Our 5 best bush camps in Western Australia

Travel Tips / Our 5 best bush camps in Western Australia

Published: 29/03/2021Australia, Road Trip

Going for a road trip around Australia with your own vehicle is most of the time to enjoy a feeling of freedom into the nature. And the Australian West Coast is one of the best locations for this!
Picture yourself watching the sunset from your camping chair, with a beverage in your hand, surrounded by a beautiful environment where you will then spend the night… Australia can offer you this kind of experience and this is why exploring the country with a campervan or a 4WD vehicle is so popular!

Around the whole country, you can find wild campsites commonly called “bush camps”. Why this name? Because they are usually more remote than the standard campsites, have limited facilities (only toilets for the majority of them) and are most of the time free or ask for a voluntary donation. If your goal is to get immersed in Australian wilderness, this is exactly where you should go!

Here is our top 5 Western Australia favorite bush camps, all tested by our travel consultant Sylvia!

1. Membinup Beach

Membinup Beach Bush Camp Western Australia

Location: east of Esperance – South West WA
Experience: sleep along a large and quiet beach with amazing blue waters and spending a few days just enjoying simple pleasures of life: walking, fishing, …
Price: free.
Access: 4WD only. This campsite is reachable through an unsealed road (in good conditions) then by driving on the sand to find a spot for the night.
Careful of the kangaroos which are crossing the road around sunset.
Good to know: no facilities (more suitable for self contained, with toilets included)

2. Torbay West Camp – Torbay Inlet

Location: west of Albany – South West WA
Experience: spend a peaceful night close to a river with a beach and the ocean close by. Great to enjoy these two atmospheres in one place!
Price: free.
Access: accessible to every type of vehicle (but 4WD only if you want to drive on the beach).
Good to know: the campsite is really popular, even for locals, so try to arrive quite early to find a spot especially during the weekends or school holidays.

3. Centre Road Crossing

Centre Road Crossing Bush Camp Western Australia

Location: close to Walpole – South West WA
Experience: be immersed in the middle of the forest to spend a quiet night and be lulled by the sound of the river.
Price: free.
Access: accessible to every type of vehicle.
Good to know: there are some toilets but also a rainwater tank (to boil before drinking), a small cabin wood if it is raining and a fireplace.

4. Freshwater Point South

Freshwater Point South Bush Camp Western Australia

Location: north of Jurien Bay – Centre WA
Experience: sleep and wake up in front of the ocean and getting this view without a 4WD (pretty rare!).
Price: free.
Access: accessible to every type of vehicle.
Good to know: a bit further up North you will find the Freshwater Point North campsite which offers a similar atmosphere but accessible only to 4WD vehicles.

5. Quandong Point

Quandong Point Bush Camp Western Australia

Location: north of Broome – North WA
Experience: sleep on top of a cliff with a view on the beach and the ocean from above. The sunset there is wonderful!
Price: free.
Access: the campsite is accessible only to 4WD vehicles as the path to get there and the spots to park are completely sandy.
Good to know: you have several spots to park for the night so if the first ones are full do not hesitate to keep on driving a bit further as you will find more spaces along the cliff. No facilities (more suitable for self contained).

BONUS: Quoin Head Beach

Quoin Head Beach Bush Camp Western Australia

Location: into the Fitzgerald River National Park – South WA
Experience: sleeping on an almost deserted beach surrounded by amazing cliffs. You will feel alone on the other side of the world!
Price: free (but do not forget the fees to entry into the national park).
Access: 4WD only. The campsite is accessible only by a long but quite easy unsealed road at the beginning. However the end of the road is more bumpy: some parts are really steep especially when you get to the beach. You need a powerful 4WD vehicle to make sure that you will safely go down and back up.
Good to know: we recommend you to check the road conditions and the weather before getting there as the rain may damage the track and force you to turn around.

Tips for your Western Australia road trip

You can find all these bush camps and their GPS positions on WikiCamps and Campermate (two apps that we recommend you download for your road trip).

For National Parks campgrounds check the passes to save money on the entry fees and avoid paying extra cost for sleeping there.

We can help you organising your ideal road trip with stops and experiences matching your aspirations and interests. Contact us to choose the best vehicle for you and to get your custom made itinerary with our insider’s tips for an unforgettable adventure!

Happy bush camping!

Author

Sylvia

Travel Consultant

Thanks to my long travels in New Zealand and Australia, I realised how much travelling develops our relationship with Nature, opens our minds about other cultures and ultimately changes us. I am passionate about sharing this vision as well as my love for this part of the World.