For most of us, if we are asked what springs to mind when we think of Australia, we may consider the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge in New South Wales, the famous Barrier Reef in Queensland, or the imposing sight of Uluru in the Northern Territory ... but there's a secret that not many tourists know about; it's in Western Australia, south of Perth, and it's called Esperance.
Made up of both stunning coastline, and lush green bush land, the South Coast is one of the most natural, diverse and breathtaking regions of Australia. This was my third visit to Australia and I have been fortunate enough to experience much of the East Coast and many of the famous locations associated with it, but for me the rugged coastline with miles of sand as white as snow, juxtaposed against the deep greens of the bush and the red of the outback roads in Esperance optimised what Australia is all about.
We can all read guide books, which can be informative and interesting and help us to get our bearings in a foreign land, but I think the best way to bring a place to life and to feel and experience everything it has to offer is to join an excursion with a local guide. We had the pleasure and privilege of joining ‘Doc’ of Kepa Kurl Eco-Cultural Discovery Tours; he takes small groups by 4WD around the Esperance region, and shares tales of the history and cultural significance of the area of an aboriginal point of view – it really brings a new depth and meaning to the area.
The trip starts with a drive along 50km of wide, open expanses of beach to the pristine Cape Le Grand National Park. Doc imparts his knowledge of the local wildlife and tells us to keep our eyes peeled for the Kangaroos basking in the sunshine (I had thought the postcard images were superimposed, but these Roos really do love to soak up the sun on the beach!). Once at Lucky Beach, Doc demonstrated the aboriginal techniques of hunting, gathering and traditional tool making techniques, as well as showing us how to drink fresh water from under the sand! Some claim that Lucky Beach has the whitest sand in Australia – we didn’t have a team of sand scientists with us to help prove this claim, but to me, the sand looked more like a covering of snow, almost glistening in the sunlight so I can certainly say it is some of the whitest sand I have ever seen! It really is a spectacular area.
After a traditional Aboriginal tea break, including a couple of slices of the delicious damper bread with homemade jam and tea from the billycan, we hit the road. The highlight of the day was still yet to come … as we headed west back towards the town, we found ourselves in the warm, glowing rays of light of the most phenomenal sunset. I have always marvelled at the Southern Hemisphere’s night sky, especially in the outback, but the Australian West Coast really does have the piste de résistance with is magnificent hues of reds, oranges and yellows, creating a mood of both awe and serenity. A few of us just sat quietly on top of the bus as we just took in the colours, mood, peace and tranquillity of the day’s final moments. A stunning end to a wonderful day.
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