Departure dates 18 Feb 21, 10 April 21

Day 2 – Helicopter flight to Pink Lake Hillier. Lucky Bay, Wharton Bay

Pink Lake Hillier, Lucky Bay, Duke of Orleans Bay and Wharton Bay

This morning we head out to enjoy a helicopter flight for an unforgettable flight to Lake Hillier, “The” pink lake in the Esperance region. Our 15 minute flight to Middle Island takes us over the spectacular coastal scenery that Cape Arid National Park is known for.  See Yokinup Bay, Cape Arid and Recherche Archipelago.

As we approach Middle Island our pilot will circle Pink Lake Hillier and land on a natural rock platform where we will be shown to the edge of the pink lake.

Middle Island amazing history includes the story of Black Jack Anderson, Australia’s only known pirate. Anderson and other cohorts fled King George’s Sound having been accused of murder.  Middle Island had the reputation as a lawless place continued for some time. In 1848 it was reported the island was known as “the resort of a set of lawless desperadoes, composed of runaway convicts, sealers, whalers and vagabonds.

This is a remarkable experience to be on Middle Island and at Lake Hillier where very few people have visited.

Scientists have recently explained that many extremophile microbes, bacteria and organism play a large part in the colour of the astounding lake living in an extremely high salinity environment.

This helicopter flight is a ‘must do’ experience whilst in Esperance.

Later we tour to Duke of Orleans Bay and Wharton Bay. Wharton Beach offers magnificent coastal scenery, a superb beach of iridescent white sand and crystal blue waters.

It is a photographer’s delight!

Your guide puts it out there and firmly believes this is Australia’s best beach!!!

Lunch at the Condinup Tavern and this afternoon we visit Cape Le Grand National Park and Lucky Bay. This beach is famous for its kangaroos which are often seen sunning themselves on the white sandy shoreline. Enjoy a cup of coffee at the Lucky Bean Café which is situated right on the beach.

Accommodation: Esperance Island View Apartments

Day 3 – Esperance Cruise, Great Ocean Drive

Scenic Wildlife Cruise, Great Ocean Drive, Cindy Poole Glass Gallery

This morning we join the Scenic Wildlife Cruise from Esperance. With regular sightings of New Zealand Fur Seals, Australian Sea Lions, Cape Barren Geese, Common and Bottlenose Dolphins, White-bellied Sea Eagles (including feeding) – Whales (season dependent). Bring your bathers for a swim in some of the world’s clearest water.

After lunch we tour the Great Ocean Drive to see Rotary Lookout, West Beach, Blue Haven, Twilight Cove and Spencer Lake.

We visit Cindy Poole Glass Artist, Gallery and Working Studio.

We also stop at WA’s very own Stonehenge, an exact sized replica of the famous landmark in England.  Step back in time 4,000 years and stand in the middle of this massive construction and feel how awesome it must have been when Stonehenge in UK was built.

On our return to Esperance visit Lucky Bay Brewing.  The only brewery in WA that sources premium quality raw barley direct from nearby local farmers to make the beer. Western Australia exports all of its Malting Barley. Hence the unique local brew is literally from paddock to pint with no mileage, fully organic, and years of experimenting to arrive at an award winning drop to be enjoyed by local farmers, local community, and all the while using locally produced grain. The paddock to pint concept is fully realised in Lucky Bay Brewing’s beers.

Accommodation: Esperance Island View Apartments

Day 4 – Esperance Ravensthorpe, Wave Rock

Ravensthorpe, Hyden Wave Rock, York

On our last day, we visit Ravensthorpe; a picturesque agriculture and mining frontier town boasting spectacular local ranges scenery.

Ravensthorpe PUBLIC Silo Art. The landscape around Ravensthorpe comes alive every spring with thousands of species of wildflower bursting into colour, so Amok Island decided to focus on native Western Australian flora and fauna for his largest mural to date.

‘Each silo side shows a different stage of the flowering cycle of this species of Banksia:  from flower buds, to full bloom, to seedpods developing, drying out and opening’, explains the artist.

The artwork encircles the three silos infinitely; the final silo marks the beginning once again of the first, making a connection with the cycle of the seasons and grain farming processes this area is known for. This species Banksia speciosa is only found Hopetoun and the Great Australian Bight.

After morning tea / coffee  continue on to the spectacular natural phenomenon that is Wave Rock at Hyden.

Wave Rock was formed before the age of dinosaurs, about 2.7 billion years ago. It is one of the oldest rocks in the world.

Wave Rock is an ancient granite formation that has been exposed to weathering processes for over 60 million years. It is about 15 metres high and about 110 metres long.

It really does look like an ocean wave about to break on the shore.

After leaving Hyden and Wave Rock, we tour through the Eastern and Central Wheatbelt regions which are made up of farming communities with cropping, sheep and cattle as the main industries.

We finish the Perth to Esperance tour with a visit to the charming historic town of York, which is Western Australia’s first in land rural town, developed in 1831. York is an attractive rural town rich in Victorian and Federation buildings.

We arrive back into Perth at approximately 6:00 pm.