This is the principal east west route along the southern West Australian Coastline. It is dual lane and sealed.
At its western extremity it changes its name to South Western Highway (and continues to Bunbury).
Note. At this stage in time I am not certain of this transition point and have taken it as being at Denmark.
Another note. In the south west of W.A., in general, roadside parking is only signed when it's on your left
side. Not sure why, but guess to stop one crossing to the other side of the road against oncoming traffic. This
means that parking spots on the opposite side of the highway, to which we travelled, may be missed in these notes.
Woolworths food and liquor shops are in Hicks Street .. next right (west) after info centre in main street.
Signed, but very limited caravan parking is in Randell Street .. next street past Woolworths. We managed to
park opposite and diagonally opposite Red Rooster, which is on the corner east of Woolworths.
0 km (533.2 km) Esperance .. at its junction with the Cooldardie - Esperance highway 3.7 km north of the town centre.
Signage on the outskirts of Esperance "due to economic and enviromental reasons,overnight parking only in
designated areas" (ie caravan parks!).
There is an interesting 39 km drive (Great Ocean Drive) starting at the southern end of the main street.
Half of its length follows the coast as far west as the windfarm. It then turns inland and returns to the
town area via Pink Lake. The coastal section, though somewhat hilly, is really spectactular. No camping signs
abound, but nothing to stop one parking all day in the parking bays.
[14.1 km]
14.1 km (519.1 km) JUnction .. north side .. signed Norseman 183 km (bypass Esperance going to Norseman).
[65.3 km]
79.4 km (453.8 km) Junction .. south side .. Stokes National Park.
[23.7 km]
103.1 km (430.1 km) Junction .. south side .. to Munglinup Beach .. info in Munlinup indicates a caravan park at that beach.
[4.3 km]
107.4 km (425.8 km) Signed rest area .. south side .. gravel loop off on highway .. slightly sloping.
Munlinup road house on sealed loop further south. Note entrances to rest area and roadhouse are not the same.
* Class 2+. 33° 42.27'S. 120° 51.67'E. Hema map 75, G 11.
Toilets, showers, tables, shade, WATER, 35m max from highway, OK big rigs, OK TV, OK CDMA, public phone.
[14.0 km]
121.4 km (411.8 km) Junction .. south side .. to Oldfield Estuary and Munglinup Beach.
[5.4 km]
126.8 km (406.4 km) Oldfield River.
[0.4 km]
127.2 km (406.0 km) Possible parking spot noted .. south side .. cleared area amongst trees .. not investigated.
[23.3 km]
150.5 km (382.7 km) Ravensthorpe Nickel Mine .. south side .. looked to be under construction.
[33.3 km]
183.8 km (349.4 km) Signed parking .. south side .. medium/large gravel area looping off/on highway.
* Class 2. 33° 34.25'S. 120° 06.41'E. Hema map 75, G 10.
Table, some shade, bush fire places, rubbish bins, 35m max from highway, OK big rigs, Good TV, good CDMA.
Extra area at rear, short track to dirt loop/parking, no shade, 50m from highway, OK medium size rigs.
[5.4 km]
189.2 km (344.0 km) Junction .. south side .. to Hopetoun.
------------------------------
0 km Turn south towards Hopetoun.
[10.6 km]
10.6 km Signed parking .. west side. Very extensive series level tracks .. old township of Desmond.
Signage detailing old town, mining, old railway and walks in area.
Class 2. 33° 37.69'S. 120° 08.61'E. Hema map 75, G 10.
Table, some shade, rubbish bins, 300m from road, OK big rigs.
[8.3 km]
18.9 km Signed parking .. west side. Very extensive series level tracks .. old township of Kundip.
Signage detailing old town, mining activities, old railway and walks in the area.
Class 2. 33° 41.42'S. 120° 11.14'E. Hema map 75, G 10.
Toilet, table, little shade, rubbish bins, 250m from road, OK big rigs.
------------------------------
ESPERANCE TO DENMARK .. continued.
[0.6 km]
189.8 km (343.4 km) Raventhorpe .. Post Office .. main street of town is on a steep hill.
[3.4 km]
193.2 km (340.0 km) Junction .. north side .. to King Lake. We travelled up that road 6.5 km to a signed rest area
.. east side. Gravel tracks amongst trees. Big rigs should use the northern entrance which is clear of trees
and gives access to best (in the clear) parking .. turning area towards rear. a lot more space at rear of that
turning area for low vehicles .. overhanging trees!
* Class 2. 33° 31.57'S. 119° 59.62'E. Hema map 75, G 10.
Tables, shade, bush fire places, rubbish bins, 40m from road, OK big rigs, weak TV, very weak CDMA.
[0.8 km]
194.0 km (339.2 km) Signed rest area .. south side .. medium size gravel loop off/on highway. This spot is 120 degrees east
longitude, the longitude/meredian on which W.A. time is based. Extra space at rear suit small/medium size rigs.
Class 2. 33° 34.46'S. 120° 00.14'E. Hema map 75, G 10.
Tables, some shade, bush fire place, rubbish bins, 30m max from highway, Ok big rigs.
[38.3 km]
232.3 km (300.9 km) Junction .. south side .. to Fitzgerald River National Park.
[38.7 km]
271.0 km (262.2 km) Fitzgerald river.
[0.9 km]
271.9 km (261.3 km) Signed, from west, rest area .. north side. Complex series of level dirt tracks/loops/gravel pit.
* Class 2. 32° 49.87'S. 119° 15.21'E. Hema map 75, G 9.
Toilets, tables, shade, rubbish bins, 60m max from highway, Ok big rigs, no TV, OK CDMA.
[15.3 km]
287.2 km (246.0 km) Junction .. south side .. to Fitzgerald river National Park.
[19.3 km]
306.5 km (226.7 km) Info/tourist centre .. Jerramungup .. was closed!
Class 5. 33° 56.39'S. 118° 55.24'E. Hema map 75, G 8.
Toilets, no water, so bought fuel from servo opposite who gave water. We shopped in this town.
[31.1 km]
337.6 km (195.6 km) Junction .. east side .. to Fitzgerald River National Park.
[29.2 km]
366.8 km (166.4 km) Junction .. east side .. to Breamer Bay.
[5.3 km]
372.1 km (161.1 km) Signed parking from west .. north side, just west of Pallinup River Bridge.
* Class 2. 34° 24.39'S. 118° 43.67'S Hema map 75, H 8.
Table, shade, rubbish bins, 35m max from highway, marginal big rigs, no CDMA.
[15.4 km]
287.5 km (145.7 km) Weelstead.
[17.0 km]
404.5 km (128.7 km) Signed rest area .. north side .. level gravel lop off/on highway. Narrow with overhanging trees!
Class 2-. 34° 37.69'S. 118° 22.84'E. Hema map 74, J 7.
Table, shade, rubbish bins, 25m max from highway, marginal big rigs.
[33.8 km]
438.3 km (94.9 km) Manypeaks .. Post Office .. north side.
[? km] Query distance from Manypeaks .. forgot to measure!
Signed parking .. south side .. just west of cross roads .. small level gravel loop off/on highway
with short dead end track at rear .. OK small rigs.
Class 2-. 34° 50.76'S. 118° 09.12'E. Hema map 76, query J 6.
No shade, rubbish bin, 30m max to highway, OK big rigs just parking at edge of loop.
[27.8 km] from Mnaypeaks.
466.1 km (67.1 km) Junction .. north side .. to Borden etc.
[9.9 km]
476.0 km (57.2 km) Large roundabout .. Albany outskirts. Turn left for Albany city .. we travelled 2.4 km past Woolworths on
the left to a roundabout at the end of the main shopping centre .. extremely limited parking for our rig so we
came back to the large roundabout .. hard turn left for Frenchmans Bay .. suspect this is also route to wharf area.
So we took the Lower Denamrk Road to Cosy Corner etc. rather than the main highway west.
Instead of the hard left turn, a normal ninety degree turn and you are continuing on the South Coast Highway west.
[2.2 km] Towards Frenchmans Bay.
478.2 km (55.0 km) Turn west (right) .. signed.
[0.2 km]
478.4 km (54.8 km) Turn north (right) .. signed .. into Lower Denmark Road.
[22.8 km] Fairly narrow road.
501.2 km (32.0 km) Junction .. south side .. signed .. Cosy Corner Road .. to Cosy Corner.
Travel 3.6 km along that road to Cosy Corner East Road on the left .. take that road, after 0.7 km, Cosy Corner
East is on the right. There is a loop of road with SMALL parking bays off that loop just 30m from beach. Over
hanging trees in most parking bays. We parked parallel to road and blocked a couple of bays, but few people there.
* Class 2+. 35° 03.56'S. 117° 38.80'E. Hema map 74, K 6.
Toilets, tables, shade, rubbish bins, quiet, OK medium size rigs, 7 day limit, no TV, no CDMA.
[13.0 km] Continuing west, road still narrow.
514.2 km (19.0 km) Youngs Siding .. west side .. ? possible parking (? general store) alternatively gravel pit on east side.
[1.5 km]
515.7 km (17.5 km) Junction .. South Coast Highway .. we turned west.
[10.7 km]
526.4 km (6.8 km) Signed parking .. south side .. long (about 250m) gravel loop off/on highway.
Class 2. 34° 58.13'S. 117° 25.38'E. Hema map 74, K 6.
Table, little shade, rubbish bin, 30m max from highway, OK big rigs.
[6.8 km]
533.2 km (0 km) Denmark. Signed caravan parking along road to south immediately west of bridge. This parking seemed
a long way to the business centre, which in turn was congested with narrow streets. So we didn't stop!
It was not clear to me where the South Coast Highway transitioned into the South Western Highway.
So Denmark was chosen as this transition point!
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