In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
Around 1,500 km from Perth via Busselton, Margaret River and Cape Leeuwin, through the karri and tingle forests to Albany, across the Stirling Range and on to the white shore of Lucky Bay – a coast where an emptier beach waits behind every cape.
The spirit of the route
In the south-west of Western Australia the Indian Ocean meets the Southern Ocean, and between the two stands a forest that grows nowhere else. Beyond Margaret River the karri trunks turn pale and smooth as columns; near Walpole, tingle trees stand on hollow, charred bases you can walk through upright. In the morning mist hangs in the undergrowth, it smells of wet leaves and eucalyptus, and red-tailed black cockatoos screech above your pitch. Then the landscape opens up: granite domes, heathland, bays with water in three shades of blue and sand that squeaks underfoot. From the sliding door you see jagged peaks rising above the wheatbelt in the Stirling Range, and islands in a turquoise sea near Esperance. The route thrives on contrasts – wineries and wilderness, surf beaches and forests – and on distances that grow ever longer and lonelier the further east you go. Drive here in the evening and you share the road with kangaroos; stop early and you see them on the beach instead.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Perth to Busselton (approx. 230 km)
- The drive
- Leave Perth heading south on the Kwinana Freeway; from Mandurah continue on the Forrest Highway, which runs dead straight between coastal lakes and tuart forest to Bunbury. Beyond Bunbury take the Bussell Highway along Geographe Bay to Busselton. Four-lane or well built throughout, hardly any gradients, around 2.5 hours of pure driving time. On Friday afternoons and before long weekends the southbound route is very busy.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Bunbury: Dolphin Discovery Centre on Koombana Bay, where bottlenose dolphins regularly appear; from the lookout tower on Marlston Hill, views over the port and the Leschenault estuary.
- Tuart Forest National Park near Ludlow: the last large stand of tuart eucalypts, crossed by the quiet Tuart Drive as an alternative to the highway.
- Busselton Jetty: a wooden jetty almost 1.8 km long with a train to the end and an underwater observatory – jetty tickets for the walk and the train can be booked separately, the observatory has fixed tour times.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Busselton is a holiday town for Perth residents and has numerous caravan parks along Geographe Bay between the town and Dunsborough, such as the RAC Busselton Holiday Park on the beach – with powered sites, amenities, camp kitchen and dump point at many of them. During Western Australian school holidays and on long weekends, book weeks ahead.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Between Perth and Busselton there is no legal free camping spot worth the name. The City of Busselton and neighbouring councils prohibit camping outside approved sites under a local law, and rangers also patrol beach and boat-ramp car parks. Rest areas on the Forrest Highway are intended for breaks; overnight stays only where expressly signposted.
- Insider tip for campers
- Stock up on supplies and gas in Perth or Bunbury – the big supermarkets are clustered there on the arterial roads, with car parks without height barriers. At Busselton Jetty the parking bays on the foreshore are long enough for campervans but fill up early in the holidays; outside the season no problem.
2Stage 2: Busselton to Augusta (Cape Leeuwin) (approx. 145 km)
- The drive
- Via Dunsborough to Cape Naturaliste, then along Caves Road through vineyards and karri forest, past the caves of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste ridge to Margaret River and on to Augusta, finishing with the short spur road to Cape Leeuwin. Caves Road is winding, narrow and has no shoulder – drive calmly in a campervan and allow for cyclists and winery traffic. Around 2.5 hours without stops.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Cape Naturaliste: lighthouse and coastal path to the lookouts above Geographe Bay, with humpback whales in view from September to December.
- Boranup Drive: gravel loop through the regrown karri forest parallel to Caves Road – only when the track is dry and with a compact camper; otherwise enjoy that section of Caves Road itself.
- Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet, with the calcified waterwheel on the way there.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Augusta has two shire-run parks: Turner Caravan Park right at the mouth of the Blackwood River, within walking distance of town, and Flinders Bay Caravan Park on the sheltered bay towards the lighthouse – both with power, amenities, water and waste disposal. Closer to nature but without power: Conto Campground in Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park near Caves Road, bookable via Park Stay WA.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The Shire of Augusta-Margaret River does not allow free camping: beach car parks, surf spots such as Gnarabup and winery car parks are off limits at night, and rangers patrol, especially in summer. In the national park, only on the designated campgrounds. A legal alternative without comforts: some wineries and farms offer sites on private land via platforms for self-contained travellers – in Western Australia up to five days with the owner’s permission.
- Insider tip for campers
- Margaret River itself is a good supply stop: supermarkets, fuel stations and a public dump point; check the current location in WikiCamps. For wine tastings the 0.05 blood alcohol limit applies – if you want to taste, book a tour and leave the camper at the park. In Augusta, diesel and groceries are noticeably more expensive than in Busselton.
3Stage 3: Augusta to Pemberton (approx. 165 km)
- The drive
- Back to Karridale, then east on the Brockman Highway through jarrah and karri forest, across the Blackwood River to the Vasse Highway and on to Pemberton. Hardly any settlements, many long bends, log trucks and, over the last few kilometres, hills with short climbs. Around 2 hours, but expect wildlife on the road.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Hamelin Bay just before Augusta (a morning detour): stingrays come close to the shore by the boat ramp – do not feed, do not touch.
- Gloucester Tree in Gloucester National Park: since its rebuild, the former fire lookout tree has been open for climbing again since 2026 – up steel pegs driven into the trunk, with no intermediate platform, to a new lookout platform at around 37 m; only in dry weather and if you have a head for heights.
- Beedelup Falls in Greater Beedelup National Park, with a suspension bridge over the stream and a short loop walk through dense karri forest.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Pemberton Caravan Park on the edge of town next to Pemberton Pool, under tall trees and within walking distance of the centre: power, amenities, water and waste disposal. In the national parks around Pemberton there are small DBCA campgrounds such as Warren Campground and Drafty’s Camp, but they are reached via narrow gravel tracks and are not suitable for large vehicles.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Around Pemberton there is almost nothing but state forest and national parks: overnight stays only on designated campgrounds, for a fee. Forest car parks and forestry tracks are not an option – also because of fire danger and logging. In the summer months fire bans apply; gas barbecues only where permitted.
- Insider tip for campers
- Fill up in Margaret River or Augusta: on the Brockman Highway there are hardly any services until Nannup. In Pemberton, a bakery, trout farm and small shops keep you stocked; for bigger shops, Manjimup is a good 30 km to the north.
4Stage 4: Pemberton to Walpole (approx. 140 km)
- The drive
- From Pemberton via the Vasse Highway to the South Western Highway south of Manjimup, then through Shannon National Park and endless karri and tingle forests to Walpole. A wide, well-built highway with overtaking lanes on climbs, but dark forest sections where kangaroos and log trucks appear suddenly. About 1.75 hours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Big Brook Dam near Pemberton in the early morning: loop walk around the reservoir, often mirror-smooth with karri silhouettes.
- Shannon National Park: Great Forest Trees Drive, a loop through the old timber-milling settlement and stands of karri, partly unsealed – check conditions locally.
- Giant Tingle Tree and Circular Pool in Walpole-Nornalup National Park east of Walpole: a tingle with a hollow base and a dark brown pothole on the Frankland River.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Walpole, Rest Point Holiday Village right on the Walpole Inlet and Coalmine Beach Holiday Park on the Nornalup Inlet offer powered sites, amenities and boat access, both with forest views. DBCA alternative: Crystal Springs Campground west of Walpole on the unsealed access road to Mandalay Beach – basic, with toilets, for smaller vehicles; check Park Stay WA.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Walpole-Nornalup National Park only permits overnight stays on its designated campgrounds. The Shire of Manjimup designates individual rest areas on the South Western Highway; whether overnight stays are allowed is shown on the sign – if in doubt, no. WikiCamps shows the current rules and user reports.
- Insider tip for campers
- Keep your running gear clean: the South West is affected by Phytophthora dieback, a soil-borne pathogen spread with soil on tyres and shoes that kills jarrah, banksias and heathland. Walk trailhead car parks have shoe-cleaning stations – use them, stay on the paths and do not drive on closed forest roads (“Disease Risk Area”), especially not when wet.
5Stage 5: Walpole to Albany (approx. 125 km)
- The drive
- On the South Coast Highway past Nornalup, with a detour to the Valley of the Giants, then through pasture and forest to Denmark and on to Albany. Well built, gently undulating; the detours to William Bay and Torndirrup are narrower, and the car parks at Greens Pool are tight in season. Around 1.75 hours without detours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk: steel walkways up to around 40 m high in the crowns of the red tingles, plus the ground-level Ancient Empire Walk between the hollow trunks – separate entry ticket, quieter early in the day.
- Greens Pool and Elephant Rocks in William Bay National Park near Denmark: granite pools with clear, sheltered water for swimming; parking is limited, so arrive in a campervan before midday.
- Torndirrup National Park near Albany: The Gap with a viewing platform above the surf, and the granite Natural Bridge.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Albany, BIG4 Middleton Beach Holiday Park sits right on the beach with power, amenities and dump point; further caravan parks are at Emu Point and on Frenchman Bay Road towards Torndirrup. In Denmark, Denmark Rivermouth Caravan Park offers a quiet location at the mouth of the Wilson Inlet.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Around 35 km west of town, the City of Albany runs the basic Cosy Corner East campground near the beach: a small fee per night, a maximum of seven days, no bookings, no drinking water, but a dump point; fires are banned at all times. In peak season arrive early, otherwise it is full. Overnight stays are not permitted in William Bay or Torndirrup National Park.
- Insider tip for campers
- Albany is the last big town before Esperance: do a big shop, swap or refill your gas bottle, check tyres and water. The National Anzac Centre on Mount Adelaide is worth an afternoon before moving on (open during the day only); the access road is narrow but manageable for campervans.
6Stage 6: Albany to Bremer Bay via the Stirling Range (approx. 265 km)
- The drive
- North on Chester Pass Road through farmland until the Stirling Range rises abruptly from the plain; turn off onto Bluff Knoll Road to the car park below the summit. Then north to Borden and via the Borden–Bremer Bay Road through wheat and sheep country to the coast. Mostly sealed, very little traffic outside the towns. A good 3 hours of pure driving time; with the Bluff Knoll walk, a full day.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Bluff Knoll (around 1,100 m), the highest peak in the South West: a steep, well-made trail of around 6 km return, 3–4 hours; often wind and cloud at the top, wildflowers along the path in spring.
- Stirling Range Drive: around 40 km of gravel right across the park with views of Toolbrunup and Talyuberlup – only in dry weather and if your rental agreement allows gravel.
- Bremer Bay: Little Boat Harbour and white beaches with granite domes; from January to April boat tours head out to the Bremer Canyon, where orcas hunt.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Bremer Bay has two caravan parks in town with power, amenities, water and waste disposal, including Bremer Bay Beaches Resort & Tourist Park near the beach. If you want to split the stage: Stirling Range Retreat on Chester Pass Road opposite the Bluff Knoll turn-off, with powered sites, and the DBCA campground Moingup Spring in the national park, newly opened in November 2025 (seven basic sites without power and without drinking water, toilets and camp kitchen shelter; bookable online only via Park Stay WA).
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Stirling Range National Park stay overnight only on the designated campground, not at the Bluff Knoll car park. Fitzgerald River National Park east of Bremer Bay has basic campgrounds such as St Mary Inlet and Point Ann, whose access roads are unsealed; check track conditions and rental terms before you go.
- Insider tip for campers
- Dieback is a big issue in the Stirling Range: clean your shoes at the station at the trailhead, do not stray from the paths and do not carry soil between parks. Fill up in Albany – between the Stirling Range and Bremer Bay fuel stops are sparse and country stores keep short hours. The Stirling Range is a weather system of its own: even in summer it can be cold and foggy at the summit.
7Stage 7: Bremer Bay to Esperance (approx. 365 km)
- The drive
- North on Bremer Bay Road to the South Coast Highway at Jerramungup, then east through wheatbelt, mallee and salt lakes via Ravensthorpe to Esperance. Long straights, road trains carrying grain, few towns. A good 4 hours of pure driving time – the longest stage; if you want to split it, stay overnight in Ravensthorpe or on the coast at Hopetoun.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Ravensthorpe: a mining and farming town with painted grain silos and, in spring, the wildflower show – a good fuel and rest stop.
- Hopetoun as a detour (around 50 km south): quiet beaches and access to the eastern side of Fitzgerald River National Park.
- Great Ocean Drive Esperance on the evening you arrive: a loop past Blue Haven Beach, Observatory Point and Twilight Beach with white sand and island views.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Esperance has several caravan parks, for example on the seafront close to town or on the western edge towards Pink Lake, with power, amenities and dump point. On the way, Ravensthorpe and Hopetoun each have a caravan park if you split the drive.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The Shire of Esperance manages basic, fee-paying coastal campgrounds west of town such as Quagi Beach and Munglinup Beach – reachable by 2WD, no advance booking, payment on site; only self-contained vehicles are permitted, and you take your rubbish with you. Bring your own drinking water. On the South Coast Highway, Main Roads designates rest areas; stay overnight only where signposted, usually up to 24 hours.
- Insider tip for campers
- Between Ravensthorpe and Esperance there are around 185 km with hardly any services; fill up in Jerramungup and Ravensthorpe regardless of your fuel level. Do not drive after sunset: on this section kangaroos and emus are numerous at dusk, and help is far away. Pink Lake near Esperance has not been pink for years – plan accordingly to avoid disappointment.
8Stage 8: Esperance to Cape Le Grand (Lucky Bay) (approx. 100 km)
- The drive
- Around 60 km east on sealed back roads through farmland into Cape Le Grand National Park; within the park, sealed access roads to Le Grand Beach, Hellfire Bay, Thistle Cove and Lucky Bay, some steep and with tight bends over the granite ridges. Short driving times, but day visitors and caravans share the narrow roads.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Lucky Bay: a bay with fine white sand and turquoise water, on whose shore western grey kangaroos graze – keep your distance, do not feed them.
- Frenchman Peak: a steep climb over granite to a rock cave below the summit, around 3 km return; avoid in wet and windy conditions.
- Hellfire Bay and Thistle Cove, linked to Lucky Bay by a coastal walking trail over granite domes.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Lucky Bay Campground in the national park: book in advance via Park Stay WA (up to 180 days ahead, no allocated site), with toilets, showers (hot water not guaranteed), gas barbecues and a washing-up area. The water is not drinking water; generators are allowed only at set times in the morning and early evening. Alternative in the park: Le Grand Beach Campground, smaller and more sheltered from the wind.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Cape Le Grand National Park overnight stays are permitted only on the two campgrounds; the car parks at Hellfire Bay or Thistle Cove are off limits at night. Open fires are prohibited in the national park. Without a booking, your only option is the drive back to Esperance.
- Insider tip for campers
- Do all your shopping, fill up and stock up on drinking water in Esperance – there is no shop and no fuel station in the park, and mobile coverage is patchy. Lock food away at night: kangaroos and ravens open bags and cool boxes. On the beach at Lucky Bay four-wheel-drive vehicles are allowed in places; in a standard campervan, stay on the bitumen.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- Western Australia generally permits overnight stays only in caravan parks and approved campgrounds (Caravan Parks and Camping Grounds Act). Exceptions are signposted rest areas run by Main Roads WA or local councils, usually with a 24-hour limit, and individual shire campgrounds for self-contained vehicles.
- The councils in the South West – City of Busselton, Shire of Augusta-Margaret River, City of Albany – prohibit camping outside approved sites under local laws and patrol in season. Illegal camping in WA incurs a fine of 200 AUD, with penalties under local laws on top.
- Since September 2024, with the owner’s permission, you may camp on private land for up to five days without council approval – the basis for farm and winery sites offered via platforms and apps.
- In national parks, only on designated campgrounds, for a fee, and for popular sites such as Lucky Bay booked in advance via Park Stay WA. Many parks on the route also require a park entry pass; if you visit several parks, a multi-day or annual pass is worthwhile (current rates from DBCA).
- Apps: WikiCamps Australia (campgrounds, rest areas, dump points, water, user reports) and CamperMate; the Main Roads WA rest area map shows the official rest areas.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Dump points are available in most of the larger towns on the route – Bunbury, Busselton, Margaret River, Albany, Esperance – and at almost all caravan parks; check locations in WikiCamps. National park campgrounds usually have no waste disposal.
- Drinking water: at many DBCA campgrounds, Lucky Bay included, the water is not drinkable. Drive into the parks with a full fresh-water tank and an extra jerrycan; refill in towns at caravan parks or designated filling points.
- Gas: Australian bottles (usually 4 or 9 kg) are swapped at fuel stations and supermarkets or refilled at some fuel stations; today the LCC27 valve is mostly standard, older appliances use POL. European bottles do not fit and are generally not refilled. Secure a spare bottle before Bremer Bay and Esperance.
- Fuel: in the western part fuel stations are plentiful, east of Albany no longer. Critical stretches are the Brockman Highway to Nannup, the Stirling Range to Bremer Bay and Ravensthorpe to Esperance (around 185 km). Refill at half a tank at the latest; small country fuel stations close early.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Drive on the left; right-turning traffic crosses oncoming traffic. Outside built-up areas the limit in Western Australia is generally 110 km/h, in built-up areas 50 km/h, and lower on many forest roads and town through-roads – the signs apply. Blood alcohol limit 0.05, phones hands-free only.
- There are no toll roads in Western Australia.
- Animals: western grey kangaroos are on the move at dusk on every section, and east of Albany emus too. Do not drive between sunset and sunrise; swerve only if there is no risk – controlled braking is safer than an evasive manoeuvre in a top-heavy camper.
- Rental campervans: most agreements exclude unsealed roads wholly or partly from insurance cover and prohibit beach driving; check Boranup Drive, Stirling Range Drive and the access roads into Fitzgerald River National Park against your terms and conditions beforehand. A standard car licence lets you drive campervans up to 4.5 t gross vehicle mass.
- Dieback hygiene: do not drive on closed forest roads or areas marked “Disease Risk Area”, clean tyres and shoes before moving to another protected area, and do not drive on gravel in parks when wet.
- Fire: in summer Total Fire Ban Days and regional fire bans apply; depending on the rating, even outdoor gas stoves are then restricted. Follow current warnings via the Emergency WA app; national parks are closed at short notice when fire danger is high.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Brush and spray bottle with disinfectant for shoe soles and tyre treads – to avoid spreading dieback between the Stirling Range, Walpole and Cape Le Grand.
- Two 10-litre drinking water jerrycans – at Lucky Bay and many park campgrounds the tap water is not drinkable.
- Windproof jacket and warm layers: on the south coast and on Bluff Knoll a cold wind often blows in off the Southern Ocean, even in summer.
- Wetsuit or shorty for Greens Pool, Lucky Bay and Hellfire Bay – the water on the south coast stays fresh even in high summer.
- Printed Park Stay bookings and offline maps: east of Albany and at Cape Le Grand there is often no mobile reception.
- Lockable cool box or sturdy food storage box – kangaroos, ravens and possums raid unsecured food at campgrounds.
As of 2026-10. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
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