Stokes Inlet to Bremer Bay

After a couple of easterly diversions from Esperance, on Friday 28 March we finally headed west again, this time  78 kms on the South Coast Highway, then south for 15 kms of dirt to Stokes Inlet.    It is really Stokes Lake at the moment as a sand bank has cut the inlet off from the sea several  months ago.  Again DEC have provided an excellent camp site – Benwenerup - with camp hosts, new toilets and camp kitchens.   There are only 17 sites, and we were lucky to be able to set up on one of the bigger spots.   The overcast morning cleared to a warm, sunny day so we after lunch we rode to the day use area.    It is well set up with toilets and 2 camp kitchens and it is possible to walk to the mouth of the inlet along the water’s edge.    

Looking S towards mouth of Stokes Inlet

Saturday and Sunday were cloudy, but the breeze was warm and there was no rain.  Stokes is a very good fishing spot for black bream – we were told it is not possible to throw a line out and not pull in a fish.  On Monday the wind had abated, so Brian had a good paddle to the mouth of the inlet and walked over the sand dune to the ocean.

Time to travel a little further west on Tuesday – a very short drive on the South Coast Highway then we turned off on to the dirt Springdale Rd.   We went for a look at Munglinup Beach (had been there last trip) but it was very windy, so kept on going.    Despite some fellow travellers’ advice that we would be able to camp at Mason Bay, this was not so.    After attempting to drive in to the camp area to have a look it was very quickly apparent that we were not going to fit.  Vegetation close to the road made for an interesting exit manouvre.  It was a unanimous decision to go on to a caravan park at Hopetoun.

Hopetoun is a very small town on the edge of the Fitzgerald River National Park.    The WA Govt has recently spent $47million (so we were told several times) providing a bitumen road in to the park as far as Hamersley Inlet.   There are several lookouts on the way, access to beaches and 2 camping areas.  The camp and walking track at Hamersley Inlet were not quite finished but we had lunch at one of the beautiful jarrah picnic tables there.  Even though it is not wildflower season, the variety of plants and flowers in this area are amazing. 

 

East to Hopetoun and Culham Inlet (on left)

Rugged coastline - the Southern Ocean

View west to Hamersley River and Mid Mt Barren

Not a cabbage - a Royal Hakea

Pincushion Hakea

After 2 nights at Hopetoun we travelled to Ravensthorpe for a quick refuel and shop, then back to the South Coast Highway to Jerramungup, south through Gairdner then east again to Bremer Bay.  We chose the caravan park near the river and beach -   a great park with green lawns, plenty of space and not very busy at the moment.

During our 8 days here we have visited the beautiful beaches, Brian has had a paddle on the Bremer River/Wellstead Estuary, we have used the bikes several times and generally enjoyed our new, relaxed travelling mode.   On Tuesday we had an outing to the Wellstead Museum and enjoyed lunch there.  The property is being run by the 4^th generation of Wellstead family, first settled in 1850.

 

Sheltered cove on Bremer Beach

Blossoms Beach

Bremer Beach - West Mt Barren (Fitzgerald R Nat Park)

A very old Chev at the Wellstead Museum

Tomorrow we travel to Albany to sit out the school holidays, Easter and Anzac Day.  We are looking forward to doing day trips from there, to revisit some spots from our last trip and to discover new places.