Camping, hiking and 4WDriving in Western Australia

Eagle Bluff coastal camp in Shark Bay

Sunset at Eagle Bluff in Shark Bay — Amazing colours of the sunset at Eagle Bluff

Eagle Bluff is a coastal camp site south of Denham in Shark Bay area along Australia’s Coral Coast. It can be accessed via a 2WD dirt road (turn off from Shark Bay Road). The campsite is not marked, so you can choose your own spot. There are only 4 cars that can camp there at any one time. To camp there you must have a permit, which costs $15 per night (in 2022), obtainable from Shark Bay Visitor Centre in Denham. There are no facilities and you can only stay there for 24 hours. We think that to pay $15 for the right to camp on the edge of the cliff in the pristine place in the World Heritage listed area is well worth it. The best things for us were the amazing sunset and sunrise.

Camping at Eagle Bluff in Shark Bay — The changing colours of the setting sun, painting the sky in red, yellow and orange

Walking on the beach early in the morning is not only an exercise but also an opportunity to spot something interesting.

Unlike other campgrounds near Denham in Shark Bay, Eagle Bluff has a small lagoon, which makes a perfect sunrise photo.

Only a couple of kilometers away from the Eagle Bluff camp site is a viewing platform from which you can enjoy the vast views of the ocean and spot some marine life.

View from the viewing platform at Eagle Bluff

Shell Beach in Shark Bay

Shell beach, 45km from Denham, in Shark Bay along Australia’s Coral Coast, is one of only a handful of places on earth where the beach is made entirely from shells. Stretching for over 70km, it is a very picturesque place, attracting many visitors. After 4000 years of being washed onto the beach, the shells have reached the depth of 9 meters in some places. Interestingly, the shells are from just one type of animal, the Shark Bay cockle, making the beach truly unique. The waters in Shell Beach are highly saline and shallow. This contributes to the incredible abundance of this marine species in just one place.

In early 1900s, before Shark Bay got its World Heritage listing, locals quarried and used shells for construction of buildings in nearby Denham.

We have visited Shell Beach a few times. During our last visit in April 2022 we noticed upgrades to the beach with the toilets and undercover picnic areas. The waters were too shallow for swimming at that time but kids had great fun playing with the shells.

Kid playing with shells at Shell Beach in Shark Bay — Playing with the sand at Shell Beach in Shark Bay

Interestingly, just a few kilometers away from Shell Beach, but on the opposite side, there is a mini version of Shell Beach, where we camped in April. The place is Goulet Bluff.

Best snorkelling near Coral Bay

Snorkelling at Five Fingers near Coral Bay

Five Fingers Reef, 4,5km south of Coral Bay, offers the best snorkelling experience near Coral Bay. When we were in Ningaloo Reef in April this year (2022), we were told that while the corals in Coral Bay were affected by bleaching, Five Fingers Reef corals were in much better condition. It is a 10-minute drive from Coral Bay over the sand dunes and a 4WD is required to travel along the track which leads you right onto the beach.

Five Fingers Reef is a popular 4WD destination

Interestingly, the name Five Fingers comes from the way the reef looks like. There are five strips (or fingers) of parallel reef running from the beach to around 200 meters offshore. The waters there are very calm and shallow, with lots of corals and other amazing marine life underneath. A great place to visit for a day or a few hours.

The underwater life at Five Fingers Reef is amazing! From a variety of corals, fishes to blue spotted rays, giant clams, sea cucumbers!

Want to see more corals? We have a big library of underwater photos that we took at Cape Range National Park near Exmouth. Did we mention that at Five Fingers you’ll find the best snorkelling near Coral Bay? We are not the only ones thinking that way.

Warroora Coastal Reserves

Warroora Coastal Reserves are part of the Ningaloo (Nyinggulu) Coastal Reserves, adjacent to and part of World Heritage listed Ningaloo Marine Park that stretch for 220 kilometres.

You can get there via Minilya-Exmouth Road (from the north or from the south). 2WD can get you to the Warroora station and 14 Mile beach camp, but to get to all other campgrounds you would need a 4WD as the road is not only corrugated but also can be soft, rocky and with slopes in some places.

Warroora Coastal reserves are managed by DPAW and can be booked online. There are 11 campgrounds to choose from – some only have a few sites and others are bigger and more popular. There are no amenities at any of the campgrounds. You are required to bring a chemical toilet to this place (which can also be hired at the Warroora station). Dogs are allowed.

For $10 per adult ($5 per child) you get a permission to camp on a beautiful coast with access to some amazing corals only a short driving distance away. If you don’t want to be cramped like sardines in one of the caravan parks in the close-by Coral Bay, camping in nature might be the way to go. It certainly is for us!

Stopping on the way to enjoy the scenery and little things

Black Moon Cliff

We stayed at Black Moon Cliff, which is 6km south of Warroora station, a small campground, tucked behind the dunes. The campground has only 10 sites, all quite large – some closer to the beach and some behind the second dune.

The coastline at Black Moon Cliff looked quite beautiful with rugged outcrops, although the beach had a lot of weeds at the time we visited (April 2022).

Natural beauty at Warroora Coast

Undeniably the sunsets and sunrises were sensational! Every evening I was awe struck when seeing how the colours and patterns of the sky changed with every second as the sun went down.

Every evening the setting sun painted the sky differently. No sunset is the same.

As the sun was going down on one side above the ocean, the moon was rising up on the opposite side. Just watching sun and moon can be so therapeutic!

Watching the sun emerge from the horizon in the morning was an equally delightful and exciting experience. New day! What will it bring?

If you are into bird watching, Warroora Coast is abundant in wildlife. Spotting it though, requires patience and sometimes it is a matter of luck.

There are also many wildflowers in the region even outside of wildflower season. We visited this place in April and were still a few wildflowers there.

There are also plenty of dragon flies in Warroora Coastal reserves which can be tricky to photograph unless they land somewhere. One ended up in our caravan :).

Lagoon

Lagoon campground is further 6km south from Black Moon Cliff along the Ningaloo Coast. This campground is one of the larger ones (with 20 sites). The road there from the Warroora station is quite rocky, with a couple of hills and rock holes, so you definitely need a 4WD. But once you get to the Lagoon you are rewarded with a fantastic swimming beach. We actually liked the Lagoon better than the Black Moon Cliff campground, where we were based, and we spent a relaxing day at the Lagoon, soaking up experiences and memories.

Maggies

Maggies campground was a pleasant surprise for us. We would have missed going there, if we didn’t hear about it from someone whom we met while travelling. So, we are passing on the information together with our own experience and memories of this place.

Maggies is a small campground (with only 6 sites), a short detour from the coastal dirt road in the Warroora Reserves. It is tucked away behind the hills and dunes and there are a few slopes and one-way sections of the road there. We wouldn’t have thought of pulling anything there but actually saw a few caravans at Maggies. 4WD is still a must to get there.

The best thing about this campground was corals and other marine life, as well as rocky formations along the beach.

The underwater world at Maggies is amazing. Giant clams, Brain corals, Sea urchins, Blue Chromis are only some of the wonderful marine creatures you can see there.

To sum up, Warroora Coastal Reserves did not disappoint. Without a doubt, it is the place to visit again.

Whistlepipe Gully

Whistlepipe Gully is a moderate difficulty 3.5km return hiking trail in Mundy Regional Park in Kalamunda, Perth Hills. The trail follows the creek up one way and down the other way. There are many picturesque small waterfalls, cascades and rock pools along the trail, as well as flat rocks to rest or have a picnic.

Rapids along Whistlepipe Gully trail — One of the many small waterfalls

We visited this place in June and enjoyed winter weather, stopping many times to admire nature in its amazing forms, colours and patterns.

The Whistlepipe Gully track has a few slopes and rocks. From the highest slope you can enjoy the views of Perth city behind the coastal plain.

The view of the Perth city form Whistlepipe Gully trail. — The view of Perth city from the trail

There is limited parking at the northern end of Lewis Road in Kalamunda and there are no facilities. It is dog friendly and there is no fee to pay to enter.

In conclusion, it is a great place to spend a day or a half, especially during cooler weather. Looking for other places near Perth? Check out what we’ve visited.

Picnic along Whistlepipe Gully — Having a rest during our hike at Whistlepipe Gully

Best snorkelling and camping sites at Cape Range (part 2)

Snorkelling at North Kurrajong in Cape Range National Park — North Kurrajong at Cape Range

Looking for the best snorkelling sites at Cape Range? Keep reading. We always loved Cape Range, so travelling there again (the previous trip was in April 2021) was not something unusual. This time we stayed at a different campground and found a new snorkelling spot in addition to our favourite ones.

Oyster Stacks – best snorkelling site at Cape Range #1

There are 3 most popular snorkelling sites in Cape Range National park. Oyster Stacks is one of them. It has always been our favourite. Firstly, the outside reef is only 300m from the shore, so there is a big concentration of corals and other marine life. Secondly, there is hardly any current, so it is quite safe for children and inexperienced swimmers when the water is calm. Thirdly, the corals start right from the beach. So long as you care careful when entering the water because of the sharp rocks, you are straight in a paradise. We must emphasise that you should snorkel only during medium or high tides to avoid damaging corals. The first part of the day is normally the best for snorkeling as there is often some wind in the afternoon.

Snorkerlling at Oyster Stacks at Cape Range National park — Oyster Stacks beach

Aerial view of Oyster Stacks at Cape Range National Park — Oyster Stacks beach

Apart from the corals, Oyster Stacks beach is also known for its beautiful green crabs. This time we also saw a marine snail (I didn’t even know that such creatures exist!)

South Mandu – best snorkelling site at Cape Range #2

Shhhh… This is a secret spot. We found it was as good for snorkelling as the famous 3 sites in Cape Range National Park, however, it is not advertised anywhere (probably, due to proximity of the privately owned camping ground there). When we arrived in the morning, we had the beach all to ourselves!

South Mandu at Cape Range National Park — South Mandu

Beautiful beach at Cape Range National Park — South Mandu

The corals are very dense here, only a short distance away from the shore and those few meters before you reach the corals are just pure delight – sandy floor with turquoise clear water.

Best snorkerlling site at Cape Range National Park

There is also a “therapeutic” corner, if you go to the right from the snorkelling site. Here there is a patch of red nicely water polished pebbles, which are very pleasant to hold. We spent a good half hour just sitting there – watching the waves and listening to the hissing sound of the water as it was drawn back while passing through the segregation of pebbles. It is an ideal place to de-stress and let any worries melt away. The only downside is 500m walk from the carpark. Although, if you are not into snorkelling, you can have some fun swimming and surfing on the beach right near the carpark.

Turquoise Bay – best snorkelling site at Cape Range #3

Turquoise Bay is the most popular snorkeling site in Cape Range National Park. The beach there is stunning with its white soft sand and turquoise waters. It has many times been ranked as one of Australia’s top beaches. With white sandy beaches, crystal clear turquoise waters, amazing corals and other marine life it is an idyllic place. To see corals, park in Drift Snorkel Car Park. Then walk 100 meters or so south of the beach. Swim out and then let the current take you along as you enjoy snorkeling. Care must be taken to exist before the current pulls you out into the ocean (before the sand bar). For that reason, this place is not recommended for weak or inexperienced swimmers. At Oyster Stacks, you can see more colourful fishes and corals. At Turquoise Bay, you will find different types of corals. These corals are mostly large bombies and brain corals. Thus, you will see bigger fishes there.

When the tide comes in, claiming the beach, everyone is forced to move behind the fence 😊.

Lakeside – best snorkeling site at Cape Range #4

Lakeside is another great snorkeling site in Cape Range NP. It used to be a camping spot as well many years ago. But it got flooded at some point with the water from the creek. The car park has been moved further away and the campground has been closed. Now it is just a picnic area. To reach the snorkeling site, we had to walk 500 meters on the beach. The walk wasn’t really that bad at all. We had our lunch first, so we didn’t need to pull a trolley and carry lots of stuff with us. The corals at Lakeside are mostly big bombies that attract larger fishes. The beach there is very beautiful, even if you don’t snorkel.

Camping at Cape Range

Cape Range National Park is located within the Ningaloo Coast World Heritage area. It is 70km from Exmouth. The park has a few basic campgrounds only meters away from the beach. In April 2021, we stayed at Tulki beach. Exactly a year later, we based ourselves at North Kurrajong. From there, we explored beautiful beaches. Then in Easter 2025 we went to Cape Range again. We stayed at Bungarra campground.

North Kurrajong campground

It is a relatively new campground. It was built an addition to Kurrajong which is a short distance away only steps away from the beach.

I was surprised that for a small campground (for 10 sites) there were 3 clean and nicely maintained non-flushing toilets.

There is also a large undercover picnic area with a few tables. Overlooking the beach there is a smaller but very popular sunset view undercover table. From there we watched the sun going down over the ocean every night.

Watching sun go down from the sunset view undercover picnic table at North Kurrajong

The campground is accessible via a 2WD short drive from Yardie Creek Road. For $11 per person per night (children are $3 each), it is a great value for a prime location. (Note this price was in 2021. It has gone up to $15 per person.) We had very sweet memories of camping at Cape Range. This is not to mention amazing corals and fishes we have seen. Check the pictures here.

Watching sunrise, sunset and moon

When we camp in the bush, we don’t mind getting up early to see how the sun greets the day and sends the first rays of light into the sky before it is even visible above the horizon.

Jupiter and Venus still shining in the morning

When the sun is rising above the ranges in Cape Range National Park, the opposite side – the beach – is still in its “blue hour” colour. It is quiet and peaceful – a perfect opportunity to spot something interesting.

The magical golden hour.

Looking at the moon and taking pictures of it can be quite fascinating….

And when the sun goes down, it is a great opportunity to try your luck fishing from the beach. North Kurrajong is a recreational zone, so fishing is allowed there.

While the boys are fishing, I am taking pictures of the night sky.

How massive these termite nests are! On the way from Exmouth along Minilya Exmouth Road.

Bungarra campground

Bungarra is the smallest campground in the park with only 5 reverse-in camping spots. Facilities include non-flushing toilet and rubbish bins.

The campground is 600 meters walk to the beach. The beach is mostly rocky and not the best one for swimming. But it is a good place for beach fishing.

The nearby Osprey Bay campground is 10 minutes walk away and is excellent for swimming. We spent 4 nights at Bungarra campground in April 2025, enjoying the basic bush camping with gorgeous sunsets. The camping fees for the campground are $15 per adult per night, $5 per child. This is in addition to national park entry fee for this first night. Dogs and campfires are not permitted.

What could be better than these views?

Here is a short reel about Bungarra campground on youtube.

Other attractions in Cape Range NP

Pilgramunna

Pilgramunna is one of the less popular beaches in Cape Range National Park. The creek joins the beach. Depending on the conditions, you might be able to pass through. If not, park before the creek. As it was quite shallow when we visited this place in April, we drove through the creek.

We found quite a picturesque beach with rocky outline making it look pretty. There were sandy patches further along the beach. It is considered a snorkeling place although we didn’t snorkel there. Kids were playing with little stones while we surveyed the area.

It looked lovely from the bird’s eye view, and we saw a few large bombies further away from the beach. A few vehicles came to launch a boat. It might be a good fishing place too.

Check out a short reel about Pilgramunna here.

Bloodwood Creek

Bloodwood Creek is a scenic lookout in Cape Range National Park, along Australia’s Coral Coast.

Yardie Creek

Yardie Creek is at the southern end of Cape Range National Park. It is a popular place for a picnic, swimming in the creek, hiking, as well as boat tours. There is also a campground there. Those who love nature and hiking will enjoy walking along the creek. The nature walk is short and sweet. If you want to challenge yourself, continue further along the creek into the gorge.

With the temperatures being in high 30s in April, day time hiking was not the best. We came back to Yardie Creek just before the sunset and it was perfect timing. The sunset was sensational.

I also had a chance to see threatened black-flanked rock wallabies that only come out at dusk. Initially I didn’t take a camera with me and the photos on the phone were not the best quality. I took a chance to go back to the vehicle to fetch a camera with zoom lens. Were the wallabies still there? Yes, they were!

Do you want to see how they jump? Click here.

Are you ready to look at the corals and fishes now?

Snorkeling at Oyster Stacks (above). Here is reel about it.

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.