Camping, hiking and 4WDriving in Western Australia

Corals and marine life at Ningaloo

Are you planning a trip that includes viewing corals and marine life at Ningaloo? Let us take you on a virtual journey, so you know what to expect. Snorkerlling at Cape Range, looking at the beautiful corals and watching colourful fishes swim by, is like immersing yourself into another world – a mesmerising world of wonder, beauty, tranquillity and amazement.

Equipped with a new underwater camera and a drone we headed to to Cape Range in April 2022, choosing to stay at North Kurrajong campground for 4 nights while exploring the best snorkelling sites in Cape Range National Park. We had perfect weather during the full 3 days, which we spent at Oyster Stacks, Turquoise Bay and South Mandu.

The Ningaloo Reef contains over 250 species of coral and over 500 species of fish. While we did take more than 1 thousand underwater pictures trying to capture everything we saw, obviously we did not see all of the species but we did see a fair bit of them.

Kids got quite comfortable diving in to see corals closer

Disclaimer: We are no expert on corals. When researching the names of the corals we found some of the names a bit confusing and repeating. The information presented here is based on our limited understanding and knowledge at the time of writing.

Corals

Staghorn (branching) corals

They come in different colours and sizes and are quite abundant in Ningaloo Reef. They are one of the faster growing corals with growth from 10-20 cm per year.

Finger corals

Acropora humilis (Finger Coral) is a species of corals in the family Staghorn corals.

Porites corals

Porites are small polyp stony (SPS) corals.

Boulder coral bombies

Boulder coral bombies are quite big (as the name suggests) – they can grow up to 2 meters in diameter. They are also very slow growing colonies that are hundreds of years old.

Cabbage (leaf) corals

Cabbage corals are hardy soft corals. They are mostly browning in colour but can be colourful if they grow in shallow water where they get enough sunlight.

Plate Montipora coral

Leaf plate Montipora, also known as vase coral or plating Montipora, is a type of small polyp stony coral.

Sea stars

Most sea stars have 5 arms, although some can grow as many as 50 arms. Together with sea urchins and sea cucumbers they are not classified as fish, but rather belong to a group of marine creatures called Echinoderms (meaning having “spiny skin”). Did you know that sea stars have amazing capacity for regeneration and are able to regrow from fragments of their body? Sea stars can live up 35 years and only in salt water. There are about 2000 species of Sea Stars, of which we have only seen 2.

Fishes and clams

Clown fish and anemone

Colourful clownfish can often be seen hiding amongst the tentacles of anemones where they are protected from predators. A coating of mucus protect clownfish from the stinging cells of the anemone. The clownfish in return provides the anemone nutrients in the form of waste. Such is a symbiotic relationship between two living organisms. They are often seen together in underwater world. Picture taken at South Mandu, Cape Range NP.

Giant clam

Giant clams can grow up to 1.2meters. Microscopic algae live in the fleshy mantle inside the clam’s shell contributing to its decorative patterns. The clam closes up when protection required (as it is the case here).

Green Moon Wrasse

Green Moon Wrasse fish changes its colour with growth. That’s reason that despite the “green” in its name, it’s mostly purple in colour here.

Rays

Blue spotted ray

Bluespotted Fantail Ray is a shy creature living on the ocean floor, often found in shallow waters and lagoons. Its length is about 70cm, including the tail. It is quite a common marine creature in Ningaloo Reef. We have seen quite a lot of them. They are fun to watch.

This is a bigger ray with a longer tail. We saw it at Lakeside.

The shovelnose guitarfish is a ray, although it has some feathers of a shark. This picture was taken at Turquoise Bay. Although we have seen them in other places too.

Some more colourful tropical fishes

Western buffalo bream and black spotted dart

Other marine life

Needle fish is a very long but thin fish. We saw a couple of them while snorkeling.

The highlight of snorkeling at Lakeside was a green turtle. We only saw one and it was during our latest trip.

Wildflowers around Esperance

There are a few places where you can enjoy seeing wildflowers around Esperance.

Stokes Inlet National Park – 80km west of Esperance

Stokes Inlet National Park is an attractive place to visit when you are around Esperance. It is quite big and diverse.

Banksia speciosa in different sizes and colours

Banksia Speciosa wildflower growing around Esperance — Eucalyptus pleurocarpa

Banksia speciosa is abundant throughout Stokes Inlet National Park and all around Esperance. Eucalyptus pleurocarpa or Tallerack is a mallee type shrub which can be seen in Stokes Inlet National Park and also Quagi beach reserve.

Cape Le Grand National Park wildflowers – 50km east of Esperance

Located 50km east of Esperance, Cape Le Grand is known for some of the best beaches in Australia. During the season, it is also a place to see many wonderful wildflowers.

Lambertia inermis Chittick wildflower around Esperance — Lambertia inermis Chittick

Red curly wildflowers growing around Esperance — Lambertia inermis Chittick

Cape Arid National Park wildflowers – 120km east of Esperance

Cape Arid National Park is another place where you can see wildflowers when you are around Esperance. We visited Cape Arid NP a few times and really enjoyed camping there. Every time we went there, it was not the wildflower season, so we didn’t see a huge variety. If you are a serious wildlfower hunter, check out this website for wildflower identification around Esperance.

Billardiera heterophylla Australian Bluebell wildflower around Esperance — Billardiera heterophylla Australian Bluebell

Calytrix decandra wildflower around Esperance — Billardiera heterophylla Australian Bluebell

Stokes Inlet National Park

Stokes Inlet National Park

Stokes Inlet National Park is located 80km west of Esperance on the south coast of Western Australia. It is quite big, diverse and attractive. The park covers an area of more than 10,660 hectares, and there are more attractions there that you can visit in a single day. The actual inlet is 14 km long and mostly shallow (less than 2 meters deep). There are 2 large sheltered picnic areas with running non-drinking water, bbq and toilets near the inlet. There is also DPAW managed campground a short distance away). The place is great for fishing, kayaking and bush walking. One interesting thing about the Stokes Inlet for us was the amount of sea foam near the shore. Apparently, it is a normal process that happens when there is a large amount of algal bloom decays. It is not harmful and is a sign of a productive ocean ecosystem. It looks very picturesque and reminded us of snow.

Fanny Cove

Fanny Cove is one of the few campgrounds within Stokes Inlet National Park. It is small (with only 4 sites suitable for camper trailers or tents) but it is free (although there is a fee to enter the national park) and is close to the beach. The campground has toilets and there is also a day use area with picnic tables. The beach is sheltered and is great for swimming and fishing. It also has some rock formations and pools, which are fun to explore, especially if you are into photography. The access to Fanny Cove is for 4WD only.

Moir Homestead ruins

A short distance from Fanny Cove in Stokes Inlet National Park are ruins of 1870’s Moir Homestead. We felt a slight sense of ghosts hanging around this place, as we walked through the ruins, learning about history of an original settler at Fanny Cove and pastoralist, John Moir. Bees built huge bee hives inside the ruins, especially in one of the buildings closer to the entrance – a huge bee hive hanging down from the roof. It is an interesting place to visit to appreciate how lucky we are to live in the modern world.

Quagi beach

Quagi beach on the south coast of Western Australia is roughly 80km west of Esperance. There is a basic bush camp on this beach, managed by Esperance Shire and operated on a first come, first serve basis. For $15 per vehicle per night, you get sheltered clearly designated bay and access to toilets and non-drinking water. This campsite is a very popular one but mostly for short term stays. When we visited it over Xmas period last year, we arrived early (around lunch time) and there were plenty of spaces but by evening, newcomers were strugling to find a spot. There are only 17 sites at this campground, which makes it quite cosy. In terms of a layout and facilities, it similar to Munglinup Beach camp.

The beach is only a short walk from the campground. It is quite interesting with its rock formations and water holes. There stayed at Quagi beach for a couple of nights, using it as a base to explore Stokes Inlet National Park. It can also be an alternative accomodation if you wish to visit Esperance or famous Cape Le Grand National Park.

The campground is accessed via gravel 2WD road (off Farrell road). You can bring your dog there, which makes the campground even more attractive.

Sunset at Quagi beach — Sunset at Quagi Beach

Fitzgerald River NP wildflowers

Fitzgerald River NP, one of the largest and most botanically significant national parks in Australia, contains a diversity of wildflowers. It has nearly 20% of Western Australia plant species, 62 of which are found nowhere else. Below are just only a few wildflowers that we have seen and identified.

Eastern side

Most of the wildflowers that you can see on the eastern side of the Fitzgerald River NP can be found around East Mount Barren, including Barrens Lookout.

Barrens Lookout

Bankisa baxteri wildlfower at Fitzgerald River NP — Adenanthos venosus

Banksia lemanniana wildlfower at Fitzgerald River NP — Banksia lemanniana

Royal Hakea (Hakea victoria) wildlfower at Fitzgerald River NP — Royal Hakea (Hakea victoria)

Verticordia densiflora wildlfower at Fitzgerald River NP — Royal Hakea (Hakea victoria)

East Mount Barren

Banksia oreophila wildlfower at Fitzgerald River NP — Banksia oreophila

Western side of Fitzgerald River NP

Quaalup in the western side of Fitzgerald River NP is very rich flora.

Banksia nutans wildlfower at Fitzgerald River NP — Royal Hakea

Calytrix asperula wildlfower at Fitzgerald River NP — Calytrix asperula (Brush starflower)

Fitzgerald River National Park – eastern side

4 Mile campground near Hopetoun in Fitzgerald River National Park

We loved Fitzgerald River National Park. We visited in December 2020, and we adored it so much that the following year we decided to visit it again. This time, we chose to explore the eastern side of the park. The eastern side of this “one of the most botanically significant National Parks in Australia” has seen a major upgrade in the recent years, so there is no shortage of picnic spots and sealed road accesses to various beaches. The park, being huge, still has plenty of 4WD tracks for off road enthusiasts.

Sealed roads throughout the eastern side of Fitzgerald River NP

4 Mile camp

4 Mile Campground, 10km from Hopetoun, is a DPAW managed campground within Fitzgerald River National Park. It is a very popular place for people who prefer to camp with some facilities. For $20 per person per night (kids are $5 each), you can have access to newly upgraded kitchen, gas bbq facilites, picnic tables, clean large toilets and hot showers. You must book it prior to arrival.

The campground is only a 5-minute walk from the 4 Mile beach, which has a smaller picnic area and toilets.

Wildlife

Kangaroos

There is no shortage of kangaroos at 4 Mile campground in Fitzgerald River National Park. They come in different sizes, in different numbers, jumping and strolling, day and night. During our stay there, we felt like it was not them who visited us but rather it was us, coming to camp in kangaroos’ territory 😊

South-West Carpet Python

This is South-West Carpet Python (Morelia spilota), quite common snake found in the South West of Western Australia. We found this 2.5 meters long snake in 4 Mile campground. It was moving slowly across the road as we walked out of the kitchen area towards our camp in the dark (always use a torch when you go out in the dark in the bush). Carpet Python is considered non-venomous but like all snakes can be dangerous if threatened.

Camping games

Camping in the bush means limited resources but unlimited creativity – finding a way of doing something new with something old. 😊 How many ways do you know of playing with a stone? Did you have a favourite game as a child? Brian taught the kids the game of his childhood – throwing a small stone up in the air and catching it up with one hand. Sounds easy? It is actually a bit tricky for children to get the right coordination between eyes and hands.

Can you spot the stone in the picture? 😊

Points of interest, walks and beaches in eastern side of Fitzgerald River National Park

Barrens Beach

Barrens Beach in Fitzgerald River NP is about 800-meter walk from 4 Mile Beach campground via path and beach (or you can drive there on a sealed road). With newly installed facilities (toilets, picnic tables), interpretive artwork, this sheltered beach is perfect for swimming, snorkelling and fishing. The granite outcrops and rock holes are also fun to explore.

Barrens Lookout

Barrens Lookout near 4 Mile campground in Fitzgerald River NP is a photographer’s paradise. There are so many beautiful wildflowers (still blooming in late December when we visited that place). And the view of Culham Inlet meeting the Southern Ocean is quite spectacular.

Cave Point

Cave Point is a starting point (from the east) of a 23km coastal hiking trail in the East Fitzgerald River National Park (the trail is known as Hakea Trail). There is a scenic 600-meter return walk (wheel chair accessible) to the lookout on the edge of the sea cliff from which you can see the cave in the rocky outcrop below (although there is no access to it). From the lookout you can also have a clear view of the magnificent East Mount Barren and you can spot whales (in season) and many birds. The jagged and tilted rock formations, as well as blue mighty waters of the Southern Ocean are a delight to watch for hours. There is also a variety of flora and fauna to spot on the trail.

The entrance to the cave (not accessible)

West beach

West beach is a beautiful beach in the eastern part of Fitzgerald River National Park, next to Cave Point. The beach is accessible via 2WD sealed road. There is a short walk to the beach with a picnic table or two along the way. The beach surprised us with beautiful rock formations and colourful jellyfishes which we have only seen in one other place (Tagon beach in Cape Arid National Park, which is a lot further to the east on the coast). Still trying to identify the jelly fish, with the closest match being Purple stinger (Pelagia noctiluca).

East Mount Barren

East Mount Barren is a rugged peak on the eastern side of Fitzgerald River National Park. The hiking trail to the summit, which is 311m high, is a moderate difficulty walk. It is 2.6km long (one way) and takes 2-3 hours. The trail is rough in some places and could be slippery. It is mostly well marked, except in a couple of places closer to the summit, where you would need to climb a couple of big rocks.

The views from the summit, as well as on the way there are definitely worth the hike. We chose a cloudy day for our hike, which was perfect. The cliff rocks and the views of the Culham Inlet and Southern Ocean were quite impressive.

The view from East Mt Barren overlooking Culham inlet and Southern Ocean

There were still plenty of wildflowers blooming in December when we hiked, the most common being bright red Barrens regalia.

The Napoleon Skink Lizard was another common find on the path, as well as ants – some of them were quite caught doing an amazing job of lifting another giant ant 😊.

Hamersley Inlet

Hamersley Inlet is a roughly 20-minute drive on a sealed road from 4 Mile campground in Fitzgerald River National Park. It is 7km long and 2 meters deep. Being deeper than other estuaries in the park, it holds water for longer, creating a favorable environment for wildlife. The inlet is of a peculiar shape due to the fact that it lies in deep winding valley carved through the hard quartzite rock.

There are picnic and boat launching facilities, as well as a campground near the inlet. If you are a 4WD enthusiast, make sure you visit Hamersley dunes too!

Cape Arid National Park

Being further away from Esperance, at 120km east, Cape Arid National Park is less popular than Cape Le Grand National Park but it has its own uniqueness and beauty, especially if you appreciate the outback and remoteness.

Most of Cape Arid National Park is accessible via a 4WD. However, some of it can be assessed with a 2WD via unsealed road.

What to see with a 2WD – western side

Dolphin Cove

One of the places we visited there was Dolphin Cove, easily accessible. It was a little gem for us – a picturesque white squeaky sandy beach with crystal clear waters (similar to popular Lucky Bay) although a lot smaller. It is one of the best places to spot southern right and humpback whales during their migrating season (July to October) and it is also part of a beautiful Tagon Coastal Walk Trail (14km return moderate difficulty trail). For us, it was a beautiful place to enjoy the scenery and relax.

Yokinup Bay and Thomas River

Yokinup Bay is very beautiful too. It is long, wide and scenic. We enjoyed looking for crabs at the rock pools and watching Sooty Oystercatchers when we stayed at Thomas River campground.

Rock pools at Thomas River campground in Cape Arid NP

Rocky beach at Yokinup Bay Cape Arid National Park

Thomas River separates the Belinup campground from the ocean. The access to the beach is a short walk near the mouth of the river.

Thomas River joining the Southern Ocean at Cape Arid National Park

Aerial view of Thomas River joining the ocean at Cape Arid

Len Otte Nature trail

Len Otte Nature trail is short and easy (only 2km return). The trail leads up to Belinup Hill, featuring wonderful views of the nearby Belinup campground and the ocean. It is only a short drive (or even walk) from the campgrounds.

Family on top of Belingup hill at Cape Arid

4WDriving on the western side of Cape Arid

Yokinup Bay 4WD beach

There is a 4WD beach access from the mouth of Thomas River. While camping on the beach is not permitted (hence there is a paid campground with facilities set up here), we found a sign that indicated that beach camping is allowed further down the beach at Yokinup Bay. As it was a long drive to the area where camping is permitted and the weather not being favourable over Xmas period, we didn’t attempt exploring. But we know that people go and camp there.

Tagon Beach

Tagon Beach track is a 4WD only access beach track in Cape Arid. It is listed as a track for experienced drivers only. The 2km track starts as hard rocky track and gets very soft and sandy closer to the beach. We did get bogged the very first time we attempted this track when we still had very little experience of 4WDriving (this is the story here). With the tyres down and maxtracks (just in case), slowly initially and then faster without stopping, we managed to drive through and get to the long stretch of white beach a couple of years later.

Apart from being beautiful, as all Esperance beaches are, this beach surprised us with unusually big and colourful jelly fishes which we have not seen in other nearby places.

Camping at Cape Arid – 2WD accessible

Thomas River (Belinup) and Yokinup Mia Mia campgrounds are the only 2 campgrounds within Cape Arid National Park that are assible with a 2WD via unsealed road. We found Belinup campground a bit quieter than the nearby Yokinup camp, located up on a hill. Both campgrounds have similar facilities which include long drop toilets, non-drinking water, shelter with bbq facilities. There are 11 sites of various sizes in Belinup campground (and 17 in Yokinup), all with lots of privacy. Yokinup camp has a kitchen, whereas Belinup camp doesn’t have one. Normally, there is a camphost in Yokinup campground but there was none at the time we visited. The ranger came daily to check on the payments and to do clean ups. He provided us with good information regarding the local area and the tracks, some of which were closed at that time.

Kitchen at Yokinup Mia Mia campground in Cape Arid National Park

Camping site at Yokinup Mia Mia camp at Cape Arid NP.

The cost of staying at both campgrounds is the same, which is $15 per person per night, $5 per child, plus park entry fee (current at 2024). We spent a couple of days and really enjoyed our time at Belinup campground. Sites are non-bookable, so it is a good idea to arrive early if you travel during school or public holidays.

Additional info

As it is a national park, no dogs are allowed there. There are also no bins, so you would need to take all your rubbish with you. There is Optus reception (but no Telstra) there.

4WD accessible camping

There are 4 campgrounds further eastward in Cape Arid National Park, that are 4WD accessible. We stayed at Jorndee Creek campground for New Year’s Eve.

Jorndee Creek

Jorndee Creek is accessible via 1,6km soft sand track from Poison Creek Road. There are 9 camping spots there, all are well protected from the wind, with lots of privacy. Some are not very leveled and some have ants but the sites are big enough to find a good place for your vehicle, van or tent within a camping spot. Facilities include one toilet, non-drinking water, 1 picnic table with shelter. There are no bins and no dogs are allowed. The sites are non-bookable. The cost is $10 per adult, $5 per child per night. The payment is cash only in the envelope. Due to remote location, ranger does not visit daily.

Camping at Jorndee Creek in Cape Arid National Park

The beach at Jorndee Creek is quite pleasant, within a protected small bay, with clear water, white squeaky sand and lots of interesting rocks to explore. Unfortunately, there are no walk trails around the camp, other than a short walk to the beach. We attempted hiking to Jorndee Creek via the walk trail but it was overgrown and couldn’t be accessed past a certain point. Apart from that, we enjoyed our short stay at Jorndee Creek. Fishing is popular in this area (we didn’t fish), as well as spotting whales and wildflowers in season.

Nearby Poison Creek is a great place to visit when you stay at Jorndee Creek (or Seal Creek, which was closed at the time we visited). It is a day use only area, 6km east from Jorndee Creek campsite where we stayed. The creek joins the ocean, although there was a sand bar separating it from the ocean when we went there late December. So we drove to the beach passing the end of the creek. It is a nice place to visit for a day, if you enjoy beach and fishing.

Flora and fauna at Cape Arid

If you like nature or photography, you are in for a treat at Cape Arid National Park. The wildflowers are in abundance there any time of there (but more during the season). Banksia speciosa Showy Banksia is very common throughout the park. It looks beautiful at all its different stages of growing – from tiny bud to seed.

Unfortunately, big parts of the national park are affected by Phytophthora Dieback. That is the reason some 4WD tracks are closed in winter and during wet conditions to prevent the spread. Washing your vehicle after driving on 4WD tracks in the park is also highly recommended (we washed ours in Esperance on the way back – it only costs $5).

Other plants which we saw at Cape Arid late December:

Billardiera speciosa (above far left), Billardiera heterophylla Australian Bluebell (to my best knowledge but could be wrong) – above second left, Calytrix decandra (second right), Melaleuca nesophila (above far right).

Echiopsis curta (Bardick) – small poisonous snake, which is nocturnal but can come out in overcast weather.

South-western Crevice Skink (above right).

Black Wolf Spider (above left), Australia’s iconic red bull ant (above middle), crab (above right).

Christmas Spider – Austracantha minax (above).

Banksia speciosa at Cape Arid National Park

Alexander Bay

Located 100km east of Esperance, Alexander Bay (also known locally as A-Bay) in Howick is a long stretch of white firm squeaky sand, crystal clear turquoise water and beautifully nature crafted granite outcrops. It is accessible via a 4WD track.

Driving to Alexander Bay beach — 4WD track to Alexander Bay beach

There is a campground, for which you pay $15 per nigh per site but cannot pre-book. While we did not stay at the campground, we drove around and noted that it looked like it has been recently upgraded, with more sites added, it was very well laid out and had new toilets installed. It was full when we visited it on 24 December last year, so obviously a very popular place. Great for fishing and surfing, long enough to drive on it (it is 1.7km long) with amazingly clear water, lots of white firm sand to dig for kids. It looked like an absolute paradise to us. We found it equal in beauty to famous Cape Le Grand beaches minus the crowds.

Alexander Bay beach is a great place for swimming, snorkerlling, kayaking, fishing or just relaxing. The turquoise colour of the water in combination with white sand is sure to blow your mind away. You can bring your furry friend there too.

Membinup Beach

Located 70km east of Esperance, Membinup beach is one of the lesser known (but quite popular with locals). It offers free camping with no facilities. The beach and the campground is accessible via rough 4WD track from Daniels Road. There are a few camping areas (although not all clearly marked), so it is a matter of finding one suitable to your liking and also depending on how far your vehicle is able to travel. Some tracks are very soft sand which are not possible to drive on past certain point.

We managed to find a spot for ourselves which was sheltered by the dunes, had some privacy, was flat enough and only a 5-minute walk from the beach. We did have to climb up a very steep slope each time we went to the beach. But once on top of the slope, the view of the ocean was so mesmerizing, that it made us forget the hard work of climbing. And who can complain? We tend to get fitter every time after returning from our camping trips – mostly due to increased movements.

Dunes that we have to climb to get to the beach (above left), our camping spot (above right).

While some sites are soft sand, others, like the one we found, was dry earth, which turned into muddy glue with just a quarter of a bucket, which made taking shower a bit difficult. Imagine this place getting rain for 15 minutes – that place would become a mud plain.

We spent 4 fulfilling, relaxing and memorable days at Membinup beach, including Xmas Day. The beach itself is very much like the one at famous Cape Le Ground ,minus the crowd. It is just white squeaky firm sand, crystal clear turquoise waters, plus some rocky pools.

Tiger snake at the inlet

The more we travel, the more we see and learn about snakes. This time we’ve encountered Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus), which is dangerously venomous and aggressive. Tiger snakes are most common in coastal and wetland environments, living primarily around swamps and inlets where they catch frogs. Tiger snakes when threatened, raise their head off the ground, like cobra. We saw this tiger snake near the inlet at Membinup Beach.

Tiger snake( Notechis scutatus) near inlet

The inlet where we spotted Tiger snake (above).

Driving on beach

Driving on the white squeaky firm sand on the beach is so much fun! Although first you need to get through a narrow single line track with bushes either side, scratching the vehicle 😊.

Sunset

There is something so mysterious in those sunsets – the colours, tranquillity and a sense of something very majestic…

The nights in the outback are amazing! Millions and millions of stars were our companions.

Taking showers in the bush

Taking showers in a bush is a luxury. We only took showers every second day and even less often in colder weather. While we do have hot water system to enjoy hot shower, the need to save water meant that each person had about a liter of water. But there is nothing to complain here. Camping in the bush with limited water taught us to appreciate so many things we would otherwise have taken for granted – like proper hot shower!

Taking shower in the bush environment is a luxury

The white squeaky firm sand at Membinup beach is amazing. Take the kids to this kind of beach and they will find their own entertainment! Even before they got to the beach, fun began….

Kids had great fun playing with the sand

Photography

While beach is always the main attraction and entertainment for us, there are other interesting things to discover and observe on the beach, other than waves and white sand. The wildflower season on the south coast of WA lasts well into summer, so you can still find a number of pretty wildflowers.

Billardiera-heterophylla near at Membinup Beach — Billardiera-heterophylla

Membinup beach also offers an opportunity to watch the birds, including shore breeding birds Sooty Oystercatcher and Hooded Plover.

We walked on the beach, we drove on it, kids dug sand and built sandcastles. But mostly, we just relaxed gazing endlessly into the ocean, feeling splashes of the waves on the bare skin and hearing the roaring of the ocean at night. Magnificent!

Visiting Membinup 3 years later

Early January 2025, we decided to camp at Membinup Beach for a few nights to recuperate after a long and tiring driving trip to Eastern states. This time we got a better spot. It was secluded, closer to the beach and even had a private entrance to the beach, which looked so mysterious with those paperbark trees lining it up.

This is one place to come back too. As it has no amenities, please take care of it, should you decide to visit this beach. Please keep this awesome place clean so we all can still enjoy it in the future.

Pallinup Inlet and Beach

Pallinup Inlet separated from Southern Ocean by a sandbar

The best camping places are remote and hard to get to, and this was the case with Pallinup Inlet camp, where we spent 2 amazing nights early January this year.

What is Pallinup Inlet and where is it?

Pallinup River forms Beauford Inlet, also known as Pallinup Estuary as it flows towards the Southern Ocean. Most of the time, it is separated from the ocean by a sandbar. Once in a few years, the sandbar breaks and the river joins the ocean. It is located on the coast between Albany and Bremer Bay, in the Great Southern region of WA.

Aeriav view of Pallinup Estuary meeing Pallinup Beach

Camping

Pallinup Beach is very exposed, with soft sand. Most people camp along Pallinup Estuary, where the area is protected from the strong winds and the tracks are harder. It is a nice place to go fishing, bird watching or just relaxing. Popular with locals but otherwise, it is a quiet area.

It is a free camp, with absolutely no facilities. You can bring your dog and some people (locals, we presume) take camper trailers but you would need to be an experienced 4WDriver to do that.

It reminded us of Broke Inlet in D’Entrecasteaux National Park – pristine, raw and beautiful.

What is the track to Pallinup Beach/Inlet look like?

To get to Pallinup beach/inlet take Boat Harbour unsealed road from South Coast Hwy. After 13km the road comes to a junction with two large skip bins. Taking a right turn will take you to Boat Harbour camp and taking left turn will take you to Pallinup Beach. Both are 4WD only tracks.

The track to Pallinup Beach starts as a fairly good but corrugated track for roughly 6km or so. Then it becomes rocky which requires slow crawling at times, so high clearance 4WD is required for this track. Closer to the beach, the track becomes soft sand.

The above track is closer to Albany. It is possible to travel from Bremer Bay via a different 4WD track to Pallinup Inlet, which is a lot rougher. We didn’t take it, so can’t comment.

For nature and photography enthusiasts

If you love nature and bird watching, there are plenty of opportunities to observe birdlife at the estuary.

A flock of Crested Terns at Pallinup Inlet

Lot of Crested Terns (above) moving in flocks and individually.

Pelicans (above) normally come in small groups – often in twos.

Red-capped Plover (above) is abundant there.

Lesser Sand Plover (above left) is similar to Red-capped Plover but bigger. While Red-necked Avocet (above right) moves in big flocks from place to place looking for food.

Welcome Swallow is another bird that is abundant at Pallinup Estuary.

There are a number of different bankias along the track, leading to Pallinup beach.

Banksia attenuata (above top left), Bankisa baxteri (above bottom left), Banksia nutans (above right).

Adenanthos cuneatus Coastal Jugflower at Pallinup Inlet

Adenanthos cuneatus Coastal Jugflower (above left), Melaleuca striata (above middle), Verticordia densiflora (above right).

Eucalyptus pleurocarpa Blue Mallee at Pallinup Inlet

Clematis pubescens (above left), Eucalyptus pleurocarpa Blue Mallee (above right).

Lambertia inermis Chittick (above) is beautiful in every stage of flowering.

We really enjoyed the drive, as well as camping at Pallinup Estuary. The drive was an adventure in itself providing us with a good 4WD experience, as well as a sense of adventure with “tiger stripes”.

Corals

Staghorn (branching) corals

Finger corals

Porites corals

Boulder coral bombies

Cabbage (leaf) corals

Plate Montipora coral

Sea stars

Fishes and clams

Rays

Some more colourful tropical fishes

Other marine life

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Stokes Inlet National Park – 80km west of Esperance

Cape Le Grand National Park wildflowers – 50km east of Esperance

Cape Arid National Park wildflowers – 120km east of Esperance

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Stokes Inlet National Park

Fanny Cove

Moir Homestead ruins

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Eastern side

Western side of Fitzgerald River NP

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4 Mile camp

Wildlife

Points of interest, walks and beaches in eastern side of Fitzgerald River National Park

Barrens Beach

Barrens Lookout

Cave Point

West beach

East Mount Barren

Hamersley Inlet

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What to see with a 2WD – western side

Dolphin Cove

Yokinup Bay and Thomas River

Len Otte Nature trail

4WDriving on the western side of Cape Arid

Yokinup Bay 4WD beach

Tagon Beach

Camping at Cape Arid – 2WD accessible

4WD accessible camping

Jorndee Creek

Flora and fauna at Cape Arid

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Tiger snake at the inlet

Driving on beach

Photography

Visiting Membinup 3 years later

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What is Pallinup Inlet and where is it?

Camping

What is the track to Pallinup Beach/Inlet look like?

For nature and photography enthusiasts

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