Have you always dreamed of hitting the road and exploring the best swimming holes in Perth and Western Australia? Our comprehensive guide will show you how to get to all the prettiest spots and where to stay nearby for the ultimate summery adventure.
Just remember to check Parks and Wildlife Services for water and bushfire alerts, before visiting any of the swimming holes around Perth and WA.
Honeymoon Pool
Situated on the banks of the Collie River, Honeymoon Pool is surrounded by bushland, providing a truly unique swimming hole experience. Keen to do more than swim? Steps at the “day use” area allow access to the river for campers and other visitors to launch canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddle boards.
There are also a variety of walk and cycle trails in Wellington National Park, including the long-distance Munda Biddi cycle trail which is quickly becoming a world-class, nature-based, off-road cycling experience.
Location: Wellington National Park, River Road, Worsley
Distance from Perth: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Where to stay: Honeymoon Pool Campground ($10.00 per adult, per night)
Located on the banks of the Collie River, the campground has 20 individual sites for tents and small campervans. Wood and gas barbecues are available to guests as well as picnic tables.
Lake Navarino, Waroona
While you can cool off with a dip in the calm clear waters of Lake Navarino, the lake is also popular for recreational water activities such as water skiing and freshwater fishing. It’s the perfect place to bring your family and friends for a weekend of water adventure and camping, with numerous on-site accommodation options.
Location: 147 Invarell Road, Waroona
Distance from Perth: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Where to stay: Lake Navarino Holiday Park ($10.00 per adult and $5.00 per child, per night for lakeside camping)
Lake Navarino has all of your accommodation needs covered from lakeside camping to glamping and cabins. Lakeside camping has become a popular choice for many visitors as it provides a real back-to-nature experience, allowing you to fall asleep to the sounds of the lake and rise to the chirps of birds.
Pemberton Pool, Pemberton
Pemberton Pool is a historic swimming pool that was built in the late 1920s for the families of timber workers and has remained an iconic destination for generations of locals and tourists alike. Considered one of the best swimming holes in Perth and WA, you’ll be welcomed by a lush green karri forest reflecting off glistening water, and setting the scene for a serene dip, relaxing picnic, or cruisy hike.
Location: Lefroy Brook, Pemberton
Distance from Perth: 4 hours
Where to stay: Pemberton
There’s a number of accommodation options in Pemberton, from caravan parks to chalets and motels, so you’ll be certain to find something to your liking and budget.
Injidup Natural Spa, Yallingup
Who’s up for a natural spa that’s as beautiful as it is relaxing? At the end of Yallingup’s Wyadup Road, there’s a blissful place where you can truly breathe out. The waves behind the rock pool create jet-like water pressure, as the water flows down the rock face, resulting in a spa-like experience.
Location: Wyadup Road, Yallingup
Distance from Perth: 3 hours
Where to stay: Yallingup Beach Holiday Park
Yallingup Beach Holiday Park is the ultimate place to stay while you explore the Natural Spa and the greater South West region. The holiday park caters to campers and caravaners and also features cabins. If you want a little more luxury, why not your hand at glamping? With several glamping options available through specialist glamping businesses, you won’t be short on options.
Black Diamond Lake, Collie
Black Diamond Lake is one of WA’s most Instagrammable destinations and a rare jewel in Australia’s South West. Set five kilometres west of Collie, this former open-cut mine has been given a new lease on life as a picturesque, oh-so-blue lake. Ever satisfying snap-happy folk.
The location is perfect for a day trip, spent on, and by the lake with picnic baskets and pals. If you’re keen to get active post-feed with stand-up paddleboards, canoes, kayaks, and inflatables, be sure to check the water quality before making the splash. The lake is best enjoyed on a clear, sunny day when it sparkles and radiates a magnificent azure colour. It might just be the bluest water you’ve ever seen!
Location: LOT 85 Ferguson Road, Allanson
Distance from Perth: 2 hours and 15 minutes
Where to stay: Collie River Valley Tourist Park ($30.00 per night for two adults)
Collie River Valley Tourist Park is an ideal base for this part of the South West. The park features spacious campsites and caravan facilities, as well as cabins for those who require a few more creature comforts.
Barrabup Pool, Nannup
Enveloped by Nannup bushland, Barrabup Pool is a place to swim, jump or float. The native trees bestow plenty of shade for those hot summer days and the calm waters cement it as one of the most delightful swimming holes in WA.
Want to explore more than just the swimming hole? Hike or cycle the Old Timberline Trail from Nannup to Cambray Siding (20 kilometres one way). Alternatively, hike or cycle into the Sleeper Hewer’s Hut on the Old Timberline Trail and camp overnight.
Location: Barrabup Pool Road, Nannup
Distance from Perth: 3 hours
Where to stay: St John Brook Conservation Park ($7.50 per adult, per night)
For swimming, picnics, history, and camping, St John Brook Conservation Park is a favourite for locals and visitors alike. Facilities include tables, fire rings, and toilets.
Serpentine Falls, Serpentine
Perhaps known as one of the most popular swimming holes in Perth, Serpentine Falls is located only an hour from Perth — making it a convenient road trip destination. Not to mention one of WA’s most popular swimming holes! Here, you can enjoy a dip in the pool as water cascades down the 15-metre granite rock face.
If you’re feeling like a little cardio, chuck your sneakers on and hike Baldwin’s Bluff Nature Track (6 kilometres) or Kitty’s Gorge Walk Track (14 kilometres return). Both will take a good portion of the day as you take in the exquisite surroundings and jarrah forests.
Location: Serpentine National Park, 100 Falls Rd, Serpentine
Distance from Perth: 1 hour
Where to stay: Serpentine Falls Holiday Park ($40.00 per night for a powered caravan site)
Situated only minutes from the falls, Serpentine Falls Holiday Park offers a range of accommodation options catering for all budgets. Think powered caravan sites, holiday homes, and cabins.
Moore River, Guilderton
At Moore River, you can enjoy the best of both worlds; river and sea. The mouth of the Moore River is a popular place for kids to swim with the natural sandbar providing dreamy calm waters. It’s also a paddler’s dream, so be sure to bring a stand-up paddleboard, kayak, or canoe. As Guilderton is merely a short drive north of Perth, it’s the perfect spot for a no-fuss weekend away.
Location: Dewar Street, Guilderton
Distance from Perth: 1 hours and 15 minutes
Where to stay: Guilderton Caravan Park (caravan and camp sites are from $28.00 per night)
The only way you could get any closer to Moore River or the beach would be by sleeping on the water! Guilderton Caravan Park provides camp and caravan sites as well as self-contained chalets with riverfront views, just metres from the ocean.
Herron Point, Birchmont
Why go to the beach when you go can go to Herron Point? Situated along the white sandy shoreline of the Harvey Estuary, Herron Point provides guests with a getaway experience just over an hour from Perth and mere minutes from Mandurah’s town centre. Whether you’re keen to swim and chill, take the boat for a cruise or simply sit back and take in the sunset, you can do it all here.
Location: Herron Point Road, Birchmont
Distance from Perth: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Where to stay: Herron Point Campground ($7.50 per person, a night)
Herron Point Campground is a nature-based camp offering families, travellers, locals, and pets a relaxing place to camp.
Long Pool, Collie
Long Pool is so secret that it’s not even recognised on Google Maps — now that’s something worth discovering. Not to be confused with Honeymoon Pool, which is more common than not with Instagram location tags, Long Pool is the last of four magnificent swimming and picnic spots along Lennard Drive in Wellington National Park near Collie. So, if you’re looking for somewhere away from the crowds, this might just be your golden ticket.
You’ll be taken away by the beautiful bushland surroundings of Long Pool with weeping peppermint trees as they grace the shimmering blue and green banks. The destination is also a fantastic place to swim and kayak, with easy access steps directly into the cool waters.
Location: Along Lennard Drive in Wellington National Park near Collie
Distance from Perth: 2 hours and 20 minutes
Where to stay: Evedon Lakeside Retreat
Whether you are in the market for a romantic getaway or a family holiday, Evedon Lakeside Retreat provides an experience centred around leisure and relaxation. Nestled in the rolling hills of the South West, just short of two hours from Perth, there are six self-contained cabins and ten two-storey apartments, all situated amongst the trees on the banks of the lake and fitted with log fires and air-conditioning.
North Dandalup Dam, North Dandalup
North Dandalup Dam is located within the Peel region and near other swimming holes like Serpentine Falls (25 minutes), Herron Point (30 minutes), and Lane Pool Reserve (45 minutes). The lake is an ideal destination for relaxed, water-based activities including swimming and stand-up paddleboarding. Don’t forget to pack the picnic basket as the grassed areas next to the lake will see you throwing down a blanket and enjoying a day out in the fresh air.
Location: Off Scarp Road, Whittaker
Distance from Perth: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Where to stay: Herron Point Campground ($7.50 per person, per night)
Located just over 30 minutes from North Dandalup Dam, Herron Point Campground is the perfect spot to not only take in Herron Point but explore the Peel region. If you’re looking for somewhere a little closer, try Dwellingup Caravan Park.
Lane Poole Reserve, Dwellingup
Lane Poole Reserve is the perfect swimming hole for a weekend getaway! It’s ideal for a relaxing dip or adventurous gander on the stand-up paddleboard in the tranquil waters of the Murray River. Also popular with locals and blow-ins alike is the 11.5-kilometre canoeing journey from Yarragil to Nanga Road Bridge.
Location: down Nanga Road and then turn left onto River Road through the Lane Poole Reserve Entry Station — park entry fees apply
Distance from Perth: 1 hour and 25 minutes
Where to stay: Lane Poole Reserve
Lane Poole Reserve is also extremely popular for camping. Just note that if you’re camping in the more secluded campgrounds like Baden Powell, Charlies Flat, Chuditch, Stringers, Tonys Bend, and Yarragil, they must be booked online. Larger campgrounds at Nanga and Nanga Mill are suitable for groups, although these cannot be booked in advance and operate on a first come, first served basis.
Lake Leschenaultia, Chidlow
A former railway dam turned recreational lake, Lake Leschenaultia is now a beautiful place with peaceful surroundings to take a quiet dip. The best part? It’s only an hour east of Perth. Get your friends or family together and visit one of our favourite swimming holes in Perth. It’s also a great base for picnicking, camping, bushwalking, and canoeing.
Location: Off Rosedale Rd, Chidlow
Distance from Perth: 1 hour
Where to stay: Lake Leschenaultia Camping ($20.00 site fee, from $9.50 per person, per night)
Facilities at Lake Leschenaultia Campsite include a café, kiosk, toilets, playground, barbecues, picnic areas, grassed areas, and camp kitchen. As well as walking and cycling trails — proof that Lake Leschenaultia is a must for a quick weekend getaway.
Lake Brockman, Cookernup
Not only can you swim in the fresh, crystal-clear water of the lake, but it’s also a fantastic place to canoe, stand-up paddleboard or float on a giant inflatable. Lake Brockman has also become a premium location for water skiing and wakeboarding — and for good reason.
Location: Logue Brook Dam Road, Cookernup
Distance from Perth: 1 hour and 40 minutes
Where to stay: Lake Brockman Tourist Park ($30.00 per night for two adults)
Take in the night sky at Lake Brockman with numerous camping facilities, a brand new playground, and accommodation. Or if you really want to spruce up your visit, organise a glamping experience with one of WA’s glamping specialists.
Swimming Holes Well Outside Of Perth
If you’re on the road and exploring places unseen, we’ve rounded up some of the best swimming holes around Western Australia. So all you need to do is pack the car and go!
Karijini National Park, Karijini
Welcome to Mother Nature’s playground. Karijini National Park is, hands down, home to the best swimming holes in Western Australia — not to mention Australia! However, it will take a bit longer to get to than most of the other swimming holes we’ve mentioned — approximately 16 hours, to be exact.
Surrounded by the Western Australian outback and 2.5 billion-year-old rocks, Karijini is what dreams are made of. When it comes to where to swim, one of the best spots is Fern Pool. To find it, you’ll need to head to Fortescue Falls Car Park, descend the staircase into the ancient cavernous gorge, and then hike about 300 metres upstream. It’s not an overly difficult walk, but it’s rated as a Class 4 hiking spot which does recommend a bit more experience.
Vehicle-wise, Karijini can technically be accessed by two-wheel drive. But, a four-wheel drive is advised to avoid getting stuck as the terrain can be tough.
Location: Dales Road, Karijini
Distance from Perth: 16 hours
Where to stay: Dales Gorge Camping Ground ($10.00 per night, per adult)
Enjoy the peaceful outback surrounds at Dales Gorge Camping Ground — it’s also a fantastic place to explore the eastern end of Karijini National Park. While you may be out in the wilderness, the campsite has bush toilets, picnic tables, and gas barbeques — making it an epic place to stay for a few days.
Python Pool, Millstream Chichester National Park
Python Pool is nestled within the picturesque Millstream Chichester National Park, just over two hours from Karratha. The refreshing rock pool is a stunning spot for a swim whilst you enjoy the magnificent backdrop of the imposing rugged cliffs.
While you’re there, take a drive through the park to enjoy the pristine scenery of vast rolling hills, tranquil gorges, enchanting escarpments, and winding tree-lined watercourses. If you’re feeling agile, lace up the sneakers for a six-hour trek along the Chichester Range Camel Heritage Trail.
Location: Millstream Chichester National Park
Distance from Perth: 17 hours and 45 minutes
Where to stay: Miliyanha Campground ($10.00 per person, per night)
Miliyanha Campground is set among bushland close to Millstream Creek. On-site facilities include toilets, as well as a camp kitchen with a gas barbecue and hot water adjacent to Millstream Homestead.
Ellendale Pool, Ellendale
Ellendale Pool is a stunning waterhole naturally formed along the picturesque Greenough River, located 40 minutes east of Geraldton near the historic town of Greenough. Here, you can take a dip in the refreshing water before sitting back and soaking up the striking beauty Mother Nature has to offer.
Location: Ellendale Pool Road, Ellendale
Distance from Perth: 4.5 hours
Where to stay: Ellendale Pool Campsite ($5.00 campsite fee)
Ellendale Pool Campsite is the ultimate base to lap up some quality outdoor time. The amenities include toilets, barbeques, plenty of undercover seating, and a kid’s playground.
Zebedee Springs, El Questro Wilderness Park, Kimberley
El Questro spans over 700,000 acres and is known as one of the world’s most beautiful holiday destinations. If you’re looking for somewhere serene to soak, look no further than Zebedee Springs. This natural oasis is a short walk along a trail, which leads you through dense Kimberley palms to a series of rocky thermal pools. Set at the base of sheer cliffs these thermal springs are the perfect place to relax and restore amongst the region’s local vegetation.
Zebedee Springs is open to general visitors from 7:00 am until noon, and exclusively to Homestead guests in the afternoons. Alternatively, a full or half-day guided tour will combine a relaxing dip in the thermal pools with a visit to some of the wilderness park’s other natural attractions. This is truly the perfect place to experience the true WA.
Location: 75 Coolibah Dr, Kununurra
Distance from Perth: 33 hours
Where to stay: Black Cockatoo Campground, El Questro ($20.00 per adult, per night)
The Black Cockatoo Campground is the best place to set up camp when exploring the El Questro region. The campground is equipped with newly designed shower blocks and camp kitchens with barbeques and laundries, however, that’s not even the best part. The campground is also close to the Steakhouse Restaurant, Swinging Arm Bar and Grill, and the general store.
Little Lagoon, Denham
And last, but definitely not least. Little Lagoon is where the desert meets the sea, approximately 8.5 hours by car from Perth. The destination is merely five kilometres from Denham and is best enjoyed by the slightly more adventurous traveller. The magical calm waters make for the perfect swim spot, or just while away the hours with a book in hand.
Location: Off Monkey Mia Road, Denham
Distance from Perth: 8.5 hours
Where to stay: Denham Seaside Tourist Village (campsites start at $33.00)
Denham Seaside Tourist Village is located right on the beach and is a lovely place to stay for those looking for a beach-filled getaway. While you’re in town, be sure to visit the local bottlenose dolphins at Monkey Mia.
