Newman WA Caravan Parks

Van parks are like rocking horse poo in Newman!

We had a night or two, last June, at a place that also had a lot of apartment type accommodation for miners. Was cheap enough as I got a seniors discount for all of us.

Good amenities, free machines ‘n dryers, and quiet aspect. Sorry, can’t remember the name?

Bob

As Bob said there is not much choice. We stayed at Whaleback CP near the BP service station. S23 21 02.5 E119 44 32.1
Very miner orientated and they were building a lot more accommodation last year.
We were a group of 5 vans. I was parked on the bitumen without power as they had run out of sites. It wouldn't be a bad idea to book ahead.
It has a central cooking area and was ok. They have no DP, and you need to go to the information centre and get a key.
Have a drive out to Kaglan pool that is the most water in length that i have ever driven through, 200 + meters but about 2ft deep and solid base.

Cheers,

I don't get what's going on re CPs at Newman.

We were there this time last year. The big, well established CP in town with miners' facilities as well as tourists' was shut down. But outside town limits on the highway southbound a new place with tourist facilities and cabins for the miners and a dining hall with commercial kitchen and chef was going gang-busters.

Google turned up this from last year

Newman caravan park

Stayed at Whaleback last week, very good park clean amenities big sites .Yes there is construction going on so early mornings . Only about 14 powered site and they are busy so BOOK asap on having dates you will be there. If you wish to do a mine tour I,d also book that with the Info Centre.

Both parks in town have good reports in WikiCamps, the only wingers are those who expected grassed sites because the park name has Oasis in it.

G'day Explorers

I'm not sure how my reply regarding anything Newman or in fact anything Pilbara oriented is taken, but everything said by me in regards to where I live ~ Newman and where I choose to live ~ the Pilbara is always the absolute truth simply because 'I live here'.

I've read all the previous replies to Gary - T4's enquiry on a caravan park in Newman, yes there is a place in Newman behind what was once a BP service station, the service station is now a Shell outlet.

The caravan (sic) park is within the confines of what was once called the 'Whaleback Village' ~ this establishment was crippled by the mining boom that wasn't, there is a whole long sad story about a mining boom, that NEVER existed, it was a construction 'Boom' that ended and all the profiteering crystal ball gazers, either got out or went broke.

Whaleback Village was never nor will it ever be a caravan park, yes you can book a site use the amenities and believe you've been in or at a caravan park, but it is a BHP accommodation camp and an on going construction site.

I'm not for one second saying it's not worth staying there, each to his/her own.

The Oasis Village is also a mine FI FO oriented camp, where you the weary traveller can park up in a red dirt paddock and feel as if you are in a caravan park, just hope your not too close to the construction zone part of the establishment, again it is what it is, only it's about 10 k's out of town and much closer to the airport.

The Newman Caravan Park does not exist, it too went the way of the crystal ball gazers and has been so for close to 2 years ~ give or take 6 months, again a construction site in BHP's master plan in housing their Fly in Fly out minions.

The Shire of East Pilbara manage the Newman Visitor Centre, you can book a parking lot/caravan bay here and stay the night or maybe a couple of nights,and enjoy the workforce tide in the early morning and late afternoon as the Mount Whaleback mine shift change happens, I believe the fees charged are quite reasonable at the NVC ~ caravan parking place.

There was mention made of Kalgan Pool in a reply, yes there is a heck of a lot of water flowing along certain sections of Kalgan Creek, very picturesque and well worth the effort if you drive a 'dual range' four wheel drive, but please note that the water flow is entirely under ground water discharge from Rio Tinto's near by mining operations.

You can camp anywhere along the Kalgan Creek watercourse if you feel like doing so, I highly recommend this as an option, if you are towing anything bigger/heavier/longer than a generic camper trailer, you will multiply the difficulties ten fold ~ possibly more, but I have seen folks haul their mega dollar 'off road' balls and all caravans all the way in to Kalgan Gorge/Pool.

Sadly, very sadly in fact Kalgan Pool has been wounded and may well die ~ has mining got anything to do with this wounding ? You be the judge!

I could upload an image of Kalgan Pool, before the ground water manipulation began, but I'm sure you the viewer would feel sad, I'm not for one second trying to prevent you from having a great stay in Newman at the caravan parking place of your choice, after all there are three establishments to choose from, each has something that is special, I'm sure.

All of the images submitted are real, they are current, some were even shot today.

Safe travels : Joe Fury