Israelite Bay - Cape Arid NP

Rohan

If you are travelling along Fisheries Road then the track isn't that bad at all. Single vehicle will be fine. It is due to the texture of the soil (bulldust) that some humungous holes have been formed along the track. In winter they fill with water and anyone driving in to them could be in trouble. Steer clear of the holes and you will be OK. Also stay off the seaweed at Israelite Bay as it can be very deceptive and up to 2 metres deep. Keep tyre pressures low on the sandy bits


Cheers

From reading your post I take it you are heading over from the east. If so you can get to Israelite bay from Balladonia. The track is just east of the roadhouse and is marked as Balladonia Road. The track to Israelite bay forks off it and takes you past Mt Raggard to join the Fisheries Road track. I have travelled that area a few times and you should have no problems in January,it's only when there has been heavy rain in the area that the tracks become a bit boggy.

Hi Rohan

In Oct my wife and I towed our CT from Balladonia via Mt ragged to Israelite then took the fisheries Rd to Esperance - no issues at all, just the usual corros, ruts, rocky and or washed out sections. The track completely dry.

You'll have no probs.

Thanks for the info so far everyone.

Yes I should have been more specific on my intended route: I am coming over from East so I do intend to use the road south from Balladonia. The replies so far have given me some comfort that the tracks are not too trecherous as long as I follow normal safe driving protocol. I'll contact the ranger too to see what he/she has to say.

The route to the east from Israelite Bay also interests me, however being a solo vehicle I will err on the side of caution should any track be deemed "challenging". If anyone else has travelled the track out to the east I would love to hear about it.

Thanks for the info so far, much appreciated.

Rohan.

Hi Rohan,
Was out there in Nov/Dec last year, and was unlucky enough to have lots of unseasonal rain, so the Fisheries Road had lots of mudholes. There are tracks around the deep ones, tho, and we had no troubles. Just read the conditions and you'll be right.
Be careful of the salt lakes out there when wet. The telegraph track from Pt Malcolm to Cape Arid passes thru one, and the track from Israelite Bay to Pt Malcolm on the coast also passes alongside one. Both can be very sticky after the rain. If travelling down to Pt Malcolm after rain, take the track there on the western side of the salt lake from the junction of Fisheries Road and Tookle-Jenna Rock (as marked on the 250k topo). As you travel into Israelite Bay, the Fisheries Road passes around the north edge of a large salt lake. This is usually ok, even after rain, but again, read the conditions.
Pt Malcolm is the better spot than Israelite to camp, as there is wind shelter, shade and the campsite doesn't get flooded after rain. Also food fresh water avail from a small bore there in the dunes and good fishing spots off the southern tip, whereas Israelite is just deep seaweed on the beach.
If travelling north from Israelite, the track thru Tookle-Jenna Rock is rough but ok, whereas the track from Israelite directly westwards to Sheoaks Hill can get quite sticky after rain (tho we did get thru!).
Done the area a few times, so drop me a line if any further queries: gezza90 at amnet dot net dot a u.
cheers, Gerry