21 to 28 August – Perth to Fraser Range

21 August – a drive to Kings Park (the biggest city park in the world?) – it’s a fantastic park incorporating a botanic garden & open forest areas & lawns etc.

Kings Park

22 August – travelled to Fremantle to visit the craft & food markets, foreshore & docks area – a nice feel to the area.

Freo

23 August – bye to Perth & off to Ravensthorpe en route to Esperance. A really nice drive, firstly through mountains a little similar to the Dandenongs then a more Gippsland feel before passing through large fields of wheat, canola & sheep farms followed by cattle farms, lakes & sandy plains.

Canola fields

24 August – drove to Hopetoun, a lovely little beach town then to Esperance. This town has a great feel with beautiful white sandy beaches, many islands offshore, a great scenic drive along the coast, inland lakes & much more.

Esperance coastal drive

25 August – set up camp at Lucky Bay in the Cape Le Grand national park then a tough climb to the top of Frenchman Peak for spectacular 360 degree views of the park – quite like Wilsons Prom. Next stop the pristine sands of Hellfire Bay & walked to Little Hellfire Bay. Finally off to Thistle Cove before a brief dip at Lucky Cove – a bit chilly. The beaches are beautiful with pure white sands, turquoise water & rocky surrounds.

Frenchman's Peak

26 August – walk to Mississippi Hill on Rossiter Bay walk. Another good climb with magnificent views. Also enjoying the plentiful & varied wildflowers & many birds (mainly honeyeaters). Followed up with a short stroll along the Thistle Cove walk before dinner.

Lucky Bay

Lucky Bay

Wildflowers

27 August – off to Cape Arid National Park for a look. Similar in many ways to Cape le Grand with maybe fewer & smaller trees but lots of wildflowers. At Dolphin Cove we had an amazing experience as 7 southern right whales entertained us just a few metres from the rocky headland where we were standing. There were several mothers with carves & a few others. They wallowed, rolled & tumbled right before our eyes. Truly remarkable creatures.

Whales at Cape Arid

28 August – a quick look at Le Grand campsite – very nice for next time – then off through the fields & forests interspersed with dry salt bed lakes to Norseman. Mining very much in evidence with tailings heaps everywhere – not a great look. Continued on to Fraser Range Station for the night. A really nice camp site in the middle of nowhere with good facilities & a rich history.