June 2026 - Travel nut

Free camping in the Avon Valley: best spots to stay overnight

Discover the best free camping and RV‑friendly overnight spots across the Avon Valley. A quick guide to peaceful riverside stops, bush settings and convenient rest areas we’ve explored in the region.

Beverley

We always enjoy stopping in Beverley, especially for its beautiful nature reserve where I regularly check on the orchids. Like many small Avon Valley towns, Beverley offers a 24‑hour RV stop, and we’ve found it to be a peaceful, welcoming spot in a quiet township.
You can stay for up to 72 hours, and the area is well set up with picnic tables, toilets, shelters and bins. It’s an ideal stop if you’re self‑sufficient and want to explore the Avon Valley or Beverley itself. With its gliding club and growing astrotourism scene, the town has more to offer than you might expect from a small outback community.

Northam

Katrine Crossing Campground (also known as Katrine Viveash Reserve) is a lovely free camping spot in the Avon Valley, just 10 minutes from Northam and right off the Northam–Toodyay Road. The campground itself is a simple clearing among the trees, but the setting on the banks of the Avon River makes it feel special. Facilities are great for a free site — flushing toilets, water, picnic tables and good mobile reception. Some areas are a bit tight for caravans and not all sites are level, but we still found a comfortable spot for the night.

Free camping near Northam in the Avon Valley

It’s an excellent overnight stop when exploring the Avon Valley. Just keep an eye out for the turn‑off, especially in the dark — it’s easy to miss! The entrance is just before Katrine Road, if you travel from Northam.

York

If you are looking for a free camping spot near York, we recommend Gwambygine Rest Area. It is 10km, south of York, and it is very lovely. The campground is spacious and set right along the Avon River Ascent, giving it a peaceful, scenic feel.

Facilities are great for a free overnight stop — flushing toilets, picnic tables, BBQs, shelter, bins and water, and it’s pet friendly too. The only downside is that fires aren’t permitted, but with the rain during our stay, we wouldn’t have had one anyway.

There’s a 24‑hour limit, which makes it perfect for a quick stop while exploring the Avon Valley region. It’s also very easy to find, located just 11 km south of York on Great Southern Highway.

A simple, convenient and comfortable place for an overnight stay.

Lake Dumbleyung

Dumbleyung, like many Wheatbelt towns, is steeped in history. This South Wheatbelt community is known for two standout features. One is Lake Dumbleyung. The other is the Blue Bird — the speedboat in which Donald Campbell set a new world water‑speed record on Lake Dumbleyung in 1964. To this day, he remains the only person to break both the World Land Speed Record and the World Water Speed Record in the same year.

As we drove through town, we noticed a sign in the window of the local pub offering free camping, along with free showers and toilets. It sounded like an incredibly generous deal. We assume the idea is that you buy dinner or at least a drink in return. We didn’t try it ourselves, but definitely made a mental note. If you’re passing through and need an overnight stop, it’s worth checking out.

And of course, the “Dunny” sign caught my eye — not every loo comes with its own painted artwork 😊.

Lake Dumbleyung

Lake Dumbleyung is the main attraction in the town that shares its name. It’s the largest natural inland lake in Western Australia, and its water levels shift dramatically depending on seasonal rainfall. Because the lake is so vast, its depth varies too. Some sections remain as salty flats, while others hold substantial water. In good years, the lake can reach depths of around 4.5 metres. Fittingly, the name Dumbleyung comes from the Aboriginal word dambeling, meaning “large lake”.

Today, most of Lake Dumbleyung is protected as a nature reserve, supporting local wildlife. When water levels allow, parts of the lake are also used for recreational activities. Visitors will find excellent picnic facilities, including toilets, tables, and non‑drinking water. Camping isn’t permitted, but it’s a lovely spot to stop for a picnic.

While the picnic area sits at the lower end of the driveway, a short climb leads to Pussy Cat Hill Lookout and the Donald Campbell Memorial.

From the top, you’re rewarded with sweeping views across the lake and surrounding landscape.

View from Pussy Cat Hill Lookout over Lake Dumbleyung

Queerearrup Lake

Queerearrup Lake is a peaceful picnic and free‑camping area between Wagin and Woodanilling in the Great Southern Region of WA. It was once a favourite local spot for water‑skiing and swimming but now it is too shallow for these activities. Nevertheless, it is a beautiful lake, which turns into absolute magic during sunrise and sunset.

Camping and picnic at Queerearrup Lake

The facilities at Queerearrup Lake are excellent and include toilets, BBQs, shelters, picnic tables, non‑drinking water and bins. The main camping area is quite small and better suited to caravans, trailers or rooftop tents, as there’s not much privacy for ground tents.

We ended up finding a lovely clearing about 500 metres further along, right on the edge of the lake, and stayed there for two nights over Easter in 2026.

Being so close to the water and watching both sunrise and sunset over the salt lake felt incredibly special.

During our stay at the lake, we watched nearby farmers carrying out stubble burning. As the smoke drifted across the landscape, it created a striking effect — its soft haze was mirrored perfectly on the still surface of the lake.

Here is a short reel about Queerearrup lake.