The best campsites in Western Australia span four very different regions: Conto Campground near Margaret River in the South West, Osprey Bay, Yardie Creek and Mesa on the Ningaloo Reef coastline near Exmouth, Big Lagoon at Shark Bay, Dales Campground in Karijini National Park in the Pilbara, and Lucky Bay in Cape Le Grand National Park near Esperance.
Western Australia’s best campsites tend to be inside national parks rather than commercial holiday parks, run by the state’s Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions rather than a private operator. That means fewer facilities, no power and often no drinking water, but a genuinely different experience: falling asleep metres from Ningaloo Reef, waking up to kangaroos on the sand at Lucky Bay, or camping inside one of the world’s oldest landscapes at Karijini. A self-contained campervan, with its own water tank, fridge and onboard toilet where fitted, gets the most out of this style of camping, since none of it is provided on-site.
For a first or last night that doesn’t require a long drive, Yanchep National Park, about 45 minutes north of Perth, is a practical option close to the Redcliffe and Hazelmere depots covered in our Perth campervan hire guide. It’s better known for its koala colony, wildflowers and Crystal Cave than for beach camping, but it’s a genuinely convenient way to ease into or out of a longer trip without either rushing straight from the airport or cutting the last day short getting the vehicle back on time.
Conto Campground, in Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park about 20 minutes south of Margaret River, is one of the largest and most popular campgrounds in the South West, with 116 sites across eight separate camping areas ranging from reverse-in gravel pads to grassy sites nestled among peppermint trees. It sits four kilometres from Conto Beach, close to Boranup Forest and directly on the Cape to Cape Track, and works well as a base for exploring the wider Margaret River wine region, covered in more depth in our 10 day Perth campervan itinerary. Camping fees run around AUD 20 per adult, AUD 15 concession and AUD 5 per child a night, with no vehicle entry fee for the park itself. Facilities are basic, no-flush pit toilets, gas barbecues in some areas, and drinking water isn’t provided, so arrive with a full tank. Bookings open 180 days ahead and this site is popular enough to be worth locking in early for school holidays and long weekends.
The Ningaloo Reef coastline near Exmouth has some of the most sought-after campsites in the state, and three stand out. Osprey Bay Campground sits on a rock-shelf shoreline with small sandy enclaves and is widely regarded as the pick of the bunch for its beachfront position and access to snorkelling spots along the Osprey Sanctuary Zone. Yardie Creek Campground, at the park’s southern end, is a small, ten-site campground about 80 metres from the beach and close to the dramatic Yardie Creek Gorge. Mesa Campground, further north, borders Ningaloo Marine Park directly and is a good pick for travellers hoping to spot migrating whales or dolphins from camp.
All three are unpowered, have no-flush pit toilets, and don’t provide drinking water, and all are managed through Explore Parks WA’s Park Stay booking system, with bookings opening up to 180 days ahead. Popular sites here sell out within minutes of the booking window opening for the May-September peak, so set a reminder rather than leaving it to chance. Most Cape Range campgrounds are accessible by 2WD; only two sites south of the Yardie Creek crossing require a 4WD. Given cyclone-related closures have affected parts of the Ningaloo Coast in recent seasons, always check current alerts on Explore Parks WA before locking in dates.
Big Lagoon Campground, in Francois Peron National Park at Shark Bay, overlooks a striking turquoise lagoon and is one of the more adventurous entries on this list: it’s only accessible by four-wheel drive or boat, operates first-come first-served with no online booking, and fees are paid in cash on arrival. It’s not a fit for every campervan or every traveller, but for those with the right vehicle it’s one of the more memorable settings in this part of WA, with canoeing, kayaking, swimming and fishing all on offer and sheltered decking and barbecue facilities on-site. For a more accessible base at Shark Bay, Monkey Mia and Denham both have standard holiday park options; see our full Perth to Broome campervan itinerary for the wider Shark Bay route.
Dales Campground is the standout base for exploring Karijini National Park, a large campground with 153 sites across six named areas, close to Dales Gorge, Fern Pool, Fortescue Falls and Circular Pool. Fees are charged per person per night and bookings open up to 180 days ahead through Park Stay. There are no showers at the campground itself, though a fee-based shower is available at the Karijini Visitor Centre about 12 km away, and no campfires are permitted at any time. Dingoes are common around the campground, so food needs to be stored securely and children supervised. Karijini is remote country, so arrive with sufficient water, food, fuel and supplies rather than relying on nearby towns, covered in more detail in our Perth to Broome campervan itinerary, which includes Karijini as a dedicated detour.
Lucky Bay, in Cape Le Grand National Park near Esperance, is regularly cited as one of Australia’s whitest-sand beaches and is famous for kangaroos that genuinely rest on the sand at the water’s edge, particularly around dawn. Activities on offer include diving, kayaking, swimming, snorkelling, fishing and bushwalking, alongside simply relaxing on the beach. This is further east than the main Perth to Broome corridor and suits travellers extending south from Albany or doing a dedicated South Coast trip; our Campervan Hire Perth guide covers the wider Esperance route from Perth.
Timing varies significantly across this list, since WA spans temperate South West climate through to tropical Pilbara and Kimberley conditions. Margaret River and the South West suit camping year-round but are most comfortable outside the January-February heat, with autumn and spring offering the best balance of good weather and lower demand at Conto. The Coral Coast, including Cape Range National Park and Ningaloo, is best from May to October, the dry season, when temperatures are manageable and whale shark and humpback whale seasons both fall within the window. Shark Bay follows a similar pattern, comfortable most of the year but genuinely hot in mid-summer. Karijini is best visited April to September, avoiding both the summer heat, which can exceed 40 degrees Celsius, and the risk of cyclone-affected wet season conditions further north. Esperance and Lucky Bay run on a more temperate, southern pattern similar to the South West, pleasant across most of the year with summer as the busiest period.
Most of the campgrounds on this list are booked through Explore Parks WA’s Park Stay system, not through Event Campers or your rental operator directly, and the booking window typically opens 180 days (about six months) before arrival. Popular sites, particularly Osprey Bay on the Ningaloo coast and anything during Western Australian school holidays, can sell out within minutes of the window opening, so mark the exact date and time and be ready with payment details rather than browsing casually. A WA Parks Pass covers vehicle entry fees across multiple parks and pays for itself after visiting two or three parks on a longer trip, worth buying upfront if your route touches several of the parks covered here. Camping fees are separate from park entry fees and are charged per person per night at most DBCA sites, typically in the AUD 10 to 20 range for an adult, with concession and child rates usually available.
Almost all of these sites are unpowered with basic facilities, no-flush pit toilets and no drinking water supply is the norm rather than the exception, so a self-contained campervan with its own water tank, and ideally an onboard toilet, gets far more value from this style of camping than a vehicle relying on external facilities.
For nights when a powered site, hot shower and camp kitchen matter more than beachfront isolation, BIG4 Holiday Parks and G’day Parks both operate across Western Australia, including Margaret River, Busselton, Exmouth, Cervantes and Broome, and are a practical way to break up a longer trip between the national park stays covered above. WikiCamps Australia and CamperMate are both useful for finding additional free and low-cost camping options along your specific route, with user reviews and up-to-date facilities information that a static list like this one can’t always keep pace with.
Do I need to book WA national park campsites in advance? Yes, for almost all of the sites on this list. Bookings for DBCA-managed campgrounds like Conto, Osprey Bay, Yardie Creek and Dales open up to 180 days ahead through Park Stay, and popular sites during peak season or school holidays can sell out within minutes of the window opening.
Which is the best campsite in WA for beach camping? Osprey Bay in Cape Range National Park is widely regarded as the pick for beachfront camping directly on the Ningaloo Reef, though Yardie Creek and Lucky Bay near Esperance are both strong alternatives depending on your route.
Can I take a standard 2WD campervan to these campsites? Most, yes. Conto, Osprey Bay, Yardie Creek, Mesa and Dales are all accessible by 2WD. Big Lagoon at Shark Bay is the exception on this list, requiring a genuine 4WD or boat access.
Do WA national park campgrounds have power and showers? No, generally not. Most DBCA campgrounds covered here are unpowered with no-flush pit toilets and no drinking water supply, so arrive self-sufficient. For power and hot showers, a private holiday park is the better fit.
What is a WA Parks Pass and is it worth buying? A WA Parks Pass covers vehicle entry fees across multiple national parks for a set period, separate from camping fees. It’s worth buying if your trip touches three or more parks, since it typically pays for itself by the second or third park visited.
Is Big Lagoon at Shark Bay bookable online? No. Big Lagoon operates on a first-come first-served basis with fees paid in cash on arrival, and access requires a 4WD or boat, unlike most other sites on this list.
These campsites feature across the road trips covered in our Campervan Hire Perth guide, our 10 day Perth campervan itinerary through Margaret River and the South West, and our 20 day Perth to Broome campervan itinerary through the Coral Coast and Pilbara. For the wider Australian picture, browse our Australia road trip guide and the Australia destinations hub.
Use the search widget on our Perth campervan hire page to compare live availability for a self-contained campervan suited to this style of camping before you book.
