Cape Arid National Park

For four wheel driving along vast white beaches, colourful wildflowers, whale watching, fishing and swimming at secluded bays, a visit to Cape Arid National Park 120 kilometres east of Esperance is a must. Most of the tracks within the park are accessible only by four wheel drive - be rewarded with beautiful coastal scenery of granite outcrops, sand dunes and stands of mallee trees, banksia and paperbark. Camp under a star filled sky and there's a good chance you'll spot local nocturnal animals like honey possums, wallabies and kangaroos. Take your pick from scenic picnic spots including Thomas River, Mount Ragged or Seal Creek. Self-guided walking trails range from 1-4 hours and take you deep into native bushland and along coastal heaths with views over the Southern Ocean - you may even spot southern right whales offshore. Not surprisingly, the swimming is idyllic, while bays like Yokinup are popular for windsurfing. Good camping facilities can be found at Thomas River or Duke of Orleans Bay Caravan Park. Cape Arid National Park is an hour's drive east of Esperance. Tourists are advised to check for alerts and road/park closures before commencing their travel on www.emergency.wa.gov.au and https://alerts.dbca.wa.gov.au