Any person vacationing in Australia that’s yearning for the whitest possible sands, the most cobalt-blue waters and the most charming locals imaginable should be notified: Esperance, Western Australia is the destination you’re dreaming of! Lying on the shoreline of the Great Southern Ocean in Western Australia’s southern reaches, approximately nine hours on the road from the capital city of Perth, this is a genuinely idyllic destination that anyone passing through the area (or on the continent for that matter) has simply got to discover.
If Esperance’s charm and glory had to be attributed to one factor above all others, surely it would be the area’s other-worldly natural gorgeousness. Anybody looking for cosmopolitan pampering had better look elsewhere besides this quaint community of scarcely 10,000–that’s just not what Esperance is about. For a perfect example of the kind of natural wonders the area has to offer, visitors should head to the Cape Le Grand National Park, located just east of the town itself. Or then again, visitors often head towards unique Pink Lake to catch a glimpse of natural beauty: one of multiple salt lakes scattered across the area, Pink Lake gets its colourful name and reputation from the peculiar red algae that somehow manage to thrive in these waters.
Esperance’s climate is wonderfully Mediterranean in nature, with summers that are dry and hot and winter months marked by showers and mild cold. A curious (and internationally-renowned) natural phenomenon is produced off Esperance’s shores each summer in the form of the Cyclops wave. This unusually dense and heavy wave is the stuff that many surfers’ dreams are made of, and it pulls in a good crowd every year that pumps Esperance full of fresh blood and activity; the Cyclops is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular–as well as risky, let there be no doubt–surf rides the world’s oceans have to offer.
An interesting little bit of trivia related to Esperance is the fact that it, of all places, was the site where debris of Skylab fell to earth way back in 1979. The first-ever NASA space station (which broke up and entered the atmosphere over the Indian Ocean) didn’t cause any major injuries when it rained metal down on Esperance, though the Shire did fine the space agency $400 for littering. The sum was only recently paid in 2009 by a United States radio station, generously acting on behalf of NASA (or so the story goes).
For Esperance accommodation options, visitors have got a full menu to choose from: everything from luxurious executive suites all the way down to the sort of budget options a hardy backpacker would need. A few typical choices would include the Esperance Island View Apartments, the Hospitality Inn Esperance, or the Jetty Resort and Apartments.
Originally settled by the Polynesians, the beautiful Norfolk Island was “discovered” by Captain Cook in 1774. Many of his crew and others settled there, and their descendents can still be found on the island with laid-back and easy-going attitudes. While Burnt Pine has in the past been pegged a retiree’s destination, it has become increasingly popular in recent years among a diverse group of tourists. Thrill-seekers have begun to flock to the island in order to enjoy its mountain biking, sea kayaking and horse riding among other activities.
Goulburn is also a great location to take a siesta from the business of life and immerse oneself in the fresh air and tranquility of country life.