Kepa (Water) Kurl (Boomerang) is the Wudjari name for Esperance and it means “where the waters lie like boomerangs”. This refers to the shape of the two bays that lie close to either side of the Esperance township. What a beautifully poetic way to describe this most picturesque of regions. For sheer beauty, the whitest sand and innumerable shades of blue and turquoise-coloured water, the coastline around Kepa Kurl is one of the most stunning that we have witnessed to date.
There is a strong French connection with Esperance as the European name was given by French navigator, Antoine Raymond Joseph de Bruni D’Entrecasteaux in 1792, after one of his ships that sheltered in a nearby bay. Our morning coffee was partaken at a cute little cafe called Bistro Louis, which seemed very apt for the occasion.
Our time in the region was spent exploring the magnificent coastline, including the Cape le Grand National Park, as well as wandering through the many nature reserves that make up the massive system of lakes that surround the town. Some lovely ocean swims and a few nice meals at the local restaurants topped off a wonderful stay in Kepa Kurl.
The Coast
As the Aboriginal place name indicates, Esperance is surrounded by spectacularly beautiful cliffs and beaches that extend for miles. We drove down the 40km Great Ocean Drive to view the beaches in all their glory and captured images on days of full sunshine as well as some cloud. A fine mist remained in the air during our stay which prevented us from getting a great view of the Recherche Archipelago, a group of 105 islands stretching 230km from east to west. This myriad of reefs and islands must have been a real challenge to early European seafarers and navigators. On one occasion, we stopped to watch a Kiteboarding display where the young guy was being tossed into the air like a doll as he rode the wind and waves. It looked like fun.
Wyllie Bay and Bandy Creek
Following the beach road east of Esperance, we arrived at Wyllie Bay to be greeted by the whitest sand imaginable and a lovely view of the distant mountains in the Cape le Grand National Park. We then took a refreshing dip in Bandy Creek Harbour before heading to lunch at the Lucky Bay Brewery. This is a very successful local brewery which was packed with local and tourist lunch-goers relaxing on the large outdoor deck area, tasting the local fare and imbibing the fabulous brews. We tried the Sandy Hook Pale Ale and Skippy Rock Kolsch accompanied by a delicious wood-fired pizza. Here’s cheers to the Aussie lifestyle of lazy days in the sun.
Cape le Grand National Park
This National Park is very well named for it is indeed a grand and resplendent place. At the centre is Frenchman Peak which really does look like a french beret-cap from certain angles. Lying around 60km east of Esperance, the coastline is absolutely gorgeous and we had a fabulous sunny day to enjoy it. Lucky Bay is clearly the centrepiece for fun and recreation for tourists and locals alike. As the day progressed it was packed with beach-goers who drove their 4WD vehicles onto the sand to set up camp for the day. We did manage to have a couple of delightful swims in the Bay as well as a delicious picnic lunch. Lucky Bay was named by Matthew Flinders who (luckily for him) happened upon it to take shelter whilst traversing through the dangerous Recherche Archipelago in his small ship.
We also visited Rossiter Bay, Hellfire Bay, Thistle Beach and Le Grand Beach. Rossiter Bay has an interesting history as it was named by Edward Eyre after Captain Rossiter, of the French Whaling vessel, The Mississippi. On Eyre’s epic land based journey from Adelaide to Albany he was rendered assistance by the French captain at this place after a difficult crossing of the Nullarbor which enabled him to continue his travels westward in 1841. All together, this was a wonderful day out witnessing some of the best scenery that Southern WA has to offer.
Wildlife in the Nature Reserves
The lake-side nature reserves were a haven for numerous bird species and beautiful coastal heathland. It was great to see a Sacred Kingfisher and a Spoonbill, two of our favourite birds, amongst others.
Next stop - heading west towards Fitzgerald River National Park
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