Australia So Much to See
Are you looking for towns and districts with free or low cost camping options? Do you need amenities or are you self sufficient?
What does Self Contained Only entail?
In addition to this list, consider visiting National and State Park and Forests Campgrounds. Larger Main Roads Rest Areas are suitable for overnight stops and some have toilets and a few have water tanks and/or dump points.
Some of the above have been included here but there are many more. Unless specified, you cannot camp in a National Park outside
of the authorised camp grounds. Similarly in conservation areas and nature reserves, camping is generally not permitted.
Some of the bush camping options (including in some National and State Parks) listed here are not suitable for caravans,
although that is noted where known.
Low cost or moderate cost? While some of the listings here such as show caravan parks and camping areas charge a fee nearer commercial rates than free, I still consider an overnight fee for two of up to $15 or $18 unpowered and up to $20 powered site very reasonable, hence where known, these have also been included together with the price. Please consider prices can rise or free camps may be removed, and I may not always be aware of this. Prices quoted are based on two adults without any concessions if they apply or if the low cost is due to a concession, this too been noted. Price structure may be per site, per two people or per family. A reduced fee for one person is very rare. If travelling with a family, check cost basis first. Prices may not always be up to date, and cmaping areas can be closed at any time.
Some
Showgrounds: In many towns, showgrounds or sports grounds have no frills camping available often at a reduced cost to match the reduced services. Prices can vary from $5 to $25 per night for two powered site. Some have short time limits. Most permit pets, Showgrounds can have conditions such as being an alternative where there is no pet friendly caravan park in town or for extra large rigs which cannot fit into a standard caravan park site, or they may be used as an overflow park in peak season when caravan parks are full. Showgrounds camping is coming under increasing pressure as some see it as unfair competition for commercial caravan parks so you may find, as we did on one occasion, that the showground you were planning to stay at has been closed to casual camping. Most are not listed hereunder and definitive lists of showgrounds which offer camping outside of events do not exist. Read more here about showground and sports ground camping, and where to find the best directory of showgrounds and sports grounds to find showground and sprots ground camping as most are not individually listed here.
You may also find a number of rural caravan parks charging between $15 and $20 for unpowered sites and $20 to $25 for powered. These are in line with some of the lower cost options such as Showgrounds. Shire and community run caravan parks are usually very good value and well maintained.
Free or low cost camping
Department of Parks and Wildlife (formerly DEC) manage camp grounds in a number of National and State Parks and on some of the former
pastoral stations resumed for conservation. Not all DPaW campgrounds are included in my lists; check link for more. See
current camping fees at Western Australian National Parks and
Main Roads provide a number of rest areas designated for up to 24 hours resting along most major highways. The majority of these have pit toilets and some have dump points. Not all are listed against the towns below; just some have been mentioned by the Shires; particularly when they have little else to offer. These are generally near the Highway and may be suitable for an overnight stop but may be subject to traffic noise. Check the Main Roads website for listings although these lists are not always fully up to date:Main Roads Rest Areas. In most cases you can have pets in Rest Areas.
Some Shires and/or communities have set up free or low cost camp grounds. These may or may not have time limits on staying, however in Western Australia, the state government has ruled there is a maximum time limit of 28 days in any campground. These communities have done this to encourage visitors – use them and feel welcome.
WANowandThen review many campgrounds in Western Australia, including some excellent videos of these taken with GoPro and a Drone, on their YouTube channel, which you can subscribe to. Highly recommended for checking out campground and seeing what access is like.
Augusta - see Karridale
Australind, free 48 hour parking for self contained at Christina Street Reserve opposite the Dump Point and Public Toilets with an entry point off Old Coast Road. Two places only and must book online Harvey Regional RV Parking
Arrino - The Shire of Three Springs has a free short stay facility at Arrino, fifteen kilometres north of Three Springs on theBalingup - Transit Park with power and amenities. Three night limit. Fees apply ($20 per night powered site but check current pricing at the Store). See General Store in the main street or phone 0897641051.
Beacon - The
Bencubbin –
Close to town and all bookings are made through the Shire of Mount Marshall. The Bencubbin Caravan Park offers a shared ablution
block for both powered and unpowered caravan sites as well as two fully self contained units. Unpowered sites $11 per night ($44 per
week) and powered sites $26 ($155 weekly). Bencubbin -
Bindoon - 10 sites at Visitor Centre and a further 20 sites at sports oval, with both having power, toilets and hot showers for $20. Pets permitted. Book at Visitor Centre/Post Office 08 95761020 for the oval where a discount applies for groups of 10 rigs or more when booked. The oval is subject to availability when not in use for sporting events.
Boddington - Camping area located along the
Boyup Brook – See Dinninup, Heartlea, Kulikup, North Dinninup,
Mayanup and
Bremer Bay - see Albany for Cape Riche, Wellstead and Millers Point, which are all on the coast between Albany and Bremer Bay.
Bridgetown - A small RV parking area for RVs in town near the civic square allows 24 hour stops for self contained. Dump point at site.
Bruce Rock - Note: A new campground at Kwolyin nine kilometres from Kokerbin Rock is now open, flushing toilets, barbecues and
picnic tables. You can light a fire unless it’s the prohibited or banned fire season but you have to bring your own firewood. This free camping area is approximately forty kilometres west of Bruce Rock on the Bruce Rock-Quairading Road and 37
kilometres east of Quairading; turn onto Kwolyin West Road. Kwolyin is approximately forty kilometres south of Kellerberrin.
Kokerbin Rock is the third largest Monolith in
Brunswick Junction, free 48 hour parking at the Showgrounds with an entry point off Ommaney Road via Ridley Street, past the Dump Point on a hard stand area. Three places only and must book online Harvey Regional RV Parking
Bunbury - 48 hour free camping for fully
self contained only, with permit from Visitor Information centre; in parking area at Maidens Reserve, and on of the back beach car
parks.
Burracoppin (Merredin Shire) - The townsite of Burracoppin
to the east of Merredin has a rest area site just off the Highway (south) in front of the Burracoppin Hotel which can accommodate
large vehicles. Caravans and motor homes can park overnight. It has a single toilet and a gazebo/picnic area. There is room for large
rigs but the surface is not sealed so precautions should be taken in wet weather as the ground may become soft and boggy.
Condingup - Free camping at recreation complex in Condingup; a tiny rural centre (east of Esperance), toilets.
Coolgardie - Between Coolgardie and Yellowdine,
in the Boorabbin National Park approximately eighty kilometres west of Coolgardie and a couple of kilometres north of the Great
Eastern Highway, Boondi Rock campground is a small campground near a large granite outcrop and dam. Suitable for caravans. Facilities
include toilets and picnic tables. Bring your own drinking water and firewood. No dogs permitted. DPaW managed but
fee free. Koorarawalyee Main Roads 24 hour Rest Area 114 kilometres west of Coolgardie or 65 kilometres east of Southern Cross
and 47 kilometres east of Yellowdine on the north side of the Highway is a roomy free overnight rest area with toilets and dump point.
To the south of Coolgardie are free campgrounds at Victoria Rock, Burra Rock and Cave Hill Rock all with pit toilets only. Dirt
Road access to these rocks. See our report on these camps here
Corrigin - Gorge Rock is a free camping area with no
facilities or bins, please take all rubbish with you. Gorge Rock is approximately twenty kilometres east of Corrigin and has
a natural rock pool (no swimming).
Cue - Free camping at
See CMCA RV Friendly towns listed here: CMCA RV FT for more options.
Members of the Caravanners Forum are contributing to a growing list of towns or camps they have found a very good deal and worth supporting: RV FT on Caravanners Forum
Check out a few
camps which we have enjoyed or found convenient when travelling: Free and low cost
For those who prefer being
alone in a bushland setting, there are plenty of opportunities to stop overnight in many rural
A town may not be listed hereunder because it has nothing to meet the criteria for following lists or it may be due to not obtaining information for that town or region. Some Shires do not advertise their free campgrounds as they may be small or they only want a low occupancy; it is always worth asking the the Visitor Information Centre.
These lists are not intended to supersede other listings and publications which may be more comprehensive, but are seeking to highlight towns and areas which have gone out of their way to encourage the mobile tourist by provision of services, and may give more detail (eg price and location) than other camping websites and publications. Many of the places listed here will be duplicated in other publications.
In additional to books and camping websites, there are numerous Facebook pages and groups collecting information about low cost and free camping sites.
Progress has been slow on this resource section, as with the advent of the Wikicamps app. for mobile devices providing broad ranging information contributed by all users, I will be concentrating my efforts on other sections of this website. Use your judgement when using any database where the lists have been compiled without checking with the controlling authorities.
Prices are constantly changing, so may not be up to date in these lists.
These towns and Shires offering us a variety of low cost camping options deserve our support.