A place where movies should be made - Esperance, Western Australia

We left the great forests heading east to visit the much touted area of Esperance.  Locals told us that the area was amazing and we were not disappointed. 

Back on Hwy 1
It was a 400 mile road trip through some incredibly isolated land. First we traveled through part of Western Australia's wheat belt where winter wheat is grown.  For hundreds of miles, we saw nothing but the golden stubble fields of the harvested grain.  Homesteads here are very far apart - even further, we think, than in the great wheat belt of Montana. 

Then the landscape changed to high plains scrub that is diverse, complex and so very different than anything we have in the US. 




Our first stop took us to Bremer Bay.  This was a place that Dan had promised me wouldn't be quite so remote.  Turns out that Bremer Bay is a thriving metropolis of 231 residents.  We stayed at the only motel in town which also had the only restaurant in the area. Thankfully, the rooms were clean, the beer was cold and the food was tasty.  Australian pub food goes way beyond the burger and fries realm with menus that offer everything from Tandoori chicken skewers to Thai dishes.  Besides, the ocean was turquoise gorgeous and there certainly weren't any crowds to manage through.

Beach crowds!
We spent a few days exploring the great wilderness surrounding the bay searching for birds that thrive in the harsh dry conditions of the scrub land.  We managed to find a few along with a friendly couple from Cairns who were trekking across the country.  They stopped to make sure we were okay since we had pulled over.  (Aussies are neighborly)  One thing that happens pretty frequently in Western Aussie is you are driving down a sealed road (oil) when suddenly it just turns into a big unsealed one (gravel).  Note to self:  For road trip travel in Aussie - never rent a vehicle that isn't a 4WD.  In this country, you just never know when the highway will turn into a pig path. 

And then we found the Southern ocean..........with a coastline so unique and magical, you just expect a fairy or snot gurgle to meet you coming down the path.

Lucky Bay

Flinders Bay

A quiet moment
Found this monster in the tidal pools.
Given the beauty of the area, Esperance is a popular camping destination.  In these parts, driving on beaches is still allowed and there are many who 4WD back into the sandy hills to camp.  Aussies seem to be serious camping enthusiasts with nearly every type of camper you can imagine being used.  This tent on the top of your vehicle model seems to be pretty popular.



The town of Experance is quaint & quirky like many of the small Aussie towns who depend on tourism for survival.  We found this sign on the side of their museum.  It was NASA's skylab which scattered debris across the town in 1979.


If you are going to be anything - BE QUIRKY!

Cheryl & Dan

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