New free camp approved for WA wheatbelt town
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February 24, 2021
In what will be very welcome news to many grey nomads, a new free camp has been approved for the WA wheatbelt town of Narrogin, 200 kilometres southeast of Perth.
Travellers will now be encouraged to stay at the Railway Dam picnic area, where facilities have been given a serious overhaul.
Shire chief executive Dale Stewart told the Narrogin Observer that self-contained RVs would be allowed to stay at the site for up to 72 hours.
“Railway Dam is a much-loved local attraction for our residents and people of the district, and has been for many years and is under the care and control of the Shire,” he said. “But this year we decided to capitalise on visitor improvement opportunities.”
The Shire of Narrogin has installed two shade shelters covering free gas barbecues, as well as picnic benches, a bike stand, new rubbish bins, seats and interpretive signs to improve visitors’ experience.
“Anyone that likes to wander the wheatbelt, we hope to attract and see what the Narrogin district has to offer,” Mr Stewart told the Observer. “We have lots to see around the district in terms of our various walk trails, heritage walks, wildflowers, as well as the wonders of the granite rocks and the aesthetics of the railway dam.”
The RV stop at Railway Dam joins two other approved locations in the shire of Narrogin at Fairway Street in the Old Goods Shed Yard and in Highbury south of the Narrogin townsite.
Narrogin, which sits on the Great Southern Highway between Pingelly and Wagin, was once one of the largest railway operation hubs in the southern part of Western Australia.
News that a new free camp is being established in this part of the world will be particularly welcome given that there has been growing concern that some similar areas were being closed off to campers. Just a few weeks ago, the Shire of Plantagenet announced it was permanently closing the RV parking area in the WA town of Mt Barker which had been welcoming self-contained travellers since 2014.
- Will this move encourage you to visit Narrogin and perhaps support some local businesses? Comment below.
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13 Responses to New free camp approved for WA wheatbelt town
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Well done Narrogin. Take a good look Mt Barker shire, you may learn something.
Great news, does the area have a Dump Point?
theres a dump point in town so no need for 1 out there.
need dump point there and highbury free camp
No need, theres 1 in town
We always support businesses in the area of free camp grounds.
A foward thinking Shire. This comes just a few shot weeks before we set off on a trip down and around the South of WA. Will put this into the plan.
can I ask when will this be open for camping and can we go kayaking there
Am I wrong in thinking that Free Camping Sites are starting to be biased towards self contained RV’s. We have a grey water tank and porta potty but in some locations this no good as we don’t have shower in the van.
we’d definitely go out for dinner, We always support businesses in towns with free campgrounds
where is it located
We always support towns that have low cost or freedom camps well done the more country towns that do this the more travellers will visit
Well done to my old home town! I hope the ground is easier underfoot than it is at the caravan park on Williams Rd! I will certainly try it out on my next visit.