How to book Osprey Bay campground in Cape Range NP: Ningaloo monthly release dates, availability tips and how to grab a cancellation before you arrive.
About Osprey Bay
Osprey Bay is the biggest campground in Cape Range National Park and one of the most sought-after spots on the Ningaloo Coast. It sits towards the southern end of the park, beside the Osprey Sanctuary Zone of Ningaloo Marine Park, so the reef is right on your doorstep for snorkelling and kayaking. The shoreline in front of camp is a special purpose zone where you can fish from the shore, and DBCA marks out an Osprey Sanctuary Zone kayak trail with moorings you can tie off to while you snorkel.
The setting is classic Cape Range: red limestone range behind you, white beach and turquoise water in front. Yardie Creek gorge is a short drive further south, and the nearest town for fuel and supplies is Exmouth. Cape Range is very remote, so arrive stocked up.
The campsites
According to Explore Parks WA, Osprey Bay has 46 compacted gravel campsites split across two areas, and Park Stay WA lists the same 46 bookable sites. All are unpowered. Park Stay shows every site as suitable for tents, campervans and caravans, but sites differ, so check the campsite details and campground map before you pay.
Generators are allowed in the northern area only, and only between 8am and 9pm. If you want a quieter night, aim for the southern area.
Facilities are basic:
- No-flush pit toilets (the only hygiene facility, no showers)
- Sheltered and unsheltered picnic tables and benches
- No drinking water, so bring all you need
- No campfires at any time
- No dogs or other pets
- Small boats and kayaks can be launched from the beach, 4WD only
Don't empty portable toilet waste into the campground toilets. Carry it out to an authorised dump point.
How booking works
All Cape Range campgrounds are booked through Park Stay WA, DBCA's online system. Bookings are essential and must be made before you arrive, one campsite per booking. There's no booking fee, and you pay by Mastercard or Visa.
Cape Range charges two separate fees: a per person, per night camping fee and a per vehicle park entry fee. You can pay the entry fee as part of your booking, pay on arrival, or skip it if you hold a valid park pass. Trailers, camper trailers and caravans don't attract an entry fee.
Unlike most WA campgrounds, which open 180 days ahead, Ningaloo Coast campgrounds release in monthly blocks on the first Tuesday of each month at 10am AWST. As of October 2026, stays up to 30 April 2027 are open. The May 2027 block opens at 10am AWST on Tuesday 3 November 2026, followed by June on 1 December 2026 and July on 5 January 2027. Expect a virtual waiting room on release mornings. DBCA allocates queue positions at random at 10am, so joining early doesn't help.
Maximum stay is 14 nights if any night falls in WA public school holidays, otherwise 28 nights.
When it sells out
Osprey Bay is one of the first campgrounds to go on release mornings, and WA school holidays go fastest of all. DBCA's own guide flags 10 to 26 April 2027, 3 to 18 July 2027 and 25 September to 10 October 2027 as peak demand. The cooler months, roughly May to October, also coincide with humpback whale migration past the coast, so mid-year weekends fill quickly too.
The hot months from December to April are quieter, but they're also cyclone season and can be extremely hot.
How to get a cancellation
Missing out on release day isn't the end. Under DBCA's terms you can cancel or change a booking up to 11:59pm AWST the day before arrival, and those nights go straight back into the pool.
A few patterns are worth knowing:
- The 48-hour grace period. Bookings made 3 or more days ahead can be cancelled free within 48 hours. People who grabbed "just in case" sites on release morning often drop them in the following two days.
- Free-cancellation cut-offs. Removing dates is free more than 14 days ahead for peak dates and more than 5 days ahead otherwise. After that, a fee of one concession camper fee per night per site applies, so lots of cancellations land just before those cut-offs.
- Last-minute drops. Sites can reappear right up to the night before arrival.
Refreshing Park Stay all day isn't fun. You can watch Osprey Bay on Aussie Camp Alerts and get an email when a night you want turns bookable. The free plan covers one watch; the Summer pass adds instant alerts, Telegram and web push.
Getting there
Osprey Bay is inside Cape Range National Park, reached from Exmouth. Park Stay lists the campground as accessible by 2WD or SUV, though roads may include unsealed sections and conditions vary. Launching a boat or kayak from the beach needs a 4WD. Pay or show your park entry pass on the way in, and remember drinking water isn't available anywhere in the campground.
Nearby alternatives
If Osprey Bay is booked out, try these Cape Range campgrounds:
- Yardie Creek: small and close to the gorge, a little further south
- Kurrajong: just to the north, behind the dunes, generator-free
- Mesa: handy for big rigs, further north
- Tulki Beach: the closest campground to Turquoise Bay