It feels like there is nothing more Western Australian than loading up the ute or the camping trailer and heading out to the bush or beach for a few days or weeks of off-grid living. Whether you’re roughing it with a swag and a camping stove, or you’re all set for a stylish glamping trip, here are just a few of Culture Trip’s favourite spots to visit on your next getaway.
Located on the northwesterly tip of mainland Australia, Cape Range National Park is home to one of the country’s most beautiful and untouched coastlines. Spend your days exploring deep gorges and rocky canyons carved by ancient rivers, cruising down Yardie Creek, snorkelling in the clear waters or exploring nearby Exmouth, and your nights camping under the stars on the Ningaloo Coast.
Just a few hours south of Perth in Collie, Western Australia’s outdoor activities hotspot, Honeymoon Pool is the perfect spot to set up camp for a few days while exploring the area. Relax under the peppermint trees, swim or kayak on the river, walk, cycle or 4WD through the nearby trails in Wellington National Park. Also, head out a bit further afield to Black Diamond Lake and Stockton Lake.
Increasingly popular in recent years, Lucky Bay is famous for its 5km (3mi) long, white sandy beach and friendly grey kangaroos. Part of the Cape Le Grand National Park, Lucky Bay is a 50-minute drive south of Esperance and is perfect for snorkelling, fishing, surfing, swimming, 4WDing and, of course, camping. If you feel like something a little more active, climb Frenchman Peak, where you’ll be rewarded with sweeping views over the islands of the Recherche Archipelago.
Among the most popular campgrounds, Parry Beach is a volunteer-managed, first-in, best-dressed campsite on a shady, grassy spot next to the beach. Close to the Bibbulmun Track, Greens Pool, Elephant Rocks and Lights Beach, Parry Beach has great views over the William Bay National Park and isn’t too far from Denmark, Albany and the famous Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk.
If you’ve ever wanted to camp in a magical and surreal place, far away from civilisation, and enjoy ethereal starry night skies over Australia’s largest art gallery, then Lake Ballard is for you. Free camp right on the shores of this ancient salt lake, and marvel at Antony Gormley’s 51 sculptures based on the residents of nearby Menzies. Also, uncover the Seven Sisters Dreaming story, where the seven islands dotted around the lake represent each of the sisters as they play on the unique, salty landscape.
For a taste of remote wilderness camping at its very finest, look no further than El Questro, in the Kimberley Region. Located on Gibb River Road where the tropics meet the Outback on a working cattle station the size of a small country, El Questro is home to rainforests, mountains, deep rocky gorges and canyons, waterfalls and hot springs. Only accessible by 4WD, plane or helicopter, you can choose to rough it or go all out and spend a few days in absolute luxury in the five-star Homestead.