Esperance and Back 2024

The forecast hadn’t been promising with storms and rain predicted but in the end the rain was light and any storms went away the day before we got going.

We were moving by 9am and went through Pinjarra and up in to the hills to Dwellingup.

The Coaster struggled up the hills as it always does but plodded along with no problem other than a great lack of speed.

We stopped in at the fruit farm just outside Dwellingup but they weren’t open but we did get some pictures of the huge pumpkins they had on display outside.

Vergones Fruit Farm

There wasn't any reason to linger in town so we kept on going to the Quindanning turn off and arrived at our destination for the day around noon, just in time for lunch.

We took some pictures and footage of the pretty little church and then parked up in the hotel car park.

Quindanning church

RVs can stop here overnight as long as they patronise the hotel so we bought some drinks and a pizza and had a nice relaxing meal. The pizza was very good and was washed down with an ice cold glass of beer.

Toilets and showers are available at the pub for those staying overnight so as far as we are concerned it is a win-win situation and a nice laid back start to the trip.

The hotel is very pleasant and has some lawned areas at the back with shade, tables and seats. Overall a very attractive place. We have been through this area before but have never stopped long enough to have a proper look around.

Quindanning hotel

The Williams River is dry as a bone at the moment but would really add to the atmosphere of the place when it is flowing.

Thanks to our long, very dry summer, the fields were all looking very parched and brown but the scenery was still very nice with rolling hills and stands of trees along the route.

About 4pm the rain that had been forecast finally caught up with us. It wasn’t particularly heavy and did little more than just wet the ground.

We had our showers early and then went over to the hotel for dinner.

We got a good lesson in being prepared with cash in case internet based systems fail (which we were and they did) and had a really nice meal of pork ribs and steak with accompanying sauces and salads.

Dinner at the hotel

The cashless society has some serious flaws to overcome and carrying cash out in the bush is still essential.

Having supported the hotel as best we could and spending well in excess of $100 during the day, we retired to the Coaster to watch some TV before bed.

The Coaster has a new mattress that we hadn’t really tested out as this was to be the first full night sleeping on it.

Well the new mattress was certainly an improvement over the old one we had been using for years but it was a bit harder to roll up ready for travel.

Showers had continued through the night but started to dry up as we moved off.

It was only about 30 kilometres to Williams where we fuelled up before continuing down the Albany Highway to Arthur River where we turned east towards Wagin.

Wagin has a great little op-shop but it is only open on Fridays so we missed it by one day.

We arrived in Dumbleyung by midday and just had enough time for a quick walk around the main street before some big black clouds arrived and started dumping some real rain.

Dumbleyung hotel

We had briefly thought about heading out and spending the night at Duggin Dam as we had never been there before but the rain and good internet in town convinced us to stop at the free RV rest area in town.

The hope was that the rain would go away by the next day and we give us the chance to finish the filming we wanted to do in town and then check out Duggin Dam on the way to our next overnight stop.

The sky cleared at night but the clouds returned in the morning. Thankfully the rain did not come back and everything gradually dried out.

It was a bit of a late start and it was 9am before we got moving. We had a couple of things to look at in town before we moved on and by 10am we were heading fro Duggin Dam.

The dam is about 45 kilometres north east of Dumbleyung and turned out to be a pretty nice spot. It would make a good overnight campsite but we only dropped in to take some pictures and get some footage.

Duggin Dam

The track in was unsealed but good and there is a turning circle around some water tanks so there should be no issues getting in and out for most rigs.

There is space for probably 3-4 camps without overcrowding and apparently locals still use the dam as a swimming hole.

The dam dates from the days of steam railroads and there are many similar dams scattered around the state.

After checking out Duggin we moved on to Lake Grace where we stopped and had a good look around the town. We discovered a good little op-shop located in one of the old churches and we even found a few things to buy.

Lake Grace Op-Shop

Lunch was homemade sandwiches eaten at a nice little rest stop on the main street. A large covered area contains some BBQs, a drinking fountain and some seats and benches.

There are a few shops in town including a nice modern IGA where prices were actually quite reasonable.

Then it was on to Newdegate and due to the late start we didn’t really have time to stop and do any serious filming. It is also quite a small town and there isn’t a great deal to film so we pushed on to Lake King.

Newdegate

This town is almost not a town as it is so tiny. The one thing we noticed on the way through was cheaper fuel than we had seen anywhere since we were in Williams. Coincidentally we were starting to run short of diesel so we planned to stop in and fill up the fuel tank as we passed through again the next day.

By 3pm we had reached our destination at Lake Camm. This is the site of an abandoned tennis club and we were surprised to see about 6 caravans already set up around the old tennis courts.

Lake Camm

We don’t like to camp near others so a short walk down toward the lake was called for. We quickly found a very nice spot with views of the lake. (You can’t see it at all from the tennis court area) and settled in for the night.

One thing I didn’t expect was good Telstra internet right out at Lake Camm but it was full strength 3G.

The day started well with dry weather and light cloud cover but the further south east we went, the worse the weather looked.

We refuelled at Lake King which at $1.96 per litre was the cheapest fuel anywhere in this area. Ravensthorpe was listing prices of $2.25 which they can shove ‘where the sun don’t shine’.

We topped up our water tanks while we were in Ravensthorpe and then just kept on heading east to Stokes Inlet NP.

Ravensthorpe

The campsite is national park so the usual fees and rules apply.

We just had time to settle in and pay the $20 nightly fee when the rain arrived and it didn’t look like it was going away any time soon. In fact the forecast was for rain for the next three days – the entire time we planned to be in Esperance filming. It was time to start re-thinking how the rest of this trip was going to go.

Stokes Inlet

The one good thing was that we did get internet signal.

The morning started free of rain and we even got a bit of sunshine so we decided to stay at Stokes Inlet one more night and booked two nights at Lucky Bay out at Cape LeGrand.

As the rain had abated for a while we had a good look around the campsite and even got the scooters out and took a ride down to the day use area that is about a kilometre and a half away.

The ride was made somewhat more ‘entertaining’ thanks to the corrugations that we tried to dodge all the way down the track.

Stokes Inlet Day Use Area

The day use area has toilets and two camp kitchens as well as a boat launching area so the facilities are the same as the campsite minus the camping bays.

Not long after we go back to the Coaster the rain returned but we had managed to get the footage we wanted and even managed to get the drone up as the wind was down (for a change).

We prepared camp for the coming rain and settled in for the rest of the day.

The solar system started to struggle a bit due to the lack of sunshine but it is possible to use a generator at this campsite so we set that up and ran it in the evening to get the batteries back up again.

Plan A and Plan B for the trip had now been completely abandoned as we would be heading back to Ravensthorpe from Esperance and then make up our minds which route to take on the trip home.

Rain, rain, rain. All night and into the morning it just didn’t give up.

We were on the road by about 8:30 and arrived in Esperance about an hour later.

As we drove east we came out of the rain but it wasn’t long before it caught up with us and there wasn’t much chance of doing much filming in town.

The first point of call was the black water dump point where there was also supposed to be a water pickup tap. There was a sign on it telling people that it is not drinking water but on Wikicamps there is information that this is just a lie put there by an RV unfriendly council. We erred on the side of caution anyway and didn’t pick up water as we still had plenty from Ravensthorpe.

We visited a couple of op-shops and had a pleasant lunch at the Chinese Restaurant near the visitor centre. We then had a quick walk around the heritage village before heading off to our campsite at Cape Le Grand.

Esperance

By 3pm we were settled in for the day and the campsite is quite well set up.

Being a national park it has all the usual rules and fees but in this case it is an extra $5 per night per person because there are showers available. No chance in this weather of them being warm showers but it was better than nothing.

There is a reasonable camp kitchen with gas cook tops, BBQs and sinks and the toilets were modern and nice and clean even though they were long-drop style not flushing.

Lucky Bay campsite

The rain had finally stopped but it was replaced by high winds that knocked the Coaster about. We had to feel sorry for those who were camping in tents.

It was dark by 5:30pm so we just sat and watched some programs we had downloaded before leaving home.

According to the forecast there was not supposed to be any more rain for the next few days so we were looking forward to some sight seeing and filming along the beautiful coastline.

There was no phone signal at all so no internet for at least the next couple of nights.

The sun finally came out and it was perfect timing.

Our seventh day on the road was all about filming Cape LeGrand and with the sun out and blue skies it provided the perfect scenic display that we had anticipated.

There are plenty of walking trails for those with the time and the energy but we unhitched the trailer and headed off in the Coaster to get some very long awaited film and photographs.

Our first stop was at Thistle Cove when on one side huge granite hills plunge into deep blue water and on the other an impossibly white beach curves round before meeting up with yet more grantite.

Thistle Cove

Next came Frenchman’s Peak where a huge cavern punches through near the top of the large hill. The beret shaped top of the hill providing the name. There is a walk trail leading all the way up the steep slopes of the hill but we opted for a quick flight with the drone to get some footage.

Frenchman Peak

The it was on to Hellfire Bay where there are toilets and a covered picnic area with BBQ.

Hellfire Bay

The bay is nothing short of spectacular and it was on display in all its glory as the clouds had now gone and the sun was streaming down providing us with perfect filming conditions.

Our last stop for the day was LeGrand Beach where a wide flat beach trails away to the north west and where, when tides are favourable, it is possible to drive a four wheel drive all the way back to Esperance along the white sandy shore.

LeGrand Beach

There is also a second campsite at LeGrand Beach and it tends to be less busy than the one at Lucky Bay.

Lucky Bay campsite is by far the more popular of the two campsites at Cape LeGrand.

As all of this area is a national park, no pets are allowed and all the usual national park rules and fees apply. That means there is a park entry fee as well as nightly camping fees and the fees at this campsite are higher than usual due to the presence of showers.

The campsite is nicely laid out and the sites closer to the beach are more popular but the ones further back are bigger, better spaced out and generally have a nice view of the bay.

By lunchtime we were back at our campsite and we spent the afternoon relaxing and enjoying the view from our window.

Lucky Bay wasn’t in the best condition on this visit as seaweed tends to accumulate on the beach in the cooler months but it is still a remarkable place and possibly the most favoured destination in the park.

Lucky Bay

We had intended to get the BBQ out and have steak for dinner but the wind was strong enough to get us to change that plan and opt for fried rice instead.

Up early and off by about 8am and another lovely sunny day.

We arrived in Esperance after having a quick look at Bandy Creek Harbour. There is a small park at the creek (access from the west side) with BBQ, shelters, tables, seats and a toilet. For the fishos there is also a boat ramp here.

Bandy Creek

In the past we have snuck a night or two at this site but I wouldn’t try it these days.

We then took a ride along the Great Ocean Drive (a name mostly stolen from the Great Ocean Road in Victoria I suspect) and got some nice pictures and footage before turning north and turning on to the Great Southern Highway and heading in the general direction of home.

Great Ocean Drive

The word 'highway' in Australia means something quite different to the way it is often used in other countries. Highway might conjure up visions of large modern multi lane roads but here there is just one lane heading in each direction and it is used by all sorts of traffic from bicycles to massive road trains with three large trailers.

We weren’t in a huge hurry to get home so we drove to a site listed on Wikicamps that isn’t far past the Munglinup Roadhouse a little way up Mills Road. We had lunch and settled in for the day.

The site wasn’t exactly picturesque and there were some pools of water lying around from the recent rain but we found a flat spot and we were a couple of kilometres from the main road, which is better than just about every other site on this stretch of road.

Mills Road rest area

After a nice quiet night we made our way west to Ravensthorpe and picked up some sullies. What used to be an IGA is now a Foodworks and prices seem to have gone up considerably.

We bought an absolute minimum of what we needed and no more.

Ravensthorpe is a very isolated town that has many ups and downs over the years as local mines open and close.

We used the black water dump point behind the shire offices and then refilled the water tanks again before moving on to Fitzgerald.

We have stopped at Fitzgerald a number of times in the past as it is a pleasant area with a gazebo, seats and tables and a lot of room.

Fitzgerald

The old house that was looking abandoned last time we were there is now occupied again and looks to be in good condition. I’m not sure why anyone would want to live in such an isolated spot but it must appeal to the current resident(s).

The hall still looked in good shape and could still be in use but it does need a good clean inside from all the dust that is settling on counters in the kitchen area.

The road has been somewhat frustrating as the Coaster hates long sloping hills. It struggle to maintain speed and we are continually up and down through the gears.

There are heaps of road trains using this route and one of them flicked up a stone into our windscreen so we have another repair to do once we get home.

Our plan was to push on to Jerramungup, Ongerup, Gnowangerup and finish the following day somewhere near Broomehill.

Little did we know when we started off that this was going to be the toughest day of driving the Coaster in a very long time.

To begin with there was no temperature read-out but a shot stop by the road and a quick clean of the sender connection resolved that problem.

It soon became apparent, however, that the wind was out in full force and was hammering us from the right hand front and doing its best to drive us off the side of the road.

Although the drive was only going to be about 160 kilometres, it was extremely tiring to have to pull the Coaster back into position every time the wind shoved us sideways.

We stopped very briefly at Jerramungup as we spotted an op-shop but sadly it was closed (it opens on Thursdays and Saturdays) and we only did a quick circuit aroud Ongerup just to get a bit of footage before continuing west to Gnowangerup where we fuelled up and then had a walk around town.

Jerramungup

There was a good IGA supermarket in town so we picked up a few supplies and then continued through the battering winds to our stop for the night at a rest area roughly 15 kilometres from Broomehill.

Gnowangerup

The wind continued to pummel the Coaster all afternoon and on into the night but we were tucked up nice and cosy inside with a pleasant view out over the local farmland.

Broomehill east

Sometime during the night the wind finally blew itself out and although there were a few spots of rain from time to time, it was barely enough to wet the ground.

A short 15 kiolometre drive got us to Broomehill where we had a good look round and took some footage and still shots of the town.

Broomehill is yet another small town to lose its hotel and from the look of it, there isn’t much chance of it ever being resurrected.

Broomehill

The Henry Jones building was all closed up, despite it being Saturday morning, and there were no signs on the entrance to indicate when, or even if, it was going to be open.

We really would have liked to go in and have a look around as this is a very interesting shop.

With nothing in town opening and nothing left to do we moved on to Katanning and had a look at the two op shops that were open. Of the two the Boomerang op-shop was far more interesting as it had more than just clothes.

Katanning

We also dropped in to the local Asian grocery shop but this didn’t have much variety and only takes cash so we only bought a few things and left. There were very few prices on items in the shop and one thing that will get me to walk out of a shop is having to ask every time I want to know the price of something.

This is pure laziness and seems to be a habit of some Asian grocery shops around W.A.

We went to the Katanning RV rest area to dump black waste and fill the water tanks and although the rest area might be useful to some people, being crammed in closer than even a caravan park in what looks like nothing more than a car-park, just isn’t of any interest to us.

We continued north to Woodanilling and were intending to stop at the tavern for a nice lunch only to find that it is YET ANOTHER country pub that is no longer operating.

Woodanilling

It is very sad to see so many places like this are just no longer able to stay in business.

We made our way to the RV rest area at the sports ground and went looking in vain for the donation box where we would have paid the $5 per night fee. The box used to be on the side of the big shed by the door but it had vanished.

Woodanilling

The dump point was in working order and there was potable water available but we had already addressed these issues at Katanning so got got the scooters out and went for a ride around town. Woodanilling is tiny so this barely took more than 10 minutes and then it was back to the Coaster to settle in for the afternoon.

After a cold night at Woodanilling we changed our original route and headed straight for Albany Highway instead of going through Wagin.

It was then just a drive north to Arthur River and on to Williams where we filled diesel again.

On our way in to Boddington we stopped to have a look at Randord Pool and found the turning area at the end was only just big enough for the Coaster. Anyone with bigger rigs may wand to think twice before trying to get in there.

We arrived in Boddington before lunch and quickly got the scooters out and had a good ride around town.

Boddington is a very attractive little town with some very good facilities for travellers.

Boddington

We have talked in depth about the town before and you can search for Boddington on our You Tube channel if you are interested.

Being a Sunday there wasn’t much open but we did call in to the local IGA to pick up some tomatoes.

There were a few spots of rain but literally no more than that despite the forecast for a thunderstorm.

Lunch was a MASSIVE T bone steak each that we purchased from one of our local butchers before we left home. It was without doubt the largest steak we have ever eaten and turned out to be very nice if a bit too big.

It was a very pleasant day at Boddington and a nice end to our Esperance journey.

All that was left to do was drive through Dwellingup, down the hill to Pinjarra and them home.

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