Heading north from Perth, (chasing warmer weather) on our Perth to Kalbarri roadtrip to our favourite, used to be free camp, of Cliff Head South.
We had not made the decision to continue further north than Cliff Head when we commenced our 14 day Perth to Kalbarri roadtrip.....
Until we were on it, so close and we could not resist.
If you are travelling to Kalbarri, check out our Kids Travel Worksheet for Kalbarri and surrounds which you can check out here.
Heading up the Great Northern highway we had the Pinnacles in our sights, just under 2 and half hours from Perth. Travelling with kids - check out our Pinnacles Kids Travel Worksheet here!
Brett having been many years earlier, was excited to show us these amazing natural formations. We had for various reasons, missed it on previous trips up and down the west coast of Australia.
It did not disappoint, plenty of parking for larger rigs on site, you will need your parks pass or pay at the gate for one off daily admission.
Visitor centre on site with great information, wheelchair access, toilets and BBQ facilities.
What are they
These amazing formations formed some 25,000 to 30,000 years ago, after the Indian Oceans coastal winds eroded the surrounding sand, leaving the limestone pillars exposed to the elements. They can grow up to 5 meters tall! A must see when visiting Western Australia.
Important: Take a hat, sunscreen sturdy footwear and bottled water as no drinking water is available.
Following our visit to the Pinnacles, we stayed at a free camp in the Camps 11 and the Camps Australia wide App called Tuarts Reserve. We were lucky enough to find an amazing bee hive all abuzzzz, sorry couldn't resist. Free camp is for fully self-contained campers only. All campers must carry a minimum of 20 litres of fresh water, have a waste (grey) water holding tank capacity and have a portable toilet cassette with holding capacity. All waste must be retained by the camper and disposed of off-site in appropriate facilities.
This camp is a maximum stay of 72 hours. It is quite tight in space too, so if you are a larger rig be aware before entering.
Cliff head here we come
Cliff Head South was our favourite camp (used to be free, now $20 a night), which we have visited many times over the years we have spent in Western Australia (no, we are not from 
here!).
The camp area has it all, the beach, drop toilets, bins, undercover area and did I mention...the beach! Like I mean, right on the beach. 72hr maximum stay.
We managed to get lucky and find a seal lion playing in the water catching his or her breakfast.
Hutt River Province - EDIT TO ADD: As of 31 January 2020 Hutt River Province is CLOSED
Bring your passport! Hutt River province is an absolute must see while visiting Western Australia's coral coast.
Of course, you can visit without a passport, but if you have one you can get it stamped!
Prince Graeme, yes a Prince, will greet you and explain how the principality of Hutt river came to be (or check our video here). 
There is a campground on site $5.00 per adult a night, with a HOT shower. I can hear free campers rejoicing!!
You can visit their fantastic museum with memorabilia, gifted by visitors from all over the world. Buy some currency, check out their currency boards from all over the world, send a letter from the post shop and of course souvenirs.
Plenty of space to run around for kids, fires in fire season only (15 Mar - 15 Oct).
Beware whatever time you drive in of kangaroos as you can see from our video they are active at all time of the day!
Elbenjo Animal Sanctuary
Leaving Hutt river we made our way towards Pink Lake and had heard about an animal sanctuary we were keen to check out! Elbenjo animal sanctuary is a great place for families to stay with an animal tour offered where you can get up close and personal to all kinds of animals.
Jock & Beny are a beautiful couple who showed me around and 
explained their wonderful plans and how their dream came to fruition through lots of hard work!
Knowing this our end goal to have a self sustainable farm that invited travellers to camp and help out, we could not go by dropping in and talking to them about their sanctuary.
At the time we visited the costs to stay the night were $7.50pp, if you are interested in doing the animal tour it is $12.50pp. They are in Camps Australia wide App and wikicamps.
Onward we go for now, but we may have to come back to visit! Not far down the road is....
The Pink Lake
Great photo opportunity, sunny day between 10-2pm for best results off George Day Drive. See our youtube video here. There is no information board at the lookout or parking area beside the pink lake, so we included details of this in our Kids Travel worksheet as the kids LOVE this lake, I mean, its a Pink Lake what's not to love!! But why is it pink? - well now you can look clever and be able to answer that question and more! Check out the worksheet here.
Pink Lake
Lucky Bay, Kalbarri
Lucky Bay is 40km south of Kalbarri, turn west into Baline Road and travel in (for what seems like forever and you will second guess if you made a wrong turn) approximately 5km. You know the feeling when you are cursing the GPS and actually asking it do you know where you are going?!!
Eventually you will get to the ‘office’, if attended go in and pay $15 per night site fee, if not attended you will need to fill out envelope and leave cash in put in payment/post box at office.
I went ahead and checked the road into the camping area, before bringing the motorhome in. There is one spot that is a little questionable and luckily it had been clear weather, so in we went.
We would have stayed longer here if we did not have time constraints and wildflower touring to do. Great spot and you can stay up to 28 days!! Would be so easy to do, just beautiful.
Suitable for all rigs, camper trailers, caravans and if not been too wet motorhomes ok too. Facilities include drop toilets, bins and dump point. Dogs on leash at all times.
Walk down to the beach through the maze of tracks and feel yourself R E L A X.
On we went to Kalbarri, just a wee bit excited and looking forward to doing The Loop walk.
Pot Alley
Kalbarri Playground opposite Information centre
Kalbarri National Park – The Loop Walk / Nature’s window
Well you have probably heard about it, as had I but truly this is one of the most beautiful places I have visited in Australia. The Kalbarri national park covers an area of 186,000 hectares,
Nature’s window is on most travellers must see list. Do yourself a favour and do, The Loop walk, which incorporates nature’s window. It is a 8.5km trail, our video of the hike/trail does not do it justice. So beautiful, it will leave you speechless. Anyone who knows me, knows this is a hard thing to do!
All jokes aside, you will be walking amongst the most amazing Tumblagooda sandstone rock formations that are older than dinosaurs, over 400 million years old. The thinly bedded red and white banded rock was deposited millions of years ago on tidal flats!
Check out our Kalbarri Kids travel worksheet available here (and adults have loved them too) to get more out of your visit to this wonderful part of Australia. Travelling families educating on the
road or adults like us that love knowing more about places they visit.
The time of year you go, can dramatically change your enjoyment of this hike. Please keep in mind you MUST take your own water, there is no water available once you are in the national park.
HAT, APPROPRIATE HIKING SHOES AND WATER A MUST.
Temperatures can be up to 50 degrees in summer.
Just amazing, if you are interested in the hike, watch our video to show just how amazing it is and what to expect physically. Miss B does all our hikes with us and had no issues at all with this hike.
You will not be disappointed.
The Loop Walk
Galena Bridge to Yalgoo
Leaving Kalbarri was sad and beautiful.
Absolutely loved our time there and if we had longer we may 
have tackled some of the longer hikes available.
It was late in the day by the time we left the National Park it was late so we headed to Galena Bridge South free camp. This is a huge camping area but gets very busy and full quite quickly.
Dump toilets, bins, multiple dump points and lots of flat sites to pull into easily. Maximum 24hr stay.
Yalgoo Caravan Park
The next day, after LOTS of wildflower spotting we arrived in Yalgoo, opting to stay at the Caravan Park.
We free camp most of the time but for whatever reason 
(which may or may not had to do with how much we stunk, kidding!) we picked this beautiful caravan park.
The managers were so beautiful and even though they were full, managed (ha ha scuse the pun) to find us a spot to fit our rig in. Not an easy task.
We ended up staying a couple of days here, as unbeknown to us one of Miss B’s travelling besties showed up at the same caravan park! Could not believe our luck and we all had a few (?) wines and lovely camp fire (in August) for our unexpected catchup.
Being wildflower season it was very busy and when we hit the road, in search of the famous wreath flower we (by we, I mean me) were very excited!
Wildflower season August 2019
There is something so relaxing about being in the outback (Yalgoo is the start of the outback and although we headed south, there is not a lot around so outback it is).
There is an individual post on on our wildflowers roadtrip which if your
interested click here.
Also when we got closer to Perth and visited Westways 4WD Wildflower farm, which you can camp at too, details in a separate blog post here.
We had the best time on this 14 day Perth to Kalbarri roadtrip and would be a great one for families on the school holidays incorporating lots of sightseeing, fun and education.
Arriving back in Perth to a housesit was very difficult after being out on the open road again. Brett’s will get his new teeth soon (following a work accident earlier this year, hence our return to Perth) and we can look at getting back out there!
Be sure to follow Cake and Eat it 3 to see more of our adventures and Kids Travel worksheets.
You can read more tips and tricks in our Life on the road series
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