Free camp between Norseman and Esperance at the Salmon Gums Green Lake
Salmon Gums Free Campground is just beside the Green Lake (although you can’t see it from the bush camping area), on the eastern side of Coolgardie-Esperance Highway, which is about halfway between Norseman and Esperance, around a five minute drive south of Salmon Gums.
The campground is mainly a dirt round about that’s around 50 metres back from Eldred Road, which is a track off of the highway.
There’s room to park a few caravans or RVs in the main part of the camping area, then there’s a track beside the campground with a bunch of bush campsites, some of which are a bit overgrown. The bush campsites are too small for a caravan or large RV, but suitable for a tent or 4wd with a rooftop tent.
When you’re making your way to Esperance or departing, this is a good free spot to spend the night and get an early start for the next day.
Also known as “Willoughby’s Spot ” on wikicamps, it’s a barebones basic campground with no facilities or booking required. You’ll have to be completely self-contained. There are nice and clean toilets in the Salmon Gums township, on the main road that passes through town.
There are plenty of trees around the campground, making the place a bit nicer than plenty of other roadside stops, but it’s best suited as a convenient location to stop over for the night, rather than a destination. For something a bit more comfortable in the area, try heading back to the Salmon Gums Caravan Park or further south to Esperance.
Getting to Clematis Falls from Halls Gap
The Salmon Gums Green Lake is about 7-8 kms south of the Salmon Gums town on the main road. Coming from the town, drive south for about 5 minutes and take a left turn at Eldred Road.
If you’re pulling in during the night, it can be a bit tricky to spot the entrance as there’s several tracks that go in. We didn’t find it at first and set up our caravan on the side of the road. In the morning, we could easily see that we were parked about 20 metres before the short track going into the campground.
When you see the “Eldred Rd” sign that’s a few hundred metres from the highway, turn right a few metres behind it and about 50 metres later is main camping area.
