Camping North Of Perth

gday Wayne

One place i know that is really popular is sandy cape, its about 10kms north off jurien. Its sign posted on the idian ocean drive. The only thing is with the campfires most places wont let you have one because a few idiots reck it for the rest of us. You can ring the shire of dandarigan i think it is, and speak to them. Long weekends you have to get there 1 or 2 days early because it fills up real quik. There is a longdrop dunny and thats it. We got there on a thursday before a monday long weekend and got the last spot, thats how popular it is, awsome spot though. There are a few 4wd tracks north and south of sandy cape but i havnt had a 4wd to explore them with but ive been told there is some nice quiet spota around the area. hope this helps. Camps 6 is a great book to get, worth the money.

trev

Hi Wayne,

Yes, I second the motion for Sandy Cape which is just past Jurien Bay. Track on your left about 20 clicks out of town. We went there recently and the main campsites were full so opted to explore some of the 4 x 4 tracks (left turn just after the info bay) and we found a magic spot between 2 peppy trees with the beach just a short stroll over the dunes behind us. There is also easy beach access with your rig around here if you prefer to park up on the beach to fish. We only saw 1 other vehicle that whole 3 days come past us even though the main campgrounds were full. Plenty of rigs on the beach though.Seek and ye shall find! With regards to fires, the spot that we found had evidence of a small fire place there but there are plenty of signs that warn against it. People obviously do but we weren't willing to risk a fine. Phone the ranger for clarification.

Another great spot that's much closer to Perth is the Wilbinga area. Lots of space here to find your own spot but again really busy long weekends. Have explored this area a lot recently and there are several access points off Wanneroo Road heading up towards Guilderton. There is a left hand turn just after the turn off to the Gravity Discover Centre and also access via the rest stop about 10 ks further up the road. It's quite a way in but it's a fun track though you'll need to drop your tyre pressures significantly as you get closer to the coast as the sand gets pretty soft. There's heaps of spots dotted along the dunes and the fishing is good. We were there last weekend and there were a few other people around but not crowded by any stretch. Everyone had fires going in the evening as well. One thing about this place though....please take your litter out with you. There are no bins around and I was horrified at the amount of rubbish in the dunes especially empty beer bottles. People that do this do not deserve to enjoy a place like this! We spent half an hour with a garbage bag cleaning up our spot so we could enjoy it without stepping on other "people's" rubbish! Enjoy but respect.

Have fun

Thanks all.....
I've got an idea that could very well suit everyone including the shires... If you have an area like "Cervantes" or "Wilbinga" that is suitable for generations of camping, 4WD and fishing, why not then set up a program whereby you pay for a "stamp" or "sticker" from the respective shire(even by web or mail).. For this stamp/sticker you get information from the shire which would include warnings about littering, protection of flora and fauna, creating a "safe" fire, etc.. Then the word gets out to all on do's and don'ts, the money you pay goes towards policing the area, and after signage is posted if you are caught camping there without going throuh the shire and paying a small fee, that you can then be fined by the shire.. That way even people doing the right thing could report those trashing the place or any other improper behavior.

I'd give $20.00 or even more for this as long as the shire was making an effort to be realistic and supportive...

I was fishing up in Cervantes after the signage went up there. Met one of the hoteliers on the beach and he thought it was the biggest load of crap he had ever seen in all his years.. To my knowledge he's still in there fighting for us.. Best of luck to him. I'd like to return to the hills/dunes around Cervantes one day with my family, my fishing rods, and some fire wood to get cozy for an evening or two... Memories!!!!!!!!!!!!