Day 70 – Thu, 7 Oct to Esperance

What can I say, simply a fantastic riding day, continuing through the wheat belt of WA heading SW out of Hyden, through Lake King, then Ravensthorpe where I turned E onto Esperance.

The landscape was predominantly farm land with natural vegetation on the road side verges and interspersed through the landscape. Unlike the E states where the wheat belt is predominantly flat, out here it is far more undulating with hills covered also in the natural vegetation. The wild flowers continue to bloom, with trees of yellow, and lower plants of blues and mauve, and taller bushes of orange.

These are not dense, but it is interesting looking for them amongst the local scrub and seeing the patches of colour. This is also contrasted by the lakes – well not actually filled with water as Lake King is a township near the large salt lake. These are scattered throughout this area and the picture does justice to the “lake” but not to the surrounding countryside.

To the E of Lake King is the well known Rabbit Proof Fence, although I looked but saw no signs of it, especially as I road E from Ravensthorpe to Esperance. Oh well I’ll just have to watch the movie again.

On arriving in Esperance I headed for the bay side, well actually the port where farm produce and minerals are still exported. But this is a tourist centre - besides interstate visitors it is the local beachside for Kalgoorlie which is around 400km N.

I headed to the local lookout to get a perspective of the area, and this was a Rotary funded lookout, built as a raised platform on the hill. The platform is surrounded by low bushes blocking a view from the car park. But as you climb the short flight of stairs up onto the platform the vista simply opens around you.

Inland on one side, the town below and the fabulous coast running off to the S, E & W. I took a ride along the ocean road passing the many beaches and inlets.

All had the clear turquoise water over the pure white sand surrounded by the darker blue ocean. Unlike at most other beaches, especially in the E, which have sharp and craggy headlands, these have the smooth granite like rock sloping down into the water. The waves wash over them as if polishing them to an even smoother finish. Simply a fabulously beautiful place.

 

Esperance sits in the splendour of this Bay of Isles, with the tens of islands off shore creating a wonderful backdrop to the whole area. What a way to finish the day.