As our travels led us up and down the west coast of Australia over the last 18 + months, we were lucky enough to spend a lot of time in the lush South West region. It’s raw, rugged coastline with crystal clear water, vibey little towns & of course its lush forests, had us falling in love with this area time & time again.

A lot of our time here was spent deep in the woods, forest bathing the days away by the freshwater streams & cosying up around the campfire in the evenings. So, we have decided to compile our favourite forest camping spots in the South West so you can marvel in their beauty & relax fully into their peaceful embrace too. We hope you enjoy!

A 25 min drive SE of the Margaret River township, this gem of a spot is located in the lush Blackwood River National Park. The campsites have access to the brook and river for swimming, with a wide swimming access point setup with picnic tables & bench seats, just a short walk away through the trees. There are nine individual campsites close to the river with fire pits on each, however, we often stayed in the group camp area as it had more open space per site and was extra quiet there when we visited.

Another amazing spot in the Margaret River region is Canebrake Pool. About a 30 minute drive from the township, it’s a beautiful natural jarrah environment with campsites perched right on the edge of the Margaret River. This forest spot is also great for swimming, with a large day use area & swimming access point alongside the nine individual campsites. A top tip for this spot is to check out the overflow area (down a short dirt road just across the road from the main entrance sign). We arrived late one afternoon to find all the sites fully occupied so we decided to check out the overflow area and ended up having this beautiful secluded spot all to ourselves, with its very own walk track along the river & easy swimming access points!

Located in the Warren National Park, just out of Pemberton, is this magical riverside campground. These sites are tucked away under the towering Karri trees, making you feel as though you’re in the middle of nowhere (in the best possible way!). It has great platforms to access the river from, so we spent a lot of our time here swimming in the freshwater & warming up on the platforms as the sun kissed our skin. It also has a great walking trail along the riverside with some beautiful, secluded spots to picnic at. If you are visiting the area near the end of the year, keep your eyes peeled for the boxes of avos for sale in the roadside stalls along the way!

Located in the heart of the Nannup State Forest, this amazing campsite is surrounded by tall trees and right next to some beautiful walking trails. It has a large open space grass area in the centre with 21 sites surrounding it, all of which are well sized and have their own fire pits. The bird life is abundant here and the spot itself is very peaceful and quiet, so waking up to the birdsong each morning was so magical. Be sure to take a stroll along the Bibbulmun track while you’re here.

Saving the best to last, this camp spot is arguably our favourite in the south west. Just a short and very scenic drive from the Pemberton township, it is hidden away in the lush karri forest, with lots of wildlife and incredible flora around, it has the most enchanting feel to it. We could easily have spent days on end soaking up all the beauty here. There is an incredible walking track that leads you through dense greenery to the Big Brook Dam, where a beach has been made for swimming access. We loved walking along this track in the afternoon so we could watch the golden light dance upon the leaves.

Things to note -

Fees - all of these campsites charge a fee for staying, from memory it was $11 per person per night, but be sure to check the signs to confirm.

Pets - all of the campsites listed above are pet friendly other than Draftys campsite (which we were lucky enough to visit before we got our pups!).

Phone Service - we had very little, or no service at all, in all of these spots as they are all off the beaten track a little. We found this to be a pleasant way to switch off & be fully immersed in the natural beauty around us but it’s worth noting so you can be prepared!

Campfires - be sure to pay close attention to the fire restrictions in each camp spot. Campfires are generally permitted between April15 and November 30 but are subject to change at any point.

Rubbish - please leave each spot better than you found it, most of these sites have rubbish bins but some do not so make sure you take all of your rubbish (and any other rubbish you see) out with you. Let’s keep these incredible natural sites nice for everyone to enjoy.