Staying overnight in WA roadside rest areas

melissa
try contacting warco asthey deling with our camping laws & would be able to give you factual information & not hearsay
Regards bruce

Mellisa,We have heard all the rules and regs but I have NEVER met anyone who has been made to move on in WA

Melissa
There's an excellent little publication (probably vaailable from this site) about campsites in WA (one with dogs also) that should explain rules and regs.

Melissa, I can't answer your question about WA but I had a look at your photos of your Patrol and camper trailer. Looks great and reads well.

I have a similar set up and was impressed with what you have done.

Safe travelling....Regards Graham...DOING IT! LOVING IT!

Hi Melissa,
Wife & i did from Roxby Downs in S.A. to Karatha and back down to perth doing roadside stop overs and had no problems at all. Most stops are sighned and with whats there ie: toilets, shade, light, 24hr and so on.The book camps Australia wide give you a fair bit of info, saved a heap of $$ and had a great time. Most stop overs had at least 1 or 2 campers as well, but the further up we got the more people stayed in them, have a good safe trip hope this helped.
Gary

Hidey ho,

a group of us, (four cars, six adults and 6 children) did the kimberlies circuit in October last year and we only paid for camping for a few nights in Broome. We used a publication "free camping in northern WA" ???? that listed all spots and amenities throughut the area, we never had any problems and would recomend it as some of the spots where absolutely glorious, (Saw pit gorge 30 ks out of halls creek springs immediatly to mind).camping and map shops should carry the publication and it is worth it's weight in gold.

Cheers

I hate to say it ... but there is only ONE region called he "KIMBERLEY" - ie NO "Kimberlies"
If you like the place, please use it's name. ;-)

Thanks to all who answered. We have a couple of free camping guides and find them invaluable. We've also travelled WA extensively and in our experience camping for free up north is easy as there are long distances between towns and plenty of crown land.

Down south of WA and in the wheatbelt regions its not so easy to find somewhere to stop. Some areas are not covered by the free camping books or alternatively we find a good spot that isn't in the books and wonder why not. That's why I was trying to clarify the laws.

:o) MelissaPetrol 4.5L GU Patrol &
Camprite TL8 offroad camper

Melissa,

I'm not sure on the exact laws regarding staying in road stops, however i can tell you that rangers/police/council people can request that you move on. As you would know, many road stops in the South West actually have signs saying 'NO CAMPING' or similar. I have always taken the view that if there is no sign preventing camping then I give it a go, assuming i don't know that it is not allowed in that area.

If you are stopping in a road stop and driving into the bush a bit off the road stop then you obviously need to be sure that you are not venturing onto someone's land or there could be trouble.

I have a contact in the DPI (Department of Planning and Infrastructure) and I will send him an email today and let you know what he responds with.

I'll get back to you soon.Cheers, Jono.

Sorry bout the pic, another one is on its way!!! GO THE SURF!!!!

If a ranger or similar try to move you on - inform them that in your opinion you are too tired to drive any further and have to sleep , if they insist then ask them for their number (for future legal action) , my info is that with current campaign re tired drivers etc that they will be reluctant to move you on.

Melissa,
There are two really excellent publications by Jan Holland (no relation) named Priceless Campsites & Rest Areas in the South of W.A. and same title in the North of W.A. They have GPS locations of the sites listed, plus a "mud map" of their location/s

We got our copies in a bookshop in Albany, so I expect that they would be readily available throughout.

Respecting the stopping in rest areas overnight we experienced no problems, though we were told that the local council at Kalbarri was a bit hot, but hey, what about the NSW RTA slogan "Rest, Revive, Survive". So long as you don't look like you are taking up permanent residence you should be right. Did hear a roadside story about a caravan park owner on the west coast playing at council ranger & telling people that they couldn't roadside camp within 40 km of a caravan park. So if in doubt ask for I.D. you are quite within your rights to do so.

We had a great trip up the WA coast except for a long weekend at Mary Pool Rest Area (between Hall's Creek & Fitzroy Crossing) where we encountered some motor bike morons on Harley's from Broome who stuffed up a real nice place by showing everyone what a moron really is.

Jan Holland has an e-mail address: campsite@start.com.au

We'll be back this year.

Dick Holland

Have heard nothing about Mary Pool being closed, it will be a shame if they are allowed to do so. What are the options Halls Creek CVP, wow! or Old Halls Creek CVP, wow again! I had to wait in Halls Creek for a long week end to get mail and we camped at Caroline Pool which is on the road to OldHalls Creek. One of the local cops put us onto that, but Halls Creek doesn't offer much unless you like crap blowing all over the place and drunks fighting.

We are going back to WA this June but are going from Alice Springs to Marble Bar via Kintore, so we won't be turning north when we hit the coast. Rather we will go south and come back east along the Trains Australia Railway access track.

Does anyone know how this is?

Dick

Dick