Planning Trip to Israelite Bay

Submitted: Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 16:24
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Hi Everyone,

I am planning on heading down to Israelite bay over the new year.

As i am not too familiar with the area and can't find a huge amount online just wanting to get some opinions on the spot.

What are the beaches like? i know they won't be as "pretty" as Cape Le Grande etc but surely they are not too bad. Any good fishing?
I've heard there is shelter a couple hundred meters back from the beach, is it dune cover?

Anyone have any pictures of their trips down that way?

Cheers

Stampy
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Reply By: Member - mark D18 - Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 17:12

Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 17:12
I was there about 3 months ago ,Which way are you coming in from. We turned off the at Balladonia and it about a 5 hour drive out to Israelite bay.
It a rough track and very slow going in sections and as you approach the bay there is a lot of soft sand.
There are plenty of good camp sites and I would say the fishing would be pretty good.
We were not over impressed , but everyone has an opinion, but in say that we did have it to ourselves.

Enjoy the drive, whatever way you go it is a long slow trip in , but easier from the Esperance side

Cheers
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Follow Up By: Stampy4x4 - Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 17:22

Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 17:22
Thanks for the reply.

We don't know that either yet. Depending on whether we want to spend New year at Israelite Bay or in Esperance.
Our original plans were to camp at Lake Johnston just outside of Noresman on night 1 and then head across to Balladonia and down to Israelite from there. Stay there for 3 to 4 nights then head into Esperance in the new year.

I like the fact there is good camp sites there. Is there a freshwater source? I read there is a bore somewhere?

Cheers

Stampy
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Follow Up By: Member - mark D18 - Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 17:33

Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 17:33
Yes there is a fresh water bore , just near one of the large camp sites.
I meant to mention there are a lot of corrugations coming in from either end.
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Follow Up By: Stampy4x4 - Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 18:24

Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 18:24
Great! . . Ok thanks for the info mate.

If anyone else has been there i'd love to hear your experiences.

Cheers

Stampy.
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Follow Up By: Member - Warrie (NSW) - Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 19:01

Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 19:01
Hi Stampy, are you in the same rig as in your profile pic? LOL. We did the bay in late April 2013. Lots of pix in Places. Start with Israelite Bay Telegraph Station Ruins then Point Dempster. Click on each place and have a read of the comments for each photo.
We came in From Balladonia towing a camper. It was an enjoyable drive in and we camped along the way. Going out we headed to Esperance. There were a few flooded sections but we avoided your fate. A supply of fresh water is available and was offered to us by some campers who go there regularly.
Tons of weed on the beach but a fun drive to Point Malcolm... W
Warrie

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Follow Up By: Stampy4x4 - Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 21:38

Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 21:38
Haha yes still in the Patrol. That was 3 weeks after I got it doing the holland track :/ 20k on the clock and I stripped the whole interior.
Ah great I'll take a look at those places.
Is there any camping spots on point Malcolm? Or is it better in the bay?
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Reply By: Peter_n_Margaret - Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 20:39

Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 20:39
A few road pics from 2006.
We went in from Esperance and out to Balladonia towing a boat.
On the way in there were some wet spots, some tidal flats, some sand and some scratchy spots, but no dramas.
We met the other OKA there by chance. Did not see another vehicle.

http://s246.photobucket.com/user/Peter_n_Margaret/slideshow/06%209f%20Israelite%20Bay

Cheers,
Peter
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Follow Up By: Peter_n_Margaret - Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 20:44

Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 20:44
There is a shack there, but I presume it belongs to someone.
The beach was a bit "untidy" with seaweed and we did not fish.



Cheers,
Peter
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Follow Up By: Stampy4x4 - Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 21:48

Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 21:48
Ahh great, you towed a bit with not much hassle? I'm the only car not towing a trailer, there's about 4 or 5 others with trailers so that's good to know.
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Follow Up By: rocco2010 - Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 22:01

Tuesday, Dec 09, 2014 at 22:01
Stampy

It's a few years ago but we went down from Balladonia and on to Esperance in a group with a few trailers.

As others say No real worries but a bit slow in places.

and the usual provisio that if it has been raining have a plan b

Cheers

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Reply By: mants - Wednesday, Dec 10, 2014 at 01:54

Wednesday, Dec 10, 2014 at 01:54
Hey Stampy, im looking to do the trip from Esperance out to Bilbunya Dunes along the beaches etc on the 2nd week in Janurary.

Im going to be going totally solo, so any tips etc from here would be good, measuring online it looks to be about 320km one way.
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Reply By: Member Kerry W (WA) - Wednesday, Dec 10, 2014 at 02:34

Wednesday, Dec 10, 2014 at 02:34
Hi Stampy,
Israelite Bay is a great spot. It has some magic about it but you have to let it ease into you. Finding a good camp with shade that time of year is essential and you have some choices to find sheltered fishing spots if the winds come up. Be ready for lots of seaweed if you get onshore winds and heavy seas.


Can't lay my hands on my photos of Israelite at the moment but I have some of the dunes and cliffs to the east towards Culver pt. (best reached by the inland track from Israelite Bay)


There has been good rains there over the last few months so it should look good. The track in from Esperance is sandy and can be corrugated, traffic since the last rains will have chopped it up somewhat. It is still an interesting drive and certainly part of the overall adventure. The rocky headland has a few good fishing spots, it is worth exploring further east towards the start of the Cliffs of the Great Australian Bight andPoint Culver - if you have plenty of time. Be aware that the shortcut track out to the highway from the edge of the Cliffs of the Great Australian Bight is a slow and rocky one about 4-5 hrs to do 80ks. It does improve as you near the Highway. Gettting in from the highway near Balladonia is a bit tricky as the track is marked only by a drum on the side of the road. This track is not on any maps I currently have but I see EOTopos latest update has it marked.




Some Amazing landscapes but pick your weather depending on what you want to do and what you want to see. It will be warm if there is a high over or above the bight but it will not rain. see this Post (109857)

http://www.exploroz.com/Forum/Topic/109857/Best_time_to_visit_Southern_WA.aspx?ky=best+time+to&sn=&p=%2fForum%2fDefault.aspx%3fs%3d1%26ky%3dbest%2btime%2bto%26pn%3d1

Some of the cleanest air in the world down there and many locals marvel at how they can wake up after a hard nights drinking at Israelite Bay and not be hung over - go figure.



Have Fun
Kerry W (Qld)
Security is mostly a superstition. It doesnt exist in nature. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.
-Helen Keller

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Follow Up By: Stampy4x4 - Thursday, Dec 11, 2014 at 13:30

Thursday, Dec 11, 2014 at 13:30
Hi Kerry,

Thanks for the reply. I wish we could get up to Pt Culver but i don't think it will happen this time unfortunately. Looking forward to find a good spot to camp down there and just relax over the new years break.

Cheers

Stampy
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Reply By: Member - Warrie (NSW) - Wednesday, Dec 10, 2014 at 11:46

Wednesday, Dec 10, 2014 at 11:46
Now that there's an audience for this post, why do you think it's called Israelite Bay? After all it's a long way from the Mediterranean. This reference is from Ron and Viv Moon's book - Across the Bight and Nullarbor. Apparently one of the early explorers- the Dempster brothers in 1863- noted that the area seemed to mark the boundary between the Aborigines who were circumcised and those not. To quote Moon - " Think the Bible, The Israelites and you get the connection"................W
Warrie

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