It was her choice. Maybe I would’ve booked a bungalow in Gnarabup, close to the surf. Or found an off-grid camping spot to give us a sense of adventure. But it was her birthday, and she chose for us to stay at Fair Harvest Campground for the weekend, just outside of Margaret River township.
And I’m so glad she did.
This is how we experienced Margaret River’s ultimate permaculture farm as one of its weekend residents, basking in the spring sun, meeting Fair Harvest’s countless animals, enjoying the countless activities on offer and letting the farmstay find a page in our book as one of the best places to stay in Margaret River.
What is Fair Harvest?
First and foremost, Fair Harvest is a permaculture farm. It’s located only 5km up the road from Margaret River township, and about as many kilometres to Caves Road, the primary artery that connects the southwest. It started in 1995, when owner Jodie Lane and her mates began planting trees and plants on her family’s 160-hectare farm.
You can see the fruits (excuse the pun) of their labour thirty years on, as Fair Harvest now thrives as a hub for sustainable living and camping. It extended its offering to the community too, offering amazing classes and courses, many on permaculture and regenerative farming, with others making use of their multiple indoor spaces to provide yoga, sound healing and meditation workshops to visitors.
Honestly, the place is a treat. From what started as a few friends planting trees, it’s now a vibrant community of like-minded people, with wholesome vibes and bright personalities, doing what Margaret River locals do best: enjoying the stunning land they’re lucky enough to call home.
Why camp at Fair Harvest?
Oh, that’s an easy one to answer. The only question is, where to start?
Morning cuppa stroll
Crawling out of your tent, the frost still soaking the grass, birds chirping away and the sun slowly warming your bones… there’s no better way to start the day.
Our morning ritual became firing up the stove and getting our hands on a hot coffee, then setting about a stroll on Fair Harvest’s beautiful, accessible farm. You’re welcomed into the many gated sections that house stunning wildflowers, plants and animals. Take your boots or any shoes you’re willing to get dirty—after all, it’s a farm.
We repeated our steps almost every sunset, only with our cups of Joe traded for mugs of wine.
Activities, courses and classes
It doesn’t stop at camping and farm strolls, there are a tonne of activities, classes and even farming course available at Fair Harvest.
Yoga inside the big red barn was a highlight for us, stretching our bodies after a solid slumber in our nearby tent. We also were welcomed to a sound healing session, one so deeply satisfying that I let out a sole snore before my wife flicked my leg and woke me up.
There are also cooking classes, ad hoc events and the annual Edible Gardens Festival, around May every year.
Something I want to experience on my next sojourn to Margs is one of Fair Harvest’s Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC), a two-week residential course giving you all the knowledge to be a permaculturist. It costs $1,900 as of 2025, with the education it provides being absolutely priceless.
Speaking of price, yoga classes are $25 per session. Costs for other classes and workshops—like sound healing, meditation, etc—vary.
Warmth on warmth at the communal fire pit
We were welcomed to join the roaring fire at Fair Harvest’s communal pit, where a quick stop to warm our hands turned into an hour-long conversation with a retired German engineer, who—joined by his wife—had sold everything back in Cologne to explore West Australia on two wheels (and two feet). They were proudly either cycling or taking public transport to every hiking trail and campground.
Laura and I had literally been passing by to wash our dishes, until deciding to happily delay our card game back in the tent. The warmth from the fire was only outdone by the warmth of the welcoming atmosphere and wholesome vibe.
Animals, animals, animals
On our morning walks and evening strolls led us to stroke the long faces of friendly horses, go face-to-face with cows and share the paths with chickens and roosters. Fair Harvest is as much for its animal community as it is for its human one.
That’s not even mentioning the number of happy go lucky dogs on site, from the owner’s two pooches to the many roaming around the campground while their parents kicked back far from view.
The on-site cafe is a gem
My word, the flat white whipped up by the guys and gals at Fair Harvest’s on-site cafe was an absolute treat. I’d only brought the instant coffee with me, and look, sometimes you need to add a touch of class to the earthy and simplified way of living on a permaculture farmstay.
The local produce is amazing, so make sure you check out this great little spot, even if you’re just passing by.
Smack-bang in the middle of Margs’s best offerings
Despite the cafe on offer at Fair Harvest, we were just as privileged with the cafe, restaurant and bar offerings only 5km away in Margaret River township. You don’t need to search hard for incredible cuisine and vibey atmospheres in Margs, all of which were only a short drive away.
The same can be said for the activities outside of Fair Harvest. Mountain bike trails galore sit very close to the farm, as do some of the best hidden running trails in Margaret River. Find your way to Caves Road, just a few minutes west of Fair Harvest, and you’ll have the primary artery of the southwest connecting you to all the best surf spots, wineries, breweries, towns, tree walks and more.
“You had me at ‘compost shower’!”
I couldn’t resist including this, as the warm compost shower in the morning was the perfect wake-up ritual (after our morning stroll, of course). Perhaps knowing there’s no gas required to heat the firm flow of water, and even the knowledge that the pleasurable hot water was produced naturally, made the experience all the more gratifying.
You can tell how much work Jodie Lane and her staff at Fair Harvest have done to ensure their original mission to inspire others to holistic food growing and farm management.
Fair Harvest camping: Everything you need to know
Camping options
Fair Harvest offers various accommodation options:
- Campsites: Available for booking via Hipcamp.
- Tiny House: Information and booking through Hipcamp.
- Glamping Tent: Available through Wild Goose Camping.
For us, we booked a typical campsite for our tent, joined by several other campers in an area big enough to give us our own space, solace and privacy.
I’d recommend getting one of the designated camping spots to the westernmost part of the campground. It looks over an open field, meaning you can put your tent’s back to the campground and feel like you’ve got the entire place to yourself.
Cost to camp
With several camping options available, you’ll find it’s all great value to camp here at Fair Harvest.
Vehicle and tent sites at Fair Harvest cost $41 per night, each site accommodating up to six campers. Tiny Houses go for $102 per night.
How to book
To secure your campsite, email the owner, Jodie, at jodie@fairharvest.com.au or call her mobile on 0439 568 131.
Amenity
Everything you truly need from a campground is found here at Fair Harvest—but with a little twist. A permaculture twist.
There are several drop toilets around the ground, with instructions on how to use them plastered around the bathrooms. Make sure you take a generous shovel-load of sawdust after you’ve done your thing, masking the smell and helping the composting process. There are showers too, some of which are heated directly from piles of compost.
There’s a full spread of cooking facilities available in the alfresco area—barbecues, washing up areas, large dining areas (all undercover). And the large communal firepit is a must-visit, with plenty of firewood on offer to get the thing roaring. We met a tonne of great, like-minded people around that fire, one of the many highlights of our Fair Harvest experience.
Campervans, trailers and caravans
Whether you’re towing, driving or setting up your camping accommodation, you’ll have no trouble finding a place to stay. Campervans, trailers and caravans are all welcomed.
Can I bring my dog?
Yes, you can. Fair Harvest is dog-friendly. Your pooch will join the two dogs who already call Fair Harvest home, with so much space for them to roam, they’ll think this is their holiday—not yours. One of the owner’s dogs became good mates of ours; we found him asleep on the front mat of our tent more than once.
Laura’s birthday blues quickly kicked in as we packed up in the morning chill, savoured one last walk of the campground and said goodbye to the dogs that’d felt like our own.
Fair Harvest has quickly become our go-to place to camp in Margaret River, with its activities, its campground design, its beautiful animals and permaculture all making this spot so memorable for a visit. Whether for a weekend, a week or a whole season, make sure you check out Fair Harvest for your next camping trip in the southwest.
For more info, head to fairharvest.com.au.
Did you know the southwest’s longest hiking trail is only a few kms from Fair Harvest? Check out the best time to hike the Cape to Cape Track and plan your most memorable hiking adventure this year.
