Bremer Bay Peninsula

by Tom Zaunmayr (subscribe)

Bremer Bay has long been one of Western Australia's best kept secrets. Situated in the Great Southern - about half way between Albany and Esperance, the sleepy coastal community features pristine beaches, a beautiful inlet and the massive and diverse Fitzgerald National Park right on it's doorstep (literally a five minute drive from town).



Sitting between the national park and the town is the Bremer Bay Peninsula. Access to the rugged and isolated corner of the world is by 4wd only, especially in winter when the tracks get muddy and very, very corrugated.

Get past the corrugations and you'll be rewarded with some of the most fun, relatively easy 4wding in the state. There's endless sand tracks, plenty of wash outs to splash through and at the end of the road, pristine white beaches and sand dunes galore! This area is heaven for explorers.



It is also heaven for fishing, Salmon fishing in particular. Dotted along the Eastern side of the peninsula are numerous homemade shacks, built by fishermen as a refuge during the annual salmon run through the area.

Outside of Salmon season most shacks are open and accessible for the public to use. They are great places to stay and offer a unique insight into the life of old school fishing traditions. The best one to stay in is at Whalebone beach, pictured below and marked on the map. Generally any time between April - September they should be free to stay in.



By far the best thing about this shack is the seat atop the sand dune behind it. Whoever made the shack is a genius as this seat has to be a contender for best seat in the world. Just sit back with a beer and watch the whales pass as the sun rises. It is magnificent!

The beach in front of the shack isn't called Whalebone beach for nothing. The unbelievably warm waters (even in the middle of winter) see dozens of migrating whales pass within plain sight of the beach every day. It is not uncommon to see humpbacks frolicking for hours in the sheltered cove.



There are plenty of sand tracks leading as far as 600kms to Israelite Bay - where the Great Australian Bight starts. The rugged, untamed coastline here has been weathered by the southern ocean to form some impressive cliffs, blowholes and formations including a narrow cut (pictured) with a 60-metre drop straight down.

One thing you wont find much of is rubbish, and it is best to keep it that way. If you intend to camp in the area or the shacks be sure to take all your mess with you and leave the shacks EXACTLY as you found them, unless you want the owners to start locking them up like some already have been.



The best thing about the peninsula is it is all free. the shacks are free, camping is legal as are campfires outside of summer. It is not part of the national park either so there are no entry fees. Just fill up the car, pack the fishing rods and escape to a place a mile away from the modern world.

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Why? Get away from the big smoke

Where: Bremer Bay

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