Camping in Monkey Mia

[Wendy Robinson]

Hi All,

 

Just returned from a week camping in Monkey Mia and can highly recommend it for a cheap holiday, We stayed at the Monkey Mia dolphin Resort campsite.It took us 10 hours to get there but can be done quicker but with 3 kids we had a lot of toilet stops.

 

The site was very well equipped for campers, Facilities included showers,toilets and a kitchen area with a fridge, BBQ and sinks.

 

The site also has a shop,swimming pool,hot tub,restaurant and pub and all of which campers can use at no extra cost.

 

We spent the week exploring the area and didn't realise just how big the place is.:eek:

 

Monkey Mia is absolutely beautiful, We got to see the famous dolphins which is amazing they are literally swimming round your feet, Also off roading in the national park is a must if you have a 4x4, The tracks go on forever.

 

We also took a "short" :wacko:drive to Kalbarri which is a lovely seaside town but because it took us 4 hours to get there We didn't really get to see much.

 

Denham/Shark Bay is about a 20 minute drive from Monkey Mia and has everything you need, very nice but preferred Monkey Mia.

 

We also went to Ningaloo/Coral bay which is a 6 hr journey but well worth it. We bought snorkels while we were there and so glad we did it's absolutely stunning, The kids loved the beach because the water was so shallow and clear they could see the fish swimming round them whilst they were on their body boards. We spent about 3hrs in Coral Bay and really wished we'd packed up our tent and spent a few days there because there is so much to see and do.

 

The journey back from Coral Bay was a bit hairy at times because the roads are deserted and pitch black, I very nearly pooed myself a few times because we spent most of the journey back swerving to avoid Kangas and rabbits.

 

On the journey home we decided to stop off at a few places. Firstly we stopped off at Billabong Roadhouse about 2 and half hours from Denham, The food was nice but my O/H in a not so quiet voice declared he could hear the "banjos from deliverance" playing.So needless to say we made a sharp exit and continued our long journey home.

 

Next we stopped at Geraldton, What a fab place (I wish we'd known about before settling in Perth). The sea front in the main part of town is great for kids there is a huge park for older kids and a smaller area for kids and the best bit is the water park, Basically it's an area with water fountains, water guns and a fantastic view of the beach.Kids loved it and asked why we never moved to Geraldton.

 

We then took a coastal road down to Jurien Bay, lovely little sea side village ( i've decided if i ever win the lotto i'm buying a holiday home there) Even the police men are nice...O/H got stopped for a random alcohol breath test and didn't have his licence with him officer said no worries have a safe journey.

 

Next stop was Cervantes/ Pinnacles, I would love to comment on the Pinnacles but can't because by now the sun had gone down so we decided to get back on the main road,only O/H took a wrong turn and we ended up on a dirt track and not wanting admit he was wrong we continued on the track for a good hour and finally joined the main road only to realise we were almost back at Jurien Bay. We had literally done a huge circle on a dirt track in the pitch black. It was only after getting back to civilisation did we realise we had been driving round the Pinnacles national park and still didn't see them.:wacko:

 

All in all we had a fantastic holiday, really enjoyed camping and seeing some of the sites of WA.

 

Roll on summer so we can do it again.

 

Sorry if i bored you but really wanted to recommend it to people looking for a cheap fun holiday.

 

Any how thanks for reading.

 

Wendy xx

[Guest siamsusie]

Thanks for a great post Wendy, we too love Monkey Mia with the Dolphins... we love Coral Bay as well, we have often packed our swags and headed down there from Karratha, in a few weeks we are back there with friends for our farewell to WA.... Geraldton is a lovely town, and hopefully you will win that lotto. Great post. Susie

[Guest Shell]

Hi Wendy,

a lovely post. Reminded me of our trip up there. :smile:

Took us 10 hours too. 3 kids slept most of the way as we left Perth about 2am. We originally booked to stay at Shark Bay but only spent one night there and moved to Monkey Mia resort, the kids liked it much better. Didn't like the roads much, pitch black and endless.

Defiently recomend the Pinnacles national park, we went at sunset and daybreak, amazing. You pay once and the ticket is valid for 24 hrs.

We will defiently go back when we get over for good but will take our time going up and not drive there in one go :no:

[Mongrel]

Hi Wendy,

a lovely post. Reminded me of our trip up there. :smile:

Took us 10 hours too. 3 kids slept most of the way as we left Perth about 2am. We originally booked to stay at Shark Bay but only spent one night there and moved to Monkey Mia resort, the kids liked it much better. Didn't like the roads much, pitch black and endless.

Defiently recomend the Pinnacles national park, we went at sunset and daybreak, amazing. You pay once and the ticket is valid for 24 hrs.

We will defiently go back when we get over for good but will take our time going up and not drive there in one go :no:

 

Thats only a short trip , Broome in a day is atrip

[sami]

Great holiday, we are actually going to Kalbarri in 2 weeks time, with our next lot of visitors, but just for 3 or 4 days, so don´t think we will have the time to drive to Monkey Mia, Coral Bay, etc. But will certainly have to go back!

[JayBone]

Hi Wendy,

 

Thanks for the post.

 

I have just posted a thread about Port Denison/Dongara.....

 

Did you stop off there at all, i believe it would have been on your route, but probably still dark there if you set off at 2am, you will have been there by about 6am??

 

Just interested as i have applied for a residential job based there.

 

Thanks

[Guest nottinghampom]

Monkey Mia is a great trip, especially Francois Peron NP, although like you say you need a serious 4wd or you'll be digging sand castles all day. The sighting of a very large tiger shark from Cape Peron makes you think twice about having a cooling dip..

 

Did you go on the shotover? I've been on it 5 or 6 times now and it's always brilliant, particularly when the dugongs are around.

[Cazz]

What a fab post, thanks very much. We're looking forward to going up there when we get to Perth, but after reading your post I really can't wait! Did you take your own tent & if I'm not being tooo nosey how much was it per night? X

[Wendy Robinson]

Hi Wendy,

 

Thanks for the post.

 

I have just posted a thread about Port Denison/Dongara.....

 

Did you stop off there at all, i believe it would have been on your route, but probably still dark there if you set off at 2am, you will have been there by about 6am??

 

Just interested as i have applied for a residential job based there.

 

Thanks

 

Hi, No never got chance to stop there because we were trying to get to the Pinnacles before sunset.... But we did go through it enroute and from what I can remember it was a nice seaside town.

 

Wendy xx

[Wendy Robinson]

Monkey Mia is a great trip, especially Francois Peron NP, although like you say you need a serious 4wd or you'll be digging sand castles all day. The sighting of a very large tiger shark from Cape Peron makes you think twice about having a cooling dip..

 

Did you go on the shotover? I've been on it 5 or 6 times now and it's always brilliant, particularly when the dugongs are around.

 

The National Park was fab....... We spent a whole day following the tracks..reaching the tip of the peninsula and seeing the red cliffs against white sand and blue sea is stunning.

 

Never got chance to go on the shotover would love to have but kids aren't to good on boats.

 

wendy xx

[Wendy Robinson]

What a fab post, thanks very much. We're looking forward to going up there when we get to Perth, but after reading your post I really can't wait! Did you take your own tent & if I'm not being tooo nosey how much was it per night? X

 

Hi,

We took our own tent and camping gear........It cost us $210 for 7 nights ($30 a night) and included in that you can use all the facilities on site at no extra charge.

 

All in all with camping gear our holiday cost us a little over $500 for a weeks holiday.

 

wendy xx

[Cazz]

Thanks Wendy. Do you know if you can hire tents when you get up there? We are due to make the big move within the next month (just waiting for a date at the mo!) & where wondering about going up there for the first couple of weeks to save on having a furnished rental for so long before our stuff arrives. Thanks X

[Mongrel]

Thanks Wendy. Do you know if you can hire tents when you get up there? We are due to make the big move within the next month (just waiting for a date at the mo!) & where wondering about going up there for the first couple of weeks to save on having a furnished rental for so long before our stuff arrives. Thanks X

 

Its a 500 mile drive from Perth , be ideal for nippin bank to do the borin stuff bank accounts medicare, if you do go and hire a car make sure you get unlimited kms as some restrict the kms and it is costly to go over that

[Wendy Robinson]

Thanks Wendy. Do you know if you can hire tents when you get up there? We are due to make the big move within the next month (just waiting for a date at the mo!) & where wondering about going up there for the first couple of weeks to save on having a furnished rental for so long before our stuff arrives. Thanks X

 

Hi again,

As far as i'm aware you need your own tent which you can pick up for $100+..We paid $165 for our tent which is a 7 man dome tent and it is huge.

 

It would be a great place to start but as Mally said it is a long drive from Perth and not great if you need to do bank accounts and boring stuff like that.

 

Also as Mally says if you hire a car make sure you let them know you will be going out of the Metropolitan area as you will incur big charges if you do.

 

Wendy xx

[Guest nottinghampom]

It's also an excellent time of year to visit at the mo as the winds generally are pretty light.

 

We always camp and it's excellent value, the ammenities are good and clean and the whole place has a nice atmosphere.

 

On our last visit in feb we stopped in at the aquarium just east of Denham (i forget the name of it) and it was brilliant. They've 4 or 5 pretty large sharks that they feed from a bridge as well as turtles they're rehabilitiating, sea snakes and other interesting sea creatures. It's quite small but i could have spent hours there.

[Mongrel]

It's also an excellent time of year to visit at the mo as the winds generally are pretty light.

 

We always camp and it's excellent value, the ammenities are good and clean and the whole place has a nice atmosphere.

 

On our last visit in feb we stopped in at the aquarium just east of Denham (i forget the name of it) and it was brilliant. They've 4 or 5 pretty large sharks that they feed from a bridge as well as turtles they're rehabilitiating, sea snakes and other interesting sea creatures. It's quite small but i could have spent hours there.

 

 

You only live down the road though:cute:

[Wendy Robinson]

You only live down the road though:cute:

 

LOL Mally,

 

You sure you haven't been out driving with my other half,That's his favourite saying.:unsure: (hence the short drive we went on to go to Kalbarri from Monkey Mia).

 

Wendy xx

[Guest nottinghampom]

hehe yeah, it can only be classed as "down the road" if you live in WA ;-)