Streaky Bay to Esperance and in-between...

[DWWood]

Hi guys,

Doing 4 weeks from Melb to Margaret River over the July school holidays next year and looking for some input/advice on van parks to stay in between Streaky Bay and Esperance please. I have Wiki-camps app but always nice to get peoples recommendations and their experiences.

By the time the trip comes around we will have a portable shower and hopefully a grey water tank so some free parks would be good however not a requirement. Kids like a pool and jumping pillow etc.

Interested in Cape Le Grand especially. Got a 4WD and Outback so off the beaten track can be done to.

Cheers, DW.

 

[bigcol]

well now.......................
if you turn left just after Balladonia, you head to Israelite Bay... not been there for about 100 years (1975 - way back in the Dreaming Time)
from there you have a good run to Esperence -
near Cape Le Grand is
Duke Of Orleans Bay- fan-freaking-tastic, the sand "squeaks" when you walk on it, Cvan park looks ok - not stayed myself, but have heard good reports
Lucky Bay is a Mecca for a lot of Grey nomads - you will get in (sometimes) as there is not alot of camping area there - as some of the buggers dont move on........

there is a couple of Cvan parks in Esperence
Esperence Seafront Caravan park - not nice when the wind is blowing sand at your Van........
Pine Grove Cvan park - never stayed there - cannot comment
Esperence Bay Holiday Park (Big4) on Dempster St near the Port Authority, stayed there several times and love it
got grass, big fence around it, 2min walk to the water - love it........(biased I know)

if your heading to Albany before Marg River.......
next stop would be Bremer Bay - another fan-freaking-tastic place
then Albany
then up to Margs

if you want to see Wave Rock etc.......
just after Ravensthorpe turn right and head to Hyden (Wave Rock)
then down to Lake Grace, then Dumbleyung (world record water speed - on Lake Dumbleyung) Wagin, Arthur River, Bridgetown, Nannup,
from Nannup to Margs, there is Big Valley Caravan Park - quite nice
and your 10 mins to Margaret River


hope this helps...........

 

[Dobbie]

Duke of Orleans is marvellous!

Stayed there as we couldn't get into Lucky Bay but glad that was the case. Easy day drive to see the national park and even better to leave the tourists on the beach and retreat to peace and quiet at D o f O.

We intended to stay a couple of nights and left over a week later.

Highly recommended.

 

[DWWood]

Cheers. Duke or Orleans was one park that I saw on Wiki-camps that I had set aside as a definite.

Having never crossed the Nullabor before, is it really only the roadhouse at Cocklebiddy worth staying at? Is there anything at Eucla?

 

[Dobbie]

All Nullarbor roadhouses are very basic but adequate.

There's a good caravan park at Fraser's Range on the western end which is worth visiting.... a working property with a newish van park a really great facilities, including food.

Belladonna, Nullarbor roadhouse, Madura(?) all ok but only good to give you a safer place but nothing to really recommend as we found some had few facilities and water restrictions.

There's one on the eastern end that I rate the worse caravan park I've ever seen ...Nundroo. No working toilets, no showers and the locals got very agitated as they came in for supplies. And the flies! It's the only place we've been where everyone was out by 6am ...just wanted to get out of there!

There's a small free camp just east of the Nullarbor roadhouse, on the road to Head of the Bight that looked OK.

We had to frequent these parks as there was a mouse plague and a total fire ban so, while we used free camps as well, the mice freaked us out.

But the Nullarbor experience is not to be missed and all the beauty and remoteness is stunning.

 

[NoWorries]

Make sure Denmark is on your list of places to stay Ocean Beach Caravan Park is nice for the Kids
We stayed at the Pink Lake Caravan park in Esperance and the kids liked it (bouncy pillow)
They were renovating the camp sites in the Nat Park in Jan this year.

 

[DWWood]

Thanks, been recommended to stay at Denmark instead of Albany and that's from someone who lives in Albany.

@NoWorries do they allow firepits at Pink Lakes CP do you remember?

 

[Dobbie]

We found Wikicamps invaluable ...and still do...so I'd keep checking on your options as you get closer in both time and place.

Most of the updated comments give a fairly accurate idea ....eg Nullarbor roadhouse was having all its bathrooms retiled when we went through so it wasn't much of a surprise to find only half were available for use.

Nobody warned us about Nundaroo....and I can't even face the thought of checking it out again.

I thought all the parks in Esperence didn't offer fire pits...but I could be wrong.

And I now remember that there were a few places between Esperence and Norseman that were quiet and looked promising; though, if you're staying in Esperence you won't want to stop too soon.

Fuel prices in Norseman are definately cheaper at the Caltex (I think) rather than the bigger roadhouse on the Nullarbor side of town.

 

[bigcol]

Make sure Denmark is on your list of places to stay Ocean Beach Caravan Park is nice for the Kids.

Thanks, been recommended to stay at Denmark instead of Albany and that's from someone who lives in Albany.

your kidding right................
rather drive on to
William Bay, Parryville, Bow Bridge, Peaceful Bay, Nornalup or Walpole

(I hate Denmark with a passion that borders on fanatical.....................with good reasons..............)

 

[cruza driver]

We need to catch up @DWWood we were over there last year ☺

 

[bigcol]

in all my years of travelling to Albany - I have yet to see that Lake pink..............
easier to go up towards Kalbarri - at Hutt River Lagoon - where it meets the Ocean - thats pink 99% of the time

 

[bigcol]

only good place near Denmark is Bartholomew's Meadery - well worth the stop

 

[bigcol]

we usually stay at Rose Gardens Cvan park - Emu Point
have stayed at
Middleton Beach once - meh
Albany Gardens (Big4 I think) so so
The Earl of Spencer (nice pub)

 

[DWWood]

Yep, bloke I ride with resides in Albany and recommends staying out of town, said Denmark was the spot.

Basically looking for parks that are good for kids and can preferably have firepits which seem to be a dying thing, assuming insurance (aka fun police) are killing that for us nowadays. Bush or beach don't worry us.

 

[DWWood]

I agree re Wikicamps @Dobbie but only so much you can glean from it!

 

[DWWood]

Sounds good @cruza driver the more info I can get the better the trip will be.

Brother in law did a lap about 10 years ago but from what he remembers of the trip I'm assuming have completely changed by now.

 

[NoWorries]

Thanks, been recommended to stay at Denmark instead of Albany and that's from someone who lives in Albany.

@NoWorries do they allow firepits at Pink Lakes CP do you remember?

I would not think so, but give them a call you never know your luck.

 

[NoWorries]

your kidding right................
rather drive on to
William Bay, Parryville, Bow Bridge, Peaceful Bay, Nornalup or Walpole

(I hate Denmark with a passion that borders on fanatical.....................with good reasons..............)

One day you will have to tell us about your Passionate Hate for Denmark and what caused it.
I agree with Peaceful Bay very nice Caravan Park (not the usual lines and lines of vans)

 

[mfexpanda]

your kidding right................
rather drive on to
William Bay, Parryville, Bow Bridge, Peaceful Bay, Nornalup or Walpole

(I hate Denmark with a passion that borders on fanatical.....................with good reasons..............)

@bigcol why don't you tell us what you realy think!

 

[willobee]

@bigcol you got me interested now too!