The Great Southern Land ...
Specifically, the Great Southern Region of Western Australia.
After the mammoth Nullarbor stretch we found ourselves battling out the short few hours from Norseman to Esperance. Esperance took our breath away from our very first glimpse of the ocean. We haven’t seen turquoise water quite like it. We have previously visited the oceans around the Maldives, off the coast of Queensland (and New South Wales), and the islands in the South Pacific, however nothing matched up to the waters of Western Australia.
Travel Tip #1: Don’t go in the summer holidays.
Really, don’t do it to yourself. Not only do you need to book accommodation months in advance, it is so incredibly busy at this time and can spoil the experience. When we arrived in WA we were unaware of the fact that Perth locals use the summer holidays to travel down to the southern coastline. They don’t head north as it’s too hot at this time of year, and unless they are flying overseas or interstate, they filter out across the south.
The cream of the crop when staying in this region is scoring a National Parks campsite at Lucky Bay Campground. The Cape Le Grand National Park is a must-see when in the area. There are many pristine beaches in Cape Le Grand and Lucky Bay itself was voted #1 beach in the world in Banana Boat’s annual 50 top beaches list. Powder white sand that resembles the texture of icing sugar and crystal clear water - this beach is well-deserving of its accolade. A bonus is that the local kangaroos come out onto the beach offering a uniquely Australian experience. If you have a few days to explore Cape Le Grand there are many bushwalks to attempt including the Frenchman’s Peak hike which spoils you with panoramic views of the National Park. If you happen to visit in the wildflower season (July - October), whilst it may be too cold to swim in the ocean, the region offers quite the blooming spectacle.
Travel Tip #2: When travelling in the summer be aware of the changes in time zones.
We were surprised that the 3-hour shift back threw our family (especially the kids) for a good 4 or 5 days. The interstate jet lag hit us hard. We would therefore recommend taking at least a week or so to explore this area to not only give you a couple of days to rest but also to take the time to discover what the region has to offer. In addition to the local beaches and Cape Le Grand, there are beautiful wineries and food experiences in the area, as well as great fishing opportunities. A highlight for our kids was the miniature railway situated in the centre of town at the adventure playground. The kids loved riding the train and for $3 each it was a great affordable attraction.
Bremer Bay
As we slowly made our way west, we spent a few nights in various off-grid campsites. Here we got to explore more towns along the way. Soon after we settled at Bremer Bay for our Christmas stay. Bremer Bay is a small coastal town that again has a number of stunning beaches at its fingertips. It also has a river where you can grab a floatation toy and float down with the current. There are also great fishing and spearfishing opportunities in the area. A highlight for us was visiting the Bremer Bay Brewery. Good food, drink, atmosphere, and kid-friendly.
If you visit the region from January - April you can also book a whale-watching experience like no other. You can see orcas! This is the only place in Australia that offers orcas-specific whale-watching tours and looks like a fantastic experience.
Our next highlight down the southern coastline of WA was the Albany/Denmark region. Again you’re absolutely spoilt for choice with wineries, breweries and dining experiences. When we visited this region all of the caravan parks were booked out, so we ended up staying at a private property that offers unpowered caravan sites. It turned out to be another great Wikicamps score as it was situated a stone's throw away from wineries, cheese factories and the not-to-be-missed Elephant Rocks and Greens Pool. The crowds at this time of year were unfortunately horrendous, with lines of cars stretching out for well over a kilometre from the beach entrance and you had to battle for a space on the sand - however, if you can look beyond this I would have to say that this was the best beach we have been to to date. Greens Pool is sheltered from waves, offers great snorkelling and you can’t match those crystal clear waters. It is definitely one to add to your bucket list.
Valley of the Giants
When in the Denmark region, make sure to visit the Valley of the Giants in Tingledale. The Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk was a fantastic family experience. To be able to walk high amongst the canopies of the trees was breathtaking.
To be able to get to such heights (40m) with the kids was a special moment to share. Another factor which makes this 600m tree top walk unique is the fact that it is wheelchair and pram friendly. There was also an additional forest floor trail which was informative and easily accessible to all.
As we continued to head west, we spent a few days at Shannon Creek Campground which was a great campground for large groups as the sites were extra large and the campground itself was huge. We have noticed that WA has really well-equipped national parks or council-run parks with easy online booking systems. This particular campground also offers BBQs, toilets and hot showers; a great perk for off-grid camping.
When visiting WA, if you know the dates that you will be in particular areas make sure to get online and book national park sites early. Some of the more popular campgrounds, like Lucky Bay, can be incredibly hard to score a booking.
Travel Tip #3: Bookings become available 180 days prior to visiting. If you can organise your stay in advance it is well worth setting a reminder 3 months prior to get the best chance of scoring a site at some extra special locations.
A bucket list activity of mine which was a short drive from Shannon Creek campground was climbing the Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree near Pemberton. The Bicentennial Tree and the Gloucester Tree, are the last 2 remaining fire lookout trees that are accessible to the public. The Bicentennial Tree is the taller of the two standing at 75m tall. Climbing these trees is not for the faint-hearted as you are not secured at any point and you are literally climbing up metal pegs that have been hammered into the tree. The Bicentennial tree has a number of platforms to reach as you climb higher. If you can brave it this far the view is well worth it.
And so this ends our time in the Great Southern region of WA. There is so much to do and see in this area. We can’t wait until we go back again!
