Esperance, WA: pink lakes, white sand and blue water
Esperance and its surrounds are a visual delight, on land and from the air.
The effervescence of Esperance appears in the middle of the ocean. It starts from the cumulus clouds, which release a narrow curtain of soft rain that looks like a fizzing bath bomb dropped into the sea. When the light catches the drizzly drops, a mid-air smear of colours forms into a rainbow.
Most people come here for the translucent shades of nature: the pink lakes, the turquoise water and the blindingly white sand along the south coast of Western Australia. The best vantage point is from the air, with a scenic flight boarded at the airport, straight after the short flight from Perth.
Elise, Fly Esperance’s pilot, conducts a safety briefing and leads the way across the tarmac to board a Cessna 182. Barely bigger than a helicopter, it takes off for the 90-minute flight and immediately the view is exceptional. Passing over farmland, the coastal town and its new jetty, the four-passenger plane approaches Spencer Lake, formerly known as Pink Lake, which lost its hue a decade ago. To see Lake Hillier, it takes another 45 minutes to reach its isolated location on Middle Island in the Recherche Archipelago. This huge bubblegum-pink puddle retains its flawless colour year-round due to the presence of the microalga Dunaliella salina. We descend to a circling height for two orbits, allowing ample time for photos of the phenomenon.
The pilot’s commentary covers local history, including the journey of explorer Matthew Flinders, who named the lake after one of his crew, William Hillier, and Black Jack Anderson, Australia’s only known pirate, who lived on the island in the 1800s. A few other inland salt lakes are sprinkled around Esperance but apparently most stay pink for only a month or so.
The return flight tracks over Cape Le Grand National Park and its dreamy beaches such as Lucky Bay, where kangaroos can be found relaxing in the sun, and Hellfire Bay, which looks like someone spilled a tin of sky-blue paint on to the milky sand.
Back at the airport, with our appetites whet, we pick up a rental car to see some of these sights up close. The 32,000ha national park is one of Australia’s most spectacular, with mountain and coastal hikes to appreciate the diverse landscape. Frenchman Peak offers a challenging two-hour summit to reach a cave and natural window shaped by oceanic activity when it was submerged 40 million years ago. The mesmerising vista of the lush park and distant islands is worth the steep climb. Easier options include trails between bays, rewarded with cooling dips in that ludicrously luminous water.
Lesser known is Great Ocean Drive, which has beauty to rival Victoria’s Great Ocean Road. The 38km loop begins just outside Esperance’s town centre and traces the coastline past wild, deserted beaches, ocean pools, rocky cliffs and headlands. A walk and bike path lines the first section from the Esplanade to Twilight Cove. Surfing, snorkelling, swimming, picnics and barbecues can be enjoyed along the way. West Beach, Blue Haven and Salmon Beach are followed by Fourth Beach, as if they were too overwhelmed to think of any more suitable names. Clearly it was all too much by the time they got to Nine Mile Beach, Eleven Mile Beach and Ten Mile Lagoon.
Rotary Lookout has an elevated platform providing panoramic views, often of dolphins and migrating whales (June to October). Observatory Beach and Dolphin Cove are other safe bets for spotting marine life. Southern Ports also has a viewing area, where port tours depart every Saturday at 1.30pm. There are two wind farm sites, old and new, and the Cindy Poole Glass Gallery. The last stop is the faded pink lake, which is still a lovely place to watch the sunset.
The latest attraction is Australia’s smallest distillery. Launched last year by an electrician and his son on a budget of $25,000, Esperance Distillery Co is little more than a shopfront with a bar made out of pallets.
The first-release gin was made from native botanicals grown in their garden, and it’s the only distillery in the world using vanilla acacia, endemic to the region.
The cellar door is open daily for tastings, and a tour consists of poking your nose out the back to see the 30-litre still on a table. Managing director James McCarthy Pierce, a former environmental engineer, says “it’s as close to a backyard operation as you can get”. As clear as the local waters, this remarkably smooth gin captures the eco-friendly spirit of Esperance in carbon-negative bottles.
Sustainability is paramount to the small business. All packaging is plastic-free. For shipping the online orders, a paper-based alternative is used instead of bubble wrap, with water-activated cardboard tape and recyclable self-locking boxes.
Another rising beverage star committed to regional ingredients, Lucky Bay Brewing is the only brewery in Western Australia that sources raw barley direct from local farms. This “paddock to pint” process produces premium quality craft beers such as the Lockdown Dark Lager, created in the dark times of 2020. The rest of the range is named after beaches, islands and landmarks in the area. Tasting paddles, wood-fired pizzas, wine and cider are served at the venue, with live music performed outside on Fridays and Sundays.
A lazy afternoon can easily be spent hanging around the peaceful grounds of Esperance Chalet Village. Bikes and kayaks are free to borrow to explore the surrounds or go fishing for black bream in the creek.
The cute A-frame chalets are ideal for couples, twin shacks are popular for girls’ getaways and the log cabins are designed for romance. Without a reception office onsite, checking in to the accommodation is no-contact, via a code on the front gate.
The Esplanade, a quick drive or 20-minute cycle away, is a great spot for a seaside stroll. The new jetty officially opened in March, replacing the heritage-listed Tanker Jetty, built in 1935. Until 1967, the old timber landmark used to mark the boundary where Indigenous people were permitted in town at night, so the modern structure, designed in consultation with the Tjaltjraak community, is seen as a fresh beginning.
Esperance Island Cruises operates wildlife tours from Taylor Street Jetty every morning. Heading out to the Recherche Archipelago, the cruise is a fun way to sight Australian sea lions, New Zealand fur seals, dolphins, whales, white-bellied sea eagles and Cape Barren geese. A rare boat trip to Lake Hillier and Middle Island is scheduled for 2022.
In the know
Esperance is a 1.5-hour flight from Perth.
Fly Esperance operates 90-minute scenic flights over Lake Hillier and Cape Le Grand National Park year-round from Esperance Airport; $425 for adults, $360 for children.
Esperance Island Cruises’ 3.5-hour wildlife cruise costs $100 (seniors $90, children $65).
Esperance Chalet Village has studios from $200 a night.
Louise Goldsbury was a guest of Tourism Western Australia.
TOURISM WA
