Top 4 'secret', 'not so secret' campgrounds.

Shhh here are the top places to go camping this Easter,

Ok let’s get straight to the point, next weekend is Easter and four days off means packing up the car and heading south for some fresh air.

But it’s a week out, where should you go and when should you leave to get there before all the spots are full?

Sure you can head to Dwellingup or Wellington Dam with every other man and his dog, but here are some better suggestions.

I picked these sites because, although they are approved Department campgrounds, some are not where they appear on the map or they’re not on the map at all! OR they're just good places to go.

1. Wright's Bridge on the Blackwood River.

(Below)

This baby is so secret, not so secret it’s not even on the DP&W website.

It was renovated about two years ago but isn’t on the map yet so it's the perfect secret spot to go. We came here last Easter and we'll probably head there again this year so make so you stop and say hi :-)

Wright's Bridge is in between Nannup and Balingup. You can get there from Bunbury or Busselton, From Bunbury head towards Donnybrook, pass Donnybrook and through to Balingup where you'll head right onto Nannup Road, Nannup Road swings left onto Blackwood River Drive which turns into the Balingup-Nannup Road. It's about 11km down Balingup-Nannup on your right. (just past the Bridge, Wright's Bridge)

From Busselton head down Vasse Hwy towards Nannup, turn left immediately in Nannup at Grange Road and then left onto Balingup-Nannup Road. Not sure how far along but if you reach Wright's Bridge you went past it!

(By the way, The Balingup tourism site says the address is Ridge Rd, Southampton WA, I google this, and it is wrong)

At Wright's Bridge you can:

Fish

Swim Camp Canoe Walking Trails (go explore off track!)

(Below)

2. Cane Brake Pool

Cane Brake Pool is second on the countdown because we got lost trying to find it.

This site is particularily hard to find because out of our three maps, it wasn't where any of them said it would be. Actually we got so lost it got dark.

After driving around aimlessly for about two hours we happened on it by absolute sheer dumb luck.

This site is quite small and only has a couple of sites.

You can get here from Busselton, but that is how we got very lost, not sure if the roads are wrong or the maps are wrong but I would suggest heading in from Margaret River. Take Osmington Road (right) out of Margaret River until you hit Cane Brake Road and turn left. Cane Brake is on your right.

Here you can camp, swim and fish.

There is a track out the back of the pool which we hiked for hours before turning around. Apparently it goes all the way to Augusta.

3. Sue's Bridge

A spot that is actually easy to find!

Love love love Sue's Bridge. Also on the Blackwood River, it's beautiful.

Unfortunately I have no photos of the actual Bridge, my bad. It looks like the one at Wright's.

Directions:

Before you hit Busselton head left onto Sue's Road, keep driving down Sue's Road and past Mowen Road.

The next road should be Denny Road, just past that you'll go over Sue's Bridge and the campground is on your right.

If you hit the Brockman Hwy you've gone too far!!

Sues Bridge has an undercover camp kitchen with gas barbeques. It has a beautiful picnic area, which when we went was completely under water.... There is a path just outside the campground entrance that leads you to the above picture.

4. Avon Valley

This Site is also easy to find but we just love the location. It's very close to Perth, in fact Avon Valley is our quick get away spot, about an hours and a bit drive from Joondalup.

If you've never been to the Avon Valley, go there.

The roads within the park are all unsealed. (meaning your average Joe doesn't head here)

The nearest telephone, petrol and food outlets are at Gidgegannup or Toodyay, 30 kilometres from the park.

There are some picnic facilities and basic camping sites.

This small amount of development means much of the park has this wilderness quality to it.

The views are are amazing.

There are four sites here, (plenty of signage)

by distance from the entrance,

Valley Camping area, Homestead

Drummonds Bald Hill

Sappers (apparently this exists but we've never been able to reach it as it is on the other side of the Avon River and the road is usually closed due to high water levels)

Basically you want to head out of Midland on Toodjay Road. Pass through Gidgegannup.

When you see the Nodel Falls Tavern, your kind of almost there. There should be signs just as you hit Morangup Road. Turn left onto Morangup Road.

Keep going until you hit Quarry Road and turn left again.

just keeeep going until you hit the signs while directions to the campsites.

Best to go here for more directions:

http://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/downloads/parks/avnp_park_guide.pdf