Esperance is known for the islands of the Recherche Archipelago dotting the ocean, a number of rock formations, white sands and bright turquoise waters used to complete the picture, but in the last 12 months a new major attraction has emerged, charter flights over Lake Hiller, the pink lake on Middle Island just off Cape Arid.
Esperance has always been known as a place with so much to see and do and a visit to Cindy Poole’s Section Glass Gallery is a must-see experience. See the concept leading to the creation of the new waterfront sculptures by local artists Cindy Poole and Jason Wooldridge. All glass inserts in the spectacular whale tail on the redeveloped foreshore came from Cindy’s gallery.
Minutes up the road you’ll find Mermaid Leather, Australia’s only specialist fish and shark leather tannery, born in the Golden Outback of WA. Mermaid Leather produces unique and aesthetically appealing strong fish and shark leather, with designers across the country now embracing the delicate pattern of fish leather for its soft, sensual texture yet robust strength. Speak to the artisans and manufacturers directly who produce the items on site, enjoy a free 15 minute DVD presentation showing the process of making fish leather and get up and close with the materials themselves.
If it’s an open-air experience you’re after, Esperance Island Cruises offer half and full day scenic wildlife cruises through islands in the archipelago, stopping and seeing wildlife along the way. Regular sightings include sea lions, New Zealand fur seals, dolphins, Cape Barren geese, white bellied sea eagles and whales, depending on the season. Morning tea is served on board and Jaimen Hudson from Esperance Island Cruises said that visitors on the cruise see the town from an entirely different perspective.
For something out of the ordinary, visit Esperance Stonehenge, a spectacular 2500 tonne granite attraction, established on the property of owners Kim and Jillian Beale in 2011. The build took 10 months to complete and has since proved very popular with visitors. Mrs Beale said Esperance Stonehenge was a photographer’s wonderland. “Walk among the stones to feel the grandeur of the beautiful, full-sized sculpture,” she said. “Many tourists have expressed the opinion that Esperance’s henge is better [than the original in England] as you can go in and see how it would have looked in the UK all those years ago.”
To explore Esperance’s coastline, be driven along its beautiful beaches in total comfort on a 4WD beaches and Cape Le Grand tour. A few companies offer tours to Cape Le Grand via the surfaced roads and beaches and allow you to experience the kangaroos on Lucky Bay, Australia’s whitest beach as declared by the National Committee on Soil and Terrain.
Esperance is truly a little out of the way, but when you get there you will see it’s out of this world! For more information why not ring the Esperance Visitor Centre on 1300 664 455 or visit their website www.visitesperance.com
