Karratha: sleeping in your car
Local laws: unknown
We have not read Karratha's local laws, so this page claims nothing about them. They sit on top of the state regulations below and can be stricter. Unknown does not mean permitted.
Signs override this page. Whatever is signed at the site is the rule that applies, no matter what is written here.
What applies here regardless
In Western Australia a person may camp only at a site in a licensed caravan park or camping ground, or in accordance with regulation 11. The penalty is a fine of $1 000.
One of the situations regulation 11 allows is camping for up to 24 consecutive hours in a caravan or other vehicle on a road side rest area. The regulations define a road side rest area as an area designated by a traffic sign, erected in accordance with a written law, as an area that may be used for 24 hours for resting, stopping or camping in a vehicle. The traffic sign is what brings a place within the exception.
Stopping places in this council area (42)
3 of them are recorded by Main Roads as allowing a 24-hour stay: Miaree Pool, Maitland, Private Fortescue, Mardie, Private Karratha, Cooya Pooya.
| Stopping place | Road | Type | 24-hour stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Karratha Information Bay, Maitland | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| City of Karratha, Point Samson | Point Samson Roebourne Rd | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| City of Karratha, Roebourne | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| City of Karratha, Roebourne | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| De Boulay, Mardie | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| De Boulay, Mardie | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Karratha, Karratha | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Madigan Road Road Train Assembly Area, Stove Hill | Madigan Rd | Heavy Vehicle Rest Area | 24-hour stay not stated |
| Mardie Parking Bay | North West Coastal Hwy | Major Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Miaree Pool, Maitland | North West Coastal Hwy | Major Rest Area | 24-hour stay recorded |
| Peawah West, Sherlock | North West Coastal Hwy | Major Rest Area · toilet | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Private Fortescue, Mardie | North West Coastal Hwy | Roadhouse · toilet | 24-hour stay recorded |
| Private Karratha, Cooya Pooya | North West Coastal Hwy | Roadhouse · toilet | 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Cooya Pooya | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Cooya Pooya | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Cooya Pooya | Manuwarra Red Dog Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Cooya Pooya | Manuwarra Red Dog Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Cooya Pooya | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Maitland | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area · toilet | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Mardie | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Mardie | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Mardie | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Mardie | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Mardie | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Mardie | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area · toilet | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Mardie | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area · toilet | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Mardie | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Mardie | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Mardie | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Mardie | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Mardie | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Mount Anketell | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Mount Anketell | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Roebourne | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Roebourne | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Roebourne | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Sherlock | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Sherlock | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Sherlock | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Sherlock | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Sherlock | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
| Rest area near Sherlock | North West Coastal Hwy | Minor Rest Area | No 24-hour stay recorded |
Where two rows read alike, they are two separate stopping places on the same road in the same locality. Main Roads publishes no name for either and no site identifier but an internal GUID, so there is nothing further to tell them apart with — and inventing a distinction would be worse than showing the pair.
Where this comes from
- “A person may camp only — (a) at a site in a caravan park or camping ground, as appropriate, licensed under the Act; or (b) in accordance with regulation 11. Penalty: a fine of $1 000.” — Caravan Parks and Camping Grounds Regulations 1997 (WA), current compilation, Western Australian Parliamentary Counsel's Office. Retrieved 30 Aug 2026.
- “for up to 24 consecutive hours in a caravan or other vehicle on a road side rest area” — Caravan Parks and Camping Grounds Regulations 1997 (WA), current compilation, Western Australian Parliamentary Counsel's Office. Retrieved 30 Aug 2026.
- “road side rest area means an area designated by a traffic sign erected in accordance with a written law, as an area which may be used for 24 hours for — (a) resting; or (b) stopping; or (c) camping, in a vehicle;” — Caravan Parks and Camping Grounds Regulations 1997 (WA), current compilation, Western Australian Parliamentary Counsel's Office. Retrieved 30 Aug 2026.
- Stopping place locations, facilities and 24-hour stay status: Road Stopping Places, Main Roads Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Retrieved 30 Aug 2026.