Shortcut Balladonia to Esperance?

From this site

Shire Road From Condingup to Balladonia is OPEN.
CAUTION: From Balladonia to Deralinya Homestead is rough and cut up. The southern end is very rocky and has many bulldust potholes near Nanambinia station.
There is a dangerous Rock hole just south of the old Deralinya H/S on the Parmango road. Several vehicles have rolled over on this hazardous section of the road.

Shorter in kilometres, but probably longer in time, and is sometimes closed. It was barricaded off and signed as closed at the Balladonia end when we went past last November. The northern end seems to get no maintenance, and where people have made side tracks into the bush they were just as corrugated or rutted.

Motherhen

if you take the parmango road you will miss out on most of te attractions along thart road

southern part is pretty rough with limestone capping on the road but is well worth the trip

i last did it in a 4x4 campervan

Balladonia to cape arid

Hi Case H,

I drove the road from Fisheries Road to Mount Ragged last March. I believe it improves after Mount Ragged to Balladonia on this road, however the 50km from there was fairly hard-going in places. There were some jump-ups, big puddles of water with rutted out and loose bottoms, sharp rock, and odd spots of loose sand.

Certainly was worth seeing Mount Ragged, and there is even a camp ground there, but it is definitely 4WD only. Not overly challenging, but enough to slow you down, and a lot in some sections. We averaged 15 km/h between Mount Ragged and Fisheries Road in March.

Sorry I can't provide information on the track conditions from Mount Ragged to Balladonia.

What I can tell you is that the Fisheries Road was excellent - good gravel suitable for maintaining cruising speeds.

Here are a few photos of the road to Balladonia southwest of Mount Ragged, generally where it isn't as rough, allowing SWMBO to steady the camera:

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We stayed at Cape Arid in the camp grounds. If you take the track down to Poison Creek, there is camping to the east on the point. Caught a 16" mulloway there.The beach is beautiful!

Oh, and on the Fisheries Road is the Condingup Tavern - usual disclaimer applies, but we found that to be a great country pub with fantastic food. Not a bad place to stop for refreshments and a feed...

Sounds like you're up for a wonderful trip. Wishing you all the best, and safe travelling!

Charles

Greetings all and thanks for the replied and the posting of the pics. I've said it before and i'll say it again: Great website and wicked forum. regards, case