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Ellendale Pool and Greenough are two places of interest in Australia’s Mid-West region. They are popular with tourists as short holiday destinations or on the way to Coral Coast. Likewise locals from Geraldton love these places as their weekend gateaway.
Ellendale Pool
Located 51km east from Geraldton, it is an easy 40-minute drive on sealed roads. The natural rock pool, formed by flowing Greenough River is particularly picturesque. Many people swim there, although warning is issued that swimming is not advisable in temperatures higher than 24 degrees due to the presence of bacteria. If not swimming, canoeing can be easily enjoyed on the river. The colours of the gorge are shades of orange which become more dramatic at sunrise and sunset. They cast beautiful reflections into the calm waters of the pool.
The facilities at Ellendale Pool include flushing toilets, outside cold shower, non-drinking water taps, bbqs, picnic tables, rubbish bins, dump point and even a small playground. Dogs on leash are allowed.
At the moment, the area is free, which makes it very popular with locals and tourists alike. However, we suspect, it won’t be free for long. The place is suitable for both tents/swags and caravans. It does have 2 camping areas but it can fill up quickly.
Ellendale Pool attracts lots of birds. Noisy corellas come in hundreds and visit the place a few times daily. Swallows are in much smaller numbers and quieter but you can still hear them chirping cheerfully in the morning. Australian ringnecks, blue wrens and galahs also frequent the place.
How are the road conditions?
When there is a lot of rain, the road to Ellendale Pool might be closed, as it gets flooded.
The last 1km of Ellendale Pool Road is dirt corrugated road. The good news – it is only a short drive!
Sky wonders at Ellendale Pool
Being far away from the city, there is almost no light pollution at Ellendale Pool, which makes it a great place to watch the night sky.
You can only see sky like this when there is no moon. However, when there is one, we enjoy taking pictures of it too.
Even though trees blocked some of the views of the setting sun, the light from the sun was still visible. From pink to purple to red, the colour of the sky was changing in a matter of a few minutes.
We enjoyed our 3 nights stay at Ellendale Pool, owing to its beauty and excellent facilities. On the other hand, if you are looking for something very quiet and tranquil, it might not be the ideal place as it is a busy place, popular with people and noisy birds alike 😊.
Greenough
Greenough is a small settlement, south of Geraldton, with rich history. Apart from its history, Greenough is also known for its leaning trees. Some of them are lying almost horizontally to the ground. These are eucalyptus species, River Gums. They grow mostly on private properties, but there is one prominent leaning tree, on the Brand Highway, near Greenough settlement, that you can see quite close. Although, there is a fence, so you can’t really touch it. So why do the trees grow sideways in Greenough? Their leaning position is caused by constantly blowing salty southerly winds from the Indian Ocean. The natives of Western Australia say that it is a way of paying respect to the Mother Earth.
Greenough River
Rivers have always been an attraction for people. Being a source of water, rivers attract lots of birdlife. Some of the nicest walks are also along the river banks. If you are around Geraldton, why not enjoy the Greenough River, which meets the ocean at Cape Burney, 10 km south of Geraldton.
Lovers of hiking can take Greenough River Walk Trail. Starting from the Greenough River mouth at Cape Burney, the trail runs in a 17km loop, which you can hike in sections. This is quite an easy hike with the mixed views of the river and coastal vegetation. The trail is shared by bicycles and in some parts by 4WDs.
Devlin Pool, along the trail, is very picturesque. It can be admired from the lookout. Or you can walk down to it and have a swim or go canoeing. We chose to admire from the top 😊.
Although not part of the Greenough River Nature Trail, but still along the river is Bootenal Spring. This place has a historical value, as it is thought to be a site of confrontations between local Aboriginal people and early settlers. We found it quite a picturesque place, although hard to get to the water in some places.
The Walkaway Wind Farm
Located 30 km south of Geraldton, near a small town Walkaway is the Walkaway Wind Farm. The MidWest is one of Australia’s windiest regions. With the wind speed of 20-25km per hour and consistent breeze, the farm is able to generate electricity.
Interesting facts: The production of electricity starts at wind speed 14km/h. The amount of electricity produced increases until the turbines reach the speed 36km/h. When the wind speed exceeds 90km/h, the turbines automatically shut down. The minimum lifetime of a turbine is 25 years. Our observation: all the turbines rotate at different speeds (must be due to the fact that each turbine doesn’t catch the wind equally). Some might even not move, while others continue to rotate.
To conlclude
What did we remember most from this 3 day trip to Ellendale Pool? Little Corellas!
Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park is undoubtedly one of the most popular attractions in Western Australia. Firstly, it is the best place to explore amazing cave formations, which are more than a hundred in the region, although only a few are open to public. Secondly, you can get up close to stingrays which frequent the waters of Hamelin Bay. Additionally, Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park offers spectacular coastline with many beautiful swimming beaches, world-class surfing spots and fishing locations. Stretching for 120km along the coast in the South West, from Cape Naturaliste in the north to Cape Leeuwin in the south, the park is also known for its “Cape to Cape Walk” that so many locals and tourist alike undertake all year round. Lastly, Leeuwin Naturaliste NP is just next to famous Margaret River, where you can indulge in gourmet food and wine experience. To emphasise, this is one place to explore!
Caves of Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park
Spectacular limestone caves lying underneath the ground are unquestionably a reason to visit Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. One can marvel at immensely beautiful stalactites, stalagmites and shawls, created by nature over the period thousands of years. While there are more than hundred caves in Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, we only visited Lake Cave.
Lake Cave
It is easily accessible, just off Caves Road. While Lake Cave is not the biggest and not the grandest of all the caves open to public, it is our favourite. As the name suggests, there is a permanent lake inside the cave, in which you can see beautiful reflections of stalactites and straws. Even though the cave is not big, there are 350 steps to climb down (and then back up), hence one needs to be reasonably fit to accomplish this (our 8- and 11-year-old kids were well ahead of me, jumping like monkeys over the steps!)
Lake Cave
The entry to the cave (half way down the steps) is through a big sinkhole. Once you are down and inside, looking up into the sky through that hole is particularly an amazing experience.
Entry to Lake Cave
Another beautiful thing about this cave is Suspended Table – two massive columns hanging down from the ceiling, attached to the sheet of flowstone. Over the years the cave’s sandy floor has been completely washed away. As a result the whole structure, weighing several tones, floats on the surface of the lake.
Lake Cave is alive. Once inside, with the lights turned off you can tune to the silence, in which you can hear droplets of water dripping constantly from the tips of straws and stalactites.
Entry to the cave is with the guided tour only. It is worthwhile to book in advance, especially during public and school holidays. We highly recommend this experience and are looking forward to visiting other caves in this region.
Giants Cave
While Lake Cave is the most beautiful, in our opinion, Giants Cave promises the most fun and adventure. It includes climbing vertical ladders, scrambling over rocks, using ropes to get down steep slides.
In addition, you need to squeeze through tight spots (eat more salad and not burgers, if you want to attempt that 😊). It is fun for children and adults alike, if you are up to adventure. Climbing the cave requires some degree of fitness. I felt like I had a very good workout after climbing out of the cave. There is no guide, so you explore this cave on your own, which is part of the fun! Inside it is completely dark but friendly staff provide helmets (really a must!) with torches, as well as brief explanation of what to expect to see.
Apart from the fun part of climbing rocks and ladders, there are beautiful chambers. One of them has a pretty name Ballroom. At 70 meters long, it is indeed big enough for a good dance 😊.
Like in any other limestone cave, you will see many nice nature-crafted decorations, which are very fragile.
Giants Cave is the deepest cave in the Margaret River region at 86 meters deep. It is 575 meters long and takes on average an hour to explore. Check out our short reel about this fun cave on Youtube,Tiktok or Facebook.
Giants Cave is located 20km south of Margaret River town, on Caves Road. It is easily accessible. The cost of visiting the cave is $19 ($9.50 for a child). Being one of the hardest caves to climb, minimum age to visit is 6 years old. It is also one of the quietest caves. For that reason you do not need to book in advance, even during public holidays.
Canal Rocks
Canal Rocks is a natural attraction in Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. Over a period of thousands of years, mighty Indian Ocean has carved and sculptured granite rocks, cutting through them. This eventually resulted in a narrow channel between the rocks. The views of the canal rocks are simply amazing, no matter where you look from – from above , the bottom of the rocks or the side. Nature is so creative when it does its job. You can climb the rocks or walk across a boardwalk.
Canal Rocks are 4km south of Yallingup, via Canal Rocks Road.
Swimming and stingrays at Hamelin Bay
Hamelin Bay is a beautiful beach between Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste. It is a long stretch of white sand, turquoise water and coastal cliffs. Being sheltered and protected from the strong winds, Hamelin Bay is great for swimming, snorkeling, as well as fishing. It is especially popular as a place to spot stingrays, which frequent the bay and can get quite close to the shore.
Unfortunately, we didn’t see any (I suppose the timing was wrong – we visited Hamelin Bay in the afternoon, late January). Despite that, we still enjoyed walking on the beach, spotting Sooty Oystercatchers and Liolophura hirtosa (below).
Apparently, you can also drive on the beach (not from the main beach entrance). I learnt that by walking along the beach and spotting tyre tracks, a sign and vehicles in the distance.
Margaret River Mouth
Another place worth visiting is Margaret River Mouth in Prevelly. This is where Indian Ocean meets Margaret River. In summer the river is isolated from the ocean, creating a shallow warm pool, popular with families, as well for canoeing. You can even walk across it to the beach when the conditions are right. The beach itself is 500meter long, partly protected by the reefs. It can be windy there, which creates good surfing opportunities, albeit for beginners. Also there are excellent facilities with toilets and showers at the carpark.
World class surfing at Surfers Point
Surfers Point is undeniably one of the best places to go surfing and kite surfing. It is a prime location especially for advanced surfers, because the waves here are guaranteed year-round, reaching the height of 7-8 meters. A variety of breaks means that there are swells offering varying difficulty. For us, not surfers, it was fun and thrill to watch a group of surfers of various capabilities and experience to jump above the waves, fall into the water, get up and do it all over again time. For one thing, these surfers possess so much strength (mental and physical) to handle the cold, strong winds and numerous falls into the water.
Cowaramup Bay
Cowaramup is a small town known for its 42 life-sized fibreglass cows scattered around the town. It has many other attractions. Millers Ice Creamery was our favourite :). The beaches there are also worth visiting. Cowaramup Bay and particularly Gracetown Beach has interesting rock formations, which make an ideal subject for photography. Add to this clear blue waters, boat in the distance… You see the picture :).
Camping at Conto’s
If you are looking for nature-based camping, look not further than Conto campground. It is a huge campground, 19km south of Margaret River, off Caves Road, just next to Lake Cave and 4km from the beach. Being close to all the main attractions in that region, it is a popular place, especially with families. Nestled among peppermint and grass trees, there are over 100 campsites located within 8 camping areas, arranged in loops.
All camping areas have drop toilets and non-drinking water and some (bigger ones) have shelters, bbqs and dishwashing facilities. Only 2 camping areas (Chudith and Quenda) are suitable for caravans and trailers. Others are for tents and swags, because you can’t reverse in and consequently have to park behind the poles. Some sites have low clearance and narrow parking, and as a result you won’t be able to open your awning.
We stayed at Hamelin in 2023 and were fine with that arrangement for this trip. The cost of the campground was $15 per adult per night. Extra facilities include table and fire ring for each camping spot, chopped wood and rubbish skip bins. Sites need to be booked online via Parkstay site. Being a national park, no dogs are allowed at Conto.
Two years later we stayed at Conto’s again. The price has gone up to $20 per person per night since then. We find it too expensive. In 2025 we stayed at Davies loop. The tiled toilets looked nice but we felt it was unnecessary luxury for bush camping. This did not justify the price increase, in our opinion. But, as the saying goes, beggars cannot be choosy. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find a camping spot close to Perth at a short notice. This campground had availability at the time of booking. So we decided to stay there and enjoy all that Margaret River had to offer.
Conto beaches
There are some good beaches in Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. Conto Spring Beach is 3km drive from Conto campground, just off the Caves Road, in the Margaret River region. It is accessible to all vehicles. The beach is great for swimming (on calm days), fishing, surfing and just exploring as it has beautiful rock formations and rock pools. Interestingly, the name of the beach comes from the actual freshwater spring that flows from the limestone ridge into the sand. “Cape to Cape walk track” passes through this beach.
Sunset is always a special time at the beach.
A short driving distance from Conto Spring are a number of points of interest. We Round Rock and Merchant Rock of particular interest, both offering spectacular scenery. Merchant Pool has lots of rocks to climb and powerful waves to watch as they crush against the rocks, creating massive splashes. Not only the beaches are spectacular, but they are also great for fishing.
Below: Merchant Rock (left), Round Rock (right).
Small things to observe at Leeuwin-Naturaliste
Emu, the second-tallest bird (after the ostrich) and can only be found in the wild in Australia, where it is the largest bird (below left).
Welcome Swallow, a small and fast-flying bird (below right).
In conclusion
We hope you have most compelling evidence to visit Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. It is easily accessible, there is no entry fee and there is so much to see, do and wonder at, that without a doubt, you’ll find something for yourself there. We certainly didn’t see and experience everything and need to go back.
Do you have a favourite place or experience in Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park?
West Cape Howe National Park, half an hour drive from Albany, contains the most southerly point in Western Australia – Torbay Head. The park offers spectacular scenery with 23km of dramatic coastline dominated by black granite looking (it is actually dolerite) towering massive cliffs and headlands washed over by huge waves from the mighty Southern Ocean. The wind blowing straight from Antarctica is strong there. The black cliffs and white sandy beaches are contrasted with coastal heathland and further inland there is karri forest. For the most part, the park is accessible either by foot or reliable 4WD (except for Shelley Beach). Together with D’Entrecasteaux National Park, West Cape Howe is our favourite.
Shelley Beach(2WD accessible)
Shelley Beach
Located half an hour drive from Albany, Shelley Beach is a spectacular and rather popular beach with turquoise waters, white sand and cool breeze. Close to even more popular Cosy Corner beach, we found Shelley Beach a lot more interesting and attractive.
Camping at West Cape Howe NP
The only place to camp at West Cape Howe National Park is at Shelley Beach campground. It is a small campground with basic facilities, which we actually liked more than Cosy Corner campground. Having said that, Shelley Beach campground is a lot more exposed to the elements and does not have any privacy.
Shelley Beach campground
It is rather small with two camping areas – tent sites only area on the grass with vehicles parked in the carpark and campervan area on the opposite side of the carpark with the ocean view. No caravans or camper trailers are permitted. Dogs are not allowed. The cost of camping is $11 per adult per night. Facilities include a drop toilet only. The sites are not bookable.
However, the views are fantastic and this place is well worth visiting, even if only for a day trip.
Testing your 4WDriving skills
West Cape Howe National Park is the place to test your 4WD skills. We found it the most challenging and remote place we’ve visited so far. With very soft sand, stones, slopes going up and down, occassionally narrow lanes and overgrown vegetation, West Cape Howe NP is undeniably a 4WD lovers paradise. In our humble opinion, the tracks are not for the faint hearted, especially when you tackle them on your own.
Know your limits
You should certainly be well prepared when you tackle 4WD tracks on your own. We got bogged a couple of times but managed to get out. We’ve seen someone else got bogged, who had to ask for help to be pulled out with the winch.
At some point we had to turn back (along Dunsky Track going toward Torbay Head) because the track looked too soft and the chance of getting bogged there was very high.
With absolutely no other vehicle nearby, it was too risky to proceed any further once we got to what it looked like a fork that led to a ravine. You need to make your own judgement.
At this point we turned back
This place is so remote, that there are even no signs to identify where you are when you finally manage to get to your destination. With no map, other than the map provided at the entrance to the park, we had to guess where we were!
Almost the most southern point of Western Australia
So, we guessed that we got to West Cape Howe point (and we checked later that it was correct). West Cape Howe was very spectacular, pristine and untouched, with its dramatic black cliffs, crushing waves. We even felt like first explorers discovering a new land.
West Cape Howe is also a popular place for experienced rock climbers.
Unfortunately, we didn’t get to Torbay Head (the most southern point of Western Australia) but the scenery is probably more impressive at West Cape Howe and we definitely enjoyed exploring it.
Wildflowers at Mount Frankland can be found blooming throughout the whole year, as different flowers bloom at different times of the year. We found Mount Frankland National Park quite abundant in wildflowers when we visited it early January. Below are some of the wildflowers we have seen and photographed.
Top image: Tattered Trigger Plant (Stylidium laciniatum)
Below left: Bull Banksia Banksia grandis. Below middle: Candle-spike Hakea Hakea ruscifolia. Below right: Fly-away Trigger Plant Stylidium caespitosum.
Cape Peron (Rockingham), 45 minutes’ drive south from Perth, is a long stretch of land, surrounded by the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park. It is a popular place yet with plenty of space and a few entrances to the beach.
With numerous limestone reefs, overhangs, caves and swimthroughs close to the beach, it is an interesting place for exploration whether it is snorkeling, skuba diving or just walking.
There is plenty of marine life to observe.
The waters are quite shallow and safe for swimming.
The underwater is amazing to explore but sand boarding on the beach was fun for our kids too.
Sandboarding at the beach
Cape Peron (Rockingham) is a great place to visit as a day trip, especially in summer, when the weather is hot.
Mount Frankland National Park, 29km north east of Walpole, in the South West, is part of the Walpole Wilderness. It is the area of wild landscape that is untouched by human activity and any technological intervention. You can have a bird’s eye view of that wilderness that includes majestic karri, tingle, marri and jarrah forest from Mt Frankland Wilderness Lookout. It is a short walk from the carpark, universally accessible.
Mount Frankland Wilderness Lookout
For those seeking more adventure and physical workout there are two trails leading to 411meter high granite rock Mt Frankland. We followed 600-meter-long bitumen Summit Trail to the base, while enjoying the scenery and wildflowers on the way. To get to the summit, one needs to climb a ladder and over 300 steps.
It is strenuous and quite steep 200 meters climb to the summit where there is a Towerman’s lookout. The sweeping views of the surrounding area from the summit are quite impressive. Interestingly, Towerman’s station is still in operation for recording weather and smoke (fire) during dry months between December and April. We even had a chance to go inside and talk to “the weather woman” Susan, who was on duty at the time.
On the way down we took Caldyanup trail – 1,6km loop around the base of the granite rock. The trail goes up and down with some small rocks and uneven parts through a mixed forest (moderate difficulty walk). Part of the trail is Soho Lookout – a newly constructed metal bridge, offering views of the forest below and around.
Soho Lookout
There is no entry fee to the park. Dogs are not allowed.
Where to camp in Mount Frankland National Park
If you are visiting Mount Frankland and are looking for a camping place nearby, then Fernhook Falls DPAW managed campground is a great choice and is only 20km away. It offers excellent facilities, which are well-maintained and cleaned daily. There are only 8 camp spots there, each one with a picnic table, fire ring and rubbish bin. There are also 2 huts with a bunkbed (but can accommodate at least 2 more people on the floor) with a fireplace and outside rain water tank – perfect for hikers!
The campground also has a kitchen area with a sink, tables and bbq plate. For $15 per person per night, we thought it was a good value.
Camping spots have a lot of privacy, are well spaced from each other, yet close to amenities. The whole campground is within the mixed karri, jarrah and tingle forest.
There are some nice short walks around the campground leading to Fernhook Falls and Rowell’s Pool created by the Deep River, passing through the region. Interestingly, the Deep River, although it looks dark brown due to the presence of tannin from native plants breaking down in the river, is actually one of the purest rivers in the south, because 95% of it is flowing through the forested catchment areas.
You cannot book the campground and payment is by cash only. It is quite a popular place even during hot months, so it is best to arrive early. Unfortunately, you cannot bring a dog to the campground. We enjoyed our 2 -day stay at the campground in January and it’s one of the places we would love to visit again in winter when we could enjoy lighting a fire.
Big Brook Dam is one of the attractions along the Karri Forest Explorer Drive, near Pemberton. It was built in 1986 as an additional water supply for Pemberton. These days it is mostly the place for many recreational activities in the area. It is a great place for kayaking and fishing. The Big Brook Dam 4km sealed walk trail along the shores of the dam is very picturesque. It is a great place for walking, strolling and photographing. There is also a sandy beach area, ideal for swimming on a hot day or just picnicking, with shelters, picnic tables and bbqs. Dogs on leash are allowed around the dam (but not on the beach).
Big Brook Dam is a heaven for birdlife. Below: Grey Fantail (top left), Musk Duck (top right), Black Swan (bottom right), Purple Swamphen (bottom centre).
Where to camp
You can camp at Big Brook Arboretum, 3km away from Big Brook Dam along the Karri Forest Explorer Drive. Nestled in the forest, it is a nice small campground with only basic facilities (toilet) but it can accomodate both tents and caravans. We stayed at Drafty’s in nearby Warren National Park (only 20 minutes drive from Big Brook Arboretum) and highly recommend it.
Above: Big Brook Arboretum
If you are visiting Pemberton and have time, make sure you visit nearby Warren National Park with their famous Dave Evans Bicentennial and Marianne North trees and Warren River.
Warren National Park in the South West (15km from Pemberton) is home to some of the most magnificent karri trees (Eucalyptus diversicolor), which are very tall trees. Some of them are as tall as 90 meters and more than 200 years old.
You can explore Warren National Park by driving along 12-kilometer Heartbreak Trail. You can stop along the trail to look at and climb Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree – 68-meter-high, fire lookout tree (below).
Another tree of significance is Marianne North Tree. It is quite a distinct karri tree (Eucalyptus diversicolour) with large bulbous outgrowth around the trunk. The significance of this tree comes from the fact that it was painted by an English artist and traveler Marianne North when she visited Australia in 1880. So, this is how this tree got its name. Marianne North Tree is close to famous Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree on Old Vasse Road, near Pemberton.
Marianne North Tree
Keen hikers and anyone who enjoys nature, would appreciate the Warren River Loop Trail. It is a 10.5km walk through the karri forest and along the banks of the river. The trail can be walked in sections. We only walked from Drafty’s camp to Warren camp and back (3km return). Both camps have a day use area with picnic tables and canoe launching facilities.
Camping in Warren National Park
There are two campgrounds in Warren National Park: Drafty’s and Warren. Drafty’s is a family friendly, nature-based campground in the heart of Warren National Park. It’s a 2WD dirt road accessible along picturesque Heartbreak Trail off the Old Vasse Road, 16km from Pemberton. It is not suitable for big caravans or buses because the road is steep and winding. With 16 camp sites in a big loop and 6 in a small loop, the whole campground is very well laid out, with lots of privacy (it’s literally in the beautiful forest along the Warren River). There are a number of drop toilets, non-drinking water and camp kitchen (small loop only has a drop toilet).
Nearby Warren campground is very similar but it has only 6 sites, all suitable for tents only and there is no kitchen there. All sites in both campgrounds are on a first come, first serve basis and are $11 per person per night, plus national park entry fee. Being a national park, no dogs are allowed.
We initially planned on staying only 3 nights there but ended up staying 5. Every day we enjoyed morning and evening walks along the river, smelling the forest, listening to kookaburras and other birds and delighting in sights of magnificent karri, jarrah, marri and peppermint trees.
Some of the birds we’ve seen: Musk Duck (below left), Red-winged Fairy-wren (below top right), Silvereye (below bottom right).
The campground is a good base for exploring surrounding areas, as it is an easy drive in and out. It is close to Pemberton to stock up on foodand fuel and the surrounding forests are a pleasure to explore, offering a variety of experiences for everyone.
Stepping Stones at Black Point, D’Entrecasteaux National Park
D’Entrecasteaux National Park is one of the less popular national parks, stretching for 130km along the coast between Augusta and Walpole in the south-west of Western Australia. A lot of people haven’t even heard of it, let along visited it. Yet, it is a gem, waiting to be discovered. It is a place full of secret spots, unspoilt raw natural beauty, rich flora and fauna, rugged terrain – all of this offering a place of respite, tranquility and also challenging (think about some of the best 4WD tracks!) yet very rewarding experiences. Pronouncing the name of the park is a challenge in itself 😊. It is actually in the French language, because the park was named after the French Admiral Bruni D’Entrecasteaux who was the first European to sight the area back in the 18th century.
Jasper Beach, D’Entrecasteaux National Park
4WD adventures
The majority of D’Entrecasteaux National Park can be explored with 4WD vehicle only. Being remote, isolated, pristine but very beautiful makes it such an attractive place for an avid explorer. It quickly became our favourite national park in Western Australia.
Black Point
Black Point was our first stop in D’Entrecasteaux National Park. It is in the northern part of the park, near Lake Jasper. To get to Black Point, you would need to travel on a rough sandy 4WD only track. We used Black Point track, which is about 10-12km long and is summer access only and is not suitable for towing.
Do not stop to take pictures when driving on sandy tracks!
The Black Point 4wd track is quite picturesque and you also see a lot of wildlife there, which can be a problem if you are into photography. We stopped to take a picture of the kangaroos (and there were plenty of them on the track) and got bogged.
Stepping Stones at Black Point
One of the most impressive sites at D’Entrecasteaux National Park is Black Point. It is named after spectacular hexagonal-shaped black basalt columns formed by volcanic lava flow 135 million years ago. They are best seen at Stepping Stones, which is less than 1 km walk from Humpback Hollow campground where we stayed (you can also drive there). Those black basalt column look impressive at any time of the day or at any weather. We saw them in the afternoon, when the setting sun enveloped them in a soft glow.
We also saw them in a gloomy and stormy weather, watching the waves wash over the stones, revealing their texture, shape and intense colour contrasting the waves.
Surfers Cove (below) is within walking distance (or short drive) from Humpback Hollow campground at Black Point and is quite picturesque.
Breakfast Holes (below) is another interesting place to see as you hike around.
Lake Jasper
Lake Jasper in D’Entrecasteaux National park is the largest permanent freshwater lake in the south-west of Western Australia. Unlike many other lakes and rivers in the south-west, Lake Jasper has very clear water. This is due to lack of tannins in the water, so it is sometimes called “white water lake”. It is a great place to go kayaking and bush walking. There are picnic tables, shade, toilets, non-portable water. There is also a small campground with just 3 sites, operated on a first come, first serve basis ($11 per person per night).
To get to Lake Jasper was an adventure in itself. It is a 22km 4WD sandy track from Humpback Hollow campground at Black Point in D’Entrecasteaux National park. The track is rough and goes up and down hill at some parts. It is a moderate difficulty track and is very enjoyable.
Not a single other traveller during our nearly 2-hour drive, except for just one person with a small caravan at the beginning of a track who got bogged and had to turn back. We helped him out by lending our recovery boards.
Jasper beach
Jasper beach is 8km from Black Point along the same sandy track that leads to Lake Jasper. It was a totally isolated but breathtaking beach where we spent some time, having our lunch and soaking up the beauty as we walked on a white squeaky sand.
Yeagurup Dunes
Yeagurup Dunes is a popular destination for lovers of 4wdriving. We saw at least 25 vehicles deflating and inflating tyres, traversing the sand dunes, going up and down hill. The dunes themselves are a massive area of soft mobile sand, rising meters above the karri forest and moving slowly inland, thus changing the landscape over years. The track starts at Yeagurup Lake. It is a sandy track through the forest but it is an easy drive for 1.5km.
To get to the dunes you would need to climb a reasonably steep hill.
Then it just soft white glaring sand for many kms. It is easy to get lost, so the track is marked with pegs and if you follow this 10 km track, it will take you to the beach (this will be our future adventure). The track is moderate difficulty (the ascent is probably the hardest) and very enjoyable.
Being surrounded by so much sand, 360 degrees around, gives you an awesome feeling of being in a nature wonderland.
Yeagurup Lake
Yeagurup Lake adjacent to Yeagurup Dunes (and the place where the 4WD track to the dunes starts) is a one of the many fresh water lakes in D’Entrecasteaux National Parks. You can go for a short walk around the lake, have a picnic (before or after heading to the dunes) and you can also camp at nearby Leaning Marri campground. There are clean drop toilets, rain water tank and shelter with picnic tables at the lake.
Broke Inlet
Broke Inlet, approximately 40 km west of Walpole, is a large, shallow estuary, linked to the Southern Ocean by a narrow seasonally open channel. It can be accessed via gravel Broke Inlet Road from the highway or by the 4WD only Fisherman’s Track from Banksia Camp (summer access only). We chose to get there the hard way and had the most rewarding and fulfilling experience.
The Fisherman’s Track to Broke Inlet was sandy and at time rough but nothing we couldn’t manage with low tyre pressure, correct 4WD gear usage and experience. Fisherman’s Track continues all the way to Broke Inlet Beach. Closer to the beach, there are some parts with overgrown vegetation (yes, your vehicle will get “tiger stripes”).
But the views are absolutely superb!
Broke Inlet
The beach was rough, with strong currents and huge waves, but very beautiful with its crystal clear water.
Campingat D’Entrecasteaux National Park
D’Entrecasteaux has a number of camp grounds, some are on the coast (Black Point and Banksia Camp) and some are inland (Leaning Marri, Lake Jasper, Crystal Springs). The campgrounds have excellent facilities and are very well maintained. Our first stop was at Black Point campground, which has total a of 30 camp sites (Humpback Hollow with 20 sites and Seal Cove with 10 sites). Only about half of them were occupied when we visited this place during Xmas last year. The cost is $15 per person and $5 per child per night (plus the national park entry fee) and the sites must be booked online via Park Stay WA. Facilities include clean drop toilets and rain water tank with non-treated water (which was very useful for us, since we couldn’t carry a lot of water with us). Some sites have picnic tables. We stayed at Humpback Hollow, which is a bit further away inland and walked to the beach (less than 1km).
Above: Humpback Hollow campground at Black Point.
Free camp in D’Entrecasteaux National Park
Broke Inlet
Our initial plan was to camp at Banksia camp but with only 7 spots, we missed out, considering that we visited this place early January, during the holiday season. Broke Inlet offers official free camping with no facilities but with the satisfaction guaranteed.
Broke Inlet official free camp
It is a pristine area (although we saw quite a number of vehicles camping at various parts along the inlet), heaven for birdlife and paradise for us.
Our kids absolutely loved running and playing in shallow waters of the inlet and I spent hours photographing birds.
D’Entrecasteaux 2WD accessible attractions
While the majority of D’Entrecasteaux National Park is accessible by 4WD only, there are a few places you can access by two-wheel drive vehicle.
Windy Harbour
Windy Harbour is a small holiday settlement (with a number of cottages, as well as a caravan park) on the south coast of Western Australia (27km south of Northcliffe). It is a popular fishing destination but it also provides a stunning view of the coast with some interesting rock formations on the beach. As the name suggests, it is quite windy there but it doesn’t prevent locals and visitors from swimming.
D’Entrecasteaux scenic drive
Windy Harbour is a start of 6km D’Entrecasteaux scenic drive with a few interesting stops along the route (Salmon beach, Tookulup, Point D’Entrecasteaux and Cathedral Rock).
Salmon Beach Lookout
Our first stop was Salmon beach, which is a picturesque sandy beach, great for walking or fishing. Due to strong rip currents, swimming is not advisable there.
It was so therapeutic to watch the waves crush against the rocks.
Salmon Beach
Point D’Entrecasteaux is where you can see amazing Nature’s Window (a “cousin” of a more popular version of Nature’s Window is in Kalbarry). It is a natural limestone bridge in the shape of a window into the mighty ocean below. To access Nature’s Window, park at Point D’Entrecasteaux lighthouse car park and follow the signs along the sealed pathway.
Nature’s Window at Point D’Entrecasteaux
There are a few hiking trails that connect different parts of Point D’Entrecasteaux scenic drive. There is a short Pupalong Loop Trail where you can learn about the Noongar culture through the interpretive signs. Cliff Top Walk connects Point D’Entrecasteaux and Tookulup and is just over 1km long one way. There is also a longer (2,8km one way) Coastal Survivors Walk that links Point D’Entrecasteaux and Windy Harbour. More information can be found here.
Scenic views along Pupalong Loop walk
Our last stop along Point D’Entrecasteaux Drive was Cathedral Rock. The beach had lots of seaweed, when we visited it early January, but the rock looked quite interesting.
Cathedral Rock near Windy Harbour
Mandalay beach
Mandalay beach, 30 minutes’ drive west from Walpole, is another beach you can access by a 2-wheel drive vehicle. It is a stunning beach, which is too rough for swimming due to currents and rips, but great for fishing and walking. It offers spectacular views of mighty Southern Ocean and rugged coast.
From the beach you can see Chatham Island, which is 3km offshore, to the right.
Chatham Island visible from Mandalay Beach
And on the left, there are a couple of interesting rock pillars, like little islands in the ocean.
Rock islands at Mandalay Beach
It is a long and wide white sandy beach with plenty of space to feel isolated. Interestingly, the beach got its name from the ship Mandalay, wrecked there in 1911 and occasionally parts of it could be visible above the sand.
Mandalay Beach
Flora and fauna at D’Entrecasteaux
Rosenberg’s monitor lizard
We encountered this Rosenberg’s monitor lizard (Varanus rosenbergi) on our way to Lake Jasper. It did not want to move, even when we came out of the car and approached it closely. It is quite a large lizard, which grows up to 1,5meters, although this one was about a meter long.
Dugite snake
There is a short hiking trail at Lake Jasper. It is where I met two dugite snakes, one of which was not shy at all. It crossed my path and did not want to move for a good 5 minutes 😊. Dugite Pseudonaja affinis affinis snake is a highly dangerous and venomous snake if provoked.
Birds
Gulls are a popular bird species and you can see a lot of them along the coast. This is Pacific Gull, which we saw at Black Point.
Another bird which we spotted at Black Point, was Grey Fantail (below)– a small insectivorous bird.
Broke Inlet is a heaven for birds. We spend hours watching and photographing them. Pied Oystercatcher, Little Pied Cormorant, Little Black Cormorant, Caspian Tern, Red-capped Plover,White-faced Heron and Silver Gulls .
Pied Oystercatcher (below) is a large bird that is often seen on sandy coastline, where it feeds on molluscs and also nests.
Little Pied Cormorants and Little Black Cormorants (below) are often seen together.
Serpentine Falls is a popular attraction within Serpentine National Park, 55km southeast of Perth in Western Australia.
While the Falls is the main attraction in the national park, there are a number of different hiking trails from short to long and challenging. We were satisfied with a shorter (1km) Serpentine Falls Trail to enjoy the actual waterfall and the flora along the way, then having a picnic while watching the kangaroos and spotting many different types of birds.
Main picnic area at Serpentine Falls National Park (above left). Red Wattlebird Honeyeater (above right).
The main picnic area in the park is one of the places where western grey kangaroos are extremely friendly, so it was possible to take the shots like these ones.
Serpentine Dam
At the edge of the Serpentine National Park, on the eastern side, on Kingsbury Drive in Jarradale there is a Serpentine Dam picnic area with playground, toilets, picnic tables and bbq. The views of the Serpentine reservoir surrounded by the bushland are quite spectacular and the abundance of birdlife in that area is amazing.
Serpentine Dam (above left). Australian Ringneck (above middle and right).
Australian Laughing Kookaburra (above left). New Holland Honeyeater (above middle). Splendid Wren (above right).
In conclusion, this is a great place to visit as a day trip. It is probably best enjoyed in cooler months. In spring the variety of wildflowers are blooming. Autumn and winter are great for hikes too.
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