Beaches
Salmon Beach, WA
Saturday, April 17th, 2010Rugged, pristine, scenic, isolated and deserted … If you like walking along beaches fitting that description, then you might like Salmon Beach. Just don’t expect to go for a swim there.
The Salmon Beach I’m referring to (there are probably others) is in the southwest corner of Western Australia, in the D’entrecasteau National Park. It’s just a few kilometres west of Windy Harbour, whose name provides a clue as to why swimming isn’t recommended. This part of the coast feels the full force of winds and swells sweeping up from the southern ocean, making the beaches a little windswept and rough for much of the time (but not all the time). Windy Harbour itself has sheltered swimming, but not Salmon Beach.
I found Salmon Beach when visiting the coastal cliffs at Windy Harbour. From this tiny hamlet of shacks and campsites, a nicely paved road winds up to the top of the spectacular cliffs nearby. The cliffs and dramatic coastal views are the main drawcard here, and provide good reasons to visit the area. A number of side roads branch off to lookouts, and one of the first you come to takes you the short distance to the Salmon Beach parking area.
A viewpoint just before the beach gives a preview of what you’ll find - unspoiled beach and cliffs, wild and untamed. If you visit outside of summer and holiday periods, you’ll probably have it all to yourself. If you don’t, it still won’t be crowded.
A short walk from the car park through dunes puts you on the beach. In one direction you see limestone cliffs rising sharply out of the sea, usually with waves smashing on the rocks at their base. In the other direction - a stretch of sand backed by high dunes, with more cliffs further on. What you won’t see is anything man-made, other than human visitors. The only developments on this beach are those brought about by erosion, climate and sea level changes.
So what can you do here? Salmon Beach isn’t somewhere you’d go to swim or sunbathe (although it’s possible if conditions are just right), but it’s a great place for beach walks. Also playing in the sand, or just chilling out watching waves crashing or storm clouds passing by. Beach fishing may be another option, but as a total non-fisher I’m not qualified to comment.
As someone who loves to relax and soak up the sounds, sights and smells of a wild beach, I do feel qualified to say that Salmon Beach is a great spot for that sort of passive nature appreciation. The sunsets can be delightfully moody too. And it’s somewhere that those with conventional vehicles can access the sort of unspoiled beach you’d often need a four wheel drive to get to.
Topics: Beaches, Western Australia | Add Your Comment »
Wild Solitude At Mandalay Beach, WA
Saturday, May 2nd, 2009
If wild and pristine coastline tickles your fancy, the south-western coast of Western Australia has much to offer. Between Walpole and Augusta lies nearly 200km of unpopulated and undeveloped coastline … the only catch is that most of it is accessible only by four wheel drive, or on foot. Even then, access is very limited. Fortunately, two points on this remote stretch can be reached by normal car - one of them is the ruggedly handsome Mandalay Beach.
This beach is only 8km from the main highway, and 21km in total from the town of Walpole, yet receives far less traffic than it deserves. Perhaps the gravel road puts people off. The first time I drove there, the narrow winding track nearly put me off with its soft sandy surface and lack of passing room. Since then the road has been substantially upgraded, and should no longer deter anyone. I drove it a few months ago, and apart from some loose stones and corrugations it was fine.
At the end of the access road you’ll find parking, a toilet, and a boardwalk leading through the dunes to a long viewing platform with magnificent panoramic views. Benches allow you to soak up the scene from a sitting position, something I can recommend if you want to linger and be soothed.
What you see from the platform is a clean unspoiled beach, rocky headlands, Chatham Island a few kilometres offshore, and the restless southern ocean. The wreck of the Mandalay, a Norwegian ship beached in 1911, is occasionally visible at low tide, and passing whales may be spotted in season. I’ve seen neither so far, but that just gives me an excuse to revisit. As is normal in this part of the world, a smorgasbord of wildflowers enhance any visit in spring.
Steps lead right down the face of the dunes to the beach. Ocean swimming is generally not recommended, but going for a walk can be pleasant, possibly invigorating in the frequently fresh winds.
Of course there’s no guarantee you’ll have the beach to yourself … but unless the weather or the fishing is really good, there’s a good chance you might. Whatever the case, roaming the rugged beauty of Mandalay Beach can be good for the soul.
Links:
Google map showing location of Mandalay Beach
Topics: Beaches, Western Australia | Add Your Comment »
Beautiful Misery Beach
Wednesday, November 12th, 2008Western Australia’s south coast has some beautiful beaches, and Misery Beach is one of my favourites despite its completely inappropriate name.
I found this delightful gem when I was exploring the coast near Albany, looking for peaceful secluded beaches sheltered from the prevailing winds and swell. Shelter is important because onshore south-westerlies, or south-easterly sea breezes, can make visiting some southern beaches a blustery sand-blown affair on windy days. Also, exposed ocean waters can be a little rough for swimming (nice looking beaches can have their down sides).
Misery Beach, Western Australia
Close examination of a map revealed a short north-facing beach, accessible by gravel road, which looked like it would be sheltered. The name - Misery Beach - aroused my curiosity. What reason could there be for such a name? I had to check it out.
The beach exceeded my expectations. It’s a gorgeous stretch of clean sand, not much more than 200 metres long. An impressive granite headland - part of Isthmus Hill - forms one end, while a rocky point marks the other. Thickly vegetated hillside rises behind the beach, sheltering it nicely from the south-east to south-west winds. Even in the stiffest onshore winds, one of the two ends is shielded from the worst of it. Likewise, good swimming can usually be found at one end or the other.
While the beach itself is great, it’s the views which make it memorable. The northerly outlook provides gorgeous vistas of King George Sound and its rugged coast and islands. On a clear day the tops of the Stirling Range, 90km away, peek over the coastal hills across the bay. For quiet contemplation amid the soothing sounds of waves, Misery Beach is a hard location to top … which only makes its name harder to fathom.
You might think such a beautiful beach would be well visited, but no, it’s always been quiet on my visits. Sometimes I’ve had it all to myself, and sometimes I’ve shared it with a few locals, but seldom have I seen sightseers. Requiring a few turn offs up side-tracks may have discouraged traffic, but the absence of any signposting was probably the main factor. One local resident I once spoke to on the beach hinted that any signs directing people to the beach would be quickly removed - so keen were some for Misery Beach to remain obscure.
A panorama of the view from Misery beach (click to enlarge)
Unfortunately, Misery Beach was well and truly signposted when I was last there, and even gets a mention in the Lonely Planet Guide to Perth and Western Australia. Now that word is out I don’t feel bad about sharing this sandy haven online. To find it, head about 20km out of Albany along Frenchmans Bay Rd. Just before the ex-whaling station, turn right to the Salmon Holes, then left down Murray Rd, then right up the gravel road towards Isthmus Hill car park, where another short track branches left to Misery Beach.
As for the name, the only explanation I’ve found is that it was named back when the whaling station was in operation, just a few hundred metres to the west. Apparently blood and whale guts used to wash ashore on the beach, which would indeed have made it miserable … a far cry from the cosy paradise of today.
Links:
Google map showing Misery Beach location.
Topics: Beaches, Western Australia | 1 Comment »