It’s super easy to escape the city and get ‘off grid’ in Perth, with plenty of options less than 100km away from the
centre of town.
It's super easy to escape the city and get 'off grid' in Perth, with plenty of options less than 100km away from the centre of town. In our sometimes crazy heat, we recommend you head to one of these locations – their proximity to water makes cooling off easy as.
LANE POOLE RESERVE
Perfect for first-time campers, this spot has it all – several campgrounds to choose from, an undercover camp kitchen (with gas barbecues, cold collected rainwater, and dining benches), incredible forest to cycle and bushwalk in, and activities galore at the nearby Murray River. Go fishing, canoeing and kayaking, or swim in waterfalls and deep, still pools along the way. Dwellingup's also nearby for an emergency coffee break.
Lane Poole Reserve, Dwellingup.
ROTTO
Camping at Rotto gets you just far enough away from the city, yet with heaps of cafe and shopping options so you're not totally cut off. The campgrounds were given a makeover in 2013, with 43 non-powered, sand-covered sites, new ablution blocks and a camp kitchen. Chances are you won't spend much time at the sites, though – being surrounded by water, you'll want to grab a bike and ride to one of the endless beaches (or chill out at the pub).
Rottnest Island Camping Ground.
SERPENTINE FALLS
Beautifully situated in the foothills of the Darling Ranges, this is for campers who like a view. The campsite is well spread out over grassland and under shady trees, and close to all necessary amenities (barbecues, ablution blocks, laundry and kitchen). The main attraction here is obviously the Serpentine Falls – bathe under the cascading waterfall and jump off the rocks into the dam. From there, it's a short drive to the Millbrook Winery, and Action Paintball (though maybe not in that order…).
Serpentine Falls and National Park, Serpentine.
WILBINGA
This is beach camping at its finest. Find this completely isolated and untouched gem of a spot just north of Yanchep, though be prepared: access is only by 4WD (beware the soft sand) and there are no luxury amenities at hand – it's just you, the sand and the water. Those who get a wee bit excited about the DIY camping set up will froth on this. Camping here is free, beach fishing is abundant, and dogs are allowed. Try not to spread the word on this one too much or we'll be in trouble.
Wilbinga Campground, Two Rocks.