Beachfront camping: wake up to magnificent views, secluded bays and white sandy beaches, all connected by walking tracks. Percy Island is a natural haven for lovers of the outdoors.
There are no venomous snakes or spiders to worry about, just native skinks and abundant birdlife, including a pair of beach stone-curlews that live and nest at the southern end of West Bay beach. None of the island’s insects are harmful to humans, but do cover up at sunrise and sunset and bring insect repellent to protect yourself from the tiny tropical sandflies, which you can barely see.
Camping fees
Campers are welcome for $10 per adult per night. Children 12 and under camp free. Please pay into the donation box at the A-frame shop, or to the caretakers.
Where to camp
Camping is only permitted at West Bay, which is part of the conservation park. Whites Bay and the rest of the island are national park, where QPWS does not permit camping, and camping in the A-frame itself is not allowed under the Nature Conservation Act 1992. When you arrive, contact the Homestead for instructions on where to set up.
Camping rules
- The A-frame: the Percy Island Yacht Club A-frame and its camp kitchen (with crockery and cutlery) are for all visitors to use. Please leave them tidy, wash up with sea water, and put empty coconut husks on the pile behind the A-frame. Any help cleaning up is appreciated.
- Fires: only in the custom-built fire pit and BBQ behind the A-frame. No fires on the beach or at campsites.
- Firewood: wood is provided, so please use it wisely. Ask for advice before collecting your own, and tidy the fire area after use.
- Water: the island relies on collected rainwater, so bring your own drinking water from the mainland. If we have surplus rainwater we’ll supply some for washing dishes; in a drought, please use sea water.
- Rubbish: please take all your rubbish off the island.
- Coconut palms: don’t stand or camp under them; a falling nut is heavy.
- Dogs: must be kept on a leash and under control at all times.
- Hunting: absolutely no hunting is permitted.
- Phone and internet: Telstra is sometimes available about 100 m above sea level at Ring Ring Rocks, above West Bay. You can also visit the Homestead internet café and leave a donation, as it’s privately funded by the volunteers.
Fire safety: the dunes and the tracks to the Homestead and apiaries are covered in native timber, an extremely volatile fire risk. Keep fires under control at all times and put out all embers with sea water, using the bucket provided. A bushfire would mean the evacuation of residents and the end of an era.
Questions before you visit? See the Contact page.