WA various parks

straydingo

Well-Known Member
Jul 4, 2011
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Melbourne
After our last trip I'll add a few parks in:
Esperance Seafront Caravan Park -
quite a large park with good clean facilities scattered around. The van sites are set back from the road by about 50m of grassed play area. On the other side of the road is the foreshore. So for those who get the first row of site get some great views (sunrise over the water), but the further back just gets other vans to look at. We booked in advance and was given the option. (we were in the Swan, but some large vans were also in that row, so expandas fine) The office shop is well stocked and staff was very helpful and friendly. The kids enjoyed the playground and grassed are to kick the ball without upsetting anyone. Park entry via a swipe pass. Would happily stay there again.:thumb:

Albany Emu Beach Holiday Park
A bit out of town, and was hard to find at night (GPS had us zig zagging all over the place). Again a pleasant park, a couple of large abulution blocks which were clean and well maintained. Large laundries in both, but a bit pricy for the machines. The park was quiet being out of town. Staff was friendly and helpful. Kids playground was for small kids, but ours still made use of it. There was a pillow and minigolf, but we didn't make use of those. Power and water was a site and a half away for us, but sullage right next to us.

Fonty Pool and Caravan Park - Manjimup
A great little park in Manjimup, half way between Albany and Bussleton. We stayed there after visiting the Tree Top walk place. The facilities were somewhat more basic, but still maintained twice a day. The internal roads )of what there were) were graveled and site just grass. There was power and water, but I can't remember if a sullage point.... Lots of (friendly) bird life. The kids enjoyed the playground until it was too dark to see.
The main focus of the park is Fontys Pool which is basically a swimming pool fed off a river. There's a good story behind it. I'd expect it to be very busy in summer, and looked like it would be great to use. For us, it was 2 degrees overnight (but I don't think we can blame the park for that), so some great shots of the mist off the water in sunrise. Would very happily stay there again.
In town is the Timber and Heritage Park which was good (and free) with displays, wildflowers, trees, birds, and a small timber workers village display thing.

Koombana Bay Holiday Resort - Bunbury
As a caravan park for a night or two, it was acceptable, but I didn't find it highly impressive. It does seem to caters more as a 'resort' as the name implies so plenty of activities available (usually for an extra cost). Again across the road from the foreshore and close to the Dolphin Centre. Facilities were ok, but l thought a bit limited, and the showers didn't feel 'clean', just that little bit uncomfortable if you know what I mean. If the park were full, I think they'd struggle. Facilities were keyed with one key only for the family. Park entry via a swipe pass. Would stay there again, but would try somewhere else first. I could be biased as I was also annoyed I couldn't find a cheap fish and chip shop and paid a fortune for crappy little strips of batter with some specks of seafood impregnated....but I digress

Karrinyup Waters Resort - Gwelup (north of Perth)
Unlike above, it didn't seem like a resort, just a park. Very nice place tho. Quite large, and full when we were there. Yet again, we were in a site across the road from their (non-swimming) lake. (just luck of the draw this time), so wasn't bad for us. Some of the other vans seemed a little packed in tho The swans regularly visited looking for food, but had just hatched a brood so dad was aggressive. They cater well for camping sites, so the camp kitchen was very large with many clean bbqs and several sinks (but one plug). Facilities were good and generally clean, and several blocks in the park. The kids weren't overly impressed by the playground, but did enjoy the pool. Park entry via a coded keypad. Would happily stay there again.

Cervantes Pinnacles Beachfront Caravan Park - Cervantes
If you want to see the Pinnacles in sunrise or sunset, this is the only place nearby. It was a fairly simple park, located just in a bit from the ocean (but we didn't go down to the water). Possibly limited for numbers for vans so I'd book first. Facilities were clean and maintained and there was a large kitchen room with stove, sinks, bench tables and a tv. The single ablution block was via a key. The new road up from Perth was just opening when we were there which will mean access is easier, so will maybe get busier???

Murchison Park caravan Park - Kalbarri
Again a nice park, but nothing outstanding. For a park with much fall, all sites were basically level with concreted pads. Walking distance to town, and across the road from the beach (the inlet, so calm). Helpful friendly staff. I think there was just the one ablution block which was clean but could do with an update. Those who had vans right next to it would probably get fed up with the squeeky hinges and the back of the doors on the auto-closer.EEEEEEEEK....BANG! Our site was next to a walkway to the toilets, so everyone had to pass us, but the power was on the other site of the path. So either the lead just sat across the path and trips everyone, or we got creative and strung it from one tree to another to another until we could get it back to the van. Would stay there again, but would probably try somewhere else first.

Denham Seaside Tourist Village - Denham
Just a flying one night stop over so we could do the dolphins the next day, so limited in our experience. The park was fine, good facilities, but no hot water in the camp kitchen, so had to get it elsewhere. (may've been the fish cleaning sink) We got there in the first Saturday of the school holidays and it was already quite busy. I'm not sure if it was intentional, but there seemed to be two areas set up - one for the school holiday crowd who were obviously staying there for a while and grey nomad/transient crowd, which worked well. Our area was one large gravel area with room for 20-30 vans. Yet again, by luck of the draw, our site was right next to the path leading down to the beach which was on the other side of the bushes behind us. (finding a common theme yet???) Would happily stay there again.

Mullewa Caravan Park - Mullewa
Ok, no waters edge here. Back inland again to find the mystical wreath flowers. A simple council run park. Some sites were drive through and some were back-in. First in best dressed. The facilities were simple but clean and adequate. It wasn't a large park, and bookings not available. (in fact, turn up, set up, and before you leave town stop at the local Ampol to pay your (very cheap) fees). No staff on site. It was simple, it was quiet, it was dark, and it was quite nice. Would happily stay there again for a few days and just do nothing.
And yes, we found the flowers - they notice board was regularly updated with a map to show the locations.:thumb:

Northam Caravan Park - Northam

A smallish park, next to a reasonably used train line. There was nothing specifically wrong with it, but I just didn't feel comfortable there. The sites were gravel and level, if not full you could drive through the one behind to get to yours. The toilets were simple, but due for an update, and felt a little unclean (?) There were only two showers, so if the park was full, you'd be waiting. Could stay there again, but would probably try somewhere else first.

Kalgoorlie Accommodation Village - Kalgoorlie
A large park and quite busy/full when we were there (which was during school holiday). We were next to the camp kitchen, which was in constant use, but it didn't bother us in any way (other than waking to the smell of eggs and bacon - which we didn't get any of). Facilites were fine, toilets and showers were big enough to cope, but maybe another washing machine or two as these were in constant use and if you didn't stand next to it, you might find your washing piled on a bench (if lucky) Likewise clothes lines, and people take your pegs....but I digress again.:nono: There was a swimming pool which looked quite inviting, and a strip of grass near the camp kitchen. Would happily stay there again.

Andrew