D’ENTRECASTEAUX NATIONAL PARK

Is D’Entrecasteaux National Park one of the best places to visit in Western Australia? Interestingly enough, it’s not a popular travel destination, but I do think it’s a very special place with many secrets to discover. No doubts the national park is best to explore in a 4WD car. If you don’t have one, it’s still worth coming here. There are several walking tracks and some pristine beaches accessible for 2WD cars too. In this blog post, I’m going to share with you some of the best things to do in D’Entrecasteaux National Park.

HOW FAR IS D’ENTRECASTEAUX FROM PERTH?

D’Entrecasteaux National Park is situated nearly 300 km south of Perth. It was named after a French admiral, Bruny D’Entrecasteaux who first sighted this place in 1792. D’Entrecasteaux National Park is one of the most remote and pristine areas in the South West of Western Australia. Although you can’t expect to have any Internet or reception here, it won’t take you too long to get back to civilisation. Pemberton and Northcliffe are located 30 – 50 km away from the national park. Another town, Walpole is further east.

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT?

Good news is that you can visit D’Entrecasteaux National Park all year round and still have fun there. However, the best time to visit is Australia’s summer and spring. Especially if you are coming here primarily to enjoy the pristine beaches and swim in the ocean. Early autumn is not bad either. Just make sure to check the weather forecast to avoid rainfalls. Australia’s winter is definitely the worst time to visit D’Entrecasteaux National Park. It’s very cold and windy down there. Avoid visiting between June and August.

IS THERE AN ENTRY FEE?

Park visitor fees apply in D’Entrecasteaux National Park. A day entry fee is AUD 15 for a vehicle and needs to be paid at the entrance station. If you want to avoid paying entry fees for accessing national parks in Western Australia, a purchase of periodic pass is a smart choice. It will help you save some money if there are other national parks on your itinerary. Make sure to print the pass and keep it displayed on your dashboard at all times. Separate fees apply for camping in national parks regardless of having this pass.

WHERE TO SEEK INFORMATION?

D’Entrecasteaux National Park has no Visitor Centre. If you have some travel related questions, visit Northcliff or Pemberton first. Visitor Centre in Northcliff is open daily between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm with few exceptions (public holidays). Visitor Centre in Pemberton is open from Monday to Saturday between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm, and between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm on Sundays. Have you heard about Pemberton’s climbing trees? This crazy attraction is on your way to the national park. Don’t miss out!

WHERE TO STAY OVERNIGHT?

D’Entrecasteaux National Park provides a range of excellent campgrounds to stay at. Unfortunately, most of them are accessible for 4WD vehicles only. Standard accommodation is available in Pemberton, Northcliff, and further east in Walpole. I spent only one day in the national park as I was travelling around in a 2WD campervan at that time, so I didn’t stay overnight there. I camped at Fernhook Falls campground instead, on my way to Walpole – Nornalup National Park. The camping fee is AUD 15 per night for an adult. Enjoy!

WHAT ARE THE BEST THINGS TO DO?

If you don’t have a 4WD car, take the sealed road to Windy Harbour straight away. You will find there all those places accessible for 2WD cars, including some amazing walking tracks with coastal views, as well as the famous Point D’Entrecasteaux. If you are lucky enough to drive a 4WD car, you can explore the national park even further. Make sure to check the following places, Black Point, Yeagarup Dunes, Lake Jasper, Broke Inlet, and D’Entrecasteaux beaches, Jasper, Yeagarup, Warren, Malimup, Gardner, Coodamurrup. Have fun!

CLIFF TOP WALK

Start exploring Windy Harbour from Salmon Beach. It’s a long sandy beach accessible for 2WD vehicles. Then head down south to Tookulup, where you can take the Cliff Top Walk. This walking track goes to the famous Point D’Entrecasteaux. You literally can’t miss it! If you don’t feel like hiking, you can drive directly to Point D’Entrecasteaux too. However, I would definitely recommend walking from Tookulup to Point D’Entrecasteaux, and continue even further to Windy Harbour Settlement. Spectacular views guaranteed!

Tookulup – Point D’Entrecasteaux – Tookulup 

Walking track: 2,6 km, 1,5 hours (return)
Trail difficulty: class 2
Trail access: 2WD (sealed road)

COASTAL SURVIVORS WALK

The Coastal Survivors Walk links Point D’Entrecasteaux with Windy Harbour Settlement. Keep your eyes peeled for Cathedral Rock. A beautiful, majestic rock standing proudly on the beach. There are a few ways to tackle this hike. You can finish at Cathedral Rock or continue to Windy Harbour Settlement. Another option is to do the Cliff Top Walk and Coastal Survivors Walk together. Set off from Tookulup, head to Windy Harbour Settlement and once you reach the final destination, turn back to Tookulup. It’s 10 km in total.

Point D’Entrecasteaux – Cathedral Rock – Windy Harbour Settlement – Cathedral Rock – Point D’Entrecasteaux

Walking track: 5,6 km, 3 hours (return)
Trail difficulty: class 3
Trail access: 2WD (sealed road)

MT CHUDALUP

Mt Chudalup in D’Entrecasteaux National Park is also accessible for 2WD cars. Honestly, the views from the top are not mind-blowing. The peak is 187 m high, so you can’t expect too much from it. The walking track is nice and easy. The end is a bit steep though. On the top, take a while to enjoy the 360-degree view of surrounding wetlands, forests and dunes. The trail is 2 km (both ways), so one hour should be enough to climb the mountain and get back to the carpark. Highlight of the hike? Lots of kangaroos jumping around.

Mt Chudalup Carpark – Mt Chudalup – Mt Chudalup Carpark

Walking track: 2 km, 1 hour (return)
Trail difficulty: class 3
Trail access: 2WD (sealed road)

OTHER PLACES

• Black Point – 4WD access
• Yeagarup Dunes – 4WD access
• Lake Jasper – 4WD access
• Broke Inlet – 4WD access
• D’Entrecasteaux beaches – 4WD access

These are the best things to do in D’Entrecasteaux National Park. How many days are you going to stay there? Let me know by leaving a comment below!

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Hey, it’s Karolina, the author of this blog. If you find my content valuable and helpful, I would be more than grateful, if you could support my work, and buy me a coffee. I do love writing my blog, and creating content for you guys. Thank you!