Camping on Australia's Coral Coast

Australia's Coral Coast runs from Lancelin all the way up to Exmouth, taking in the Shark Bay World Heritage Site and Ningaloo, Australia's largest fringing reef. It is a long stretch of coast, so it is easier to pick one part of it: the reef in the north, Shark Bay in the middle, or the gorges and beaches around Kalbarri and Geraldton further south.

Where is the best place to camp on Australia's Coral Coast?

For Ningaloo, stay in Exmouth or at Coral Bay, where Peoples Park Caravan Village puts you where the reef comes closest to shore, or camp inside Cape Range National Park next to Exmouth. Denham is the town for Shark Bay, Carnarvon sits in the middle with the most to do in one place, and further south, Kalbarri's Tasman Holiday Park has more facilities confirmed than any other park on the coast. Around Geraldton, the Cape Burney parks are a short walk from the beach.

What is there to do on Australia's Coral Coast with kids?

At Ningaloo, whale sharks visit from March to August, along with dolphins, manta rays and humpback whales. Carnarvon has the most in one place: the Gwoonwardu Mia cultural centre and the space and technology centre are close to town, and out on Babbage Island the railway station museum sits beside the old lighthouse keeper's cottage. Up at Denham, the Shark Bay Discovery Centre explains what you might see on the water, and in Geraldton, the WA Museum is a short drive from the Cape Burney parks.

• Chiverton House Museum – Museums and history, Northampton. Closest campground: Northampton Caravan Park, under 1 km
• Shark Bay Discovery Centre – Museums and history, Denham. Closest campground: Blue Dolphin Caravan Park and Holiday Village, under 1 km
• Carnamah Museum – Museums and history, Carnamah. Closest campground: Carnamah Caravan Park, under 1 km
• Bank Gallery – Museums and history, Carnamah. Closest campground: Carnamah Caravan Park, under 1 km
• Perenjori Visitors Centre and Pioneer Museum – Museums and history, Perenjori. Closest campground: Perenjori Caravan Park, under 1 km
• Russ Cottage – Museums and history, Port Denison. Closest campground: Seaspray Beach Holiday Park, 1 km
• Monsignor Hawes Heritage Centre Museum – Museums and history, Geraldton. Closest campground: Belair Gardens Caravan Park, 3 km
• Geraldton Botanic Garden – Gardens and outdoors, Geraldton. Closest campground: Belair Gardens Caravan Park, 3 km
• Morawa Historical Society Museum – Museums and history, Morawa. Closest campground: Morawa Short Stay Tourist Park, under 1 km
• Gwoonwardu Mia – Museums and history, Carnarvon. Closest campground: Coral Coast Tourist Park, under 1 km
• Historical Museum – Museums and history, Mingenew. Closest campground: Mingenew Spring Caravan Park, under 1 km
• Carnarvon Space & Technology Centre – Museums and history, Brown Range. Closest campground: Capricorn Holiday Park Carnarvon, under 1 km
• Koobabbie Precinct – Museums and history, Coorow. Closest campground: Coorow Caravan Park, under 1 km
• Cervantes Historical Society Museum – Museums and history, Cervantes. Closest campground: RAC Cervantes Holiday Park, under 1 km
• Hal Waltons Tractor Museum – Museums and history, Carnamah. Closest campground: Carnamah Caravan Park, under 1 km
• Historic Lighthouse Keepers Cottage Museum – Museums and history, Babbage Island. Closest campground: Coral Coast Tourist Park, 3 km
• Museum of Geraldton – Museums and history, Geraldton. Closest campground: Belair Gardens Caravan Park, 3 km
• Railway Station Museum – Museums and history, Babbage Island. Closest campground: Coral Coast Tourist Park, 3 km
• Geraldton Heritage Precinct, Ngurra Barlunguu – Museums and history, Geraldton. Closest campground: Belair Gardens Caravan Park, 3 km
• Aquatic Centre - Shire of Three Springs – Swimming, Three Springs. Closest campground: Three Springs Short Stay Caravan Park, under 1 km
• Eneabba Swimming Pool – Swimming, Eneabba. Closest campground: Eneabba Overnight Stay, under 1 km
• Morawa Swimming Pool – Swimming, Morawa. Closest campground: Morawa Short Stay Tourist Park, under 1 km

What are the best walks and lookouts on Australia's Coral Coast?

Along the coast, lookouts such as Lancelin Lookout, the 3 Bays Lookout and the Obelisk Lookout give the big views over the water.

• Obelisk Lookout – Lookout. Closest campground: Dongara-Denison Tourist Park, under 1 km
• 3 Bays Lookout – Lookout. Closest campground: Green Head Caravan Park, under 1 km
• Termite Mounds – Lookout. Closest campground: Free night park, under 1 km
• Lancelin Lookout – Lookout. Closest campground: Lancelin North End Caravan Park, under 1 km
• John Forrest Lookout – Lookout. Closest campground: John Forrest Lookout, under 1 km
• Anchorage Bay Lookout – Lookout. Closest campground: Green Head Caravan Park, under 1 km

When is the best time to go camping on Australia's Coral Coast?

Winter is the comfortable time to go, with highs around 22 degrees in July, and it lines up with the whale shark season at Ningaloo, which runs from March to August. The school holidays fall in the same months, so book the town parks early.

Are there powered sites on Australia's Coral Coast?

Yes. 35 campgrounds here have powered sites confirmed, including Tasman Holiday Park, Tasman Holiday Parks - Denham Seaside and Exmouth Cape Holiday Park. For the rest we are still confirming, so check with the park or holiday park before you book a powered site.

Facts from Wikipedia, "Gascoyne" (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Map of campgrounds on Australia's Coral Coast

91 campgrounds

• Tasman Holiday Park — Kalbarri, WA. caravan sites, drinking water, dump point, powered sites, showers, tent sites, toilets, wheelchair accessible, wifi
• Tasman Holiday Parks - Denham Seaside — Denham, WA. accessible toilets, drinking water, dump point, powered sites, showers, tent sites, toilets, wifi
• Exmouth Cape Holiday Park — Exmouth, WA. drinking water, dump point, powered sites, showers, tent sites, toilets, wifi
• Mingenew Spring Caravan Park — Mingenew, WA. camp kitchen, caravan sites, laundry, powered sites, showers, tent sites, toilets
• Morawa Short Stay Tourist Park — Morawa, WA. camp kitchen, caravan sites, dump point, laundry, showers, tent sites, toilets
• Nerren Nerren — Nerren Nerren, WA. accessible toilets, caravan sites, dump point, picnic shelter, picnic tables, tent sites, toilets
• RAC Cervantes Holiday Park — Cervantes, WA. drinking water, dump point, powered sites, toilets, wheelchair accessible, wifi
• The Junction Pub and Tourist Park — Gascoyne Junction, WA. camp kitchen, caravan sites, powered sites, showers, tent sites, toilets
• Western Flora Caravan Park — Arrowsmith, WA. camp kitchen, caravan sites, laundry, powered sites, showers, toilets
• Discovery Parks - Carnarvon — Kingsford, WA. drinking water, dump point, powered sites, toilets, wifi
• Galena South — Ajana, WA. accessible toilets, dump point, picnic shelter, picnic tables, toilets
• Geraldton Caravan Park — Waggrakine, WA. caravan sites, dump point, laundry, tent sites, toilets
• Lyndon River — Minilya, WA. accessible toilets, dump point, picnic shelter, picnic tables, toilets
• Ningaloo Caravan and Holiday Resort — Exmouth, WA. drinking water, dump point, powered sites, toilets, wifi
• Belair Gardens Caravan Park — West End, WA. powered sites, tent sites, wheelchair accessible, wifi
• Dongara-Denison Tourist Park — Port Denison, WA. dump point, powered sites, tent sites, wifi
• Double Beach Caravan Park — Cape Burney, WA. dump point, powered sites, tent sites, wheelchair accessible
• Half Way Mill Caravan Park — Warradarge, WA. laundry, powered sites, showers, toilets
• Perenjori Caravan Park — Perenjori, WA. caravan sites, powered sites, showers, toilets
• Shark Bay Caravan Park — Denham, WA. drinking water, powered sites, toilets, wifi
• Three Springs Short Stay Caravan Park — Three Springs, WA. caravan sites, showers, tent sites, toilets
• Wagoe Chalets & Camping Area — Yallabatharra, WA. caravan sites, showers, tent sites, toilets
• Yardie Homestead Caravan Park — North West Cape, WA. drinking water, dump point, powered sites, toilets
• Bush Bay — Inggarda, WA. caravan sites, dump point, tent sites
• Bush Camp — East Lyons River, WA. caravan sites, powered sites, tent sites
• Drummonds Cove Holiday Park — Buller, WA. powered sites, tent sites, wifi
• Kalbarri Anchorage Caravan Park — Kalbarri, WA. caravan sites, powered sites, tent sites
• Kalbarri Tudor Holiday Park — Kalbarri, WA. powered sites, tent sites, wifi
• Osprey Bay — Cape Range National Park, WA. caravan sites, tent sites, wifi
• Peoples Park Caravan Village — Coral Bay, WA. drinking water, powered sites, toilets
• Coorow Caravan Park — Coorow, WA. dump point, powered sites
• Coral Coast Tourist Park — Carnarvon, WA. powered sites, wifi
• Edaggee Rest Area — Wooramel, WA. dump point, toilets
• Eneabba Overnight Stay — Eneabba, WA. showers, toilets
• Experience Lancelin Holiday Park — Lancelin, WA. pets allowed, powered sites
• Galena Bridge Rest Area South (Murchison River) — Ajana, WA. dump point, toilets
• Hamelin Outback Station Stay — Hamelin Pool, WA. caravan sites, tent sites
• Kurrajong — Cape Range National Park, WA. caravan sites, tent sites
• Mesa Campground — Cape Range National Park, WA. caravan sites, tent sites
• Minilya — Minilya, WA. caravan sites, tent sites
• North Kurrajong — Cape Range National Park, WA. caravan sites, tent sites
• Northampton Caravan Park — Northampton, WA. powered sites, wifi
• Seaspray Beach Holiday Park — Dongara, WA. powered sites, tent sites
• Temple Gorge Campground — Kennedy Range, WA. caravan sites, tent sites
• Wooramel Riverside Retreat — Wooramel, WA. dump point, toilets
• Yardie Creek — Cape Range National Park, WA. caravan sites, tent sites
• Big Lagoon — Denham, WA. tent sites
• Billabong Homestead Hotel Motel — Meadow, WA. powered sites
• Blue Dolphin Caravan Park and Holiday Village — Denham, WA. powered sites
• Capricorn Holiday Park Carnarvon — Brown Range, WA. powered sites
• Carnarvon Caravan Park — Kingsford, WA. powered sites
• Green Head Caravan Park — Green Head, WA. toilets
• Horrocks Beach Caravan Park — Horrocks, WA. powered sites
• Milligan Island Camping Node — Leeman, WA. toilets
• Miners Camp — Holmwood, WA. toilets
• Nanga Bay Resort — Nanga, WA. powered sites
• Ningaloo Coral Bay - Bayview — Coral Bay, WA. powered sites
• Norwesta Lifestyle Park — East Carnarvon, WA. powered sites
• Port Gregory Caravan Park — Gregory, WA. powered sites
• Red Bluff Campsite — Macleod, WA. toilets
• Wooramel Roadhouse Caravan Park — Wooramel, WA. tent sites
• 3 Mile Camp — Macleod, WA
• BIG4 Plantation Caravan Park — Kingsford, WA
• Bungarra — Cape Range National Park, WA
• Carnamah Caravan Park — Carnamah, WA
• Coronation Beach — Howatharra, WA
• Dongara East Rest Area — Yardarino, WA
• Dongara-Denison Beach Holiday Park — Port Denison, WA
• Exmouth Overflow Camp Grounds — Exmouth, WA
• Free night park — Exmouth Gulf, WA
• Gnaraloo Station — Macleod, WA
• Hamelin Pool Caravan Park — Hamelin Pool, WA
• John Forrest Lookout — Rothsay, WA
• Jurien Bay Tourist Park — Jurien Bay, WA
• Karda Campground — Hill River, WA
• Lancelin North End Caravan Park — Lancelin, WA
• Leander Reef Holiday Park — Port Denison, WA
• Leeman Caravan Park — Leeman, WA
• Mullewa Caravan Park — Mullewa, WA
• Neds Campground — Cape Range National Park, WA
• New Beach — Inggarda, WA
• North Mandu — Cape Range National Park, WA
• Outback Oasis Caravan Park Carnarvon — East Carnarvon, WA
• S-Bend Caravan Park — South Greenough, WA
• Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef — Cape Range National Park, WA
• Sandy Point — Lyndon, WA
• Smoke Bush Reserve — Hill River, WA
• Sunset Beach Holiday Park — Sunset Beach, WA
• Visitors camping area — East Lyons River, WA
• Wandoo Reserve — Hill River, WA
• Yonga Campground — Warradarge, WA

Region boundary: ABS ASGS Edition 3 Tourism Regions 2021 (Tourism Research Australia), CC BY 4.0.