Great Ocean Trail
Esperance
Directions - The Great Ocean Trail section that I've done here starts at the Rotary Lookout near West Beach, and finishes at Twilight Beach. To reach the Rotary Lookout from Esperance, head south from town on Twilight Beach Road, crossing over the bridge and taking the left turn onto Doust Street. Drive all the way up the hill, where you'll find a small number of parking bays. To reach the end, head back to Twilight Beach Road and drive along the coast until you reach Twilight Beach.
The Walk - Arriving in Esperance as part of a three week road trip, this was my last leg before returning back to Fremantle. With a lot of great memories, plenty of hiking under my belt, and lots of photos taken, I was looking forward to experiencing a few new trails near Esperance that had been on my to-hike list for a while. Deciding to take a rest day in Esperance while the forecast temperature was 35C, I had been generously offered a room to stay in by Annie, who I met on the Bibbulmun Track 25th Anniversary E2E when I went to meet them all as they came through the Kingdom of Py.
Enjoying a rest day for the first time all trip, I caught up on some internets while giving plenty of pats to Annie's dogs. Heading into town, I indulged in some baked treats while also doing a supply for the last part of trip. While it was a rest day, I did want to visit the Great Ocean Trail, and figured a sunset walk would be both better for the photos, and a bit cooler. With the Great Ocean Trail being a much longer loop trail, with an optional out and back to Tanker Jetty to extend the distance, I decided to shorten it to what I thought would be a pleasant coastal walk. Being a dual-use trail, I could leave my bike at Twilight Beach and then ride back to the Rotary Lookout when I was finished walking this 8.4-kilometre section. Dropping my bike off, I zoomed back to the start point where I got one of the last parking spots available near the lookout. As far as starting points go, this was a pretty nice one, with a spiral staircase leading up to the Rotary Lookout, where you get your first glimpse of the stunning coastline near Esperance.
After taking a few snaps, I was aware that I wouldn't have forever on this trail thanks to the deadline of the setting sun. Heading back down the staircase, I made my way to the information board on the western side of the area, and figured out the best way to get onto the Great Ocean Trail. There are a few trails around the Rotary Lookout, along with some unofficial ones, which did catch me out as I descended down the hill. The wildflowers through here were a lovely start to the walk, with one of my favourites from this part of WA, the Pom Pom Darwinia, bein in full bloom. The mess of trails through here was confusing, and after not seeing a trail marker for a while, I decided to follow the most direct route down to where I knew the pavement was. Reaching the footpath that now runs all the way to Twilight Beach, the thick vegetation soon gives way and reveals the stunning coastal views that will leave you in awe for the rest of the walk. Initially you only get glimpses looking down to West Beach but then everything opens up for the complete spectacle.
If I thought the views from Rotary Lookout were great, this was on a completely different level. The bulk of the West Beach Headland was eye-catching, and combined with the pristine white sands, turquoise waters, and the exposed line of rock just offshore, and this was one of my favourite places along the trail. With the warm weather today, it was great to see plenty of people out enjoying the world class beaches that Esperance has to offer, and I was kicking myself for not bringing along my board shorts and a towel. Along this part of the walk you are still high above the beach, with plenty of stairs dotted along the edge for beach access. Along with many wooden benches, you aren't devoid of a place to sit down to enjoy the views, or get a closer look at the stunning West Beach. Continuing along, I passed several small car parks that were all fun of people coming and going from the beach, or enjoying the same views that I was. With houses right across the road here, and being so close to town, this area is where you'll see the most people.
Looking extremely out of place with my backpack and camera, I moved quickly through this part, although still enjoyed taking many photos of the wonderful scenes looking up and down the beach. Reaching near the end of West Beach, there was a photogenic tunnel of vegetation that marks a short dip and then climb up to Chapmans Point. With the Great Ocean Trail linking up the various beaches, you'll come across many headlands over the course of the walk, and I enjoy that they bookend various memorable locations. With final views looking across West Beach towards that impressive block of granite at the end, the flowering Showy Honey-Myrtle was putting on a show through here. Contrasting with the turquoise water below, I don't think I could have picked a better day, or time of year to visit this trail. Crossing over the road that leads to Chapmans Point, you start the next section of walking that leads you to another amazing location, Blue Haven.
The name Blue Haven had me intrigued, and even from a distance, it was easy to see where the name comes from. The allure of the water was strong in the heat of the afternoon, and if you're not from Western Australia, it might be hard to believe that there are two beaches of this quality found within a short distance of each other, relatively devoid of people. Rounding the bay, the main beach of Blue Haven came into view, and the combination of white sands and sloping granite looked like it would be a cool place to explore. Arriving at the stairs leading down to Blue Haven, the shadows cast over the beach below didn't make it look as good as it could be, and was a reminder that it was getting late in the day. This marks another headland that separates Blue Haven and the next stretch of coast at Salmon Beach. Rising up the small hill, this is around the halfway point, and you can see all the way down the coast to the finish at Twilight Beach.
There is a steep hill leading down to Salmon Beach, and I was not looking forward to cycling back up this one coming back. Compared to West Beach and Blue Haven, Salmon Beach is relatively small but still looked amazing. There were plenty of people here enjoying both the beach and granite headland that form this cosy little bay. If you're a resident of Esperance, or visiting for a holiday, then you aren't short on places to enjoy a warm day, and it seemed like everyone was reasonably spread out over the various locations. Rising up over the small headland that separates Salmon Beach with Fourth Beach, and the last stretch of walking around Twilight Bay, the dramatic granite coastline finally calms its farm, replaced with a more traditional beach and dune system. This is the longest stretch of beach so far, and with the flatter landscape, the wide vistas looking out over the ocean become more obvious. There's always something on the horizon near Esperance, with the islands of the Recherche Archipelago providing a feature to enjoy as you walk along.
With the end in sight, and the sun beginning to make its final descent towards the horizon, I put on the afterburners through here, trying to reach Twilight Beach before the light disappeared. The excellent scenery continued along here, with the stunning beach below popular with the afternoon dog walkers. The continuation of wooden benches was nice to see, and I could imagine elderly me sitting down at one of them, staring out over the ocean and thinking about the nature of the universe. Along with the wooden benches, there are a couple of wooden lookouts perched on the edge of the dunes. Adding a funky touch to one was a plant holder in the shape of a pair of hands. The second lookout marks the spot where you leave the beach views, and the pavement heads behind the dune system. Pushed up against the road and walking in the bike lane for a section wasn't great but this was the only issue I had with the walk. This section also appeared to been recently burnt, with the coastal scrub on the dunes reduced to blackened sticks, and a random row of palm trees looking much worse for wear.
There are some revegetation efforts going on, which was pleasing to see, with the protective shields around the new plants dotted all around the dunes. Spotting the signage for the Great Ocean Trail on the other side of the road, this is where the trail leaves the coast to head inland towards Pink Lake, and the return into town. As my path was taking me to Twilight Beach, I continued on, and was reunited with the ocean views as the pavement runs closer to the beach. The sun was close to setting as I walked the final stretch of pavement towards the Twilight Beach car park, with the iconic island just off the beach basking in the final light of the day. This islands is a popular spot for people to swim out to, and then jump off into the water. With the walk over, I just had the small matter of riding back to the Rotary Lookout, which was a pleasant ride as I watched the last of the sunset, but that final climb up to my car was not a fun experience. It was a small price to pay for such a great walk, and one I'll have fond memories of for a while.
Final Thoughts – While Cape Le Grand National Park tends to get all the praise when it comes to the quality of the beaches near Esperance, there are plenty of pristine stretches of sand located right near the centre of town.
Having a trail that links them all up, providing stunning views throughout is fantastic, and was definitely a highlight of my trip.
The full loop trail is one I'd like to do one day, but if you're on foot and want the best of the best, then the section between Rotary Lookout and Twilight Beach is a pretty good way to spend a couple of hours.
Get out there and experience it!
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