A gorgeous view of Hellfire Bay

After spending the previous two weeks exploring the hot, dry red-earth country around the WA Goldfields, we had arrived on the WA south coast to the sight of brilliant aqua waters, snow-white beaches and majestic granite dome headlands – just wonderful, and a total contrast to where we had been.

As we walked along one of those picture-postcard beaches, the lovely white sand which felt like velvet underfoot, squeaked between our toes. Within a few metres we paused to watch kangaroos casually grazing on the seaweed and sipping fresh water where it seeped onto the beach through the nearby dunes. A most beguiling sight.

We had arrived just an hour or so earlier at Lucky Bay in Cape Le Grand National Park, 770km south east of Perth, near Esperance on WA’s picturesque southern coastline. The bay was named by early English seafarer Matthew Flinders in 1802 when he was ‘lucky’ enough to find such a sheltered spot. Lucky Bay proved to be a real saviour to him and his crew as they took refuge from a severe storm that was raging offshore in the Southern Ocean.

Colin enjoys the view, Lucky Bay

As well as its reputation for the regular sighting of beachgoing kangaroos, Lucky Bay has also recently been declared by scientists to have the whitest beaches in the country.

The bay here, however, is just one of numerous beautiful beaches, headlands and general coastal vistas to be seen throughout the park, including views of the many islands in the Recherche Archipelago which lies out to sea.

The English weren’t the first though, some years before Matthew Flinders’ visit here, French explorers had also shown quite an intense interest in this section of Australian coastline.

Cape Le Grand was, in fact, named by French Admiral Bruni D’Entrecasteaux in 1792, and is one of many landmarks along the southern WA coastline which still bears evidence of the strong French connection with this part of Australia from more than 200 years ago. But for changing political forces back in France around that time, an intended French colonisation of the area here around 1820 did not proceed, and only the place  names left behind give a clue that the region could easily have become a French colony and not British.

The Flinders Memorial, Lucky Bay

In his 1792 visit D’Entrecasteaux, in his two-ship fleet of La Recherche and L’Esperance was, in fact (like Matthew Flinders years later) in real trouble here with a furious storm threatening to destroy the ships as they desperately looked for some protection along this coastline. With gale force winds forcing them ever closer towards the rocky shores, one Officer Le Grand, uncomfortably perched on lookout on the masthead, spotted what he felt may be a safe bay where they could take refuge. In appreciation of his life-saving action, D’Entrecasteaux named the prominent cape here – Le Grand – in his honour.

The seaman, in fact, was subsequently further rewarded for his efforts by having the area’s highest peak, the beach, the access road and the national park all named after him.

Massive rocky outcrops, long stretches of pristine, white sandy beaches and the clearest turquoise water you will see anywhere, are features of this attractive area overlooking the Southern Ocean. An impressive chain of granite peaks, including Mt Le Grand (345m), Frenchman Peak (262m, and said to resemble the shape of a Frenchman’s cap) and Mississippi Hill (180m), stand as imposing monuments above the undulating heathcovered sand plains that make up most Cape Le Grand National Park’s 32,000 hectares. Carved out by erosion and the action of the sea when ocean levels were much higher, millions of years ago, some of the caves and tunnels found in the park’s rocky outcrops offer bushwalkers and modern day explorers much to keep them interested and entertained.

Bushwalking is one of the park’s most popular activities. There are numerous scenic trails – cross-country and around rocky headlands. These range from just a few hundred metres to  a magnificent 15km coastal track - this can be tackled in smaller sections if you like - which winds its way from Le Grand Beach in the west via Hellfire Bay, to Rossiter Bay on the eastern side of the cape where there is a nice secluded picnic spot and bird sanctuary. This bay was named by overland explorer John Eyre to pay tribute to Captain Rossiter who rescued him here in June 1841 after his near disastrous Nullarbor Crossing.

Feeling lucky? Well, are you?

Around the centre of this coastal strip is Thistle Cove – one of the park’s most scenic spots where Whistling Rock overlooks a truly stunning bay – don’t miss it. Elsewhere, an exhilarating climb (3km return) to the summit of Frenchman Peak, a fascinating granite outcrop, including a large cavern near the top, is also one of the park’s most popular trails. Guide maps for the walks are available from the ranger who is based in the park.

A special signposted Le Grand Heritage Trail (2km) takes in some of the park’s most picturesque areas and historic landmarks. It retraces the footsteps of early explorers including Edward John Eyre (1841) and later John Forrest (1870) who passed through here on their arduous overland crossings between east and west. It doesn’t require a high level of fitness or agility. The area offers terrific photo opportunities with views of small picturesque bays, tall granite headlands and outcrops and expansive white, sandy beaches dramatically changing as you round every corner.

Mitsi and a friend on Le Grand Beach

Fishing is a popular activity from the many bays and headlands at Cape Le Grand. Small boats can be launched right off the beach at Lucky Bay and Le Grand beaches where salmon, skippy, herring and whiting and larger varieties such as mulloway, sharks and blue groper are among the regular catches.

Swimming in the warmer months in these beautiful clear water bays is one of the real highlights of a Cape Le Grand visit. Very often you’ll have the whole bay or beach to yourself – simply wonderful.

There are two camping areas in the park - one at Le Grand Beach and the other at Lucky Bay. Both camping areas are suitable for motorhomes, caravans and tent camping and are run by national park rangers and make ideal bases from which to explore the park. Each of these areas has cleared, level camp sites with septic toilets, solar hot water showers (very welcome after a busy day’s activity in the park) camp kitchen and free gas barbecues. If you are looking for a little space in which to spread out and a degree of privacy, the campground at Le Grand Beach is the one to aim for. The Lucky Bay campsite can be a bit cramped at peak times. There are also picnic sites with free gas barbecues located at Lucky Bay, Hellfire Bay and Cape Le Grand Beach.

Tenters at Lucky Bay campsite

Park access is by an all-weather sealed road from Esperance. Within the park most main roads are also sealed with only the gravel road section between Lucky Bay and Rossiter Bay still to receive blacktop status. All are accessible by conventional vehicles. For those with 4WD vehicles there is a beach access track into the park from Wylie Bay at Esperance, approximately 22km (45 minutes). This splendid beach track enters the park at the southern end of Le Grand Beach and is, if taken with care (lowering tyre pressures for soft beach sand travel) a picturesque and rewarding way to make your way to the cape. There are several good fishing spots along the beach and many visitors take the opportunity to try their luck here on their way to the park. Beach access to 4WD vehicles is also allowed at Hellfire Bay. At Lucky Bay a 2.5km beach run takes visitors to a lookout point over the bay, a natural rock jetty leading out from a small headland while nearby is a plaque recording the spot in this eastern section of the bay where Matthew Flinders took shelter in 1802. Also keep a look out for a monument to Flinders on the headland near the Lucky Bay campsite.

The sand plains which cover most of the park support a wide variety of plant life, with wildflowers in late spring/early summer (including several species of banksia) making an especially colourful show. The ship’s logs of Admiral Bruni D’Entrecasteaux and Captain Matthew Flinders recorded poor prospects for the land here for agricultural development, but each of them and their onboard botanists were particularly impressed with the splendid and very different varieties of wildflowers they saw along this coastal strip – a vision that is still enjoyed by visitors.

Boulder Bay on Thistle Cove

Coming back to those beach-going kangaroos, be aware that they also have a habit of coming into your campsite looking for food. In particular, keep an eye on your lunch or evening meal if left on a table or chair outside, as these very friendly critters have been known to take food off campers’ plates when they’re not looking. Visitors, however, are discouraged from feeding kangaroos and other animals regularly seen around the campsites as is good practice anywhere outside a petting zoo.

While on the subject of wildlife, the tiny honey possums are sometimes observed around the park as they obtain nectar from banksia flowers and small southern brown bandicoots can be seen by torchlight at night among the undergrowth. For birdwatchers there is also plenty of birdlife to try and spot with more than 80 different species recorded in the park.

Whistling Rock, Thistle Cove

On February 14, 1991, it was just offshore from here that the Japanese-built bulk carrier, Sanko Harvest, with a Korean crew of  20 and carrying 30,000 tonnes of fertiliser, ran aground and sank on an uncharted reef. The incident created a huge environmental disaster that had never been seen in Australian waters before. Nearly 30km of pristine white beaches along the entire coastline became contaminated from the ship’s ruptured fuel tanks. A huge clean-up campaign was undertaken, and lasted for weeks. It involved more than 100 workers and cost around $600,000. Despite the mammoth efforts, seals, sea lions and birdlife all suffered and losses were significant.

Thankfully, today there are no remaining signs of that tragic, heartbreaking event to be found anywhere. The beaches have returned to their pristine best, the wildlife populations have recovered and many acknowledge that there was also an unexpected benefit. The Sanko Harvest wreck, which split in two and is lying just below the surface, is now believed to be one of the most exciting dive sites to be experienced anywhere in the world. Dives here can be organised through professional dive charters operating out of Esperance.

Be on the lookout for Australian sea lions and NZ fur seals around the bays and lazing on rocky foreshores at Cape Le Grand. Out in deeper water, southern right whales are often spotted. Whaling and seal hunting were once thriving industries in these waters ... but today this picturesque region is a much more hospitable place for these lovely creatures.

A brief look at Cape Le Grand National Park can be accomplished in a day trip from Esperance, but to fully take in all the area has to offer, at least a couple of days (or more) is recommended. This is clearly one of Australia’s most spectacular coastal parks. It is truly grand by name and by nature – don’t miss it.

Category: Destinations
Written: Tue 01 Apr 2014
Printed: April, 2014
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