10 of the best Margaret River camping spots

By Monique Ceccato
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Planning to go camping in Margaret River? We’ve got all the information you’ll need before you go.

There’s a lot to love about Western Australia’s Margaret River region: the coastline, the rolling farmland, and the world-class wines and fresh produce. Like most regional areas, driving around Margaret River is the best way to see it, travelling slowly and stopping frequently. While there are plenty of accommodation options around the region, the flexibility and freedom of camping is unparalleled. Use this as your guide to Margaret River camping because in such a diverse region, where you choose to camp matters.

How to get to Margaret River

If you fly into Perth, Margaret River is a three-hour drive south. But, Jetstar also flies direct from Sydney and Melbourne to Busselton Airport, which is a 45-minute drive from Margaret River.

Permits and regulations

No permits are required to camp in Margaret River. Free camping in the bush, on the beach, or in residential streets is illegal in the region, and all campers must stay in dedicated campgrounds or caravan parks. To book any of the campsites in WA’s national parks, you’ll have to visit Park Stay WA.

National parks and forests campsites

Canebrake Pool

the upper Margaret River within Canebrake Pool Campground

Escape to a secluded bush camping site in the middle of the bush. (Image: Bronwyn Wells)

Camp right on the banks of the upper Margaret River at Canebrake Pool Campground. It’s a secluded spot and takes approximately 25 minutes to drive there from the Margaret River township. There are just nine sites here, all unpowered and shaded beneath fragrant Peppy and Marri trees. They’re all a matter of steps from the deep, cool Canebrake Pool, too. Bring your SUP board or kayak for a paddle on the water, or slip in for a refreshing dip. Though there are freshwater fish and marron in the pool, fishing for them is prohibited.

Address: Canebrake Road, Treeton

Price: $15 adults, $10 concession, $5 kids (bookings essential)

Facilities: Firepit, drop toilets, bins, picnic tables

Accessibility: Limited information

Dog-friendly?: Yes, on a lead

Jarrahdene Campground

the Jarrahdene Campground in Margaret River

Stay in an unpowered campsite in the bush. (Image: Kevin Smith)

Caravans, campers, vans, and tents are all welcome at Jarrahdene Campground, some 25 minutes out of town. It’s one of the larger Margaret River campsites, with 36 different-sized and differently surfaced sites (all unpowered). Jarrahdene was originally a timber mill that opened in the late 1800s and closed in 1913. On the short interpretive walks through the surrounding Marri, Jarrah, and Peppy bushland, you can still find remnants of the old mill to explore.

Address: Jarrahdene Rd, Boranup

Price: $20 adults, $15 concession, $5 kids (bookings essential)

Facilities: Barbecue, dump point, fire rings, picnic tables, drop toilets, bins, sinks with running water

Accessibility: Varying surfaces mean low accessibility

Dog-friendly?: No

Chapman Pool Campsite

the Blackwood River at Chapman Pool Campsite

Set up a picnic by the river. (Image: Bronwyn Wells)

The Margaret River isn’t the only major river that flows through this region; there’s also the Blackwood River, which opens into the Southern Ocean at Augusta. You can camp right by it at the Chapman Pool Campsite, 25 minutes from town. The nine small sites sit right near where Chapman Brook intersects with the river, separated from the water by an expansive wooden deck perfect for picnicking on. Enjoy swimming, SUP boarding, kayaking, and fishing at the pool, or take the short walking tracks through the surrounding bush.

Address: Warner Glen Road, Warner Glen

Price: $15 adults, $10 concession, $5 kids (bookings essential)

Facilities: Pit toilets, sheltered gas barbecues, fire rings, tables, benches

Accessibility: Limited information

Dog-friendly?: Yes, on a lead

Boranup Campground

the Boranup Campground, Margaret River

Camp right in Boranup Forest. (Image: DBCA)

Boranup Campground is as close as you’ll come to seclusion while camping in the Margaret River region. There are just seven small sites here on the edge of the Boranup Forest, each big enough only for a tent and a small car or a small camper van. The whole campground is unpowered, and there’s no running water or cooking facilities, so come prepared (just not with generators; they’re not allowed). If you need to pop into town, it’s a half-hour drive away.

Address: Boranup Road, Boranup

Price: $15 adults, $10 concession, $5 kids (bookings essential)

Facilities: Picnic tables, fire rings, pit toilets

Accessibility: Limited information

Dog-friendly?: No

Conto Campground

a tent on Conto Campground, Margaret River

Set up camp on the coastal headland. (Image: DBCA)

Perhaps the most popular site for Margaret River camping is Conto Campground, both because of its unparalleled location and its size. It’s on the coastal headland and within striking distance of Contos Beach, the Boranup Forest, and the famed Cape to Cape hiking trail. A whopping 109 sites are available for campers in unpowered motorhomes, caravans, vans, campers, and tents. You can’t book a specific site, but you can specify which of the eight sections you’d like to stay in.

The 37 sites in the Chuditch and Quenda areas are on a crushed limestone surface, and if you’re in a motorhome, van, or caravan, reverse-in only. The amenities are also great, with sheltered food prep, barbecue areas, and clean pit toilets. Campers in tents can stay in the Wanil area, a fenced-off space specifically for tents and swags, with parking available outside. Gas barbecues are available for use here, too. The remaining areas are mixed-use, all with pit toilets and only some with barbecues.

Address: Conto Road, Boranup

Price: $20 adults, $15 concession, $5 kids (bookings essential)

Facilities: Each area within the campground differs

Accessibility: Parking at all sites is on compact sand, with some paved paths. Bollards at the parking are spaced 1.2m apart to allow wheelchairs. There are some wheelchair-accessible toilets.

Dog-friendly?: No

Farms and caravan/camping parks

Big Valley Campsite

Get a taste of the farm life by setting up camp on one of the Margaret River region’s working sheep farms, ten minutes southeast of the Margaret River township. Big Valley Campsite has space for tents, campers, caravans, or motorhomes on powered or unpowered sites. It’s the perfect stop for families, with kids able to meet the farm animals in a petting enclosure and join in on daily sheep feedings. The nearby walking trails are also a family favourite, while the park’s proximity to the nearby wineries goes down well with the over-18 crowd.

Address: 46 Baronia Road, Rosa Glen

Price: From $40/night (unpowered)

Facilities: Camp kitchen, dump point, power, water, bathrooms, washing machine, barbecues

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Contact for more information

Dog-friendly?: Yes

Fair Harvest Permaculture Campground

Snag yourself a tent, caravan, or motorhome site at the Fair Harvest Permaculture Campground when it’s open to the public—they close annually from mid-June to mid-September for permaculture course guests—and you’re in for a treat. The expansive gardens and surrounding forest make this a picturesque place to stay, and you’ll also get great insight into a more sustainable way of life. Enjoy a hot rainwater shower (on a timer to curb excessive water usage) and the convenience of clean, composting toilets. You can also do your bit to minimise waste with the farm’s comprehensive recycling system. Feel free to marvel at the bountiful fruit and vegetable gardens, but refrain from taking any produce.

Address: 426 Carters Road, Margaret River

Price: From $36/night

Facilities: Fire pit, camp kitchen, cafe, rainwater showers (2), composting toilets (2)

Accessibility: Call for information

Dog-friendly?: Yes, on lead. There is also one designated off-lead paddock

Gracetown Caravan Park

a tent at Gracetown Caravan Park, Margaret River

There are stylish tents available for an elevated camping experience.

A tennis court, an 18-hole mini golf course, and a season of ‘movies under the stars’: the A+ amenities keep coming at Gracetown Caravan Park. With the Margaret River township 15 km away (and Cowaramup Bay 2.5 km), it may be a rural campsite, but it has everything you could ever need. And, because it’s on 13 acres of bushland, each camp and caravan site (powered or unpowered) has plenty of space between them, often separated by a row of trees. It’s the holy grail of Margaret River camping.

Address: 744 Cowaramup Bay Road, Gracetown

Price: From $35/night (unpowered)

Facilities: Laundry, boat parking, convenience store, free wi-fi, 18-hole mini golf, tennis court, basketball court, volleyball court, playground, camp kitchen, toilet block, baby bath

Accessibility: Call for more information

Dog-friendly?: No

Hamelin Bay Holiday Park

It doesn’t get much better than setting up the tent, caravan, or motorhome a stone’s throw from the beachfront. At Hamelin Bay Holiday Park, you get just that. Walking down to the protected waters of the park’s namesake bay takes less than five minutes; it’s a favourite for families keen on safe swimming and beach fishing. To throw the line in further out, bring the boat and launch it from the ramp. The bay is also known for its resident ray population that glides through the shallows daily, searching the sandy bottom for a feed. They’re harmless, but giving them their distance is essential when you see them.

Address: Hamelin Bay Road West, Hamelin Bay

Price: From $40/night (unpowered)

Facilities: Fire pits, water (bore), kiosk, camp kitchen, barbecues, boat ramp, ablution block, laundry, playground, power

Accessibility: Call for more information

Dog-friendly?: No

RAC Margaret River Nature Park

the RAC Margaret River Nature Park surrounded by lush greenery

RAC Margaret River Nature Park is tucked away amongst shady trees.

Of all the options you have for camping in Margaret River, RAC Margaret River Nature Park is the closest to the township. But you don’t have to give up nature and seclusion for the convenience. The facility sits within the Wooditjup National Park, surrounded by tall Karri, Marri, and Jarrah trees, which you can ride through on the numerous mountain biking trails. All campsites are powered, big enough for caravans and motorhomes, and on compact ground. If you’re tenting, heavy-duty pegs are needed.

Address: Bramley National Park, Carters Road, Margaret River

Price: From $47/night (powered)

Facilities: Dump point, laundry facilities, water, barbecue area, nature playground, camp kitchen, ablution block, free wi-fi, kiosk, bike hire

Accessibility: Accessible bathroom. Contact the park for more accessibility information

Dog-friendly?: No

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Monique Ceccato is a freelance travel writer and photographer hailing from Perth. Though she now spends most of her time overseas, WA's sandy beaches, jarrah forests and world-class food and wine scene will always feel like home.
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The most incredible places to go glamping in Margaret River

    By Chloe Cann
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    Camping, but make it chic: from sleeping among olive groves to hitting the hay in a geodesic dome, here are six of the best places to go glamping in Margaret River.

    If you’re plotting an escape to this bucolic pocket of WA and toying with the idea of staying somewhere a little bit special, this is the guide for you. Over the past decade, a glut of great glamping spots have opened up in Margaret River, promising guests the wholesome fulfilment of communing with nature while also offering a few more creature comforts (and plenty more convenience) than camping ever could.

    But perhaps best of all, glamping in the Margaret River means you can get up close and personal with the region’s dreamy landscapes, located right on your tent’s doorstep – gentle valleys laced with small creeks, paved with vineyards, and visited by local wildlife, verdant patches of farmland, and white sand beaches lapped by glassy waters with few souls in sight.

    Willow Wood Glamping Retreat

    There are some seriously luxe glamping options in Margaret River. (Image Willow Wood Glamping Retreat)

    Hole up in one of these glamping retreats and enjoy the simple pleasures in life: stargazing from your private deck, waking up to chirps of birds, cosy nights under canvas listening to the rain pitter patter on your rooftop, sundowners around a crackling fire pit, hearty homemade dinners cobbled together with local produce and cooked atop the barbecue.

    Below, find the best glamping Margaret River has to offer.

    1. Willow Wood Glamping Retreat

    Willow Wood Glamping Retreat

    The Melaleuca Luxe tent features both an indoor and outdoor tub to relax in. (Image: Willow Wood Glamping Retreat)

    Located 35 minutes from the Margaret River town centre, Willow Wood Glamping Retreat takes glamping up a notch with its romantic adults-only accommodation. Each of these luxurious eco-tents offers a Queen bed, bathroom, kitchenette, electric fire, air conditioner, a table and chairs, and a deck. A complimentary breakfast board with local produce is also provided for guests on the first morning.

    A point of difference for this glamping retreat is the dedicated eco tent for spa treatments in partnership with Larn’wa Australia. There are five treatments to choose from including the Larn’wa Kodo Full Body Massage, a 60-minute treatment inspired by healing techniques and essences from Aboriginal community Elders.

    2. RAC Margaret River Nature Park, Wooditjup National Park

    modern safari tent at RAC Margaret River

    This modern safari tent caters to larger groups of up to six people. (Image: RAC Margaret River Nature Park)

    Sure, you can go the old classic route of camping or caravanning at this holiday park (and let’s be honest, a national park is a pretty fine spot for it) but why pitch your own poky tent in the dark when you can have someone else do all the hard work for you? Enter RAC Margaret River Nature Park’s ‘safari tents’. Sleeping a maximum of six, these permanent canvas tents feature one double bed and two bunks.

    And while there’s nothing fancy about them, they have pretty much everything you could need for a comfy night’s sleep in the bush – think linens, lamps, a heater during winter and a fan during summer, plus power so you don’t have to fret about where to charge your phone overnight.

    Choose from the modern or traditional tents, the only real difference between them being aesthetics. And naturally, all campers get access to the site’s facilities, from the camp kitchen to the fire pits, communal barbecues, a shared amenities block, a nature playground and a guest laundry.

    3. Two Blind Cows, Osmington

    luxury tent at Two Blind Cows

    Stay in a luxury tent right next to the Margaret River. (Image: Two Blind Cows)

    Easily the most boutique glamping experience in the Margaret River region, the attention to design detail at Two Blind Cows is admirable, the stylish interiors of its four canvas tents offering a genuine safari camp vibe. The bathroom features a rough-hewn stone sink, brass tap and marble tabletop alongside handmade soaps and lotions.

    And the bedroom/lounge features hardwood furnishings, a rattan bedhead, a leather armchair and beautiful linens. Each tent also has its own small private deck that’s the perfect spot for drinking up the night sky views, and a fully equipped kitchenette with locally roasted plunger coffee.

    Situated on Osmington hill, in the middle of a private farm, this sizable patch of land is delightfully free from light pollution, yet surprisingly only a 12-minute drive from Margaret River town.

    4. Olio Bello Lakeside Glamping, Cowaramup

    Olio Bella

    An idyllic stargazing spot to ponder constellations. (Image: Olio Bello Lakeside Glamping)

    The six safari-style bungalows at this organic farm in Cowaramup are about as close to a luxury hotel room dropped into the middle of the great outdoors as you can get. Really, the word ‘tent’ is underselling it quite some. Situated on yet another olive grove, Olio Bello is home to 8,000 trees spread across a whopping 130 hectares and boasts both an onsite cafe/bistro and a farm shop too. But the scenic backdrop to your glamping bungalow is in fact a lake.

    Except for the setting (lakefront or lakeview), all of the tents have the same features – a king-size bed, a private en-suite, a kitchenette, reverse cycle air-con, even bioethanol fireplaces come winter – as well as access to shared barbecues and lawn games. But the piece de resistance here is the daily breakfast hamper, best enjoyed on your tent’s spacious deck.

    Whatever your needs, the team at Olio Bello can probably take care of them… The bungalows are child-friendly (BYO cot), feature a sofa bed that can sleep a further two guests (pending a surcharge), and one of the bungalows has been modified to accommodate those with restricted mobility.

    5. Mile End Glamping, Yelverton

    Mile End Glamping

    Soak up scenic views from your own private dome. (Image: Mile End Glamping)

    A kooky alternative to your regular, run-of-the-mill glamping options, at this Yelverton accommodation you can bed down in a geodesic dome. Nuzzled among the gum trees and boasting sweeping valley views, this glamping option in Margaret River is primed for those who love the great outdoors but aren’t yet ready to give up their creature comforts.

    Each dome comes with reverse-cycle air conditioning and remote-controlled gas fires, a kitchenette, a four-poster bed, an ensuite bathroom, and a private deck that features a barbecue and an outdoor bath that’s not a bad spot for stargazing.

    Originally written by Chloe Cann with updates by Rachael thompson

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