If you’ve found yourself in Perth and want to sleep under the stars (but not have to drive for hours and hours) you’re in luck.

Thanks to Perth being the most isolated capital city in the world, it’s filled with some of the country’s most bountiful landscapes – many of which are accessible a short drive from the city centre. There are a plethora of free and low-cost camping spots near Perth to unwind, unplug and get amongst the great outdoors. Here are 13 of our favourites.

1. Lake Leschenaultia, Perth Hills

Distance from Perth: 55 minutes

Best for: Families and first-timers

Perth’s hills might surprise you, as the city’s coastline often steals the spotlight. However, camping at Lake Leschenaultia immerses you in native bush, wildflowers and gentle valleys. It features a lakebed beach, canoe hire, and sheltered BBQ spots. Nearby Chidlow town adds to the charm with its bakeries, shops, and pubs. The campground itself offers 23 campsites spread across three distinct areas: Tent Campground, Main Campground, and Group Campground. Each area has its own bathroom, while BBQ, playground, kitchen, and kiosk facilities are shared. A three-kilometre walk around the lake provides opportunities to spot kangaroos, possums, and echidnas. For those seeking a longer adventure, an additional 12 kilometres of walking and mountain biking trails are available. Bookings can be made online, with some sites being unpowered and lacking onsite parking, so specify your needs when booking.

2. Perth Hills Discovery Centre at Beelu National Park

Distance from Perth: 40 mins

Best for: Families with young kids

Just a 40-minute drive from the Perth CBD, the Perth Hills Discovery Centre is perfect for first-time campers and families with young children. The site offers twelve shady tent sites, fire rings, outdoor picnic tables, and high-quality amenities including an ablution block, picnic tables, and a camp kitchen with electric barbecues. It is surrounded by popular walking and cycling trails and is close to iconic attractions like the Mundaring Weir and the Bibbulmun Track. The nearby Kookaburra Open Air Cinema screens movies on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights from December to April.

3. Henry White Oval at Yanchep National Park

Distance from Perth: 45 mins

Best for: Families and first-time campers

Henry White Oval Campground, nestled in Banksia and tuart woodlands, is a purpose-built campground ideal for families and first-timers. It features nine hard sites, ten grass sites, a large group camping area, an ablution block, a sheltered barbeque area and a communal fire pit that is open seasonally. However, there is no running water, so you’ll need to bring your own. Located within Yanchep National Park, it’s just a few hundred metres from the park’s renowned wetlands, adventure climbing courses and animal sanctuaries. The Yanchep Lagoon, a great spot for swimming and sheltered snorkelling, is only a ten-minute drive away.

4. Bald Hill at Avon Valley National Park

Distance from Perth: 90 mins

Best for: Serene bush views

Avon Valley National Park spans nearly 5,000 hectares of lush bushland with panoramic views over the valley, a diverse range of flora and fauna and four campgrounds. Among these, Bald Hill is one of the busiest. Situated atop its namesake hill, this spacious campground provides stunning views of the entire park and is well-equipped with facilities including picnic tables, fire rings, toilets and water. There are excellent bushwalking and cycling trails that meander through and around the campgrounds. Bookings cannot be made in advance, however, with spots designated on a first-come, first-served basis – so aim to arrive early.

5. Honeymoon Pool, Wellington National Park

Distance from Perth: 2 hours

Best for: Beautiful lakeside views

Nestled on the banks of the serene Collie River, Honeymoon Pool offers 20 campsites scattered among shady peppermint trees. Thanks to its waterside location, you can enjoy kayaking, swimming, and bushwalking. It’s conveniently 2WD friendly, and has picnic, BBQ and toilet facilities on site.

6. Potters Gorge Campground, Wellington National Park

Distance from Perth: 2 hours

Best for: Tranquility and relaxation
Potters Gorge Campground, situated on the shore of Wellington Dam, offers 59 individual campsites suitable for freestanding tents, swags, campervans, and camper trailers. Nestled among shady jarrah and marri trees, this campsite is renowned for its mountain bike track, bushwalking trails, fishing spots, and ideal conditions for canoeing. This is a basic bush camping experience, as the sites are unpowered campers need to BYO drinking water. However, there are no- flush pit toilets, double-gas barbecues, picnic tables, cold water dishwashing facilities and a dump station. There’s also a cafe at Wellington Dam, just a quick five-minute drive away, in case you forget any essentials. You will need to book your site in advance online.

7. Sandy Cape Recreation Park, Jurien Bay

Distance from Perth: 2 hours and 40 minutes

Best for: Beach camping

Sandy Cape Recreation Park offers a quintessential beach camping experience in an unbeatable location with breathtaking views. This affordable camping spot is nestled beside a pristine beach, so you can wake up to the soft sands and turquoise water of Jurien Bay. Little ones can spend their days sliding down sand dunes and splashing in the water, while adults can indulge in fishing, snorkelling, kayaking, or scenic hike to the peak. You do need to be fairly self-sufficient, as the only facilities are longdrop or compost toilets – no BBQs or power (although you can BYO generators.)

8. Nanga Mill Campground in Lane Poole Reserve, Dwellingup

Distance from Perth: 1 hour 40 mins

Best for: Campers with furry friends

Lane Poole Reserve in Dwellingup features nine separate campgrounds, but Nanga Mill is the largest open-style campground. This picturesque spot by the bank of the brook is unpowered, allowing you to truly reconnect with nature. The sites are suitable for tents as well as caravans and camper trailers, and the campground has a swimming area, a two-kilometre Nanga Brook Walk Trail and is also dog-friendly. Amenities include toilets and picnic tables, however, there is no running water. You also cannot book ahead, so if you prefer not to wing it, try one of Lane Poole’s bookable campgrounds.

9. Baden Powell Campground at Lane Poole Reserve, Dwellingup

Distance from Perth: 1 hour 40 mins

Best for: Hikers and water-sports lovers

Ideal for families, the Baden Powell Campground boasts 42 campsites and three undercover camp kitchens equipped with gas barbecues and rainwater taps (though you’ll need to bring your own drinking water) an ablution block and dining benches. The Murray River, a highlight of the reserve, is a great spot for canoeing, fishing, white-water rafting, and swimming during the warmer months. The Bibbulmun Track also runs through the reserve, providing a great hop-on, hop-off hiking experience. Pets are welcome at this one, too.

10. Martins Tank Campground in Yalgorup National Park, Preston Beach

Distance from Perth: 90 mins

Best for: A real unplugged experience

Martins Tank Campground is nestled among peppermint and tuart woodland on the banks of Martins Tank Lake, offering easy access to the tranquil Yalgorup National Park. The 33-site campground accommodates swags, tents, and caravans. This is a real unplugged (and self-sufficient) experience, as the entire site is unpowered, lacks running water and is accessible via some unsealed roads. However, there are amenities such as no-flush pit toilets, gas and electric barbecues, picnic tables, and dishwashing facilities with seasonal rainwater. You can book your site online, or use the self-serve booth upon arrival.

11. Logue Brook Campground, Lake Brockman

Distance from Perth: 90 mins

Best for: Watersports

The Logue Brook Dam campground, located within the Lake Brockman Tourist Park, features 126 unpowered campsites. It’s a great base for water adventures, offering access to the dam for swimming, fishing, and launching canoes and kayaks at various spots around the shore. Plus it’s a short walk to a cafe at neighbouring Lake Brockman Tourist Park, serving coffee and freshly baked goods. Amenities include long-drop toilets, gas and electric barbecues, a playground – and pet-friendliness. There is no drinking water available at the campground, so campers need to BYO or head to the tourist park next door. 

12. Belvidere Campground, Leschenault

Distance from Perth: 1 hour 40 mins

Best for: Bushwalkers

Belvidere Campground, nestled on the edge of the Leschenault Estuary, offers 28 picturesque camping sites. As part of the Leschenault Peninsula Conservation Park, the campground is within walking distance to Belvidere Beach and The Cut, a walking trail that winds through the park’s tuart and peppermint trees. Amenities include long-drop toilets, wood barbecues, and picnic tables. There’s no running water available, so campers need to BYO drinking water; and bookings cannot be made in advance, with sites allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

13. Stockton Lake Recreation Area Campground, Collie

Distance from Perth: 1 hour 40 mins

Best for: Waterfront camping

For a truly unique camping experience, you can set up camp just metres from the water at Stockton Lake. This artificial lake, once an open-cut mine, has been transformed into a popular camping area with 50 unpowered sites on the shore of the crystal blue lake. During the warmer months, activities such as waterskiing, kayaking, and swimming are popular (however, be aware that the lake’s mining origins mean the water is slightly acidic, which is something to consider if you have sensitive skin.) Amenities include toilets and wood barbecues, and you can bring your pet along too. There is no drinking water available so be prepared to BYO, and you cannot book in advance – sites are designated on a first-in-best-dressed basis.