Yanchep National Park, located just 40 minutes from Perth in the City of Wanneroo, is a great place to spend a few hours having a picnic and exploring but have you ever thought about taking a short break there?
The Henry White Oval, which is situated in Tuart and Banksia Woodlands within Yanchep National Park, is the perfect place to spend the night under the stars. The camp site has 12 grass stands located on the oval suitable for tents, and 9 hard stand sites located on the former car park, which are suitable caravans, camper trailers and campervans. The volunteer from Parks and Wildlife who oversees the campground is always happy to help with any questions you may have.
The Henry White Oval reserve is the ideal campground for families as there is so much to do in Yanchep National Park. The campground is situated close to all of the national park’s amenities, including bush walking trails and picnic areas. There are also plenty of opportunities to see wildlife, including kangaroos, and birds. If you’re looking for a peaceful place to enjoy nature, the Henry White Oval Campsite is the perfect spot.
There is a renovated ablution block along with a brand new ablution block which, along with camp kitchen, was built in 2017 with help from various government organisations, including Royalties for Regions. The ablution block is very clean with good showers but no mirrors! There is also a chemical toilet dump point.
The camp kitchen has a barbeque shelter with two barbecues and lots of power points. A kettle and toaster is provided but no stovetop.
Our senior’s group booked into the campsite for two nights during the October school holidays with three grandchildren, ages ranging from 5 to 11, joining the ‘oldies’. Booking is essential and can be done up to 180 days in advance. Dogs are not permitted.
Payment is per person at the rate of $15 per person per night, $9 Concession and $3 for children. There is no power provided at the Campground but generators can be used between certain hours. Drinking water is not provided and water may be available but is not guaranteed, so make sure to bring your own.
Settling in day was all about discovering the area and playing games.
At dusk, it was time to light the communal firepit that is close to the camp kitchen. Wood is provided and campers are not allowed to go foraging for firewood in the park.
After the logs were smouldering out came the marshmallows – placed on the end of a thin piece of wood and toasted to perfection – well some were slightly darker at the edges than we would have liked but they were still yummy!
Next day it was still excellent weather so a walk was on the cards. Boomerang Gorge Walk was the communal choice – it is around 2 km long, family-friendly and there are lots of wildflowers and birds to be seen.
Later in the day the eleven-year-old was keen to go cave exploring so we head to the Crystal Cave, where you can take part in a guided tour. ($12 Concession, $8 for a child). As there are quite steep steps, I wouldn’t recommend this tour for those with mobility issues. The cave tour was a big hit as the tour guide was very informative and the cave was spectacular.
Another hit was the Koala Boardwalk. It turned into a game of Spot the Koala – although there are five koalas in residence, only two were visible!
In the evening, it was an easy walk to the Yanchep Inn for some refreshments and for the children to enjoy the outdoor bouncy castle.
Overall the campground is a peaceful haven with lots of space for grandchildren to run around, enough wildlife to keep both seniors and grandchildren interested and is well worth a trip north for a quick and easy getaway.
Address: Yanchep National Park, cnr Beach Road and Indian Ocean Drive, Yanchep, WA
Cost: Admission to the National Park is $15 per vehicle, reduced to $8 for concession holders.
Opening hours: Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week
Originally from Edinburgh in Scotland, my husband and I moved to New Zealand with our children in 1974. As my husband is in the oil business, we moved to several other countries including the Sultanate of Oman, the Netherlands, Singapore, the Philippines, the USA, Russia and Kazakhstan during the next 36 years before retiring to Perth.
We have six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren who live in different parts of the globe – New Zealand, Scotland and Colombia - which makes a great excuse for us to travel and visit.
My career background is in radio and print journalism in Scotland and New Zealand as well as public relations in various other countries.
We love to eat out, walk, travel and enjoy the wonderful lifestyle here in Western Australia.
