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.
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.
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 (above left), Melaleuca striata (above middle), Verticordia densiflora (above right).
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”.
