Israelite Bay and Old Telegraph Track

I was there in May 06 but the tides were rather precarious and required 6AM starts under moonlight to get out along the beach in order to get the distance done in comfort.

It was cold mostly, and wet at times.

I did Eyre Bird - Israelite Bay.

If you can be flexible start planning your days around the best tides...

Hi Duncs,

I did this trip many years ago and you may find this report of interest - Telegraph Track report. Out trip was on the inland track and not on the coast, it followed the actual Telegraph line itself. It was overgrown back then (~11 years ago) and we certainly had our fair share of scratches!

We did this trip in ~May and the weather was fine. I suspect it would be very hot in January, but given that part of the coast, you could get almost any weather at the time. Personally I would plan for later in the year, but if January was you only option I would rather go then than not at all.

Cheers

Captain

Hi Duncs,
Summer is the best time; in winter and early spring the beach is pretty short, and lots of seaweed at the western end of the beach. The sand can also be very soft that time of year. But in summer, it's pretty firm apart from some seaweed at the western end.
You cannot enter the beach at Israelite Bay because of rocks; you must take the telegraph track about 20km eastwards, then connect with a small track which runs just behind the dunes eastwards. From there, go as far as you can east until there is good beach access. This will depend on how much seaweed there is. Some have driven from Israelite to Wattle Camp on the telegraph track, but it's pretty overgrown, so expect scratches if that's your choice.
You should also check the tides, esp if the beach is short. Esperance is the nearest tide monitoring point, but you can extrapolate to determine high and low tides for the area.
Towards Pt Culver and the eastern end of the beach, you exit the beach and take a steep sandy track up through the escarpment. There is a good camping spot in the dunes there amongst banksias. At the top of the escarpment, you then follow the track right through, past Toolinna Cove, to south of Caiguna, where you must then re-join the highway, tho someone might have pushed the track beyond that point. Expect a few scratches in the paintwork and expect a slow drive in places due to the sharp rocky limestone.
Beyond Caiguna, you can get down to Twighlight cove either from Cocklebiddy or take the Eyre turnoff, about 16km east of Cocklebiddy. The telegraph station is well worth a visit, and you can then travel westwards on the beach to Twighlight (instructions needed) or take the old telegraph track below the escarpment east thru to Madura.
North of Israelite is Mt Ragged (excellent climb and views, and camping site there) and Balbinya station towards Balladonia is worth a look and perhaps a camp.
Got lots of waypoints and detailed info, etc if you want them.
Gerry

Hi Duncs

You can read my trip report in my website below. Go to 4x4 and then scroll to bottom of page and click on The Big Trip 2005.

Gerry has said most things. There is now some conveyor belting at the top of the track up the Wylie Scarp to help with traction. Nice campsite halfway up the scarp but we had to clean up a fair amount of rubbish.

If you are coming from Caiguna go down to John Baxter Memorial first before heading west along the Telegraph Track. Some interesting spots along the way such as the access to Toolinna Cove and some sink holes close to the track.

We came from the west in June. The seaweed was up to 2m thick on the beach from Israelite Bay and we took the Wattle Camp Track. It was very overgrown. Found the Wattle Camp spring or what is left of it. Some 17km further east we ran out of track. Walked every which way for 200metres but the track had disappeared. So we went to the beach and drove the 32km in 1.5 hours at 15psi and had a few hairy moments on very wet sand.

It is a great drive however. We managed Israelite Bay to Culver Camp in a day. At the top of the scarp there is a track to Point Culver. It is only 7km in biut takes about an hour. Scenery is fantastic though.

Thats about all I can add.

Cheers

dunno if you have read it but in post
50772
i put a link in (cut and paste) for the treck for the telegraph track between pt malcolm and Toolina cove. Doing the beach run rather than the track between israelite and culver.
It has some key waypoints such as where to get off the track onto the beach to avoid weed near isralite and the telegraph track from Culver and toolina as well as Wattle camp.
i havnt been further east than Toolina.
As willem and others have said there is little/no beach in winter (my first visit was in winter )
but in summer it can be a highway.
Dont count on reading tide charts the southern oceon is a funny thing. I have spent days on a beach with very little discernable tide movement its not as simple as high tide following 6 hours after low tide