Australia's south-west corner is where the Southern and Indian oceans met. The small township of Augusta lies in the corner where it is lush, picturesque and peaceful. Augusta is only a 3½ hour drive from
Perth and bus services run daily. Popular with tourists and fisherpeople Augusta is the third eldest European settlement in WA.
The nearby Leeuwin Naturaliste National Park offers walking trails along the river, sailing,
fishing, scuba diving, surfing, water skiing, windsurfing, cycling and most sports. Within the region is Jewel Cave, where you can enjoy a spectacular underground caving experience.
Whale watching is the big drawcard in the region from Augusta to
Albany from May to September when both Southern Right and Humpback whales gather for an annual rest during their northerly migration. Crafts and heritage activities are strong throughout the southern coastal and country areas, especially around Pemberton and Denmark.
This region is punctuated by giant karri pine and jarrah hardwood eucalypts, which you can enjoy in the many unpopulated bush areas. The D'Entrecasteaux National Park protects a strip of wild coast and coastal heath land scrub marking an area roughly from Augusta to Pemberton and can only be experienced by 4WD. Massive basalt cliffs rise out of the ocean with the most impressive being
Black Point - a lesser-known, but excellent 4WD
camping and
fishing area.
The Pemberton region is a great drawcard with travellers, both local and foreign, the giant trees being the region's focus. A high-rise
suspension walkway between the trees near Walpole enables visitors to get closer to the sky, to sense the height of these giants and to see into their foliage that supports an array of bird life. Giant Tingle trees with gaping holes where the natural growth of the trunk separates at its base, creating a triangular cubby-hole are another of the region's natural wonders.
The tops of these huge trees create a dense canopy allowing lush ferns and moist undergrowth to flourish. Walking and nature observation is delightful here. For the more adventurous or the history buffs there are a number of 60-70m trees once used for fire lookouts that are now open for public climbing.
Albany can be reached by following the coastal route from Pemberton, through Walpole and Denmark although for a short trip from
Perth you can take a direct route via the
Albany Highway making the one way trip just 400km. With a population of 28,500
Albany is a thriving city on a magnificent natural harbour.
Albany has long been a favourite breeding and feeding ground for whales and is in fact the location of
Australia's last whaling station (closed in 1978 but restored into a museum).
Albany also offers fabulous lookouts, shipwrecks, scenic drives and natural rock formations such as the Blowholes and Natural Bridge set against the pounding seas of the Southern Ocean.
490km east of
Albany or 725km south-east of
Perth lies one of the most appealing coastal towns that you're likely to find in
Australia.
Esperance is well-known for the dramatic turquoise blue of its water, which together with its temperate climate, rolling plains and magnificent headlands makes it a family favourite for a holiday destination.
Esperance is the only port in the south-east of WA and due to its proximity to
Kalgoorlie exports over 3 million tonnes of products annually, including wheat, barley, oats, lupins, peas and minerals. Agriculture is by far the primary industry but tourism and
fishing also play important roles.
The average summer temp in this region is 27.4 °C, with a winter average of 17.9 °C. In fact, freedom from scorching summer heat waves that can affect other parts of WA is one of the attractions of the southern coastline making it a popular summer destination for inland and
Perth locals.
There are numerous National Park areas such as D'Entrecasteaux, Walpole-Nornalup, Shannon, Mt Frankland, Stirling Range, Torndirrup, Fitzgerald River, Stokes, Cape Le Grand and Cape Arid National Parks that all offer unique scenery, superb
camping, abundant wildlife, a temperate climate and countless attractions. Cape Le Grand is probably the most popular of all these and as such can be fully booked out in school holiday and Xmas periods. To avoid disappointment plan your stay and make enquiries early.
March - May is the ideal time to explore Augusta, Pemberton,
Albany and
Esperance when skies are clear, nights
cool and the seas calm.
Closest Weather Station
Albany at 15:00 21 Nov WST
Distance from Albany 0.61km SW
| Temperature | Feels Like | Rel. Humidity | Dew Point | Pressure | Rainfall | Wind Direction | Wind Speed | Gusts |
|---|
| 16.5°C |
11.8°C |
80% |
13.1°C |
-hPa |
0.0mm |
N |
30km/h
16knots |
-km/h
-knots |
