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Glamping it up is easy

Peter Kerr and his family take the simple route to outdoor life near Pemberton in the State’s South West.

If a family camp in the forest with no one else around, do they make a sound?

Pondering such weighty philosophical issues is easy when perched by the cool green banks of the Warren River near Pemberton.

For the record, the answer is yes.

But so does the crackling campfire, and the cackling kookaburras trying to sneak a meaty morsel from your barbecue, and the crickets and crunchy leaves underfoot.

Amazingly, this solitude - enhanced by towering karri trees - is a mere 15 minutes from the heart of Pemberton and a four-hour drive from Perth.

It’s now also possible to have a stress-free weekend (or longer) of camping after knocking off work on a Friday afternoon thanks to an innovative “glamping” (or glamorous camping) service being run by local tourism pros Graeme and Toni Dearle.

The couple started their other business, Pemberton Discovery Tours, in 1999, but more recently have teamed up with the Department of Parks and Wildlife to pitch people’s tents for them.

For your money, you get a roomy Black Wolf tent already erected, a gassed-up barbecue, covered marquee stuffed with matches, chairs, cups, kettle, plates, torches, first aid kit, firewood (season permitting) and pretty much anything else you could need for a comfortable stay.

Stretcher beds are turned down with memory-foam mattresses and a swag-esque doona.

You bring your food, and favourite linen if you wish.

It’s the only time we’ve gone camping and been unpacked, with the barbecue on, within five minutes of arriving - our idea of glamping.

Instantly relaxing. Sort of like going camping with those friends - yes, we’re talking about you, Helen and George - who’ve got all the bells and whistles and a massive trailer to carry it all with them.

Relaxing around the campfire is a lot of fun

You can also add luxury extras including a gas-fired shower ensuite tent, and chemical toilet, although there’s a perfectly good drop toilet in the middle of the campsite (part of your park entry fees).

While $270 per night for a family ($250 per couple) won’t be everyone’s idea of glamour, or value, the experience compared to a standard B&B is priceless.

And not having to pack down the tent when you leave is equally as relaxing.

There are currently three campsites to choose from, and we plumped for stunning Drafty’s in the Warren National Park.

A stone’s throw from the tent are the deep, chilled, tannin-stained waters of the Warren.

Clever floating steps and pontoon make for an easy entry point for a dip or canoe ride (you have to bring that with you, or hire one). Or even a jetty for trout fishing (again, you’ll need your own, or a hire rod).

Of course, if that’s all a bit unglamorous and you feel like someone else cooking for you, there’s plenty of options not far away.

The Pemberton Hotel pan fries and house-smokes local trout, for example, and when marron is in season it’s on most menus around town.

For a truly gourmet experience, make sure you book ahead for one of Sophie Zalokar’s increasingly celebrated weekend seasonal dinners at Foragers, which showcase the best Southern Forests produce. At $80 per person, they’re remarkable value.

If you’re into more active pursuits, fret not.

There’s plenty of four-wheel fun in the area, and even a two-wheel-drive car will get you close to spectacular walks and sites such as the alien Yeagarup Dunes in the D’Entrecasteaux National Park.

Gateway to the equally stunning Yeagarup Beach, the dunes form one of the largest dune systems in the world.

Surrounded by bush on most sides, the bald, parched sands rear up with spectacular effect near Yeagarup Lake.

At some angles you’d swear you were walking the Sahara, only to have the dislocating experience of glancing through to emerald-green trees on the fringes fighting a desperate battle with the moving sands.

You can drive on the dunes through marked channels en route to the beach.

The Dearles also offer guided tours through the dunes if you don’t have a 4WD.

Beachcombing, surfing, swimming, picnics or fishing for native salmon await.

Then there’s my personal favourite: climbing the region’s massive fire lookout trees.

The platform on the Dave Evans Bicentennial tree, at 75m above the ground, is the tallest of the trees in the area, with a spine-tingling 360-degree view of old-growth karri forest.

In this age of occupational health and safety, these giant cubby houses remain a mind-bending relic of a more risk-tolerant past.

One hundred and sixty five thin steel rods hammered into the side of the tree and a casual looping of wire on the outside of the rod ladder are all that stand between you and becoming fertiliser.

Yet for someone scared of heights, there’s something exhilarating about coming so close to the edge.

You certainly have time to consider your mortality on the walk back from the Dave Evans tree to Drafty’s - it’s a pleasant 3km hike; part of a 10km trail that loops through the wildflower-scattered national park.

Now that’s glamorous.

wawilderness.com.au