Pregnant Lacey Ditchfield recalls terror of camper trailer being shot at while camping at Mullewa Waterfalls

A pregnant woman has recalled the terrifying moment she and her partner were jolted awake by a gunshot that struck their camper trailer at a popular Mid West camping spot.

Geraldton couple Lacey and Max Ditchfield were camping with family at Mullewa Waterfalls to celebrate their first wedding anniversary when they were woken by suspicious activity outside their trailer about 9pm on Friday.

Mrs Ditchfield said she initially heard a car idling nearby but thought little of it.

“I woke up because I heard a car idling and my partner was already awake because he heard the car as well,” she said.

“We didn’t really think too much about it, being that a car idling or a car driving past is quite normal.”

But the situation quickly became more sinister when Mrs Ditchfield heard voices and opened her eyes to see the camper illuminated by headlights.

Their dogs began barking at what she described as “mumbling and talking” outside.

Then, within seconds, the couple heard a gunshot.

“It hit the camper. It made this massive loud twang and it kind of shook it,” Mrs Ditchfield said.

“Our dogs were in a frantic state and we didn’t want to let them go because we didn’t know if they were going to shoot again.

“So we stayed inside for a little bit.”

Once the headlights disappeared, Mr Ditchfield stepped outside to investigate.

He walked around to the side of the camper where they believed the shot had struck and discovered the bullet had hit the trailer.

“He walked around that side that he thought it hit and he said, ‘Oh yeah, they’ve definitely hit the camper’,” Mrs Ditchfield said.

“As soon as he said that, I rang the cops straight away.”

The couple called police about 9pm and heard a car driving away seven minutes later.

They believe they may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time, with Mrs Ditchfield suggesting “some young men egging each other on” could have been responsible.

The couple returned to Geraldton the following morning, although Mrs Ditchfield said they would have stayed at the campsite had her mother not fallen unwell.

Despite the terrifying experience, the couple have not been put off camping in the area.

But the incident has prompted them to rethink how far they park from other campers.

“We were probably 500m or more from the closest camper but we think maybe sometimes it’s not a bad idea to be in close distance with people,” she said.

Police have launched an investigation and believe the shooting was an isolated incident.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report suspicious behaviour to police on 131 444.