Campground facilities

Facilities at most campgrounds are very basic but the wide range of camping gear and gadgets available ensure that you can still enjoy many of the conveniences of modern living while camping.

If you prefer to camp with a higher level of facilities or even in luxury, other accommodation options in WA parks include holiday parks and safari-style glamping.

Search for places to stay with the facilities you need

Toilets in campgrounds are usually 'bush toilets' with no water for flushing or hand washing. Toilet paper is often provided but bring your own, just in case.

Where a campground does not have toilet facilities, campers must bring their own portable cassette chemical toilet. 

Where portable cassette chemical toilets are required, campers cannot stay without one. Rangers conduct regular patrols and may ask you to leave the campground if you do not have a suitable portable chemical toilet. 

‘Thunder boxes’ or buckets are not suitable as toilets. Toilet chemical bags are not permitted. It must be a sealed unit.

Waste needs to be disposed of appropriately. Facilities to dump waste from portable chemical toilets are available at a small number of campgrounds.

Waste from portable chemical toilets must not be dumped in campground toilets. Use the National Public Toilet Map website to search for dump points.

Most campgrounds do not have drinking water. Collected rain water or bore water may be available at some campgrounds. Supply may be seasonal and is not guaranteed. Campers should purify the water, either by boiling vigorously for one minute, adding purification tablets or suitably filtering to make it safe for consumption.

Always carry enough water for your own drinking, cooking and washing needs.

Information on mobile phone and internet coverage is available from the various service providers. Very generally, with some exceptions, service at campgrounds is patchy at best for voice and text and largely non-existent for data (internet). Where service is patchy, you may get an improved connection at a high point or clearing, but, for most campgrounds there is little or no service from most providers and for many, no service is available from any provider.

A number of satellite communications services and products that provide coverage in all parks are available, but a direct line of sight between the device and a satellite is required, so you cannot connect from caves, deep gorges and underneath a dense tree canopy. A range of devices including satellite phones, distress beacons and devices that connect smartphones to a satellite are available, with some suppliers offering a rental service.

Washing

Most campgrounds have no showers or wash basins with running water

Soaps and toothpaste

Always wash and brush your teeth at least 100m from any body of water. Soaps, toothpaste and other personal hygiene products, even biodegradable, adversely affect water quality and can leave stains and odours. Try to minimise their use and disperse any washing water and toothpaste. Consider carrying hand cleansing gel.

Barbecues, campfires, stoves and heaters

Some campgrounds are equipped with shared-use gas or electric barbecues. There is no charge for the use of gas or electric barbecues.

Some campgrounds have fireplaces with barbecue plates. Where fireplaces are featured, they may be shared-use and they must not be used during seasonal fire ban periods.

Campers' own liquid or gas fuel barbecues and stoves can be used at any campground unless there is a total fire ban (see Emergency WA).

See campfires, firewood and cooking appliances for essential information on fire safety and regulations.

Picnic tables

Many campgrounds have picnic tables which may be for shared use or provided for individual camp sites. Some have shelter structures.

Dishwashing

A small number of campgrounds feature dishwashing sinks with either mains supply or collected rainwater

Where dishwashing sinks are not provided use as little detergent as possible and strain dirty dishwater before dispersing it at least 100m from any body of water. Do not dispose of dishwater in campground toilets. Pack the strained waste and take it with you out of the campground.

Food and food waste

Store food and food waste securely, it attracts animals which can become a health risk and a nuisance to campers.

Take all litter and waste with you when you leave.

See 'powered sites and generators'

No campgrounds have laundry facilities. Clothes should not be laundered in parks.

Campers must bring all their own provisions including food, fuel and water.