
Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park — The Senior Grey Nomad Guide to the Coral Coast’s Most Charming First Stop in 2026
Written for Australian senior travellers aged 60–80 heading north on the Coral Coast — honest answers, verified details, and every GPS coordinate you need before you leave Wi-Fi.
📋 Table of Contents
- The Coral Coast Run and the First Night Out of Perth: Why Grey Nomads Choose Willowbrook Farm
- Free Roadside Stops on the Brand Highway — Looks Fine, Genuinely Hard for Seniors
- Your Two Main Options Side by Side
- Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park: Forty Acres, Farm Animals, and the Best Scones in WA
- The Farm Experience: What It Really Means for Senior Grey Nomads
- What Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park Doesn’t Tell You Online
- Van Life Savings Spots: Free and Low-Cost Camping Near Willowbrook Farm
- Gingin Caravan Park: The Town Alternative for Grey Nomads
- Full Facilities Comparison: Willowbrook Farm vs Gingin CP vs Moore River
- Rates: All Options
- The Gingin and Gravity Discovery Centre Day Plan for Seniors
- Senior Checklist: Willowbrook Farm and the Coral Coast Gateway
- What to Do Near Willowbrook Farm: Your Senior Day Plan
- GPS Coordinates and Postcodes: Save Every Stop
- Frequently Asked Questions — Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park for Grey Nomads
- Quick-Reference Card and Booking CTAs
1. The Coral Coast Run and the First Night Out of Perth: Why Grey Nomads Choose Willowbrook Farm
Every grey nomad who has done the Coral Coast run north from Perth knows the planning dilemma of the first night. You want to be clear of Perth’s sprawl by early afternoon — but if you push all the way to Cervantes or Jurien Bay, you are clocking up 250 kilometres on day one when you could be easing into the trip properly. The answer experienced travellers have been sharing around campfires for years is simple: pull off at Willowbrook Farm.
Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park sits just over an hour north of Perth on Gingin Brook Road near Neergabby — right at the point where the freeway noise falls away, the sky opens up, and you realise you have genuinely left the city behind. Forty acres of WA farmland. Texas Longhorn cattle. Shetland ponies. Alpacas. Sheep. A three-legged goat named Star who has been charming grey nomads for years. Complimentary fresh scones with homemade jam and cream every Sunday morning. A communal firepit under the stars at night. It is the kind of place you book for one night and stay for four — and the kind of place that ends up in the caravan park shortlist that gets passed between friends.
This guide is written for senior travellers aged 60–80 who need the practical answers before they commit: Can the park handle a fifth-wheeler? Is it really pet-friendly or just tolerant? What happens if there’s a medical emergency an hour north of Perth? We answer every question. For the big-picture circuit planning, see our complete guide to grey nomad routes around Australia.
2. Free Roadside Stops on the Brand Highway — Looks Fine, Genuinely Hard for Seniors
The Brand Highway and Indian Ocean Drive north of Perth have several designated rest areas and roadside stops that appear on Wikicamps and similar apps. For a truckie or a young traveller who needs four hours’ rest before pushing on to Geraldton, they are functional. For a senior grey nomad who deserves a proper, comfortable first night on the road, they create five specific problems that most people only discover after they have already committed to one.
- No power, no exceptions. WA roadside rest areas do not provide mains power. A CPAP user on a lithium battery for the first night of a long trip is draining their backup reserves before the trip has even properly begun. Starting the Coral Coast run already one battery cycle down is poor planning when you have weeks of travel ahead.
- Highway noise is continuous and significant. Roadside rest areas on the Brand Highway and Indian Ocean Drive sit adjacent to a working highway with road trains. The sound and vibration from heavy transport at speed continues through the night. A bad night’s sleep on night one compounds fatigue and decision-making for days afterwards.
- No amenities beyond a basic toilet — if that. Many rest areas provide nothing more than a cleared gravel area. For seniors managing bladder conditions, requiring a hot shower after a day’s drive, or simply wanting to cook a proper first dinner rather than eat from a cooler, a roadside stop is not a comfortable option.
- No dump point access. If you filled your tank before leaving Perth and the first night is at a roadside area with no dump point, you are carrying a full tank until the next managed park — which on a busy Coral Coast long weekend may not have immediate availability.
- No sense of arrival. This is not a safety point but it matters enormously to the experience. The first night of a grey nomad trip sets the tone for everything that follows. Pulling into a beautiful 40-acre farm where the longhorns come to the fence at dusk and someone is setting up the firepit creates an entirely different first night to parking on gravel beside a highway off-ramp. You deserve the good version.
Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park is at 1679 Gingin Brook Road, Neergabby WA 6503. GPS: -31.3168, 115.6996. It is just over an hour from Perth and everything you need for a proper first night is already there.
3. Your Two Main Options Side by Side
| Facility / Feature | Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park | Brand / Indian Ocean Drive Rest Areas (Free) |
|---|---|---|
| 240V mains power (CPAP) | ✅ Powered sites with water and sullage | ❌ No power at any rest area |
| Hot showers and flush toilets | ✅ Amenities block on-site | ❌ Basic toilet or none |
| Camp kitchen and BBQ | ✅ Camp kitchen + large covered BBQ area | ❌ None |
| Communal firepit | ✅ Seasonal firepit — centrepiece of park evenings | ❌ None |
| Drive-through sites (big rigs) | ✅ Drive-through sites available | ⚠️ Variable — often basic gravel clearings |
| Pets allowed | ✅ YES — genuinely pet-friendly | ⚠️ Technically yes — but no fencing, no facilities |
| Farm animals and activities | ✅ Longhorns, ponies, alpacas, goats, daily feeding at 4:30pm | ❌ None |
| Sunday scones with jam and cream | ✅ Complimentary every Sunday at 9:30am | ❌ None |
| Highway noise | ✅ Off the highway — quiet rural setting | ❌ Adjacent to highway — road trains all night |
| Night sky | ✅ Spectacular — 40 acres, no light pollution | ⚠️ Variable — highway lighting at most stops |
| Medical proximity | ⚠️ Gingin Medical Centre 15km. Joondalup Health Campus 70km south. | ⚠️ Variable — unknown distance to help |
| Senior overall rating | ✅ Recommended — best senior first night out of Perth | ❌ Not suitable for senior overnight stays |
4. Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park: Forty Acres, Farm Animals, and the Best Scones in WA
Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park is set on forty acres of WA farmland at Neergabby, just east of the main coastal highway corridor and about 90km north of Perth’s CBD. It is not a resort park. It is not a big-chain holiday park with a waterslide and a miniature golf course. It is something considerably more valuable for a senior grey nomad: a genuine working farm with large grassed powered sites, friendly management who know their guests by name, a community firepit that people actually use, and an atmosphere that makes the first night of a long trip feel like an occasion rather than a logistical necessity.
The farm itself dates to 1874 — the original homestead is still standing, and an authentic old shearing shed and a small pioneer cemetery sit on the property. The murals painted by local Perth artists Jean and Steve Wainwright decorate the buildings. Roaming the forty acres are Texas Longhorns, Belted Galloways, sheep and lambs, Shetland ponies, alpacas, geese, chickens, guinea fowl, and Star — a three-legged goat who has been the most-photographed resident of this park for as long as anyone can remember. Animal feeding takes place daily at approximately 4:30pm, and guests are welcome to participate in a safe, supervised environment. It is genuinely delightful regardless of whether you are 8 or 78.
The sites are large, flat, and grassed — a significant advantage for anyone who has spent a night trying to level a caravan on compacted gravel. Powered sites include water and sullage connections (full hookup), which is not standard at a park in this price range and makes a genuine difference for stays longer than one or two nights. Drive-through sites are available for travellers who cannot or prefer not to reverse. The camp kitchen is well-equipped and the large covered BBQ area is a social space that consistently draws compliments in reviews.
Address: 1679 Gingin Brook Road, Neergabby WA 6503
GPS: -31.3138, 115.7032— save to navigation app before leaving Perth Wi-Fi
⚠️ GPS Navigation Warning: Some GPS devices will not locate the park unless you type in the suburb as NEERGABBY — not Gingin, not West Gingin. If your GPS cannot find the address, switch to the coordinates above.
Phone: 08 9575 7566
Email: [email protected]
Website: willowbrookfarm.com.au
When you call, ask: your rig length and whether a drive-through powered site is available, whether you are arriving on a Sunday (scones at 9:30am!), whether the firepit is operating on your dates, and confirm the pet policy for your specific animal.
The Gingin township is approximately 15km away along Gingin Brook Road — a sealed, easy drive. Gingin has a supermarket, IGA, bakery, fuel, post office, bottle shop, and the Gingin Medical Centre for non-emergency health queries. The Gravity Discovery Centre and Observatory — one of the best night-sky experiences within two hours of Perth — is a 20-minute drive from the park. For grey nomads who genuinely love the experience of living in retirement on the road, a few nights at Willowbrook Farm is one of those stops that reminds you exactly why you sold the house and bought the van.
5. The Farm Experience: What It Really Means for Senior Grey Nomads
Grey nomads who have been on the road for months — and particularly those coming back south after months in the NT or the Kimberley — describe the Willowbrook Farm experience in terms that go well beyond “a nice caravan park.” After weeks of hot, remote, demanding travel, a night in a green paddock with a cold breeze, animals at the fence, and a cup of tea by the fire is restorative in a way that is genuinely hard to quantify. This is the kind of rest a tired senior traveller actually needs, and it is not available at a highway service centre or a commercial holiday park.
At Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park, the afternoon animal feeding at 4:30pm is not a performance — you are in a working farm environment where the stock actually needs to be fed, and you are invited to be part of it. Texas Longhorns are extraordinary animals to stand next to. The Shetland ponies are gentle enough that most people can interact with them directly. Star the three-legged goat is, by all accounts, completely unaware of being an internet celebrity and will happily let you pat her regardless. For solo senior travellers especially, this kind of gentle, uncomplicated animal contact is something that most city parks and highway rest stops simply cannot provide.
The communal firepit is seasonal — operating when fire ban conditions permit. In WA’s autumn through winter months (roughly March to October) it runs most evenings and becomes the social heart of the park. Grey nomads who have been travelling in convoy or who arrive alone often end up sitting around the fire with strangers who become, within about twenty minutes, people they will be meeting again somewhere up the coast in three weeks. This is the social texture of grey nomad travel at its best, and it is exactly what a park like Willowbrook Farm makes possible.
6. What Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park Doesn’t Tell You Online
The park’s own website is brief — it gives you the essentials but not the details that matter specifically to senior grey nomads. Here is what you actually need to know before you arrive.
1. Your GPS device may not find the park — read this before you leave Perth. Multiple sources confirm that some GPS navigation devices — including popular car nav units and phone navigation apps — fail to locate the park correctly if you type in “West Gingin” or “Gingin” as the suburb. The correct suburb for navigation is NEERGABBY. If your device cannot find 1679 Gingin Brook Road Neergabby, switch to the decimal coordinates: -31.3168, 115.6996. Test your navigation before you leave Perth while you still have Wi-Fi — not when you are already on Gingin Brook Road in the dark.
2. The powered sites include water and sullage connections. Full hookup — power, water, and grey water/sullage — is not standard in parks at this price point and location. For grey nomads staying more than one or two nights, this removes the need to manage tanks and reduces the maintenance workload of the stop considerably. Confirm when booking whether your preferred site has all three connections.
3. The property has a small pioneer cemetery. The original homestead dates to 1874, and a small historical pioneer cemetery sits on the forty acres. This is a genuinely interesting historical feature for grey nomads who appreciate WA’s early settlement history — ask the managers for the location and context when you check in. It is not advertised prominently but is part of what makes this property distinctive.
4. The quad bike farm tours are a bonus — not guaranteed. Some reviews mention quad bike and trailer rides around the farm property. These are offered at the management’s discretion and availability rather than as a scheduled activity. Do not arrive expecting a guaranteed farm tour — but if conditions are right and the hosts are available, it is a wonderful bonus. Ask when you check in.
5. The access road requires some attention. Access to Willowbrook Farm is via Gingin Brook Road — also reachable via Military Road. The road is generally fine for caravans and motorhomes but is a rural sealed-and-unsealed mix. If you are arriving after dark for the first time, do not rely solely on your GPS — use the coordinates, go slowly on the final approach, and do not hesitate to call ahead on 08 9575 7566 for current access guidance.
7. Van Life Savings Spots: Free and Low-Cost Camping Near Willowbrook Farm
If budget is tight or you want to split the Coral Coast first leg across different bases, here are the verified lower-cost options within range of Willowbrook Farm. Save all of these to your van life savings spots app before leaving Perth Wi-Fi — rural WA has variable coverage and you want these GPS coordinates already loaded.
| Site Name | Cost | Address + GPS | Senior Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gingin Caravan Park | From ~$35/night powered. Call to confirm. | Brockman Street, Gingin WA 6503. ~15km from Willowbrook Farm. GPS: -31.3478, 115.9073 | Good senior alternative if Willowbrook is full. In town — walking distance to IGA, bakery, fuel, medical centre. Simpler park, no farm experience. Pets — verify when booking. Good for an extra night if extending your Gingin stay. |
| Moore River National Park campground (Coyne Road) | ~$12 per adult/night. Must pre-book online at exploreparks.dbca.wa.gov.au. | Coyne Road, Moore River NP, Guilderton WA 6503. ~35km west of Willowbrook Farm. GPS: -31.3533, 115.5126 | Coastal dunes and river mouth. No power. Pit toilets. No pets (national park). Good self-sufficient option for 1–2 nights. Not suitable for CPAP users. Can be very windy off the Indian Ocean. Beautiful scenery but not a comfort option for seniors. |
| Cervantes Pinnacles Caravan Park (next stop north) | From ~$38/night powered | Aragon Street, Cervantes WA 6511. ~120km north of Willowbrook Farm. GPS: -30.4976, 115.0665 | Good senior option for second night on the Coral Coast. Powered sites. Near the Pinnacles Desert. Cervantes township has shops and a medical clinic. Good beach access. Significantly further north — fine as next stop after Willowbrook Farm. |
8. Gingin Caravan Park: The Town Alternative for Grey Nomads
If Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park is fully booked — which happens frequently on long weekends, during wildflower season, and over winter when Perth grey nomads head out for weekend getaways — the practical alternative in the area is Gingin Caravan Park, located in the Gingin township 15km away. It is a simpler, smaller town park without the farm experience or the forty acres, but it has powered sites, is walking distance from the IGA supermarket and bakery, and sits directly next to the Gingin Medical Centre — a meaningful advantage if you have health concerns during your stay.
For grey nomads who want to be right in the township — able to walk to the pub, the bakery, and the shops without driving — Gingin Caravan Park is the right choice. For those who want the farm experience, the animals, the firepit, and the acreage, Willowbrook Farm is worth waiting for a booking. They are different parks serving different needs, and both are genuinely good options for a Coral Coast first night.
Gingin Caravan Park
Address: Brockman Street, Gingin WA 6503
GPS: -31.3462, 115.9064
Phone: confirm current number via Gingin Visitor Centre — 08 9575 1166 — or search online for the most current contact before departure.
9. Full Facilities Comparison: Willowbrook Farm vs Gingin CP vs Moore River Campground
| Facility | Willowbrook Farm CP | Gingin Caravan Park | Moore River NP Campground |
|---|---|---|---|
| 240V mains power | ✅ Yes — power, water and sullage | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Hot showers | ✅ Amenities block — clean | ✅ Yes | ❌ Pit toilets only |
| Camp kitchen / BBQ | ✅ Camp kitchen + covered BBQ area | ✅ BBQ facilities | ❌ No kitchen |
| Communal firepit | ✅ Seasonal — park highlight | ⚠️ Verify when booking | ⚠️ Subject to total fire ban |
| Pets | ✅ Genuinely pet-friendly | ⚠️ Verify when booking — policy may vary | ❌ No pets — national park |
| Farm animals / activities | ✅ Daily feeding, quad bike tours (on availability), pioneer history | ❌ Town park — no farm activities | ❌ None |
| Sunday complimentary scones | ✅ Every Sunday 9:30am | ❌ Not provided | ❌ Not provided |
| Drive-through sites | ✅ Available | ⚠️ Confirm when booking | ❌ Basic sites only |
| Town access (shops, pharmacy, fuel) | ⚠️ 15km drive to Gingin | ✅ Walking distance to IGA, bakery, fuel, medical | ❌ 35km+ to nearest town |
| Medical proximity | ⚠️ Gingin Medical Centre 15km. Joondalup 70km. | ✅ Gingin Medical Centre walking distance | ⚠️ Guilderton 5km but no medical. Gingin ~35km. |
| Night sky / rural quiet | ✅ Spectacular — 40 acres, minimal light pollution | ⚠️ Town park — some light pollution | ✅ Very dark — remote coastal |
| Senior overall rating | ✅ ★★★★ Best senior experience | ✅ ★★★ Good town access option | ⚠️ ★★ Self-sufficient only |
10. Rates: All Options
Rates are indicative for 2026 and subject to change. Always confirm current pricing directly with the park before arrival. Recent reviews cite powered sites at approximately $55 per night — verify when booking as rates can change seasonally.
| Accommodation Type | Approx. Rate (per night) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Willowbrook Farm — Powered site with water and sullage (2 persons) ← Senior Recommended | ~$50–$60 | Large grassed sites. Full hookup (power, water, sullage). Drive-through sites available. Ask for shaded site. Call ahead to confirm rates for 2026: 08 9575 7566 |
| Willowbrook Farm — Unpowered site (2 persons) | ~$30–$40 | Large grassed sites. Suitable for self-contained rigs with lithium battery for CPAP. Camp kitchen access included. Sunday scones included. |
| Gingin Caravan Park — Powered site | ~$35–$48 | Town park. Walking distance to all Gingin amenities including medical centre. Confirm pet policy and dump point availability when booking. |
| Moore River NP Campground (DBCA) | ~$12 per adult/night | Must pre-book at exploreparks.dbca.wa.gov.au. No power. No pets. For self-sufficient seniors only — recommended as day-trip destination from Willowbrook Farm rather than overnight base. |
| Cervantes Pinnacles Caravan Park (next north stop) | ~$38–$55 | ~120km north. Good senior option. Near The Pinnacles. Powered sites, dump point, pets — verify when booking. Good second night from Willowbrook Farm for Coral Coast itinerary. |
To book Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park: Call 08 9575 7566, email [email protected], or visit willowbrookfarm.com.au. Long weekends, WA school holidays, and the wildflower season (August–October) fill quickly — book at least 3–4 weeks ahead for these periods. If you are planning a Sunday stop, mention this when booking — the scones are complimentary for all guests staying that morning.
11. The Gingin and Gravity Discovery Centre Day Plan for Seniors
From your base at Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park, the Gingin area offers a full day of genuinely interesting, senior-friendly activities that most travellers rushing through on the Brand Highway never stop for. Here is the ideal Gingin day plan from the park.
8:30am — Morning walk on the farm property. Before leaving the park for the day, take a slow morning walk around the forty acres. The birdlife at Willowbrook is consistently noted in reviews — Blue Wrens, Wagtails, Kookaburras, and Cockatoos are all regular residents. The light on the paddocks in the early morning, with the Longhorns moving slowly across the grass, is genuinely beautiful. Allow 30–45 minutes. The ground is flat throughout.
9:30am — Gingin Town. Gingin WA 6503. GPS: -31.3482, 115.9068. Drive the 15km on Gingin Brook Road into town. Pick up supplies at the IGA. The Gingin Bakery is well-regarded — excellent pies and pastries. The Gingin Visitor Centre on Brockman Street has current information on local walks, wildflower spots (in season), and events. Allow 45 minutes in town.
11:00am — Gravity Discovery Centre and Leaning Tower of Gingin. Gingin Observatory, Brand Highway, Gingin WA 6503. GPS: -31.3571, 115.7118. Phone: 08 9575 1492. One of the most unexpectedly excellent science and astronomy attractions in regional WA. The hands-on gravity exhibits, the actual Leaning Tower of Gingin (a replica built for physics experiments — yes, you can drop things from it), and the night-sky observatory sessions are all outstanding. The observatory runs special evening stargazing sessions on Saturdays — worth extending your stay a night for. The grounds are flat, accessible, and well-shaded. Entry fee applies — approximately $15–$20 adults. Allow 2 hours.
1:30pm — Lunch at Gingin Pub or return to camp kitchen. The Gingin Hotel on Brockman Street has counter lunches in a classic WA country pub setting. Or return to the park by 2pm and use the camp kitchen for a quieter lunch before the 4:30pm animal feeding.
4:30pm — Animal feeding at Willowbrook Farm. Back at the park in time for the daily farm feeding — daily at approximately 4:30pm. This is the event that park reviews describe as their most memorable. Allow 45 minutes and bring your camera.
12. Senior Checklist: Willowbrook Farm and the Coral Coast Gateway
| Item | Why It Matters for Willowbrook Farm and North WA | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| Travel insurance with medical evacuation cover | Joondalup Health Campus is ~70km south — the major northern Perth emergency hospital. Any serious cardiac, stroke, or trauma event from Willowbrook Farm will be an ambulance-to-Joondalup situation. WA ambulance fees are significant without cover — check your policy includes WA regional ambulance transport before departure. | ☐ |
| PLB registered with AMSA | Willowbrook Farm is only an hour from Perth — but once you continue north toward Geraldton and beyond, coverage drops significantly. Registering your PLB before this trip rather than somewhere up the coast is the correct time. Register free at beacons.amsa.gov.au — the further north you go, the more important this becomes. | ☐ |
| 2-week minimum prescription medication supply | Gingin has a medical centre with onsite pharmacy — good for basic prescriptions. But specialist medications and specialist scripts should be filled in Perth before departure. Once you are in Jurien Bay, Geraldton, or further north, pharmacy options become more limited with every kilometre. Stock up in Perth. | ☐ |
| Medicare card + medication list in waterproof pouch | Keep in the vehicle at all times — accessible at the front, not buried in the van. If you are transported to Joondalup by ambulance, the medication list allows emergency staff to act quickly and safely. Print a copy and keep it in the glovebox. | ☐ |
| CPAP lithium battery backup | Willowbrook Farm has powered sites — but as you continue north on the Coral Coast, powered availability varies and many scenic stops are unpowered. Starting the trip with a fully charged CPAP battery backup ensures you are never caught without power for your machine, regardless of which camp you end up in on any given night. | ☐ |
| GPS navigation pre-tested with NEERGABBY suburb | Critical for Willowbrook Farm specifically. Test your GPS or navigation app before leaving Perth by entering “1679 Gingin Brook Road NEERGABBY WA 6503”. If it does not resolve correctly, use the decimal coordinates -31.3168, 115.6996. A GPS failure at night on an unfamiliar rural road is an avoidable problem — sort it while you still have Wi-Fi in Perth. | ☐ |
| SPF 50+ sunscreen and sun protection | The WA Coral Coast UV is extreme — UV Index 10–14 year-round. The farm’s afternoon activities and the Gingin day trips involve significant outdoor exposure. Apply SPF 50+ before any outdoor activity including the animal feeding session — it is easy to underestimate sun exposure in what feels like a mild WA afternoon. | ☐ |
| Offline maps downloaded before leaving Perth | Download the Gingin, Neergabby, Moore River, and Brand Highway corridor offline on Google Maps before leaving Perth Wi-Fi. Rural WA coverage is variable. GPS coordinates work without signal but you need pre-loaded map tiles to navigate the rural roads around Willowbrook Farm. | ☐ |
| Emergency numbers saved offline AND on paper in glovebox | Joondalup Health Campus: 08 9400 9400. Gingin Medical Centre: 08 9575 2300. Willowbrook Farm: 08 9575 7566. Emergency: 000. Healthdirect (free nurse line, 24hrs): 1800 022 222. Write these on paper — do not rely on a phone that may be flat or out of signal. | ☐ |
| Dog lead, water, and pet management confirmed | Willowbrook Farm is pet-friendly — but you are on a working farm with livestock. Your dog must be on a lead at all times and must not approach or distress the farm animals. This is not optional — it is a safety issue for both your dog and the livestock. Confirm the specific pet rules when you book. | ☐ |
13. What to Do Near Willowbrook Farm: Your Senior Day Plan
Every activity below is within 90 minutes of Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park. For the broader context of planning your Coral Coast run, see our guide to free camping in Western Australia and how to pace the journey north.
| Activity | Address + GPS | Senior Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Willowbrook Farm animal feeding | 1679 Gingin Brook Road, Neergabby WA 6503. GPS: -31.3138, 115.7032 | Daily at ~4:30pm. Flat farm ground. Texas Longhorns, Belted Galloways, sheep, Shetland ponies, alpacas, geese, guinea fowl, Star the three-legged goat. Safe, supervised. Dogs must be on-lead and away from livestock. No extra charge — included in site fee. |
| Gravity Discovery Centre and Leaning Tower | Brand Highway, Gingin WA 6503. ~20km from park. GPS: -31.3571, 115.7118 | Hands-on science and astronomy. Flat, shaded grounds. Fully accessible. Saturday night stargazing sessions — book ahead at gravitycentre.com.au. ~$15–20 entry. Allow 2 hours. Air-conditioned interior — excellent hot afternoon option. |
| Gingin town main street | Brockman Street, Gingin WA 6503. ~15km from park. GPS: -31.3482, 115.9068 | Flat, compact town centre. IGA, bakery, bottle shop, fuel, post office, Visitor Centre, pub with counter meals. Medical centre and onsite pharmacy for minor health queries. Allow 1–2 hours. Good for supplies top-up before heading north. |
| Moore River and Guilderton coastal drive | Moore River Drive, Guilderton WA 6503. ~35km west. GPS: -31.3477, 115.4988 | The Moore River mouth at Guilderton is a calm, shallow estuary — good swimming and birdwatching. Flat sandy beach with easy beach access. Guilderton General Store for a coffee and supplies. Day trip from Willowbrook Farm — drive one way via Brand Highway, return via a different route for scenic variety. Allow a half-day. |
| Yanchep National Park (south) | Wanneroo Road, Yanchep WA 6035. ~50km south. GPS: -31.5512, 115.6872 | If heading back toward Perth for a day, Yanchep NP has koalas, caves, flat walking trails and a visitor café. Fully accessible boardwalks through tuart forest. Entry fee applies. No pets (national park). Good air-conditioned cave tours for hot afternoons. Allow 2–3 hours. |
| The Pinnacles Desert (Nambung NP — next north stop) | Nambung National Park, Cervantes WA 6511. ~120km north. GPS: -30.6033, 115.1554 | One of WA’s great natural wonders — thousands of limestone spires rising from yellow desert sand. Sealed road loop through the pinnacles — you can see them from the car. A flat 1.5km walk circuit gets you among them. No pets (national park). Go early morning for best light. The natural next overnight stop after Willowbrook Farm. |
| Wildflower viewing (seasonal: Aug–Oct) | Gingin Brook Road and surrounding roads. Starting from the park. GPS: –31.3283, 115.6562 | The roadsides and paddock edges around Gingin and Neergabby during August–October wildflower season are genuinely spectacular — everlastings, native orchids, wattles. A slow morning drive on the rural roads within 20km of the park requires no walking and no entry fees. The best free wildflower experience in WA’s mid-coast region. |
14. GPS Coordinates and Postcodes: Save Every Stop
Save all of these to your van life savings spots app while still connected to Perth Wi-Fi. Rural WA phone coverage becomes variable once you are north of the metropolitan area — having these coordinates and phone numbers saved offline, especially the hospital contacts, is not optional for a safe trip. For tips on staying secure on the road, see our guide on how caravan theft happens in Australia.
| Stop | Full Address + Postcode | GPS (copy to app) |
|---|---|---|
| Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park | 1679 Gingin Brook Road, Neergabby WA 6503 (type NEERGABBY for GPS devices) | -31.3138, 115.7032 |
| Gingin town centre (IGA, bakery, fuel, pub) | Brockman Street, Gingin WA 6503 | -31.3482, 115.9068 |
| Gravity Discovery Centre and Observatory | Brand Highway, Gingin WA 6503 | -31.3571, 115.7118 |
| Moore River Mouth — Guilderton (day swim) | Moore River Drive, Guilderton WA 6503 | -31.3477, 115.4988 |
| Moore River NP Campground (day trip) | Coyne Road, Moore River NP, Guilderton WA 6503 | -31.3400, 115.4800 |
| Yanchep National Park | Wanneroo Road, Yanchep WA 6035 | -31.5512, 115.6872 |
| Cervantes (next north stop — Pinnacles) | Aragon Street, Cervantes WA 6511 | -30.4976, 115.0665 |
| The Pinnacles Desert (Nambung NP) | Nambung National Park, Cervantes WA 6511 | -30.6033, 115.1554 |
| 🏥 Gingin Medical Centre (day clinic — non-emergency) | 1 Lily King Place, Gingin WA 6503. Ph: 08 9575 2300. Onsite pharmacy. GP consultations. Not a 24hr emergency hospital. | -31.3490, 115.9030 |
| 🏥 Joondalup Health Campus — EMERGENCY (24hrs) | Cnr Grand Blvd and Shenton Ave, Joondalup WA 6027 — ~70km south of Willowbrook Farm. Ph: 08 9400 9400 (24 hours). Perth’s major northern hospital. | -31.7455, 115.7655 |
| 🚨 Emergency (ambulance, fire, police) | Call 000. Healthdirect free nurse advice line (24hrs): 1800 022 222. Gingin Police: 08 9575 1222 | Save to phone contacts now |
15. Frequently Asked Questions — Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park for Grey Nomads
Is Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park pet-friendly?
Yes — Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park is genuinely pet-friendly and is consistently listed among the best pet-friendly caravan parks in WA’s Perth–Coral Coast corridor. Multiple reviews specifically mention travelling with dogs and receiving a positive, welcoming experience. However, because this is a working farm with livestock — including Texas Longhorn cattle, sheep, Shetland ponies, and alpacas — dogs must be kept on a lead at all times and must not approach, chase, or distress the farm animals. This is a firm rule and a safety issue for both your dog and the animals. Confirm the specific pet management requirements when you book: 08 9575 7566 or [email protected].
Does Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park have drive-through sites for big rigs?
Yes — drive-through powered sites are available at Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park. The sites are large and grassed, and the park is set up on forty flat acres, meaning there are no tight turns or difficult grades. If you are arriving with a fifth-wheeler, a long motorhome combination, or any rig that you are not confident reversing, call ahead on 08 9575 7566 with your dimensions and the management will confirm the best site for your vehicle before arrival.
My GPS cannot find Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park — what do I do?
This is a known and documented issue with some GPS navigation devices. The correct suburb for navigation is NEERGABBY — not Gingin and not West Gingin. Enter the full address as: 1679 Gingin Brook Road, NEERGABBY WA 6503. If your device still cannot resolve this, use the decimal GPS coordinates directly: -31.3138, 115.7032. Test this navigation before leaving Perth while you have phone signal and Wi-Fi — not when you are already on Gingin Brook Road after dark. The approach is also possible via Military Road if you are coming from a different direction — call ahead on 08 9575 7566 for current directions.
What is the nearest hospital to Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park?
The Gingin Medical Centre at 1 Lily King Place, Gingin WA 6503 — phone 08 9575 2300 — is 15km away and provides GP consultations with an onsite pharmacy during business hours. It is not a 24-hour emergency hospital. For emergencies, the nearest full hospital is Joondalup Health Campus at Cnr Grand Blvd and Shenton Ave, Joondalup WA 6027 — phone 08 9400 9400 (24 hours), GPS: -31.7441, 115.7656— approximately 70km south of the park on well-known sealed roads. For any serious medical emergency — chest pain, stroke symptoms, major injury — call 000 immediately and do not attempt to drive yourself. The ambulance service for Gingin is 08 9575 1222. Write the Joondalup Health Campus number and GPS on paper and keep it in your glovebox.
When are the Sunday scones served and are they really free?
Yes — the complimentary Sunday morning scones with homemade jams and freshly whipped cream have been a Willowbrook Farm tradition for many years and are provided free to all guests staying that morning. They are served at approximately 9:30am every Sunday. This tradition has been consistently mentioned in reviews over a decade and is arguably the single most beloved feature of the park among returning guests. If you are planning to visit and want to catch the scones, arrive on Saturday and depart Sunday afternoon or Monday. Confirm current operating arrangements when booking.
What time is the animal feeding and can senior guests participate?
Daily animal feeding takes place at approximately 4:30pm. It is supervised and open to all guests — the reviews consistently describe it as a highlight regardless of age. Texas Longhorns, Belted Galloways, sheep and lambs, Shetland ponies, alpacas, geese, chickens, guinea fowl, and Star the three-legged goat all come out at feeding time. The ground on the farm is flat and accessible. Guests in reviews range from young families to solo seniors in their seventies and all describe it positively. If you have a dog, leave them secured at your van during the animal feeding session — do not bring them into the feeding area.
How far is Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park from Perth?
Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park at 1679 Gingin Brook Road, Neergabby WA 6503 is approximately 90km north of Perth CBD — just over one hour’s drive. The most direct route is via the Mitchell Freeway and then the Brand Highway north, turning onto Gingin Brook Road. It is a well-known first-night stop for grey nomads departing Perth on the Coral Coast run, sitting at the perfect distance from the city — far enough to feel genuinely away, close enough that it is a comfortable drive that does not exhaust you on day one of a long trip.
How do I book Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park?
Call 08 9575 7566, email [email protected], or visit willowbrookfarm.com.au. When booking, provide your rig length, whether you need a drive-through site, whether you are travelling with a pet (and what animal), and your planned arrival day — mention if you are arriving on a Sunday morning for the scones. The park fills on long weekends, during WA school holidays, and throughout wildflower season (August–October) — book at least 3–4 weeks ahead for these periods.
16. Quick-Reference Card — Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park
| Full Name | Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park |
| Address | 1679 Gingin Brook Road, Neergabby WA 6503 (type NEERGABBY for GPS devices) |
| GPS | -31.3138, 115.7032 |
| Phone | 08 9575 7566 |
| [email protected] | |
| Website | willowbrookfarm.com.au |
| Distance from Perth | ~90km north / just over 1 hour on Brand Highway |
| Property Size | 40 acres — large grassed sites, natural shade trees |
| Pets | ✅ YES — pet-friendly. Dogs on-lead at all times near livestock. Confirm when booking. |
| Power | ✅ 240V mains power. Powered sites include water and sullage (full hookup). |
| Drive-Through Sites | ✅ Available — confirm when booking for your rig length |
| Animal Feeding | ✅ Daily ~4:30pm — Longhorns, Galloways, ponies, alpacas, goats, poultry |
| Sunday Scones | ✅ Complimentary every Sunday at 9:30am — scones, homemade jam, cream |
| Communal Firepit | ✅ Seasonal — weather and fire ban permitting |
| Historic Features | Original 1874 homestead, authentic shearing shed, pioneer cemetery, murals by WA artists |
| Distance to Gingin (shops, fuel, pharmacy) | ~15km on Gingin Brook Road |
| Nearest GP Clinic | Gingin Medical Centre — 15km. Ph: 08 9575 2300 (day only) |
| Nearest 24hr Emergency Hospital | Joondalup Health Campus — ~70km south. Ph: 08 9400 9400 |
| Best Months (Seniors) | Mar–May (autumn, mild, quiet) and Aug–Oct (wildflowers, firepit season) |
| Emergency | 000 | Healthdirect: 1800 022 222 | Gingin Police: 08 9575 1222 |
Address: 1679 Gingin Brook Road, Neergabby WA 6503 (type NEERGABBY for GPS devices)
GPS: -31.3138, 115.7032 — save to navigation app now, before leaving Perth Wi-Fi
Phone: 08 9575 7566
Email: [email protected]
Website: willowbrookfarm.com.au
What to ask when calling: Provide your rig length and ask for a drive-through powered site with water and sullage. Mention if you are travelling with a dog and ask to confirm pet rules for a working farm. Tell them your arrival day — if it is a Saturday, ask about Sunday scone arrangements. Ask whether the firepit is currently operating on your dates.
Joondalup Health Campus (nearest 24hr emergency — save now): Cnr Grand Blvd & Shenton Ave, Joondalup WA 6027 — GPS: -31.7455, 115.7655 — Ph: 08 9400 9400 (24 hours)
→ Save this park and all GPS stops to your van life savings spots app before leaving Perth Wi-Fi
Disclaimer: Willowbrook Farm Caravan Park information was verified to the best of our ability as of March 2026. Rates, facilities, pet policy, GPS navigation behaviour, and park activities can change without notice. Always confirm directly with the park before arrival. GPS coordinates are provided in good faith — the suburb NEERGABBY should be used in navigation devices where the address alone does not resolve correctly. Hospital and medical information is based on publicly available WA Health data — always call 000 in a medical emergency rather than driving to a facility. This article was written for retiretovanlife.com and is intended for senior travellers. It is not a substitute for professional medical or safety advice.
Willowbrook Farm fills fast on long weekends, school holidays, and wildflower season. If your preferred site is already gone, search remaining accommodation options in the Gingin and Coral Coast region below.
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