My life in Australia ten years ago was very different from what it’s like today. During my working holiday, I was either full-on working or full-on travelling. During the months of living and working in Perth, I think I only made it out of the city a handful of times. I loved being with my friends in the hostel, plus we were all backpacking and few of us had a car or lots of money to spend on trips. Work-time was to save for our next big road trips and other adventures 🙂 Now, just like in London, I take every opportunity to get out of the city in my free time and to enjoy the amazing range of outdoor activities that Australia provides. Last weekend, Liam and I spent the second time camping at Lake Navarino, just over an hour and a half south of Perth.
When given the opportunity to camp at a lake or the beach, I’d usually opt for the beach. Saying that, Lake Navarino is a truly beautiful spot with clear waters surrounded by forest. It also provides better shelter from the wind than camping on the beach. With the weather being a bit unsteady last weekend, lake camping was the way to go. Together with our friends Matt and Holli and three dogs in total, we found a camp spot with fabulous views to the lake and noone else in close proximity, at the edge of the forest.
Navarino features a more commercial campsite on-site with cabins and dongers, but we usually bring our own tents to camp in the forest surrounding the lake (11 AUD / 5.60 GBP / 6.70 EUR per night and tent). In the couple of times that I have been there, we never booked anything in advance but just rocked up and paid at reception. See more information about camping at Lake Navarino here.
When camping at Lake Navarino last year in May, temperatures were already going down close to zero overnight. What this means is not only that you have to wrap up more, but also, that fire bans usually aren’t in place anymore. This means we were able to enjoy a campfire – and as often in Perth during autumn and winter, it still was very sunny and mild during the day.
The Waroona Dam (known as Lake Navarino) was completed in 1966 and covers an area of 145 hectares. It’s primary purpose is irrigation, but it’s also used extensively for recreational activities such as water skiing, wakeboarding, freshwater fishing (trout & marron in season and with license), as well as canoeing and kayaking. Liam loves it also because there are great four-wheel-driving tracks around the lake.
We got to the lake a bit later than we’d hoped but were quick to set up our tents. Holli and Matt had brought a canapé that they attached to their truck, so we could sit comfortable and dry in the slight drizzle that had set in. After enjoying a good chinwag, some bangers from the barbeque and quite a few alcoholic beverages including shots from the cap of a vodka bottle, we called it a night.
The next morning, the sky had cleared and we took down to the lakeside for a swim and a hearty breakfast. Matt and Holli had brought a stand up paddle board, which found extensive use by all of us. I have done paddle boarding once before in Vancouver and didn’t fall in, so I naturally expected the same outcome this time around. I was far from it as I fell in as soon as I got up – so I opted for a swim instead.
Even Stella, Liam’s little dog, got chaperoned over the lake on the board and seemed to have a great time. With only a few other people, we just chilled in the sun, reading, chatting and enjoying the beautiful day as the dogs were swimming around the lake. We packed up early afternoon and by that time all of us (including the dogs) were virtually wiped out.
For more information about the lovely city of Perth, read this post.
