Snapshot
| Where | South coast between Bremer Bay and Hopetoun, Western Australia — About 488km and 5 hours 15 minutes from Perth to Bremer Bay at the western end · About 580km from Perth to Hopetoun at the eastern end · 185km and 1 hour 50 minutes from Albany to the park's western entrance · 200km and 2 hours from Esperance |
|---|---|
| Getting there | Hamersley Drive is sealed from Hopetoun through to Hamersley Inlet and open to 2WDs; the western access roads toward Point Ann and St Mary Inlet are unsealed, as are Quiss Road/Pabelup Drive and Devils Creek Road; the 4WD tracks to Whalebone Beach, Quoin Head and the Moir track close most often, and unsealed roads close after rain and to limit the spread of Phytophthora dieback |
| Best time | September–November — peak wildflowers across the heath, the tail of the southern right whale season at Point Ann, and mild spring walking weather |
| Worst time | January–February — the hottest months, with February average maximums near 40°C, bushfire risk at its highest and total fire bans that can close the park |
| Time needed | 2–3 days — the sealed eastern side and the unsealed Point Ann side sit at opposite ends of a park nearly 300,000 hectares in size, and the walks are spread along the whole coast |
| Cost | Vehicle entry $17 per day ($10 concession) or $8 per person in vehicles carrying more than 12 ($3.50 concession), $10 per motorcycle; Four Mile camping $20 adult, $15 concession, $5 child per night; Shire of Ravensthorpe campgrounds $22.50 per site per night |
| Facilities | No drinking water supplied at Four Mile (any untreated water must be treated before drinking); pit toilets, a hot-water shower, gas barbecues and a food preparation shelter at Four Mile; no bins anywhere in the park; no fuel inside the park; mobile reception intermittent and thinnest in the west |
| Best for | Wildflower walkers and botanists · whale watchers from June to October · self-sufficient campers happy on gravel roads |
| Difficulty |
3 of 5 — Challenging
The lookouts and the Point Ann trail are easy, but the headline walks — East Mount Barren and the Hakea and Mamang trails — are steep, rough or multi-day, and unsealed roads close after rain, which can put the whole western side out of reach. |
Driving there? Car hire and what to check →
Fitzgerald River National Park covers the coastal ranges, heath and inlets of Western Australia's south coast between Bremer Bay and Hopetoun, in the country of the Goreng, Menang and Wudjari peoples. It is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and was added to the National Heritage List in 2016 for the diversity of its native plants, and it holds about 1,800 plant species — close to a fifth of every plant species described in Western Australia — with about 75 of them growing nowhere else. The soils here are ancient, sandy and almost infertile, and that poverty is precisely what drives the heath to diversify, species by species, into one of the richest floras anywhere.
Two things bring people here. From June to October, southern right whales calve in the shallows off Point Ann, and purpose-built platforms stand above them. From about August to November the heath flowers — royal hakea, Qualup bell and barrens regelia among the endemics. Come in spring and you can see both. Then the practical side: most of the park is unsealed, camping is limited, drinking water is not supplied, so plan before you leave Perth.
Go if…
- Wildflowers are the reason you travel — about 1,800 plant species here, with about 75 growing nowhere else
- You want to see southern right whales and calves from a clifftop platform between June and October
- You're happy on unsealed roads, carrying your own water and booking a small campground months ahead
- You like quiet coast — wide beaches, low heath and long walking tracks rather than resorts
Skip it if…
- You want sealed roads and serviced walks throughout — most of the park is gravel and the western side closes after rain
- Your dates fall in December to March, when temperatures climb toward 40°C and the bushfire risk peaks
- You need fuel, drinking water, phone signal or a shop inside the park — there are none
- You're travelling with a dog — pets are not permitted anywhere in the park and the park is baited with 1080 poison
What to expect
Reviewed
You come into the park from either end, and the difference between them matters. From Hopetoun, Hamersley Drive is sealed all the way to Hamersley Inlet, so a 2WD reaches the eastern walks, Four Mile Beach and the campgrounds without trouble. From the west, the roads in toward Point Ann and St Mary Inlet are unsealed, and they close after rain — sometimes for long stretches through winter. The 4WD tracks to Whalebone Beach, Quoin Head and the Moir track close most often, and any unsealed road can shut at short notice to stop the spread of Phytophthora dieback. There is no fuel in the park: fill up at Hopetoun, Bremer Bay, Ravensthorpe or Jerramungup, and check the DBCA alerts page before you leave town.
The park's skyline is a set of low quartzite ranges known as the Barrens, and East Mount Barren is the one you will want to climb. The walk is 3 km and graded difficult — steep and rocky, with a formed boardwalk only at the start — and the summit sits at 450 m with the whole eastern end spread below: Culham Inlet, the Eyre Range, Hamersley Inlet and, on a clear line south-west, the Doubtful Islands up to 65 km away near Bremer Bay. Take the boardwalk slowly at the start, where the track runs through low coastal heath, and look down as you go, because this is the richest ground in the park. Barrens regelia grows on the slopes — crimson flowers held on pale, velvet stems — and the car park on the western side of the mountain is a wildflower display in its own right, with yellow hibbertias and pink and red Gompholobium pea flowers in the low scrub. In September and October the whole hillside can be a mosaic of colour, and you see it at knee height rather than from a lookout.
Point Ann is the western showpiece. The bay curves into a long white beach, and from June to October southern right whales bring their calves into the shallows — one of only three places on the Australian coast where they gather in large numbers. Mothers calve on average once every three years, and the newborns are 4.5–6 m long and about 1.5 tonnes. Two viewing platforms sit above the dunes, and the 1.5 km Heritage Trail runs between them along a section of the original rabbit-proof fence. Come in the middle of the day with binoculars, keep back from the cliff edge, and give this coast the space it asks for — the Southern Ocean here is unpredictable, with sudden large swells and slippery rock.
The rest of the park is about water and heath seen from above. Barrens Lookout gives you Culham Inlet in one frame — quartzite outcrops in the foreground, green heath running down to the water and the coastline beyond — and Mount Maxwell (200 m, easy) and Sepulcralis Hill (600 m, moderately easy) are quick, low-effort lookouts at the western end, while No Tree Hill takes 6 km to reach 262 m for a similar inland view. Watch the ground as well as the horizon: the park holds 22 mammal species, including the dibbler, a small marsupial rediscovered in 1967 and now found reliably only in long-unburnt heath, and the heath rat, thought extinct until it turned up in the Ravensthorpe Range in 1987. Birders come for the western bristlebird, the western ground parrot and Carnaby's black cockatoo among the 209 bird species recorded. Stand back from headlands and cliff edges everywhere you walk — the slopes are unstable and the swell arrives without warning.
Where to stay
Most people base in Hopetoun for the sealed eastern side or Bremer Bay for Point Ann, camping inside the park at Four Mile or Hamersley Inlet and using the towns for fuel, food and showers.
When bookings open: Four Mile Campground bookings are essential and open up to 180 days ahead, and the Shire of Ravensthorpe's Hamersley Inlet, Mason Bay and Starvation Bay sites open up to 210 days ahead. DBCA publishes no other booking window for this park. Official booking page. Checked 7 November 2026. Booking dates for every state.
| Stay | Guest rating | Best for | Distance | Style | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Four Mile Campground (DBCA) | Not rated | Base camp for East Mount Barren, Cave Point and Four Mile Beach | Inside the park's eastern end, a short walk from Barrens Beach | 15 unpowered sites — 10 reverse-in compacted gravel, 5 loose gravel for tents and swags · pit toilets, hot-water shower, gas barbecues · bookings essential, up to 180 days ahead | Book now |
| Hamersley Inlet Campground (Shire of Ravensthorpe) | Not rated | The Hamersley Inlet Trail and a quiet evening on the water | Inside the park at the end of the sealed section of Hamersley Inlet Road | 14 sites, year-round access, toilets and gas barbecues, small boat launch nearby · $22.50 per site per night, pre-booked online up to 210 days ahead | Book now |
| Wavecrest Tourist Park | Not rated | Powered sites and a bistro within minutes of the park's eastern entrance | About 3km from Hopetoun, a short sealed drive from Hamersley Drive | Large powered drive-through sites and self-contained chalets (sites not suited to tents), with bar, bistro, bottle shop and takeaway | Check rates |
| Hopetoun Beachside Caravan Park | Not rated | A town base with the Barrens as a backdrop and dogs allowed on sites | In Hopetoun town centre, a few kilometres from the park's eastern entrance | Powered and unpowered sites and cabins · campfires permitted except on Total Fire Ban days · dogs allowed in the caravan and camping area only | Check rates |
| Bremer Bay Resort | 8.6 / 10 (Expedia) | The western side — a motel bed close to Point Ann and the Bremer Bay coast | In Bremer Bay, the gateway to the park's western end | Three-star motel-style rooms with breakfast and lunch dining, bar and lounge | Check rates |
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What to do here
8 walks & sights
East Mount Barren summit walk
The signature climb of the park, on its eastern edge above Hopetoun. The track is 3 km and graded difficult — steep and rocky underfoot, with a formed boardwalk only near the start — and the summit reaches 450 m. From the top you look over winding road, white beaches and turquoise sea, and inland to Culham Inlet, the Eyre Range and Hamersley Inlet; on a clear day the Doubtful Islands sit up to 65 km south-west toward Bremer Bay. The car park on the western side is worth time of its own, with barrens regelia, hibbertias and Gompholobium pea flowers in the low heath. Start early, carry water, and clean your boots and gear before and after the walk.
Point Ann whale watching and Heritage Trail
The best whale watching on this coast, and the reason many people come at all. Two purpose-built platforms stand above the bay, where southern right whales calve in the shallows from June to the end of October, and the Heritage Trail runs 1.5 km between them along a section of the original rabbit-proof fence, with interpretation panels and views over Point Charles Bay. Bring binoculars, keep well back from the cliff edges and unstable slopes, and treat the drive in as part of the day — the roads here are unsealed and close after rain.
Cave Point lookout and West Beach
The most accessible viewpoint in the park: a formed path of 600 m return with a gentle incline and two rest stops, suitable for wheelchairs, out to jagged, tilted rocks and the wave-cut platform below East Mount Barren's seaward slope. It is also the eastern trailhead of the Hakea Walk Trail, and a good place for seabirds, headland wildflowers and, in season, whales. The West Beach walk continues 1.6 km return along the coast.
West Mount Barren
The shorter of the two Barrens climbs, at the eastern end of the ranges. It is 1.7 km return and needs reasonable fitness rather than scrambling experience, and it gives you the heath country laid out in every direction without the commitment of East Mount Barren. Combine it with the drive west toward Point Ann, and allow for the unsealed road surface.
Hamersley Inlet Trail
Hamersley Inlet sits where the river meets the sea at the end of the sealed section of the road, and this Class 3 trail works around the water from the inlet car park, 30 minutes from Hopetoun along Hamersley Drive. It is listed as 3.6 km return and up to 2 hours, though DBCA's park page gives a shorter 1.7 km version, so treat the distance as a guide rather than a promise. It meets the Hakea Walk Trail at Hamersley, with a 1.5 km link trail back to the car park. This is the park's evening spot: the water goes still, the ranges behind it silhouette, and the Shire campground sits a few steps away with gas barbecues and a small boat launch.
Hakea Walk Trail
The park's big coastal walk, from the Cave Point car park west to Quoin Head, marked with the royal hakea symbol. It is 23 km in total, graded difficult for rough surface, steep hills, rock hopping and limited signage, and it needs navigation and first-aid skills. Sections run Cave Point to West Beach Headland (3.3 km, 1 hour), then to Hamersley Inlet (8.1 km, 3 to 4 hours), Tamala Karst Lookout (3.5 km, 1 hour), Whalebone Creek Campground (5.3 km, 2 hours) and Quoin Head (6.2 km, 2 to 3 hours). 2WD access reaches Cave Point, West Beach and Hamersley Inlet; Whalebone Creek and Quoin Head are 4WD only, and the far western end is repeatedly affected by track closures after rain and fire.
Mamang Trail
The western counterpart to the Hakea, starting at Point Ann and running 15.5 km one way to Fitzgerald Inlet through the wildflower country around Lake Nameless and Point Charles. Walks from Point Ann run 10.6 km return to the Lake Nameless Lookout (3 to 4 hours, easy sandy track), 26.8 km return to Point Charles (9 to 10 hours) and the full 31 km return to the inlet (12 to 13 hours). Camping is available at the Fitzgerald River inlet with no water there. The access roads are unsealed and can close after rain.
Hamersley Drive and Four Mile Beach
The sealed spine of the eastern park and the easiest way to see it in an afternoon. It runs from just before Hopetoun through the ranges to Hamersley Inlet, with turn-offs to Four Mile Beach, Barrens Beach, Cave Point and East Mount Barren. Free gas barbecues for day visitors sit at Four Mile Beach, Hamersley Inlet and Point Ann picnic areas; there are no bins, so carry every bit of rubbish out, and there are no fires anywhere in the park. The central area of the park is a wilderness management zone with no vehicle access.
Fitzgerald River National Park itineraries: 1, 2 or 3 days
3 plans
One day: the eastern end from Hopetoun
- Early morning. Turn onto Hamersley Drive at Hopetoun and climb East Mount Barren from the car park on its western side: 3 km, graded difficult, to a 450m summit with Culham Inlet, the Eyre Range and Hamersley Inlet below.
- Late morning. Cave Point lookout (600m return, gentle incline, wheelchair-suitable) and the West Beach walk (1.6km return), at the eastern trailhead of the Hakea Walk Trail.
- Afternoon. The Hamersley Inlet Trail from the Hamersley Inlet car park (3.6km return, up to 2 hours, Class 3), then the sealed drive back to Hopetoun.
A day of short walks, with no night in the park. Vehicle entry is $17 per day ($10 concession) and covers your arrival day only. There is no fuel in the park, so fill up at Hopetoun before you turn onto Hamersley Drive, and carry 3 to 4 litres of water per person — no drinking water is supplied anywhere in the park. Hamersley Drive is sealed to Hamersley Inlet and fine for 2WDs; the walks are short but exposed, so check the DBCA alerts page before you leave town.
Two days: add Point Ann and a night in the park
- Day 1. The one-day plan above on the eastern side — East Mount Barren, Cave Point and the Hamersley Inlet Trail — camping at Four Mile.
- Day 2, morning. Drive the unsealed roads west to Point Ann and walk the Heritage Trail (1.5km, easy) between the two whale-viewing platforms. Southern right whales and their calves are in the bay from June to October.
- Day 2, afternoon. West Mount Barren (1.7km return) on the way back east, then Four Mile Beach and Barrens Beach near the campground.
One night at Four Mile Campground ($20 adult, $15 concession, $5 child per night), 15 unpowered sites — bookings are essential and open up to 180 days ahead, and no drinking water is supplied. Entry is $17 per vehicle per day ($10 concession) and covers your arrival day only. Fuel at Hopetoun or Bremer Bay before you head for the western side, and check the DBCA alerts page first: the Point Ann roads are unsealed and close after rain.
Three days: add a Hakea Walk Trail section
- Day 1. The eastern side: East Mount Barren, Cave Point and the Hamersley Inlet Trail.
- Day 2. Point Ann and the Heritage Trail in the morning, West Mount Barren (1.7km return) in the afternoon.
- Day 3, morning. Walk a section of the Hakea Walk Trail from the Cave Point car park: Cave Point to West Beach Headland (3.3km, about 1 hour), then West Beach Headland to Hamersley Inlet (8.1km, 3 to 4 hours), with the 1.5km Hamersley Inlet Link Trail back to the car park.
- Day 3, afternoon. Barrens Lookout over Culham Inlet, or the short lookouts nearby — Mount Maxwell (200m, easy) or Sepulcralis Hill (600m, moderately easy).
Two nights at Four Mile Campground ($20 adult, $15 concession, $5 child per night; bookings essential, up to 180 days ahead), or one night there and one at the Shire's Hamersley Inlet campground ($22.50 per site per night, booked online up to 210 days ahead). Day 3 is the Cave Point to Hamersley Inlet sections of the Hakea Walk Trail (3.3km then 8.1km) — the trail is graded difficult, with rough surfaces, steep hills and limited signage, so navigation and first-aid skills are required. Entry is $17 per vehicle per day ($10 concession) and covers your arrival day only. Carry 3 to 4 litres of water per person per day, and check the DBCA alerts page before you drive in, because the unsealed roads and the far western end of the trail close after rain and after bushfire.
Suggested gear for Fitzgerald River National Park
18 items
- Water bottles or a hydration bladder Carry at least 2 litres per person on the walks.
- Water treatment tablets or a filter Treat creek and camping-area water before drinking.
- Sun hat, sunscreen (SPF 50+) and sunglasses
- Sturdy, broken-in walking shoes or boots
- Day pack (20–30 L)
- First aid kit, including blister care
- Insect repellent
- Head torch with spare batteries
- Lightweight rain jacket
- Personal locator beacon Mobile coverage is unreliable in remote parks.
- Water capacity for 3–4 litres per person, plus electrolytes No drinking water is supplied anywhere in the park, and DBCA's own visitor brochure sets 3–4 litres as the daily minimum.
- Water treatment tablets or a filter Four Mile's water is untreated when available at all, and the western side has no water at the campsites.
- A full-size spare tyre and a tyre repair kit Most park roads are gravel, the western access is unsealed, and the nearest tyre help is in Hopetoun or Bremer Bay.
- A PLB or satellite messenger Mobile reception is intermittent in the park and thinnest in the west, and Trails WA recommends carrying two-way communication on these tracks.
- Offline GPS maps of the park Coverage drops out on the gravel roads, so download maps before you leave town — GPS-enabled Smart Park Maps exist for this park.
- Grippy, enclosed walking shoes with clean treads Tracks are rocky and steep on the Barrens, and clean footwear is part of the dieback hygiene the park requires at every trail.
- A stiff brush, disinfectant and a bucket for gear and tyres Roads close in wet weather to stop Phytophthora dieback, and DBCA asks visitors to wash boots, tyres and under-body before and after.
- Binoculars and a windproof shell Whale viewing at Point Ann happens from platforms 100m-plus above the water, and the coast wind off the Southern Ocean is cold even in spring.
How this compares
Fitzgerald River National Park vs Stirling Range National Park
Stirling Range, 185 km and about 1 hour 50 minutes west of Fitzgerald River's entrance, trades coastal heath for peaks — Bluff Knoll at 1,095 m is southern WA's highest point, on a 6.8 km return Class 4 walk that takes 3 to 4 hours. The wildflower story is the same quality but a different set of species, and the park road through the centre is unsealed. Choose Stirling Range for real mountain walking and summit weather; choose Fitzgerald River for coast, whales and a far richer endemic flora.
- Difficulty
- 3 of 5 — Challenging
- Access
- Unsealed park road through the centre linking peaks and picnic areas; Benwenerup campground; entry fees apply
- Best for
- Peak bagging · Bluff Knoll · wildflowers in a mountain setting
Fitzgerald River National Park vs Cape Le Grand National Park
Cape Le Grand, about 270 km and three hours east via Esperance, is the postcard coast — white quartz sand at Lucky Bay, Hellfire Bay and Thistle Cove, kangaroos on the beach and the 15 km Le Grand Coastal Trail. It is easier country to travel than Fitzgerald River, with sealed roads and better-known campgrounds that book out fast. Choose Cape Le Grand for swimming beaches and easy access; choose Fitzgerald River for wildflowers, whales and solitude.
- Difficulty
- 2 of 5 — Moderate
- Access
- Sealed road from Esperance (72 km, 50 minutes); Le Grand Beach and Lucky Bay campgrounds, bookings essential via DBCA
- Best for
- Beach swimming · coastal trail walking · family camping
Fitzgerald River National Park vs Cape Arid National Park
Cape Arid, east of Esperance and reached on unsealed roads, is the quiet end of this coastline — some of the most secluded beaches in Western Australia, and the same southern right whale coast continuing past Esperance. Facilities are thinner than at Fitzgerald River and the roads are rougher, so it rewards a well-set-up vehicle. Choose Cape Arid for remote beach camping and empty coast; choose Fitzgerald River for walks, wildflowers and easier gravel access.
- Difficulty
- 3 of 5 — Challenging
- Access
- Unsealed roads east of Esperance; remote camping, no services in the park
- Best for
- Remote 4WD touring · secluded beaches · fishing
Before you go
- Book Four Mile Campground up to 180 days ahead — bookings are essential and specific sites can't be reserved — and the Shire campgrounds (Hamersley Inlet, Mason Bay, Starvation Bay) up to 210 days ahead
- Vehicle entry is $17 per day ($10 concession), $8 per person for vehicles carrying more than 12 ($3.50 concession) or $10 per motorcycle, payable for your arrival day only; a park pass covers it
- Fuel up before entering. Hopetoun, Bremer Bay, Ravensthorpe and Jerramungup all have petrol stations; nothing inside the park
- Carry at least 3 to 4 litres of water per person per day — no drinking water is supplied in the park, and any untreated water at Four Mile must be treated
- Check the DBCA alerts page before you drive in. Unsealed roads and 4WD tracks close after rain, can stay closed for long stretches in winter, and close again after bushfire
- Clean your boots, tyres and under-body before and after you visit — roads close in wet weather to stop the spread of Phytophthora dieback
- No pets anywhere in the park. It is baited with 1080 poison for foxes and cats, which will kill domestic animals
- No campfires or solid-fuel cookers at Four Mile — gas only, and not during a Total Fire Ban for the Shire of Ravensthorpe. Generators run 10am–8pm, and there are no bins, so carry all waste out
When to go
seasons & the hard months
Spring is the season, and September to November is its heart. The heath peaks then — the Shire of Jerramungup puts the wildflower season at September to November, with royal hakea, Qualup bell and barrens regelia among the endemic stars — and the tail of the southern right whale season at Point Ann runs to the end of October, so a September trip can have both. Days are mild and the tracks are usually dry. Book months ahead: Four Mile has 15 sites and takes bookings up to 180 days out, and the Shire campgrounds up to 210.
Winter, June to August, is whale season and it is worth it, but the west of the park pays for the rain: all roads and tracks into the Point Ann and St Mary Inlet area are unsealed and close after rain, with lengthy closures common through winter. Summer is the hard stretch — December to March is hot, with February average maximums near 40°C, and the park carries a high bushfire risk with total fire bans that can close it altogether. If you must travel then, walk early, watch Emergency WA, and keep to the sealed eastern side.
Questions
6 answers
Not for the eastern side. Hamersley Drive is sealed from Hopetoun all the way to Hamersley Inlet and open to 2WDs, and the gravel roads from the north (Quiss Road/Pabelup Drive and Devils Creek Road) are also 2WD-accessible. The 4WD tracks to Whalebone Beach, Quoin Head and the Moir track are the ones that need high clearance, and they close most often in wet weather. You will need a 4WD and lowered tyre pressure for any beach driving.
Vehicle entry is $17 per day or $10 concession, $8 per person for vehicles carrying more than 12 ($3.50 concession), and $10 per motorcycle. Entry is payable for your arrival day only, and a valid park pass covers it. Four Mile Campground is $20 adult, $15 concession and $5 child per night, paid by card when you book. The Shire of Ravensthorpe campgrounds are $22.50 per site per night.
Southern right whales and calves are off Point Ann from June to the end of October, viewed from the purpose-built platforms above the bay. Wildflowers run from about August to November, peaking through September and October, and some species flower year-round. Come in September or October and you can realistically see both.
Four Mile Campground has 15 unpowered sites near Barrens Beach and bookings are essential, opening up to 180 days ahead — you book a site type, not a specific site. The Shire of Ravensthorpe runs Hamersley Inlet inside the park and Mason Bay and Starvation Bay near Hopetoun, all pre-booked online up to 210 days ahead. St Mary Inlet near Point Ann is a basic non-bookable site, and Hopetoun and Bremer Bay have caravan parks, cabins and motel rooms.
No fuel anywhere in the park, and no drinking water supplied — Four Mile's untreated water must be treated before drinking. Fill up at Hopetoun, Bremer Bay, Ravensthorpe or Jerramungup and carry at least 3 to 4 litres per person per day. There are no bins either, so carry all your rubbish out with you.
The Mamang Trail is closed for bushfire recovery after the January 2026 fire, with no reopening date published. Beyond that, the pattern here is seasonal and recurring: unsealed roads and 4WD tracks close after rain, roads close in wet weather to limit Phytophthora dieback, and the far western end around Quoin Head is repeatedly affected after fire and after Hamersley Inlet breaks through to the ocean. Check the DBCA alerts page for the park before you leave town.
Nearby & next
Official information
Always check current alerts before you travel.