In March, we headed off on a 3 week 4WDing trip, starting 200km east of Esperance, and heading right the way around the coast back up to Dunsborough. The photos below are from the first 11 days which we spent around Esperance. This is a place that will certainly not be forgotten, and hopefully these photos will inspire you to pack the fourby and head off on a trip of a lifetime!
Driving down to Esperance
Airing down to start the 4WD trip to Israelite Bay
The start of the 4WD section to Israelite Bay
Corrugations on the 4WD track into Israelite Bay
More of Fisheries Road on the way to Israelite
Well and truly stuck
Another shot of the stuck cruiser
Seriously bogged in a salt lake near Israelite Bay
4 snatch straps joined together and it only just reached off the salt lake
The stinky hole. Want to read about it? Check out Bogged in a salt lake.
Absolutely covered in stinky mud
Exploring the ruins at Israelite Bay
Found a huge boat washed up on the shore
Full of sand
Taking photos inside the boat
A photo through a bullet hole in the window
Seaweed collected by my tail shaft
Enjoying the crystal clear water at Israelite Bay
A big 80 at Israelite Bay, navigating the rocks
Calling in at Point Malcolm on the way to Thomas River
Next stop, Thomas River
Spectacular beach that stretches for 29km
Watching the waves near Cape Arid
The view from part way up Cape Arid
Catching a salmon from the beach just near Thomas River
Occasionally you get something bigger, which was caught by hand!
The sunsets were magic
What a way to end the day
We spent a lot of time on the beach, and why wouldn’t you when it looks like this?
Little Tagon Bay at Thomas River
Wild geese on the beach
Spearfishing from a kayak; lots of fun
When you can get fish like these, its all worth it!
Even if you do bring the sharks around!
Every now and again something else comes around – a surfing seal
Of course, there has to be a reason it hangs around!
Once it’s had a feed, you won’t get rid of it!
The fish just kept rolling in
Exploring the 4WD tracks around Cape Arid
Enjoying a shower from the solar shower bags at the end of the day
Getting hammered by the waves on the way out in the kayak at Big Tagon Beach
There were plenty of friendly animals around!
Driving from Point Malcolm to Thomas River via the Telegraph Track
A view from the top of the cruiser on the Telegraph Track
Every now and again you are just in the wrong place at the wrong time!
Sometimes it’s worse than others!
Next stop, Duke of Orleans Bay
Where each beach is just as good as the one you’ve just come from!
And the 4WDing opportunities are second to none for a coastal location
Every day, you can find your own little beach
Plenty of places to explore
A 4WD will open your access incredibly
Walking from beach to beach
Once you have driven as far as possible!
Plenty of cheeky birds at the Caravan Park
Relaxing back at the Caravan Park
Our camp site at Orleans Caravan Park
What you drive up
You must drive down!
This looked like a challenge
So we walked to the top
We bumped into a Hilux that had been rolled pretty badly
I doubt that will be back on the road again
This poor bloke learned a hard lesson: a kill switch that pulls out when you fall out of a boat is very useful!
On the way to Esperance we called in at Lucky Bay
The beach is incredible, and certainly lives up to it’s reputation
Some of the Lucky Bay locals
The cruiser was begging for a wash, and about $30 later it was looking reasonably clean
On the way to our next camp site, we stopped in at a place I will be back to dive!
Stokes Inlet
The inlet was different to any water body I’ve been to before
The DPAW have done a cracking job with awesome facilities
Well done to the DPAW
The locals are friendly
Although, maybe I should take that back
Endangered birds at the inlet
Catching a feed from another inlet in Stokes National Park
Enjoying Torradup inlet with no one around for miles
A quick 4WD track to Young River
Things don’t always go to plan, like the leaking differential
Nothing a few tools can’t fix
I agree, it is a wonderful area to explore and definitely on our ‘return to’ list as well.
Fantastic photos. Thanks for sharing and inspiring 😀
Thanks! It truly is an awesome place. Maybe we will bump into you down there sometime!
Aaron
Hi Aaron! Looks like you guys had a blast (but who wouldn’t?!) . Looking forward to our few days down that way at Easter time/ANZAC day!
It was absolutely awesome mate; well and truly worth the visit. Where are you visiting down there?
Aaron
Cracker weather in a cracker place. Glad it went well – the adventures are just a good marinade really, making the whole thing more memorable. We will be going back down there as soon as
Great photo’s
Alex
Hey Alex,
We did well with the weather in Esperance. It rained and was a bit overcast on a number of days at Bremer/Albany/Denmark, but overall we were pretty lucky. More photos to come soon, of the rest of the trip!
Aaron
I’m hoping to be able to get out towards Isrelite Bay and Cape Arid but might have to scale it back a bit due to the age old problem of money 🙁 Will be in Esperance the ANZAC day weekend though to see friends and will do the long drive home Sunday.
Hey mate,
Honestly, I probably wouldn’t go to Israelite Bay again. It’s a long way out to get to a beach that is covered in seaweed. If it was a toss up between Cape Arid and Israelite, I’d be going straight to Thomas River, where the camp sites are great and the beaches in the area are considerably better. Orleans Bay is also incredible, and both were much more enjoyed by everyone on our trip than Israelite Bay. There are much better 4WDing options and better choice for getting out of the wind.
Aaron