The drive to Parry's Beach was a tiring 48klm, fortunately it did not take us very long. Parry's sports a very popular campsite, council owned and managed by volunteers who receive free stay, power and water for their efforts. There is no township, village or hamlet here, just a few farmhouses on the 8klm road in to this sheltered hook nosed bay. Now the downside....no van or motorhome over 2.75 metres in height can be admitted to this park due to overhanging trees, narrow roads and very tight sites. We had read this on Wikicamps, our travel bible, the day before, so Evi rang the landline provided and was connected to council who told us that if we cannot enter (and we cannot) then we can use the "overflow" area next door for 24 hours! Done deal!

Without too many superlatives, Parry's is just a stunning place . A southerly hook of the bay protects this place which has a long beach sweeping away eastward. The campsite snuggles into the base of the hook with the entrance road running straight onto the hard sand beach allowing free vehicle access to about 10klm of beach driving. The bay in the immediate front is turquoise with spots of black denoting exposed rock platforms, and is protected by a low solid rock island the size of a squash court. The water of this protected area averages waist deep, and is cold!

The beach is quite narrow, possibly 20 metres wide, and bounded by a 10 metre high sand dune. There is a break in the dune a kilometre east where a sand blocked estuary breaks through during heavy rains, beyond this spot the sand dune becomes a vegetation covered hill, then a cliff in the distance.

We spent an enjoyable afternoon here, having driven to near the estuary where the dune provide a lee to the wind, we further used the Patrol for protection, set up the beach umbrella, a few chairs, a few beers and wine, a picnic lunch followed by sun baking, swimming and reading! Life's a Beach!