FRANCOIS PERON NATIONAL PARK

Francois Peron National Park is one of the best places to visit in Western Australia. This destination is well-known for its colorful and diverse landscape. If you wish to see the striking red cliffs contrasting with sand and turquoise water, you need to get yourself a 4WD vehicle. Don’t worry! You don’t have to buy it. A 4WD car was not in my possession either, but I managed to explore the national park anyway. In this blog post, I’m going to share with you a few tips on how to prepare for your visit in Francois Peron National Park.

HOW FAR IS FRANCOIS PERON FROM PERTH?

Francois Peron National Park is located within the boundary of Shark Bay in Western Australia, 800 km from Perth. The place remains wild and pristine, so don’t expect to get any reception or Internet there. Nevertheless, Denham, the city located close to the national park has it all. Grocery shops, petrol stations, heaps of different accommodation options. It’s all there. What’s interesting, Francois Peron National Park lies not too far from Steep Point, the most westerly point of mainland Australia (access for 4WD cars only).

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT?

This region of Western Australia has semi-arid climate with hot and dry summer, and slightly milder winter. Generally speaking, July is the coldest month of the year, with temperatures averaging between 20 – 25ºC during the day. On the contrary, February is the warmest month of the year with temperatures ranging 30 – 35ºC during the day. Be mindful that tropical cyclones occur here occasionally between November and April. Having said that, the best time to visit Francois Peron National Park is from April to October.

IS THERE AN ENTRY FEE?

Park visitor fees apply in Francois Peron 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?

There is no Visitor Centre within Francois Peron National Park. If you seek some advice you can drop by Shark Bay World Heritage Discovery & Visitor Centre in Denham. They are open from Monday to Friday between 9:00 am and 4:30 pm, and from Saturday to Sunday between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. You can get here a national park map and ask some questions, if any. Keep in mind that Shark Bay World Heritage Discovery & Visitor Centre is operating reduced hours in low season, which is from November to March.

WHERE TO STAY OVERNIGHT?

Francois Peron National Park has a decent number of campsites with very basic facilities such as toilets and picnic tables. You can stay overnight at Bottle Bay, Gregories, South Gregories, Herald Bright or Big Lagoon. The camping fee is AUD 11 per night for an adult and online booking is required. There are also three other campsites outside the national park. Find out more about those camping spots in a separate post about Shark Bay in Western Australia. Standard accommodation can be found in Denham and Monkey Mia.

WHAT ARE THE BEST THINGS TO DO?

A high-clearance 4WD vehicle is a must to fully enjoy Francois Peron National Park. You can’t go further than to the Peron Heritage Predict with a 2WD car. This is exactly where the single-lane soft sand track begins. There is also a tyre pressure station where you have to get your tyre pressure down. This is a mandatory step to avoid getting bogged or damaging the tracks. For most cars it’s recommended to reduce the tyre pressure to 16 – 20 psi. Similarly, make sure to inflate your tyres before exiting the national park.

What if you don’t have a 4WD vehicle? No worries at all. You can rent such a car solely for this occasion. There are some places in Denham offering a 4WD hire for one day. What if you are not experienced in 4WD? Roads in Francois Peron National Park are considered rather easy, but if you are not ready for this challenge or if you feel insecure, don’t do it. If you get bogged, you will need assistance to get out. If you get lucky, someone will help you out. If not, off-road recovery is the only option, and this can cost a fortune!

This was my first 4WD experience, and I did it solo. The truth is that not everything went to the plan. I didn’t have to wait too long to get bogged. Even though it was a bit stressful, I’d definitely do it again. Shark Bay Seafront Apartments is the best place to hire a 4WD vehicle in Denham. The owner turned out to be the nicest man on Earth. He gave me useful tips how to drive such a car and explained in details how to deflate and inflate the tyres. I truly recommend this place for a 4WD hire. Total cost AUD 195 per day plus fuel.

CAPE PERON

Cape Peron is the most northern tip of the national park. If you are hiring a 4WD car for one day only, I would recommend going there in the first place. Once you arrive, take a deep breath and soak up the striking colours of Francois Peron National Park. You can also take the Wanamalu Trail that goes to Skipjack Point. This is a 3 km return walk, offering excellent views of the coastline. Allow at least 2 hours to accomplish. From there you can see a colony of cormorants crowding on the beach, at the water’s edge.

Cape Peron – Skipjack Point – Cape Peron

Walking track: 3 km, 2 hours (return)
Trail difficulty: class 2
Trail access: 4WD 

SKIPJACK POINT

Skipjack Point is a viewpoint with a long promenade elevated on the cliff edge. It’s an excellent spot to enjoy the abundance of Francois Peron National Park marine life. Those who are lucky enough will spot here dolphins, dugongs, turtles, manta rays, and even sharks swimming near the shore. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars. They come in handy! You can get to Skipjack Point by car or on foot from Cape Peron. Just take the Wanamalu Trail which is a pleasurable 3 km return walk. Amazing coastal views guaranteed!

Skipjack Point – Cape Peron – Skipjack Point

Walking track: 3 km, 2 hours (return)
Trail difficulty: class 2
Trail access: 4WD

BIG LAGOON

Big Lagoon is another place worth a visit in Francois Peron National Park. My advice would be to go there after visiting Cape Peron and Skipjack Point, the most famous viewpoints. It’s hard to say how much time do you really need to get to those places. For instance, you may get bogged or someone else may get bogged and you will be stuck there until they get their car recovered or at least make some space for you to pass by. You never know what can happen, and it would be a shame to miss the most famous viewpoints, right?

OTHER PLACES

• Peron Heritage Precinct
• Kraskoe’s Tank

This is all you need to know before visiting Francois Peron National Park. Do you have a 4WD vehicle or will you hire one in Denham? 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!