2010253-0812-12000 RECYCLE RECYCLE Please return unwanted brochures to distribution points distribution to brochures unwanted return Please Front cover cover Front Photo – Tourism WA Tourism – Photo Park. National Grand Le Cape Peak, Frenchman This publication is available in alternative formats on request. on formats alternative in available is publication This Information current at August 2012. August at current Information www.dec.wa.gov.au Phone (08) 9334 0333 0333 9334 (08) Phone Information and recreation guide recreation and Information 17 Dick Perry Avenue, Kensington WA 6151 WA Kensington Avenue, Perry Dick 17 Below Below Photo – Klaus Tiedemann/DEC Klaus – Photo Peak. Frenchman from taken landscape Granite State Operations Headquarters Operations State Fax (08) 9841 3329 9841 (08) Fax allow 2.5 hours of medium walking. medium of hours 2.5 allow Phone (08) 9842 4500 4500 9842 (08) Phone Bay: Rossiter – Bay Lucky • 120 Albany Highway, Albany WA 6330 WA Albany Highway, Albany 120 allow 45 minutes medium walking medium minutes 45 allow South Coast Regional Office Regional Coast South Cove: Thistle – Trail Heritage • allow two hours of hard walking hard of hours two allow Fax (08) 9071 3657 9071 (08) Fax Cove: Thistle – Bay Hellfire • Phone (08) 9083 2100 2100 9083 (08) Phone allow three hours of hard walking hard of hours three allow 92 Dempster St, Esperance WA 6450 WA Esperance St, Dempster 92 Bay: Hellfire – Beach Grand Le • Esperance District Office District Esperance The track falls into shorter sections. All times are one way: one are times All sections. shorter into falls track The Phone (08) 9083 2100 9083 (08) Phone carry drinking water with you. with water drinking carry 92 Dempster St, Esperance WA 6450 WA Esperance St, Dempster 92 Rossiter Bay, and features excellent coastal views. Always Always views. coastal excellent features and Bay, Rossiter Peak Charles National Park National Charles Peak The track runs from Le Grand Beach via Hellfire Bay to to Bay Hellfire via Beach Grand Le from runs track The Phone/fax (08) 9076 8541 8541 9076 (08) Phone/fax Coastal Track Coastal 15 kilometres one way one kilometres 15 — RMB 7138, Esperance WA 6450 WA Esperance 7138, RMB Stokes National Park National Stokes park. Allow 1.5 hours hard walking. hard hours 1.5 Allow park. the peak to the summit, which features great views over the the over views great features which summit, the to peak the A/H (08) 9075 9027 9075 (08) A/H A track leads from the car park, up the gentle east slope of of slope east gentle the up park, car the from leads track A Fax (08) 9075 9073 9073 9075 (08) Fax Frenchman Peak Frenchman 3 kilometres return kilometres 3 — Phone (08) 9075 9072 9072 9075 (08) Phone Cape Le Grand Le Cape PO Box 706, Esperance WA 6450 WA Esperance 706, Box PO Cape Le Grand National Park National Grand Le Cape magnificent views of the inlet and surrounds. and inlet the of views magnificent Fees are used to improve facilities and help offset costs. offset help and facilities improve to used are Fees have occurred to the inlet environment. The path gives gives path The environment. inlet the to occurred have Visitor fees apply to Cape Le Grand and Stokes national parks. parks. national Stokes and Grand Le Cape to apply fees Visitor The trail has on-site plaques describing changes which which changes describing plaques on-site has trail The contact them if you need information or assistance. or information need you if them contact easy walk. walk. easy DEC officers are always glad to help. Don’t hesitate to to hesitate Don’t help. to glad always are officers DEC Stokes Inlet Trail Trail Inlet Stokes – Allow 1.5 hours for this 3.8-kilometre 3.8-kilometre this for hours 1.5 Allow – More information More Stokes National Park National Stokes Above Above Photo – Tourism WA Tourism – Photo Park. National Stokes Homestead, Moir Above Above Photo – Klaus Tiedemann/DEC Klaus – Photo Park. National Stokes in Cape Shoal s – Cape Le Grand – Stokes – Grand Le Cape – s Charle Peak parks national Esperance Esperance Parks of Esperance Wild coastal scenery, rugged granite peaks, and sweeping heathlands characterise the national parks of the Esperance area. Cape Le Grand National Park, 50 kilometres east of Esperance by sealed road, features attractive bays with wide sandy beaches set between rocky headlands. Inland, the park protects an undulating heath-covered sandplain interspersed with swamps and freshwater pools. In the south-west corner of the park, massive rock outcrops Above Lucky Bay, Cape Le Grand National Park. Photo – Tourism WA of granite and gneiss form an impressive chain of peaks including Mt Le Grand (345 metres), Frenchman Peak (262 metres) and Mississippi Hill (180 metres). The environment Stokes National Park protects the wildlife habitats of Stokes Stokes National Park, 80 kilometres west of Esperance, The national parks and nature reserves of the Esperance Inlet and the surrounding heathland and lake systems. encompasses Stokes Inlet and features long beaches and region form a network of conservation areas that protects Yate, swamp yate, and paperbark form dense low forests rocky headlands backed by sand dunes and low hills. The a wide variety of native plant communities and landscapes. near the wetlands, which in turn support a great variety of waterbirds. Keep a wary eye open for tiger snakes inlet and its associated lakes support a rich variety of At Cape Le Grand, the peaks of the park’s south-west when walking in the wetlands. In autumn look out for wildlife and are an important park of this national park. corner are formed from massive outcrops of Precambrian the magnificent yellow flowers of the bell-fruited mallee, granite and gneiss, exposed by erosion and movements in One hundred kilometres inland from Stokes is Peak Charles Eucalyptus preissiana, which only grows to about one metre. National Park. This ancient granite peak and its companion, the Earth’s crust during the past 600 million years. Peak Charles National Park protects a pristine area of dry Peak Eleanora, give sweeping views over the dry sandplain During the Eocene period, some 40 million years ago, sea woodlands, sandplain heaths and salt lake vegetation, in heaths and salt lake systems of the surrounding country. levels were at least 300 metres above their present level the middle of which rise Peak Charles (651 metres) and Peak Peak Charles lies within the Great Western Woodlands and and these peaks would have been largely submerged. Eleanora (501 metres). is one of the key gateways to this area. There are limited The caves and tunnels found in the peaks are thought to visitor facilities in this wild area, so go prepared and carry have been either formed or enlarged by wave action and The Peak Charles walk leads from the car park to a point your own water. underwater currents. on the south-east ridge, from which extensive views of Peak Eleanora are obtained. Beyond here, the walk to the Warm summers from December to March are followed The sandplains which cover much of the park support a summit is only suitable for experienced bushwalkers or rock by cool winters. Most rain falls during the winter months great variety of plant and animal life. Flowers are those climbers, as it involves exposed rock scrambling. between April and October. typical of the south-west. In areas of deep sand, dense National parks, state forests, nature reserves and wildlife thickets of Banksia speciosa thrive, growing to three or Like the peaks at Cape Le Grand, both peaks were islands throughout the state are managed for the people of four metres tall. On gravel outcrops and in areas where during the late Eocene, and wave-cut platforms can be seen Western Australia by the Department of Environment and the soil is shallow, Banksia pulchella may be found. When on their upper slopes. Conservation ( DEC). While you’re in the Esperance area in flower, the banksias are a source of nectar and insects drop into our office for more information on WA’s natural for the tiny honey possum, while after dark the quenda, or environment. southern brown bandicoot, forages in the understorey for Below left to right Showy banksia (Banksia speciosa) and Cape grubs and worms. Le Grand coastal trail. Photos – Tourism WA. Honey possum on Below Cape Le Grand. Photo – Tourism WA pincushion hakea (Hakea laurina). Photo – Ian Solomon Things to see and do Remember Facilities such as toilets, gas barbecues, tables and Be careful rubbish bins are provided at places shown on the maps. Stay on paths and help prevent erosion. Your safety in Information shelters on site will tell you more about these natural areas is our concern, but your responsibility. national parks. Be clean Camping Put your litter in bins or, better still, take it with you. Two camping grounds are situated in Cape Le Grand Be cool National Park; one at Lucky Bay and the other at Le Grand Beach (see map). Facilities include flushing toilets, showers Fires are only permitted at Peak Charles during the cooler and campers’ kitchens. months. Firewood is not to be sourced from within the Above Looking west over Lucky Bay. Photo – Klaus Tiedemann/DEC national park. Camping fees apply to both Cape Le Grand and Stokes national parks. Wood fires are not permitted. Free gas Normal fisheries regulations apply in national parks. Fishing Protect animals and plants barbecues are provided. is popular at both Cape Le Grand and Stokes national parks. Firearms and pets are not permitted within these national At Stokes National Park the main camp site is located on Many species can be caught, including Australian salmon, parks.