photo and words by Sandra Herd

When I told my friends I was heading up to Cervantes and Jurien Bay for a few days most of them responded with the same comment....”Why? There’s nothing to do up there.” “Exactly!” was my response. Nothing to do but relax on the turquoise coast. As long as I’m on, in, or near the ocean I’m happy and, on the stretch of coast from Guilderton to Green Head, there’s plenty of the blue stuff.

Heading North on Wanneroo Road I decided to take the long way round and stop in at some of the tiny coastal towns that sprinkle the shores of the Indian Ocean. My first stop was Guilderton. A small suburb located right on the mouth of the Moore River and a place where I wish I’d have bought a holiday shack years ago. Over the years these old shacks have been replaced by double storey brick homes with sweeping views of the ocean but there’s still plenty of character and the Guilderton Caravan Park is situated right next to the banks of the river. It was school holidays so the kids were out in force and were having a great time. There were kids laying on inflatables drifting around on the river mouth, people in kayaks heading off up the river to explore, mobs of grommets with their boogie boards traipsing across the dunes and people playing in the waves of the ocean, just metres from where the mouth of the Moore ended. I reluctantly got back into my car to continue my journey.

As you head further north there’s a turn off for Ledge Point. Another tiny township built around the crayfish industry and known affectionately as just ‘Ledge’. Not to be confused with ‘Wedge’ which refers to Wedge Island, just north of Lancelin and only accessible by four wheel drive. I stopped in at Lancelin for a cuppa and a look around. Known as the windsurfing capital of WA, the white sandy beaches and turquoise waters are stunning and provide a great aquatic playground for surfers and windsurfers alike. The Lancelin Ocean Classic (Ledge to Lancelin windsurfing marathon) has officially been recognised by Guinness World Records as being the longest open water windsurfing race in the world: a great chance every January to watch the experts in action. If windsurfing and surf boarding are not your style you can try sand boarding in the snow-white sand dunes that surround the township, although I wouldn’t fancy being on the dunes when the Desert Storm dune bus roars by. Where else in the world can you find an American school bus roaring through pristine white sand dunes on 4x4 monster truck wheels?

Back on the road I settled in for the drive up to Cervantes, the gateway to the Australia’s Coral Coast region which extends north to Exmouth and the Ningaloo Reef. From Lancelin you kind of have to double back a bit to come out on the Brand Highway and, from there, it’s open road and about an hour until you arrive at the township. A relatively ‘new’ town, Cervantes was named in 1963 after an island just south of Thirsty Point. The island had been named Cervantes originally because it was the place where the American Whaling Ship ‘Cervantes’ was wrecked in 1844. Apparently it had been anchored at Thirsty Point (I’m guessing they didn’t find any water there) and was blown ashore onto the island. Apart from the small cafe (serving coffee and cake) at Cervantes Lodge, aptly named Don Quixote’s, there are no other references in the town to the famous Spanish author of the same name. Although I did feel some affiliation to his crazy character as I too was chasing windmills on this trip. And I found them. Actually I couldn’t miss them. On the road into Cervantes about 30kms from the town stand 48 towering turbines at the Emu Downs wind farm. Generating enough energy to power 50,000 homes in a year, these huge structures stand 68 metres high and certainly added impact to the surrounding landscape as I drove towards the town.

There is a range of accommodation at Cervantes from holiday homes to backpackers. I had chosen the Cervantes Lodge which has a variety of room options from ocean view double rooms to small back packer dorms housed in a common area complete with clean large kitchen area, laundry and lounge room for guests. The Lodge was friendly and cosy and just down the road from the beach at Thirsty Point. The town consists of a few shops and a general store and a small tavern that serves lunch and dinner and, aside from that, you’re on your own. Left to your own devices. To fish or read or swim or just explore the coast line...and that’s what I did.

Later in the afternoon I popped down to Thirsty Point (I took a beer with me just in case) and climbed the small lookout, watching as two kite surfers soared and surfed in the wind. The summer months do get windy which is why the place is so popular for water sports. From there I drove five minutes out of town to find Lake Thetis and the stromatolites. Now don’t get me wrong, the stromatolites are interesting....if you’re interested in stromatolites. It won’t kill you to go out of your way to see them, however, the excitement at seeing them won’t kill you either. These natural features are created by the oldest known organisms on Earth and look kind of like crusty lumps of salty rock around the edge of the lake. They’re OK as far as natural features go and you can walk around the lake if you feel so inclined but they pale in comparison to the natural feature that is just 20kms down the road and is the reason why people flock to this region in droves. Of course, I’m talking about the Pinnacles in Nambung National Park.

I’d booked a seat on a sunset tour with Turquoise Coast Enviro Tours, owned and operated by Cervantes local, Mike Newton. Mike worked as a National Park Ranger for almost 20 years across different parts of WA and has a mind full of information about the Pinnacles and surrounding areas. With his ‘bushman’s pencil’ (a stick to draw in the sand) Mike took great delight in explaining how the Pinnacles were formed and kept us entertained throughout the tour by telling stories of past tours, pointing out the funny shaped creatures in some of the rock formations and offering photography tips to anyone that needed it. Best viewed early in the morning or late in the afternoon, these unusual limestone pillars rise are surrounded by constantly shifting sands. Huge dunes are slowly shifting across the landscape and, in time, will cover the pinnacles we saw but will also unveil new ones in their wake. The colour of the rocks as the evening sun was setting was ethereal. There was a faint pink tinge in the sky and the sand turned a deep yellowy orange, reflecting the last few rays of the setting sun.

I was up early the next morning and drove 20 minutes north to reach the next town on my list. Jurien Bay used to be a tiny fishing village born out of the discovery of plentiful crayfish or Western Rock Lobster. In the 1960’s (to accommodate the new industry) new jetties were built and an airstrip was constructed so that the fresh catch could be flown back to Perth. Today the town has a small shopping centre, a marina, schools and a wide variety of accommodation options and the population of the town is said to double during crayfish season. It’s described in the tour guide as ‘a typical seaside resort town’: we’re not talking bingo and kiss-me-quick hats, donkey rides and pebble beaches. We’re talking fresh fish caught off the jetty, long white sandy beaches, dolphin spotting and sea lion tours....an unspoilt resort town with its visitors enjoying nature at its best. Jurien Bay Marine Park extends south from Green Head right down to the southern boundary of Nambung National Park (Wedge Island) and encompasses many of the islands that are located in the region. A small section of the marine park is sanctuary, home to large colonies of rare Australian sea lions. I was hoping to see some of these playful characters but a mix up at the booking office meant that the 9am trip out to see them with Jurien Charters had been cancelled. I called another sea lion tour operator in Greenhead but they weren’t going out because it was too windy. Great for the kite surfers...not so great for me! I ordered some breakfast from the Jetty Cafe and paddled in the cool ocean while waiting for my order. With a full belly and a bottle of water I drove north for another 20 minutes until I reached Green Head. Same story. Different township. Nothing to ‘do’ here either! Situated on a headland, the bays of white sandy beaches are perfect for snorkelling. Dynamite Bay in particular is the perfect spot for a barbeque and snorkel. There’s a shower block and toilet next to the car park with a public barbie and even shaded picnic benches to enjoy your meal....but take the food with you. The only place to buy supplies in Green Head is the small General Store. Also known as the petrol station and bottleshop!

As I headed back to Jurien I detoured a little to try and find Lesueur National Park. I’d been told that in ‘wildflower season’ the park is spectacular. Apparently from July to November it’s a Mecca for botanists. I wasn’t sure it was worth a visit in February but the locals had assured me it was lovely all year round. The detour takes you about 20kms east and after turning down an unsealed road, you eventually get to the bituminised tourist road that takes you on a one way loop through the park. Unfortunately it was early afternoon and, after my frolic in the ocean at Dynamite Bay, I was starving. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about small West Australian towns, it’s that their pubs tend to stop serving lunch at 2 o’clock on the dot. I drove a little way into the park and was instantly surrounded by hundreds of grass tress and little red and purple flowers (I’m not a botanist) and a whole array of unusual looking flora, the likes of which I’ve never seen before. I could imagine how spectacular this area would be ‘in season’ but my tummy was growling and I wasn’t sure I could commit to the 18km one way tourist drive at 40k/hr and still make it back in time for lunch. I’m ashamed to say my stomach won and I turned back around and headed back toward Jurien.

As I drove back into the civilised world my mobile phone beeped to life and there was a message from Jurien Charters to say they were heading out to see the sea lions after all and would meet me at the marina. I should have listened to the operator from Green Head. If they weren’t going out...why were we? As soon as we got out of the marina it became apparent just how ‘windy’ it was. The boat pounded into the waves as the unsecured back door slammed noisily open and shut with every bump, threatening to relieve me of one of my fingers had I not moved out of its way. One of the guests started rummaging around on the floor for the piece of wood which would apparently hold the door open while the deck hand stood at the front of the boat enjoying her can of coke. I was one of five other guests gripping tightly to a centre pole attached to the ceiling of the vessel, like tube commuters on a roller coaster. With rushing to the marina I’d missed out on my lunch after all. Just as well really as I probably would’ve lost it over the side of the boat! We eventually neared the island and could see the sea lions sitting on the shore. One in particular was sitting up and staring at the boat...probably in disbelief that we were even there. I’m sure it was thinking, “If you think I’m getting into that choppy water to entertain you lot...you can think again!” And I don’t blame him....there was no way anyone was getting into the water which was a shame because on a calm day, getting into the water to snorkel with these wonderful creatures would be an absolute pleasure. We hung around for a while and took a few blurry photos as the boat bobbed up and down and then we moved over to a mooring buoy to moor the boat for a while. As the deckhand pulled the rope in from the ocean it snapped, leaving us no other option but to head off. What a relief! With bottles from the unsecured sink cupboard rolling around on the floor, hot water from the urn splashing over the lid and a microwave which threatened to fly off the wall with every bumpy wave, I was glad to be getting off the boat and back on to terra firma. The operators from Green Head were heading out a few days later but I had to be back in Perth. I’ll certainly take a trip out with them next time I’m up that way, hopefully in better conditions.

On my last night I decided to stay up at Green Head to watch the sunset behind the fabulous ‘window rock’. As I settled in with a beer in one hand and my camera in the other I noticed a ute pull up on the beach just behind a small dune. Two men jumped out and one started wading out into the ocean holding a prawn net. His mate, still on shore, was holding the other end. Akubra on head and beer in hand he started to pull in the line and empty the net into a big green bin. “How Australian,” I thought....I’ll just get a picture. After he’d pulled in his line the guy came over to my car to enquire what the photo was for. As soon as he opened his mouth the moment was shattered....a Geordie! Emigrated years ago. They’ve been holidaying in the area for years and absolutely love it because ‘there’s nothing to do.’

Nothing to do...unless you love the beach and ocean.

Nothing to do...unless you enjoy holding a line or reading a book while waiting for the sun to slip behind the horizon.

Nothing to do...unless you appreciate the natural wonder of the West Australian landscape. Its flora and fauna and the unique colours and formations that make up the landscape.

Nothing to do...unless you’re into camping, prawning, fishing, watersports, snorkelling, diving, hunting for crays or just splashing around with the family in sheltered pristine bays.

And if you happen to take a four wheel drive up to these places...well that opens up a whole new world of possibilities of ‘nothings’ to do.

www.australiascoralcoast.com
www.thepinnacles.com.au
www.cervanteslodge.com.au