7th - 12th Nov
 
Sandy Point is a place we had heard many good things from fellow travellers, but it was a big drive, 29klms, so we slept in to build up our strength for the ordeal! The drive is actually an additional 7klm including the gravel/sand road which leads off the Highway, so we find ourselves less than an hour after departing Billy Goat here in front of the "Camp Hosts" site, but 4th in line to get a campsite! Don't like this at all, that is till Rhonda, the Hostess, came up to us and asked how long we wanted to stay and were we alone. Answering correctly she pointed to what we came to see as the prime site in the widely spaced camp area. 
 
We began with 2 nights but probably more, and then extended, and extended and almost cried when we thought we should depart. Days and nights just became daze and sleep and so this journal shan't be a day by day account, it was a blur!

Sandy Point is a high sandy finger sticking north west into the Indian Ocean. On the northern side it shelters a kilometre long sweeping sandy bay, protecting it from the SW winds and waves. offshore about 2klm a line of reefs and a couple of long low islands offer further protection, so even in the event of a large sea the bay is like a lagoon. A few mornings with an off-shore breeze it was just a clear, sparkling, turquoise pool highlighted by the sweeping fine white sand common to this area. The campsites are along this bay sitting behind a 3 metre foliage covered sand dune, and our site backed onto that dune adjacent to an access track....heaven!
 
We swam, we fished, we walked and just sunbaked on the beach for a few days. We did explore, in fact on the first day Jurien Bay, the main township about 15klm south, had a weekend of celebration for the Blessing of the Fleet of Cray Fishing boats which included markets, food and entertainment. Jurien is a lovely community with great facilities, especially focused on holiday makers being within a 2 hour drive of Perth. It has the best Bakery owned by Chines/Vietnamese who also serve their own cuisine for lunch and dinner. The Info Centre is top class and the staff really helpful with tips for the surrounding region where several National Parks offer different attractions and experiences.
 
Lesueur NP was the first on our to do list, set 25klm inland in rolling hill country with scattered jump-ups dominating the landscape, it is the home to the widest collection of wild flowers you have seen. This is very late in the season for a visit, however, the wild flowers were still plentiful and made us marvel at how this countryside must look ablaze with reds, yellow, blue, white and many other colours and shades during the season. The first trip to here we enjoyed a slow 2klm walk around a small jump-up just admiring the wildflowers amongst the very hardy shrubby bush of this open veld like land. In a few days we returned for a more arduous walk to the top of the largest jump-up, Mt Lesueur itself. The 4klm walk made its was down (always a bad sign) into a creek bed then a strong ascent along a rather rough and rocky trail to the table flat plateau, then across to the south western side offering a spectacular view over the NP, wheat properties and out to the Indian Ocean.
 
Visiting the Jurien Bay Area would be incomplete without a day in the Pinnacles (photos abound), also about 20klm inland climbing to a high desert, time and weather have eroded much of the sandstone in this region leaving large bowls of fine sand with congregated masses of stone pillars standing guard. Shapes and sizes differ from small anthills to slender pillars over 5 metres tall. There appears no rhythm or sense to the groupings, either in the hollows or on low sandy ridges. Here you can self-drive a 7klm trail through the "lost city" like structures, stopping as you wish for photos or to just experience this phenomenon. It is a visually amazing place, one we would not drive past and are very happy to have enjoyed the experience.
 
The day out at Pinnacles meant we travelled through Cervantes, which sounds somewhat flash, but in reality it is another fishing village with a large caravan park for the holiday hordes. The attraction here is the Tavern which had great write-ups on TripAdvisor, the perfect excuse for a lunch. Unfortunately this was a Monday and the restaurant was closed, however, the full menu was still available from the main bar. A decent feed and a few quiet ales ensured. About 3klm south of Cervantes is a lone very high sandhill with a lookout atop, we took the short drive and enjoyed a really spectacular view of the coast north and south and the outer reef several kilometres our to sea. 
 
Our stay at Sandy really went in a blur of activity and relaxation. This is a place to chill until you need some activity, and activity abounds in this region! Definitely a 5 Star destination for the caravaning, RV'ing and camping community!