Jan 28 2008
South West Beaches
Content written by Reuben Duffy
A lot of attention is paid to Australian beaches along the Pacific, but there is a lot more coastline than the East. The South West of Western Australia has natural beauty, real remoteness and miles of and miles of fantastic beaches.
1. From Perth to Esperance Leaving from Perth by conventional and four-wheel-drives, it will take you a day to get to Esperance. All along the south west coast are beaches. Family beaches, picturesque beaches, surfing beaches, beaches with spectacular cliffs and caves, and beaches you have all to yourself. Point the car south to Albany.
Albany was a whaling town in the old days. If you’re here between June and October you can watch the humpback and southern right whales as they migrate along the coast. Take a tour through the old whaling station - fascinating stuff. You won’t see whales in summer, but take the opportunity to stop at the lookout spots along the road. The sweeping ocean views will knock you out.
The beaches of Esperance are heaven for surfing and sailing fans. Just offshore are literally hundreds of lslands, inviting you to slap on your snorkel. Every type of diving goes on here, but you’ll be surprised how uncrowded everything is, there’s a lot of empty space. There’s also plenty of overnight accomodation..
2. From Perth to Denmark Five hours of spectacular drive from Perth through beautiful forest and along a stunning coastline, is Denmark, where forest meets the sea, a popular holdiay destination with natural beauty and year-round mild climate. Karri forests surround Denmark and hug its rugged coastline of beaches and headlands.This was Antarctica once, and the great boulders tumbled along the shores are some of the oldest rocks in the world.
Denmark is also known as Koorabup meaning Place of the Black Swan. There are some absolutely stunning beaches around here, like Elephants Rocks and Green’s Pool for swimming, and Ocean Beach for surfing.
Ocean Beach - there’s top quality surfing here, but it’s also a great place for walking and birdwatching. The beach is patrolled between December and April with a lifeguard during school holidays over summer. Remember, you must swim between the flags.
Greens Pool - is a beautiful natural swimming pool of clear emerald water deal for snorkelling and scuba diving. Parry Beach is a walk west from Green’s Pool, and a perfect sandy spot for families. There’s a serviced camping area quite close to the beach. Caution : Be alert, the beach is not patrolled.
Elephant Rocks - a short walk east from Green’s Pool you find a small cove with massive, rounded boulders in the shallow waters. Caution : Also unpatrolled.
Wilson Head & Lions Lookout - A favourite fishing spot and for just watching in wonder as the great swells from the Southern Ocean crash against the rocks. Caution : Beware of king waves and slippery rocks.
Walking Trails : The cooler climate of the South West is ideal for walking. The temperature rarely rises above 30C (86F) even during the hottest summer months of January and February. The wide range of landscapes in Denmark includes granite outcrops, tall eucalypt forests, wildflowers in spring, endless pristine beaches, mountain views and the untouched beauty of Wilson Inlet. All are accessible by formal walktrails and paths, many of which start in town.
The Mokare Heritage Walk is a 3 km circuit from the town. Or try the 6 km Wilson Inlet Heritage Walk Trail and enjoy unsurpassed views of Wilson Inlet. The trail starts at the old railway bridge near the river mouth. Take your time and walk quietly, very soon the sounds of civilisation will fade, replaced by birdcalls and the magical songs of running water.
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