b'CLUB SPOTLIGHTpark where we set up a standing camp and did dayNext morning we were lined up on the beach at trips exploring from there. 8.30 to catch the early barge (which must be booked Shelter Bay is a 160km drive in from the Northwell ahead online) to DHI. As it can only take one West Coastal Highway via Shelter Bay Road and thenvehicle with or without a trailer at a time, with a Loop Road. Loop Road is a good gravel road to the salt20 minute return trip it was nearly 2 hrs before we mine, after which it deteriorates to a rough and badlywere all across. From the landing at Cape Ransonnet corrugated track across flood plains and sandy dunesits a 33km drive on a heavily corrugated road to for 100km. Its mostly 30-40km/hr., so allow plenty ofHomestead Bay camping area where we camped for time for this section.the next 4 nights. After signing in at the Ranger Station, as it wasDirk Hartog is a sand island with 600m high getting late in the day we opted to drive the 18kmrugged rocky cliffs and sandy bays. After a morning to Steep point, the most westerly part of mainlandcoffee at the Inscription caf and a bit of beach fishing Australia, before setting up camp back at Shelter baywe spent the rest of the day exploring the island. on the beach. In hindsight it would have been wiserIn the south. Surf Point is a sanctuary zone (so no for those of us towing to drop the campers at campfishing) and known for the many dozens of Nervous because the track is narrow, hilly and winding. SteepWhalers (related to Bronze Whalers but only 1m point was very windy but the view along the coastlinelong) swimming in the shallow water close to the and hinterland dunes with the setting sun wasbeach in the bay. Its truly an amazing site.fabulous, it was not hard to imagine being an explorerA bit further north there are the blowholes along making landfall here for the first time. the rugged and spectacular western cliffs. The tide Back at our designated camp area (bookingsand swell werent in our favour for creating any essential in busy period) the strong southerly windhuge displays but there was still plenty of big waves channeled through the valley behind made settingcrashing beneath the 600m high cliffs. As that south up tents impossible and a bit of a challenge for thewestern track finishes at the blowholes, to visit points campers. Luckily it abated a bit later in the nightof interest further north requires heading back to but something to account for there as none of theHomestead Bay and travelling up the Inscription camp areas offer any shelter from the prevailing andtrack on the eastern side.persistent southerly winds. In contrast to the western side, the east coast is TRACKWATCH|Summer 2025 19'