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This post was written by Lydia Lau

Seven hours by car From Perth is an untouched region famed for its gorgeous beaches and laidback charm. Lydia Lau visits esperance, home of Australia’s best beaches, to bury her toes in the sands of Western Australia.

Western Australia (WA) has long been a favourite holiday destination for those who appreciate its rugged landscape, gorgeous beaches, and diverse wildlife. Not only does WA occupy one third of the whole of Australia, it is also the country’s largest state – never mind that most of it is actually desert and not suitable for habitation. The best part about having such a vast piece of land is there are always plenty of new places to explore. If you’re looking for something different from the usual Perth city tours or popular Margaret River wineries, head on south to Esperance, one of WA’s best-kept secrets.

Located southeast of Perth and seven hours’ drive from the capital city of WA, Esperance and its neighbouring coastal towns are part of the Golden Outback (the largest sub-region of WA), famous for its vast lands and former gold mines. In stark contrast to the red earths of the Golden Outback, the Esperance region is bordered by the Southern Ocean which provides a stunning coastal backdrop, diverse wildlife, and the biggest attraction of it all: snow-white beaches with the softest sands your toes could ever hope to be buried in. Blessed with a temperate climate all year round and surrounded by national parks, it is truly a paradise for those seeking for the ultimate getaway.

Life’s A beach

There are over 16 beaches around the Esperance region, so locating a beach is the least of your problems; the real dilemma is how to fit as many of them as possible into your itinerary! As each beach has its own attraction, it’s worth beach-hopping to get the best of everything.

The beaches closest to the main township at the foreshore are particularly good for young families; the James Street Jetty even has a mini slide. Drive along Twilight Beach road and you’ll find a cluster of beautiful beaches, starting with the gorgeous West Beach. The locals love surfing and swimming in the lagoon pools behind the reef, but do approach with caution and be aware of the surf tides.

Blue Haven’s pristine waters provide a safe swimming section, whilst Salmon Beach is a great fishing location. Water sports abound at Fourth Beach, but if you want something with a bit of everything, head to Twilight Beach. Sparkling white sands, gentle waves and protection from the rounded granite rocks around the cove makes it the safest swimming and surfing beach in the Esperance area. During summer, Twilight beach is also patrolled by surf guards on Sundays, but it’s still advisable to stay close to inshore and avoid swimming in areas where riptides are more prevalent.

Further up along the road is Observatory Beach, a popular windsurfing location with awesome waves without the crowds. Other activities include surfing and boogie boarding. Ten Mile Beach is ideal for swimming, as the rocky shore acts as a natural breakwater and forms a long stretch of shallow pool that’s, surprisingly, warmer than the ocean. Compared to most resort towns where beaches of such excellent qualities are generally flooded by tourists, the beaches here are mostly startlingly deserted (in a good way), with just a local surfer or two – it’s almost like

Park Life

There are half a dozen national parks located within the Esperance region, the most popular being Cape Le Grand National Park. Surrounded by sweeping heath lands and rugged granite peaks, it’s one of WA’s best known and nearest to Esperance, being only 50km east of the town.

Take the jeep or 4WD for smoother rides over gravel roads for the day’s adventure, or rent a caravan or bring your own tents for overnight camping (fees apply, check with the Department of Environment and Conservation before you proceed). The hike to Frenchman Peak (3km return) features great views of the area, whilst having your own private beach, minus the exorbitant costs.

The Drive

With all those glorious beaches waiting, it’s perfectly logical to want to build up some muscles before hitting the sand. It’s easy to hire bikes here, and begin your cardio exercise along the Twilight Beach Road, the start of the Great Ocean Drive. With stunning views of exquisite sculptured granites amid sweeping vistas of the Southern Ocean, it’s no wonder this path was voted by the public as one of WA’s Top Ten cycling tracks. Interested to see more? There are two driving routes which encompasses Esperance’s best: the Great Ocean Drive (40km), which passes through beaches, wind farms, and the amazing Pink Lake (a natural salt lake) and the Great Country Drive (92km), where you could stop at nature reserve places, local wineries, arboretums, animal parks, and wetlands for short walks or picnics. Get your maps from the Visitor’s Centre, located in the town centre.

Lucky Bay, voted “Whitest Beach” in Australia, is one of the most popular picnic and swimming area. Located between Thistle Cove and Rossiter Bay, the crystal clear waters and soft sands of Lucky Bay are so enjoyable that kangaroos have been spotted hanging around the beach! While there, don’t forget to stop by the Viewing Platform, located 3km from Lucky Bay, for spectacular views of the bay and surrounding scenery.

Further east of the Cape Le Grand is Cape Arid National Park, whose granite headlands and beautiful beaches offer a great way to get back to nature. Most of the park itself is accessible by 4WD only, and there are plenty of bushwalking, swimming, bird watching, and recreational fishing opportunities.

History

Aboriginal people have been in the Esperance area for over 20,000 years. The Aboriginal name of this area is Kepa Kurl: the place where the waters lay down like a boomerang. The name of the town came from one of two French ships – L’Esperance and Recherche – seeking shelter from a storm in the Archipelago in 1792. Discovery of gold in the year 1895 in places like Dundas, Coolgardie, and Kalgoorlie (approximately 400km north of Esperance) led to a sudden boom and incredible transformation of Esperance, as fortune-seekers flooded into this little port on their way to the Goldfields.

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Travel Facts

Getting there: Skywest Airlines (www.skywest.com.au) operate daily flights from Perth to Esperance, with flight time at 1 hour 40 minutes. Driving time from Perth is 7 hours.

Where to stay: There are chain hotels, motels, apartments, B&Bs, and cottages for short stays or long-term rentals. Visit www. visitesperance.com for bookings and enquiries. We stayed at Best Western Hospitality Inn (www. hospitalityinnesperance.com) at the Esplanade, which was within walking distances to the beach and close to town.

Food: Plenty of cafés, restaurants (casual and fine dining), and pubs offer lots of choose for food. Most cafés close after lunch, while restaurants are usually closed on Sundays. McDonald’s and Red Rooster are open daily. For self-catering options, there is a Woolworths supermarket (closed Sundays). For coffee, we recommend the Coffee Cat takeaway truck, located along the Esplanade at the parking lot next to the jetty.

Travel Tips: Make a trip to the Esperance Visitor Centre (Dempster Street; www.visitesperance.com), which also doubles up as a musuem. Instead of driving seven hours straight from Perth, we suggest you break the long journey by staying overnight at towns such as Albany (five hours south) or Hyden (four hours east). Bear in mind that most shops, galleries, and restaurants are closed during weekends, so plan your trip carefully.

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Source: The Expat June 2013
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