Caravan parks are great places to get a hot shower and do your laundry in Western Australia.
Their size and quality spans a wide range, but as a general rule you can assume that the more touristy the area, the more likely you are to find a five-star park with prices to match.
At the higher end, a night in a caravan park with a pool, games room, a playground for the kids and other amenities can cost A$40 for 2 people in a tent. Smaller sites with just toilets, showers and a laundromat go for as little as A$15 a night.
Furnished chalets are often available to rent as well. Prices start at anywhere from A$60-100 – slightly less than the cost of a local motel room – but rocket higher if there’s a luxury extra like a jacuzzi or an oceanfront view.
Usually the big advantage of your own chalet is that you get a place to cook with all the utensils included, more room to stretch out and shelter from any nasty weather.
If you are tenting, it’s not hard to find a power outlet to plug in your mobile phone or other gadgets, either by your tent or in the camper’s kitchen – a room with a fridge, microwave, stove, kettle and sink.
Some campgrounds only have powered sites and in this case it’s always worth asking if they’ll give a discount because you don’t need electricity. They might well take a few dollars off.