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Published
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26 September, 2024
Where to pull off the road when you need a short overnight stay.
For those road tripping with a caravan or campervan, pulling into a comfortable caravan park, with good facilities in a great location, is a welcome feeling at the end of a long drive.
But there may be times when you need to make a stop in between, either for unexpected reasons or just to break up the journey.
Fortunately, WA has a growing number of towns that offer RV-friendly short-stay sites. In addition to this, Main Roads WA manages a large number of 24-hour rest stops around the state.
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Most RV-friendly stops have very limited or no facilities, and so only allow self-contained vehicles. Most also don’t allow camper trailers or camping. But if you have all the necessary facilities on board, they can be a great option on the way to or from somewhere.
Here are some overnight rest stops to keep in mind when heading south from Perth.
Peel Region
Pinjarra
Pinjarra’s 24-hour RV rest area offers free overnight stays, with room for up to 15 caravans or other recreational vehicles. There is shade on site and a dump point nearby, but no other amenities, so, as with most overnight rest areas, you will need to be self-sufficient. The rest area is at 21 Pinjarra-Williams Road.
Mount Cooke, Darling Range
Glen Eagle Rest Area is 25km south-east of Armadale near Mount Cooke on Albany Highway. It’s an attractive location surrounded by tall trees. Mount Cooke is also the highest point in the Darling Range. The Munda Biddi cycle trail can be accessed from this area and the Bibbulmun Track is not far away either. There are accessible public toilets onsite and picnic tables. The turn-off into the rest area is on the left-hand side of the road when you’re travelling towards Albany from Perth.
Bannister
Another 56km past Glen Eagle on the same side of the road in Bannister, you’ll find another 24-hr rest area just past the Riverside Roadhouse. There are picnic tables at this location but no toilets or other facilities, so you’ll need to be self-sufficient.
North Bannister to Williams
If you’re travelling north towards Perth on Albany Highway, there are three other 24-hour rest stops between Williams and Bannister North. None have facilities other than picnic tables. There are also two 24-hour stops that are marked as being heavy-vehicle rest areas in this same stretch. These are intended as rest areas for heavy vehicle drivers only, unless marked otherwise.
Bunbury and Geographe
Capel
You can stay for 24 hours with no fee at Capel’s RV-friendly site on Berkshire Road. There are three sites available at the rest stop, which has a bitumen surface. Your caravan or campervan must be fully self-contained, with camping in tents not permitted.
Harvey
If you’re travelling through the Harvey Shire, you have three options for free rest stops: Brunswick Junction, Harvey township and Yarloop. In Brunswick, head for the town’s recreation ground off Ommaney Road. Harvey’s short-stay site is also located on the town’s recreation ground, off Sir James Avenue, and in Yarloop you can also park up at the recreational grounds. Each of these three locations offers a 48-hour stay for caravans and campervans, with a maximum of three RVs at each site. Bookings are essential and can be made online through the Shire of Harvey website.
Bunbury
You have two choices in Bunbury, both by the beach: Wyalup-Rocky Point and the Ocean Drive basketball courts. The maximum stay at both is 48 hours, and you must have a fully self-contained RV, including a plumbed-in toilet and sink. Dogs are allowed but must be on a leash at all times. Wyalup-Rocky Point has a maximum of four vehicles at any one time, while the Ocean Drive site has a limit of seven. Permits are required for both sites. Contact the Bunbury Visitor Centre for more details.
Southern Forests and Valleys
Boyup Brook
Boyup Brook’s Flax Mill Caravan Park on Jackson Street also has a short-stay option. If you stay in the section set aside for self-contained RVs, it’s just $5 per night per person and $7.00 per night for a couple, up to a maximum of 14 nights. There are no facilities in the short-stay area.
Greenbushes Pool
Greenbushes RV stop allows free stays of up to 72 hours for caravans and campervans. This scenic location overlooking a natural pool and surrounded by bushland, has barbeques, a playground, toilets, potable water, and covered seating. No pets are permitted. The site is signposted off Blackwood Road.
Bridgetown
Located next to the Bridgetown historical railway station, Bridgetown’s free RV stop allows self-contained campervans and caravans to stay for 24 hours, with four sites available. Visitors have access to water and a dump point, and the town centre is just a short walk away. Dogs are allowed on leash. The site can’t be booked, so stays are on a first-come first-served basis.
Southern
Cranbrook
If you need to pull in for an overnight stay on your way to the Stirling Range National Park, Cranbrook's RV stop on Gathorne Street, opposite Cranbrook Hotel, welcomes all self-contained caravans and campervans. A fee of $5 applies for an overnight stay, with permits available from the Cranbrook Shire Office.
Kojonup
The Kojonup RV stop allows stays of up to three nights for a small fee. There is potable water and a dump point just nearby at the Railway Station Reserve. Dogs are welcome but must always be on leash. Generators are not permitted, so you must be self-sufficient in terms of power. The cost is just $5 per night, with permits available at the Kojonup Visitor Centre. The Kojonup Rest Area is located on the corner of Albany Highway and Gordon Street.
