3-4 Week Trip in the South West

[efeinblatt]

So, my wife and son are off to visit family in the UK over the Christmas holidays, and I'll be taking 3 to 4 weeks off to travel South/South East from Perth. The only 2 destinations I've identified are Fitzgerald National Park and Cape Le Grand. Will be traveling fairly light - swag, vehicle awning, some tarps, mossie dome, and a 47 L Fridge. Fire bans are pretty much in effect, so I'll have to bring a stove - though I'm still debating what to buy (I have two of the not-quite-legal butane ones, but I want something more substantial.) Thinking of a simple cast iron double ring burner. Thoughts, anyone?

I'll be leaving on around the 20 Dec. and returning around 15 Jan. Accepting ALL suggestions for an itinerary, advise about camping AND fishing sites, and anything else you may want to suggest to make this the best solo vacation ever. Yes, I am bringing lots of beer and will be stocking up on wine if I pass Margaret River.

[Poita]

Very jealous! Starting our drive your way this weekend from Adelaide. Cape Le Grand was one place high up on my want to see list, but having a dog counts it out

[Onslow]

Very jealous! Starting our drive your way this weekend from Adelaide. Cape Le Grand was one place high up on my want to see list, but having a dog counts it out

You can get fido in at Duke of Orleans Bay caravan park. The scenery out of there is spectacular, well worth the trip. Best to book anything around there now though, as the Kalgoorlie and surrounds population all head to that area for their Christmas holidays and it's usually booked out.

[stevemc181]

D'Entrecasteaux National Park near Pemberton is well worth a look. You can head there from a few different directions. Black Point, Jasper Beach, Lake Jasper, Yeagarup dunes are all in this vicinity. No trip over Yeagarup dunes is complete without a run down the beach, (Caution advised crossing Warren River, although summertime should be ok) and then head up for a go at Calcup hill. It will be soft in summer and 12/13psi will be the go. Calcup is about a 2km run up a sandhill and is WA's longest sand climb.

I'll be heading down to Israelite bay and doing the run across to Bilbunya dunes and Cocklebiddy, leaving Perth on the 26th and returning a week later, my route is yet to be determined due to bushfires and road closures. So much to see and so little time to see it

[stevemc181]

Regarding your stove, I use a Coleman Eventemp and love it, apart from the fiddly generic Coleman gas connection. It fits my BBQ plate perfectly. It's a little bulky to pack, but I don't leave home without it.

[sharkcaver]

I'm off to Le Grand on Saturday. Good luck finding a spot there (you may snag one). It only has 14 places and I think I will be lucky this week to get one (only saving grace is it looks like a wet weekend). Lucky bay campground is out of bounds, being refurbed, placing only more pressure on Le Grand.

Cape Arid (further east) has more campgrounds at Thomas River, Thomas Fishery and Jorndee. Seal creek and the other (cant recall its name off the top of my head) is currently closed.

Due to the fires of last week, currently Balladonia track up to Parmango road, telegraph track and Gora tracks are closed. This may not be an issue by then.

As for cooking, stick with the butane. Use it correctly, use CRV cans and you shouldn't have an issue. As for a ring burner for a general cooking source, forget it. Too much heat, too hard to control for a pan fry. If the eventemp is too big for your needs, the Coleman triton is a good two burner. They have just released a hyperflame two burner, this looks the ducks nuts.

As for fishing, I guess anywhere you can get a line in.

Good luck, wish it was me, but I'm going Saturday

No doubt I'll put a trip report up from this trip before you leave. Best you have a read. last years is here:

http://www.sharkcaver.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/surf-and-turf-in-south-east.html

Safe travels Poita.

[efeinblatt]

Thanks sharkcaver and stevemc181!

Permberton is definitely on my list. I visited D'Entrecasteaux National Park several years ago before I had a 4WD and was so envious of all those dune hoppers. Now it'll be my turn. I have the time to meander, so one of the other places I was thinking of staying was West Cape Howe. Anyone been there?

I'm saving Cape Le Grand for last - probably won't arrive until the 2nd - because of the likelihood that the place will be packed between now and New Years. Hope both of you find some spots. Israelite bay is on my list, and maybe I'll just spend more time at Cape Arid because it'll be less crowded. Waiting to read reports from the two of you ..... Sharkcaver, you seem to have preferred Alexander Bay from your last report. Am I reading that right?

Regarding the stove, I'm still going back and forth. I'm used to cooking slowly over coals in my camp oven, and I don't know which stove is going to allow me to keep a low flame for a long time without running out of gas. That's why I was thinking of something that I can hook up to a small LPG cylinder. For the fast stuff, I'd use the butane stoves. Will look at the coleman stoves later today. I had thought that you could regulate those cast iron burners pretty well, but I'll differ to your recommendations. Also want to check this out: http://www.anacondastores.com/campin...ves/p/90028534

No one said anything about Fitzgerald River National Park .... it's been on my list for a long time. Anyone travelled there?

[Kingbrown]

Fitzgerald River NP: That's a definite must see IMHO. Hopetoun is a magic little place.

A fortune must have been spent in that park on facilities and providing access & viewing areas & sundry interpretive stuff.

Through-roads that are closed in the wet months might be open at this time of year

[Bardzman]

Flies are bad down that way in summer, so take plenty of insect spray and maybe even a headnet.
Snakes will be about also so keep an eye out.
Remember to slip, slop, slap as it does get quite hot and take lots of water. You will have a ball. Beautiful part of the state down there as others have said.
......Remember your fishing rod and a camera.
cheers Bardzman.

[ausGeoff]

I'd also include climbing the Dave Evans Bicentennial Treein the Warren National Park, near Pemberton township, and off the Old Vasse Road. At75m above the ground, it's the tallest of the pegged trees, with a 360º view.

[sharkcaver]

Sharkcaver, you seem to have preferred Alexander Bay from your last report. Am I reading that right?

Yes. But last years trip will be different to this years. First up, I was solo. This year I will have a work mate down from Sunday. last year I explored mainly East of Alexander, this year I plan to explore the area between Esperance and Ravvy. Going back to Alexander will add a hunderd k's or so (one way) for any of those ventures to the West. That said, I will be lucky to get into le grand anyhow, and may just end up at Alexander once again. Weather is not looking the brightest for the first half of the trip

[Pajshomoneroguntero]

I was down at Cape Arid in early February this year. I was planning on only going as far as Cape Le Grande however it was full (and mid week too IIRC) so we continued on to Thomas Fishery. It is a little bit past Alexander Bay. We took a day trip exploring Cape Arid and found Hill Spring. Continuing down that track to the water ends in a three-plot camp ground where each site is completely secluded. You'd be pretty game to tow a camper in there but doable.

There were also a few camp sites East of Hopetoun. Starvation Bay looked pretty good but again also looked like it would be quite popular. Bremmer Bay was featured in an article in Pat Callinans mag recently.

We spent a couple of nights at Shelly Beach near to Torbay Head, WA's most southerly point. Right on the beach, again will probably prove to be popular.