Location: D’Entrecasteaux National Park

Region: South West WA

Date: Tuesday, 31 October 2023

Temperature: Northcliffe 8-21 degrees, cool morning, overcast, then sunny from late morning. Top of 20 degrees at Windy Harbour

Today Rob planned a day trip to Windy Harbour in D’Entrecasteaux National Park. The drive out and back is interesting as the landscape varies from soaring Karri forest to coastal scrub, then more forest then back to coast scrub.

We stop for a short hike up Mt Chudalup. 1.0km return with 187mtr ascendency so straight up with a steep rock climb to the summit.

The hike is relatively quick with a few slips on the pebbles as we go up stairs and slopes. The rock climb begins with pretty bridges and walkways over wet areas and the surrounds are filled with flowers. Amazing 360 degree views from the top all around of the coastline and surrounding country. The wildflowers are beautiful and there is so much colour in the lichen and flora. Very well worth the climb!

After Mt Chudalup we continue onto Windy Harbour, a small holiday village with many beach shacks that are obviously used year round given the amount of chimneys and I hear that the tide is much lower than normal, perhaps due to the full moon two days ago?

We head straight out to Cathedral Rock and spend a while chatting with fellow travellers Alana and Wayne from Iluka in Northern NSW.

Next we drive out Salmon Bay lookout and then Natures Window. The views of the Southern Ocean are stunning and the overcast day has well and truly disappeared and the sun shines.

We stop at Tookalup for a picnic lunch and a bit of whale watching and we were lucky enough to spot a Mum and Calf travelling along the coast.

After lunch we finished our Southern Coastal visit with a walk on the of the Survivor’s Coastal pathway, 5.2km return from Windy Harbour and then Rob took a dip at Windy Bay.

A big hello to two couples we met over the last two days; Chris and Neil Woods wandering Australia from Adelaide in South Australia and Alanna and Wayne from Iluka, in Northern NSW. Both long term travellers and lovely people, very happy to stop and chat.