Little Beach Guide: (South)Western Australia

Western Australia is a big place. A big, unbelievably beautiful, hot, windy, snake-y, and shark-y place. I can’t possibly do it all justice and I’ve personally only seen a sliver of this magnificent state, so the focus of this guide is purposefully narrow: Australia’s South West (and just a little bit further east). Let’s get to it.

An excellent unnamed pool just south of Contos Beach

First, the beaches! Do you like powdery white sand, aquamarine water, and lots of room to roam? Well oh boy, you’re in for a treat. Australia’s South West is rich in coastline, bays, coves, inlets, and channels, and nearly every beach’s sand is a soft, silky white, with clear water reflecting a boundless sky. Thanks to WA’s scant population density of 2.9 per square mile, it’s easy to find and enjoy a beach all to yourself. If you crave a crowd (#unrelatable), the most popular beaches plus seasonality can give you some companions and people-watching potential, but by and large, this part of Australia offers stunning beaches that are stunningly deserted most of the time. Here are a few of my favorites, heading north to south and then east toward Albany.

Yallingup Lagoon Beach

Yallingup and Environs

Wine, caves, beaches…Yallingup has everything and is a shorter drive from Perth than Margaret River. My three favorite beaches in the area are Yallingup Lagoon, Smiths Beach, and the Aquarium. Yallingup Lagoon is just a stunner of a beach with soft white powder, a protected curve of coastline that creates calmer waters for swimming and snorkeling, and easy access to amenities like a playground, surf school, and public restroom. Smiths Beach is just south of Yallingup Lagoon, offering similarly silky sand, a larger expanse of beach, and windblown charm. Last but not least, is the Aquarium, a tiny pocket beach whose main highlight is the protected lagoon setting just off shore. With copious fish, the Aquarium is aptly named and a perfect spot for snorkeling.

Hamelin Bay Ray

South of Margaret River

Margaret River is the well-regarded heart of Western Australia’s wine-producing region. The area is booming, but it’s still easy to get off the beaten path and discover some blissfully wild beaches. Two beaches that made their mark on me were Contos Beach and Hamelin Bay Beach. Contos Beach is a big, dramatic diva of a beach, set below towering cliffs and exposed to the wild winds of the southwest coast. Just to the north is Bob’s Hollow, an epic hike complete with a dramatic staircase that scales the cliffs down to the shore. This is one of the most scenic sections of the Cape to Cape Track, and a worthy stop. To access Bob’s Hollow, park in the northern part of the Contos Campground and then hoof it 3kms north on the C2C Track. Just south of Contos are a series of unnamed rocky coves and pocket beaches with views, shells, and lovely desolation. (See blog post hero pic)

Further south, with a very different feel, is Hamelin Bay Beach. Located at the bottom of a gently curving bay, Hamelin is famous for its rays, graced by three different species: smooth and black stingrays, as well as the more shy eagle ray. The rays are most active in the summertime, December through February, however your chances of seeing rays are good, even during shoulder season. I visited in March and was treated to several sightings of these floppy boys. In addition to charming rays, Hamelin Bay Beach offers snorkeling, pristine white sand, and interesting geological formations.

Elephant Rocks

Denmark ‘n Things

OK, I’m skipping so much coastline, so sorry, but I’m sure I’ll be back someday. Head southeast, take a well-earned pee break in Walpole and check out the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk (it is so good), and then find some accommodation in or around Ocean Beach. I stayed here and highly recommend it. If you’re more of a content creator type, Slow Drift is all about that life.

Ocean Beach is near William Bay National Park, just about the prettiest stretch of coast I’ve ever seen. This place is stacked with banger after banger heading west from Lights Beach: Madfish Bay, Elephant Rocks, and Greens Pool. These are all linked and accessible by foot or bike thanks to the Wilderness Ocean Walk, a punchy cliffside track with vistas and views for days. All of these spots are same same but different, with dramatic rocks, protected bays, and silky sand spits, and their own unique personalities. Elephant Rocks is perhaps the biggest eye catcher in the area, with massive rocks lining the beach and guarding the cove, resembling a herd of elephants. The beach is accessed via a trailside staircase with the final approach to the beach leading to a narrow passageway between two massive boulders. OK drama! Greens Pool is a great spot for snorkeling and Madfish Bay is perfect if you want to just have your corneas gently melted by beauty. 

Closer to Ocean Beach, near the mouth of the Wilson Inlet, lies Prawn Rock Channel. Real talk, Prawn Rock Channel is amazing but only looks like pictures you’ll see on the internet a small fraction of the time. The inlet is seasonally open to the sea and to free-flowing water, and if the inlet is closed, the channel is stagnant, brown, and stinky. Always check to see if the channel is open and manage your expectations, y’all!

Finally, take a big hop, skip, and a jump east to Albany and the Torndirrup Peninsula to experience the majesty and beauty of Misery Beach. The name, it’s bad. Does it refer to all the dead whales from Albany’s flourishing whaling industry back in the day? Probably. Is whaling in this part of the world a thing of the distant past? Yes and thank goodness. Now it’s just an exceptional stretch of white sand stopped abruptly by a massive granite headland. I’ve never seen anything like it. Also, the scallop foraging was unprecedentedly awesome here.

This and That

Life isn’t just beach. Here are some other recommendations to round out your visit to Australia’s Southwest:

Eat

Bunbury Farmers Market - Bunbury & Vasse - Some call it the IKEA of farmers markets; it’s a great place to stock up on fresh produce as well as prepared foods if you’re staying in a self-catering accommodation. Blue Manna Bistro - Dunsborough - Elevated Asian fusion with a focus on seafood Kindfolk Coffee - Denmark - Sweet little coffee shop with immaculate treats The Lake House - Denmark - A winery with a lovely lakeside setting perfect for picnics. Gourmet platters sold on-site. Ducketts Mill - Denmark - Award-winning wine and cheese in a charming country setting. Need I say more?

Drink

Wineries abound in this region. Many are centered around the Margaret River area, but Denmark and Scotsdale have some nice offerings as well. In the Denmark region, Rockcliffe offers generous pours and lovely views, as does Singlefile, just down the road. Further north, near Margaret River, Vasse Felix, Voyager Estate, and Leeuwin Estate are noteworthy. There are also some olive oil tasting rooms in the region, but honestly, the oil did not taste good. Do not recommend!

Explore

Beyond beaches, there are some wonderful diversions across the Southwest region. The Munda Biddi is a 1067km-long bike trail that runs from just east of Perth all the way to Albany. It’s a mix of single track, gravel roads, and forestry tracks that takes you through a historic, cultural, and biological journey—a truly unique way to move through the region. If walking is more your speed, you’re spoiled for choice with the world class Cape to Cape Track, Bibbulmun Track (another 1000km whopper), and the previously mentioned and insanely scenic Wilderness Ocean Walk. Two novelty walks on the short and sweet side are the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk and the Granite Skywalk. Neither is hokey; it’s incredible to be up the canopy of the majestic tingle trees and hear the wind in the leaves, and climbing the exposed granite is a singular experience. If furry friends are your cup of tea, Denmark Animal and Alpaca Stud Farm is a worthy stop. You get a free food bag with your entry fee, and if you come at 3pm, you help bottle feed the baby animals including highland cattle calves and baby goats. Shut up and take my money.

Brass Tacks

This just scratches the surface of all the loveliness you can find in this remote corner of Australia. I didn’t even get to Esperance. Don’t even get me started! For the places covered here, I’d recommend the following itinerary and timing: 3-4 nights in Yallingup, 3-4 nights in Ocean Beach, and then 2 nights in Manjimup or Donnelly River to break up the drive back and try your luck at spotting a numbat. Also, Donnelly River has human-habituated emus and kangaroos that won’t bite or try to box you. |

Helpful Sources and Sites: Australia’s Southwest IG | Australia’s Southwest | Denmark WA

Lastly, if you’re heading all this way, you obviously need to go to Perth and check out other stuff in the area. More to come in the next Little Beach Guide—stay tuned!