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Published: February 20th 2015
When it came time to leave Hopetoun I couldn't resist a last beach photo and also checking out the train timetable to catch the train to Ravensthorpe. Judging by the fares and time table, we must have missed the train by over 60 years! Oh well, you can do the walking trail and dream of the clickity clack and sooty air left behind by the old steamer. Apparently the train took 3 to 3 ½ hours to travel between towns, whereas we drove the roads in 45 minutes.
I was having a quick look through Marg's Fitzgerald River National Park photos and she had a very nice set of images of the wild flowers. I have included these with this blog. I hope you like them.
From Hopetoun we travelled to Esperance and found that most camping grounds were full. We did get an overflow site for one night which suited us well as this was just a quick stop before heading out to Cape Le Grand, about 60ks south east of Esperance.
We had tried to stay here at Cape Le Grand as part of our 'Round Australia in 300 days' trip, but the weather was COLD
Thistle Cove 6
Another of M's picsand WET WET WET, as well as windy which is normal, so missed out on this location.
We Left Esperance a little after 8:00am and were encouraged to see a few caravans leaving the Cape Le Grand National Park. It was tuely our lucky day as we had the choice of 5 good level camp sites. Even more lucky, only one had 180 degree beach front views and our Motor home fitted just great!! We paid the Park Ranger for two nights and that was our spot. Even if we went driving, we were assured no one would get it. We did go driving and the ranger was true to his word, it was still vacant 4 hours later when we returned. Subsequent days saw only 2 vacant sites with many more caravaners being turned away as there was no space. The park had been full for the full week before we tried to get a site, so we were definitely lucky.
The State Govt plus National Parks have a proposal to double the number of sites, and put in badly needed new toilets and showers. I hope that proceeds. Locals are a little anti, but more so
for another proposal to build a large resort in the NP as well.
I really do not know how to describe Cape Le Grand. Probably the camera gives a better idea. I can only describe the region as mesmerising. The ocean colours range from clear water, through soft aqua marine to deep blue. The bush lined bays have ultra white sand. Above high water, several of the beaches have highly compacted sand stone shore lines that even two wheel drive vehicles can travel safely quite some distance.
Then there are the various rocky peaks. Rocks of all sizes and shapes stacked or dumped as if nature had a hissy fit and then asked you to figure out how it all ended up that way. Oh, just for fun there is a rock which whistles to you when the wind is in the correct direction. For us it gave voice to some long lost ghost, probably a sailor lost at sea.
Then there is the local flora. There is little similarity between the plants here and Fitzgerald River though some banksia trees are common to both parks as was the little purple orchid. Common to both parks are
the hundreds of ever busy honey eaters, pictured once again.
Cape Le Grand is a popular fishing region. Some we met had success, but most realised they had the wrong bait, hooks the wrong size, found the water too choppy, and the tide in ebb and no moon to bring the fish onto the beach ready to be picked up, like you would pick mushrooms.
Our camp site was at Lucky Bay. When you camp here expect friendly (but wild) kangaroos to drop by and say gidday. A little unique here is that you will find them on the beach. Particularly at the right hand end of the beach are fresh water springs and or streams where the 'roos come in the afternoon. Many younger travellers come with their selfie sticks and try to get that magic shot with one of the 'roos drinking.
There are many walking trails around the National Park. One left from just by our site and took a path up and over the rocky hills to Thistle Cove, on to Hell Fire Bay , and for those energetic enough on to Cape Le Grand Beach. If you do this full hike, it
pays to have someone to pick you up for the return leg. We did sections of the hikes and drove some bits to save time.
I was expecting that Thistle Cove would live up to its name – plenty of nasty thistles. No, because it is named after a gentleman with the family name Thistle. He should feel honoured as it is a very attractive cove and beach front. Having visited The Bay of Fires in Tasmania, I was expecting Hell Fire Bay to be a bay with crashing surf and rugged rocks. How wrong was I. If this is Hell Fire, I cannot wait to see heaven's beaches. It seems that the bay was given its name after an electrical storm that had St Elmo's Fire light up the mast of a sailing ship in the bay.
In Cape Le Grand, never judge the place by the name!
One of our lasting memories from Lucky Bay was the 5.00pm (or earlier) happy hour on the park tables on our camp site. It proved to be a great meeting point where lots of information was exchanged. One very active participant was Anne from England. This 72 year
old lady had hired a motor home in Adelaide, had already crossed SA, including visiting Wilpena Pound, crossed the Nullarbor, and was zooming over the hills and trails of Cape Le Grand like a spring lamb. Marg showed her our photos from Porongurup and Stirling Ranges. Her plans were adjusted and that would be her next challenge. I trust this very happy and enthusiastic Pom enjoys the area as much as we have. I also suspect she will upgrade her camera after playing with Marg's Canon.
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Mary
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Memories
We too have photos of Lucky Bay we would love to go back there one day we also had good weather. We went around the cliff tops to hell fire bay. I remember the map saying it was an easy walk but I didn't think it was..