SAY G’DAY TO LUCKY BAY

There are two places called “Lucky Bay” in Western Australia. The whole world knows about one of them, the other is the little town of Kalbarri’s best kept secret!
OUR DAYS WERE SPENT LIVING THE DREAM
Thanks to the glossy tourist brochures, you’ve probably heard of Western Australia’s prized Lucky Bay, which is located near Esperance. It’s world famous for its pristine and stunning white beaches and abundance of kangaroos hopping about. However, there’s also a lesser known “Lucky Bay” near Kalbarri, which is about 530km north of Perth. It’s still on the beach, but here you can escape the crowds and experience some truly awesome 4WDing in the sand dunes. So, we reckon it’s time to leave the Instagrammers to their all-important Kangaroo selfies and get off the beaten track!
WHAT’S THE CAMPING LIKE?
While we had planned to stay on the beach for the duration of our stay, we received word from the local caretaker that strong winds, typical of this area were forecasted for our second and third night of our stay. So, we followed their advice and opted for the extra protection from the wind at the main campground this time around. There is loads of space available, easy two-wheel drive access and plenty of different campsites to choose from.
If you choose to camp beyond the main campground, you will need to be self-sufficient in all aspects and a chemical toilet is a pre-requisite. There are also no fire rings for beach camping. Fires are only permitted (in season) with the use of the portable fire pit.
BEACH DRIVING WITH THE KIDS
We love to get the kids involved in the 4WDing side of our adventure. So before hitting the beach I asked the little fella what tyre pressure I should run. Often a precarious question, but of course it always comes with the disclaimer that I won’t necessarily go with whatever figure he throws out. The purpose instead, is the opportunity for the kids to learn the effects of different tyre pressures in relation to the footprint and conditions of where we are headed. On this occasion he suggested 18Psi. Personally, I would’ve gone down a little less, but we had no problems with that pressure. The sand can definitely get a little soft, particularly near the shoreline. There are bypass tracks located all around the place, so you have plenty of options.
The dune system at Lucky Bay, Kalbarri covers quite a large area and it’s great for a bit of fun and exploring. It’s important to keep in mind that some of the dunes can be very steep, so it’s best to approach dunes straight-on rather than attacking them on an angle.
HOW’S THE SERENITY?
Our days were spent living the dream, going back and forth between our cosy little camp and the absolutely gorgeous beachside attractions. Daily refreshing dips in the ocean were mandatory, as was the fishing and spectacular dune driving on offer. Thanks to some local knowledge we managed to find a reef about a 100m offshore, which creates a naturally protected lagoon of nice calm water. There’s essentially little-to-no waves, so it’s perfect for the little tackers to have a swim, paddle the kayak or throw in a line.
For me, my absolute favourite part of our visit to Lucky Bay was parking our 4WD up on top of the towering sand dunes just behind camp each afternoon. The kids ran around, played footy, laughed and wrestled whilst we sat back and relaxed with a few snacks as the sun majestically set over the ocean.
HELP IS ON THE WAY
Whilst on the beach in Lucky Bay we helped recover a 200 series Landcruiser. The more he tried to self-recover the closer he was getting to the water (that slope and some help from gravity of course). The driver had only had the vehicle a few weeks and as yet didn’t have any recovery points on the front, and it was fitted with highway tyres. He did have one set of small recovery boards with him but in the end it took 8 sets of boards and a recovery vehicle to snatch him out. It’s always a good idea to travel with at least another vehicle if you’re new to 4WDing just in case anything should happen you’ll have help at hand.
SURROUNDING ATTRACTIONS
Kalbarri is only around half an hour’s drive from Lucky Bay, so if you need to restock or just forget a couple of essentials you can head in for a day trip.
It’s also a great opportunity to check out the beauty of Kalbarri National Park. We took the chance to check out the newly opened Skywalk. The twin platforms extend 25m and 17m beyond the gorge rim and a staggering 100m above the Murchison River. Maybe not for anyone that’s scared of heights, but the views are simply amazing. There’s also plenty of hiking tracks through the National Park and famous spots like Nature’s Window are a must see.
PARTING WORDS
At the end of the day, most of us love to get out there and explore the outdoors to create good times lasting memories with our loved ones. If that sounds about right to your, Lucky Bay will most definitely tick all of your camping criteria boxes!