Beach in Cape le Grand National Park near Esperance, Western Australia on our Perth to Adelaide wildlife tour

Esperance and Cape Le Grand National Park

October 21, 2016

Adelaide to Perth Tour Review by Becs Bolden

“Hey there! I’m Bec from Melbourne. I was lucky enough to jump on Nullarbor Traveller’s 10 Day Adelaide to Perth tour. Travelling across the Nullarbor was at the top of my travel bucket list. But it was our stop in Esperance that really took my breath away. Here’s my personal account of two incredible days:

A curious kangaroo is headed straight for me. Both ears flicked up, with wide coffee-coloured eyes inspecting me. I can see her chestnut nose twitching, tiny whiskers waving up and down. As she lifts her head to sniff my hand, a sooty joey pokes its head from her pouch. I suddenly find myself closer to a kangaroo than I’ve ever been before – and I’m Australian!

On Nullarbor Traveller’s Adelaide to Perth 10 day tour, two of those days are spent camping at Lucky Bay in Cape Le Grand National Park. Named by explorer Matthew Flinders who took shelter in the bay during his travels, the bay lies east of Esperance on the south coast of Western Australia.

We arrived late at night and set up camp in the dark, with only the light from our head torches to guide us. I could hear the ocean from our campsite and eagerly awaited daylight. I was finally going to see the famed “whitest beach” in Australia with my own eyes.

It’s ironic that the Nullarbor; a seemingly endless, treeless plain would become our gateway to paradise. Rich red earth gives way to the turquoise waters and white beaches of Esperance. A stark contrast which creates a unique and otherworldly experience.

When we awoke the next morning, Lucky Bay (true to its name) did not disappoint. The sand was indeed white. It looked like a wad of vanilla ice-cream spread smoothly across the bay. So pristine that even squeaked beneath my feet.

Kangaroo close up on our wildlife tours Australia

After sussing out the beach and making friends with the locals (a family of Western Grey kangaroos, two with joeys!) we headed off to climb Frenchman Peak. Named by French explorer Nicholas Bordeaux because of its resemblance to a beret, the entire peak is a solid granite rock which extends thousands of metres below the ground. At the top we were rewarded with a panoramic view of the National Park and the three main bays – Lucky, Hellfire and Fiscal Cove.

The afternoon was spent hiking along the Cape Le Grand Coastal Trail. The walk which took us along a rocky headland, descended into more picturesque bays with sweeping white sand and aquamarine water lapping at the shores. We passed giant whale bones strewn across the beach and even spotted small flocks of silvereyes flitting amongst eucalypt thickets.

Back at camp we were treated to a hearty meal cooked by our guide, Sandy who also had a surprise to help warm us up. We arrived at dinner to find a huge pot of mulled wine brewing! We drank and stories flowed of our past adventures. We reminisced about swimming with sea lions and dolphins, sleeping in swags under the stars and meeting the very hospitable owner, Hassie, and his loveable dog, Maggie, at Coodlie Park. There were lots laughs and the atmosphere was warm. It was the perfect end to an eventful day.

But Esperance was not done with us. It had one more trick up its sleeve – and it was a beauty. After gobbling down pancakes cooked on the BBQ, we finished off our time in Esperance with (you guessed it) another magnificent beach. As we stepped off the bus at Twilight Bay and gazed out across the cliff face, I saw movement in the water. Great black fins were emerging far out beyond the waves. Before I knew it, I was jumping up and down, excitedly screaming “WHALES!” Three Southern Right Whales in fact. It was undeniably incredible.

I have to admit that I felt sad when our tour across the Nullarbor came to an end. It felt like we’d been through so much in a just 10 days. We became a little bus family of like-minded travellers, brought together by a mutual love of adventure. It was action and fun, paired with unique wildlife encounters – one furry mum in particular, I won’t be forgetting anytime soon!”

Get more info on this tour – explore the Adelaide to Perth 10 Day Tour 

Check out our new 3 Day Margaret River Tours

Travel Blogger Becs under the train tracks on the Nullarbor