – 10 psi is a good tyre pressure for most 4WDs when doing this, just don’t corner hard.

Warroora Station

Warroora Station offers what is arguably the quintessential Aussie camping experience. 11 beachfront camping spots all step out onto a white-sand beach, and from there, it’s just a few steps into the warm turquoise water. Given the remoteness of Warroora, you do need to be completely self-sufficient.

• Amenities: No facilities. Guests need to bring or hire a chemical toilet ($50 bond applies).
• Access: Only one of the camping areas (14 Mile) is accessible by two-wheel drive, all the other camping locations are four-wheel drive only.
• Pet-friendly: Technically, pets are permitted at Warroora if kept on a leash; however, due to the fact that the property sets baits to control foxes and other wild animals, you run the risk of your furry friend accidentally eating baits. So we do not recommend taking your pet on this particular camping trip – find them a pet-sitter at home instead.
• The closest town for fuel and supplies: Coral Bay (40km).

Dwellingup

At just over an hours drive from Perth, Dwellingup is one of our go-to camping destinations in WA. It’s got you covered any time of year and has more recreational activities to do than you can poke a stick at.

Fishing, swimming, white water rafting, canoeing, bird watching, and relaxing in the Murray River are prevalent. The Munda Biddi Bike trail runs through Dwellingup, as does the Bibbulmun Hiking track. In addition, there are numerous 4WD tracks throughout the area, and an adventure ropes course has recently been set up.

There are more streams, rivers and creeks for children to play in than you’ll have time to explore, and camping is fantastic too. There are numerous locations where you can camp, most of which fall in Lane Poole Reserve and are managed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA, previously known as DPAW).

Most of the camping requires online booking in advance, although Nanga Mills is still first-come, first-serve. Some sites are small and private, and others are large and open. The sites suit everything from swags to Caravans and in between.

Access to Lane Pool Reserve can be done with all types of rigs, but there is some gravel driving to do inside the Reserve, depending on where you visit.

If you are open to exploring, there are a few places that you can camp, which are free, but I won’t go further into it than that! Camping fee usually’s range from $8 to $11 per adult per night, with a $13 vehicle access pass if you don’t have a WA National Parks Pass.

Parry Beach

Parry Beach is located at the far western end of William Bay National Park, a popular surfing location, it stretches about five kilometres, merging with Mazzoletti Beach – taking visitors to Greens Pool and Elephant Rocks. A team of dedicated volunteers manages the campsite with the permission of the local Denmark Shire.

The Bibbulmun Track winds through the campsite, along the beach to Tower Hill and beyond to Lights Beach. Parry Beach borders Mazzoletti Beach, which is accessible across the mouth of the Parry Inlet.

The beach is fully accessible via the Parry Beach Road, which winds along the Parry Inlet off the South Coast Highway west of Denmark.

Facilities including a camp kitchen, solar-powered hot showers, a boat launching area and public toilets. There are public picnic tables around the campsite, and firewood is sometimes on offer from the caretakers. Dogs are allowed, with owners asked to keep their pets on a leash.

West Cape Howe National Park

Shelley Beach – 30km west of Albany in West Cape Howe – is part of a series of beautiful beaches along the waters of Torbay. The turquoise waters, stunning surroundings and clear ocean make this beach a popular yet remote feeling destination on WA’s south coast.

The beach and lookout are located just south of Cosy Corner along with Coombes and Shelley Beach Roads, Shelley Beach has a large car park set just behind the beach.

Above, the Shelley Beach Lookout is worth a visit for its views across Torbay and Torbay Head to the south and Torndirrup Peninsula, the Albany Wind Farm, and The Gap across the water to the west.