Camping in Margaret River Guide: Low-cost, farm stays and caravan parks
Camping in Margaret River is a great way to experience this part of Western Australia’s south west, and if you’re exploring the region as part of a bigger south west Perth to Esperance road trip, chances are you’ve either hired a campervan or 4WD, or you’ve brought your own. Either way, you’re in for a treat, as long as you know what you’re getting into.
We’ll be upfront with you, because that’s how we do things: Margaret River is hit and miss when it comes to weather, even in the warmer months, so choosing the right spot to set up camp matters more here than in a lot of other places. Whether you want one base to stay put for a few nights, or you’d rather move around and try a couple of different campgrounds, there are several solid options for camping in Margaret River and we’ve weighed them all up so you don’t have to start from scratch.
If you’ve read our other blogs or follow us on socials, you’ll know we always try to find quieter, more character-filled locations rather than parking ourselves in a caravan park for the sake of it. That preference shaped how we planned our own trip, and it shapes this guide too.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through every option that was on our table when we were planning our own camping in Margaret River adventure. We haven’t personally stayed at all of them; the winery and the farm stay came recommended to us by friends whose judgement we trust. We’ve included them here as well, backed up with a bit of digging on our end, so you weigh up which campgrounds actually work for you and your setup.
➤ If you’re planning a longer stay in the area, it’s worth starting with our complete guide to the best things to do in Margaret River, so you can plan your camping around the sights.
Is there free camping in Margaret River
When we were planning our time here, we quickly figured out that there’s no free camping in Margaret River. Every legitimate option is paid, whether that’s a council-run caravan park or a national park campground out in the forest.
The good news is there’s still a decent price range to choose from, and paying a small fee usually means some peace of mind, a good night sleep and most of the time proper toilets, fire pits and an even patch of ground that’s actually meant for camping.
5 ways to go camping in Margaret River
Here are the five main options we weighed up for our own trip. Between National Park campgrounds, a working winery and a farm stay. There’s a fair bit of variety packed into a fairly small region.
1. Caravan Parks
The most obvious way to go camping in Margaret River is to book into one of the caravan parks. If you want (or need) power, hot showers, or do some laundry, this is your easiest option.
We stayed at Discovery Parks Margaret River, just outside of town, about a 10 to 15 minute drive in. The sites were spacious, there was good shade, and it was surrounded by trees, which isn’t too bad for a caravan park. That said, we didn’t love it either. It did the job as we had laundry to do, but it wasn’t the highlight of our trip.
There are a handful of other caravan parks closer to town, and more in Gracetown, Prevelly, and Yallingup, if you’d rather base yourself near the beaches.
Honestly, to us, most caravan parks feel fairly similar to one another, so we can’t strongly recommend one over another. If you need power and full facilities, any of them will get you through the night comfortably.
2. Boranup Forest
This was, hands down, our favourite spot for camping in Margaret River.
Boranup Campground is located within Boranup Forest, surrounded by towering karri trees, and there are only seven campsites here, which keeps things wonderfully quiet. We stayed at site 7 for two nights and loved every minute of it.
We had a campfire (we visited in November, when fires are usually permitted, though this always depends on the season and current fire restrictions, so check before you go)
The campground sits close to the 4WD track down to Boranup Beach, it’s a short drive to the caves, and it’s positioned right at one end of the Boranup Forest Scenic Drive, which is genuinely one of the best things to do in Margaret River.
A few practical notes:
- There’s no drinking water on site
- Dogs aren’t permitted
- Generators aren’t allowed
- Toilets are drop toilets rather than flushing ones.
- Bookings open 180 days ahead through the Explore Parks WA website and fees are charged per person.
3. Conto Campground
We stayed within the Conto Campground complex, at the Chuditch camping area specifically, and while the campground itself wasn’t our favourite, the nearby beaches and lookouts absolutely were.
Conto is actually a cluster of eight separate camping areas (Chuditch and Quenda have reverse-in limestone sites, while others are grassy tent and swag spots), so there’s more room here than at Boranup if you’re travelling with a group. It’s close to a section of the Cape to Cape Track where you can walk to Bob’s Hollow, and the Conto Cliffs are an incredible spot to watch the sunset over the ocean.
Like Boranup,
- There’s no drinking water provided
- Dogs aren’t permitted
- Campfires are only permitted when conditions allow
- Bookings work the same way too, opening 180 days ahead through Explore Parks WA, with a per-person fee and no ability to lock in a specific site number ahead of time.
4. Camp at a winery: Jarvis Estate
If you like the idea of pairing camping in Margaret River with a glass of something good, Jarvis Estate is worth a look. It’s a family-owned and family-run winery on 50 acres, with spacious campsites scattered through the vineyard itself, about 10 minutes from the Margaret River township.
You’ll get a complimentary wine tasting and a look behind the scenes in the cellar door, which is a nice touch you won’t find at a standard campground.
A few things to know before you book:
- They only accept self-contained campers, you’ll need a chemical toilet on board
- There are no tents or swags allowed
- It’s dog friendly
- Campfires are allowed when shire regulations permit
- There’s no water available on site, so bring enough for your entire stay.
5. Olive Hill Farm
For something a little different again, Olive Hill Farm, out at Osmington, lets you camp between the olive trees on a working farm, around 10 to 15 minutes from town.
- This one is strictly for self-contained travellers too, so no toilet on board means no stay.
- It’s dog friendly as long as they’re kept on lead and cleaned up after
- Arrive with full water tanks
A couple more camping in Margaret River options worth knowing about
While we were exploring the region, we came across a few other spots that are worth a mention.
RAC Margaret River Nature Park
It is located in Wooditjup National Park. It’s a solid middle-ground option if you want power and proper amenities but still fancy more bush setting than a standard caravan park.
Hamelin Bay Holiday Park
If you’re after a beachfront base, with shaded sites under peppermint trees, and walk daily to greet the local stingrays at Hamelin Bay, this is another one to consider.
Other farm stays
If Olive Hill Farm is booked out, Big Valley Campsite at Rosa Brook is another pet-friendly working farm option not far from town.
Best time for camping in Margaret River
Margaret River has a Mediterranean climate, which means warm, dry summers and cooler, wetter winters. Winter (June to August) brings the bulk of the region’s rainfall, so while it’s a beautiful moody time to visit, camping is genuinely harder going, and campfires are more likely to be washed out.
We camped in November, right at the start of the shoulder season between spring and summer, and it worked well for us. The days were mild, not warm, campfires were generally permitted, and the crowds hadn’t arrived yet so it was easy to secure a booking at caravan parks and national park camps.
Autumn (March to May) is another good window for the same reasons. If you can avoid planning your camping in Margaret River trip for the peak of summer or the middle of winter, you’ll have a much better experience.
Tips before you go camping in Margaret River
A few honest, practical things we picked up along the way that we’d want to know before booking our own trip again.
Bookings
Book ahead wherever you can. If you know your exact travel days, make sure you book places like Boranup Forest and Condo Campgrounds. Bookings open 180 days in advance.
Self-contained
Check whether you need to be self-contained. Jarvis Estate and Olive Hill Farm both require a chemical or composting toilet on board. Neither will bend on this, so double check before you turn up expecting a toilet block.
Fire restrictions
Check fire restrictions before you go. Campfire rules shift with the season and they can change at short notice over summer.
Have a back up plan
Because camping in Margaret River is all paid, and popular campsites and caravan parks can be booked out during school holidays.
Is camping in Margaret River worth it?
To be completely honest, it was not our favourite camping destination in Western Australia. We love going off the beaten track, finding a great spot and setting up camp for the night without much of a plan. That’s not really how camping in Margaret River works. Everything is accessible to pretty much any vehicle, and it’s all paid camping, so there’s a structure to it that some travellers will love and others, like us, will find it a little more restrictive than we’re used to.
That said, we genuinely loved our time in Boranup Forest, cosying up by the fire with a glass of local wine after a day of exploring. We also loved our time at Conto Cliffs, even if the campground itself wasn’t our favourite. There are some incredible sunset spots along that stretch of coast that you sadly can’t camp at directly, but honestly, what’s wrong with driving back to a campground you don’t fully love, in the dark, just to sleep and head off again the next morning.
If you go in with the right expectations, camping in Margaret River is absolutely worth it, especially if you balance a night or two in the forest with the convenience of a caravan park or farm stay. It’s less about roughing it and more about choosing the right base for the wineries, beaches, and forest walks you’re really here for.
➤ For more on what to do once you’ve set up camp, have a read of our complete guide to the best Things to do in Margaret River.
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