Booking Neds campground in Cape Range NP: 9 shady, generator-free beach sites, Ningaloo monthly release dates, availability tips and cancellation tactics.
About Neds
Neds is a small campground and picnic area in the northern part of Cape Range National Park. It's tucked behind sand dunes beside a long, narrow sandy beach that's partly sheltered from the strong winds the coast is known for, and most sites have some shade, which counts for a lot up here. The water in front is a recreation zone of Ningaloo Marine Park, and small boats and kayaks can be launched from the beach by 4WD.
Neds sits right beside Mesa, with the park's snorkel spots, such as Turquoise Bay, further south along the coast. Exmouth is the nearest town.
The campsites
Explore Parks WA lists 9 sand-surface campsites that vary a lot because of the beach setting, and Park Stay WA shows the same 9. All are unpowered. Park Stay lists every site as suitable for tents and campervans, but only 3 of the 9 for caravans, so towing campers should filter carefully and check each site's details.
What's provided:
- A no-flush pit toilet, the only hygiene facility
- A picnic table and benches at every site
- No drinking water
- No generators at any time
- No campfires
- No dogs or other pets
Take portable toilet waste out to an authorised dump point.
How booking works
Neds is booked through Park Stay WA, DBCA's online booking system. Bookings are essential and must be made before arrival, for one campsite per booking. No booking fee applies, and payment is by Mastercard or Visa.
Cape Range has a per person, per night camping fee plus a per vehicle park entry fee. The entry fee can be added to the booking, paid on arrival, or covered by a park pass. Caravans and trailers don't attract an entry fee.
Ningaloo Coast campgrounds release monthly, on the first Tuesday of each month at 10am AWST, instead of the 180-day rolling window used across most of WA. As of October 2026, stays up to 30 April 2027 are bookable. The May 2027 block opens at 10am AWST on Tuesday 3 November 2026, then June on 1 December 2026 and July on 5 January 2027. Park Stay runs a virtual waiting room on release mornings, and DBCA randomises queue positions at 10am.
Maximum stay is 14 nights when any night falls in WA public school holidays, otherwise 28 nights.
When it sells out
Shade, wind protection and no generators make Neds a favourite, and with only 9 sites it fills fast. WA school holidays are the hardest dates of all: DBCA flags 10 to 26 April 2027, 3 to 18 July 2027 and 25 September to 10 October 2027. Outside those, the May to October whale season is busy. If you need one of the 3 caravan-friendly sites, competition is even tighter.
December to April is quieter, but it's cyclone season and can be extremely hot.
How to get a cancellation
DBCA lets campers cancel or change a booking up to 11:59pm AWST the day before arrival, and those nights go back on Park Stay.
Times to watch:
- 48 hours after a release. Bookings made 3 or more days ahead can be cancelled free in that window.
- The free-cancellation cut-offs. Removing dates is free more than 14 days ahead for peak dates and more than 5 days ahead otherwise. Past that, a fee of one concession camper fee per night per site applies, so many cancellations land just before.
- The final days. Sites can come back right up until the night before arrival.
With 9 sites, one cancellation can be your only shot. Set a Neds watch on Aussie Camp Alerts and get an email when a night you want opens up.
Getting there
Neds is inside Cape Range National Park, reached by road from Exmouth. Park Stay lists the campground as accessible by 2WD or SUV, though roads may include unsealed sections and conditions vary. Beach launching needs a 4WD. Sort your park entry fee or pass before you arrive.
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