Let those tyres down, tighten up your bra straps ladies and prepare for some jiggling as this is a bumpy adventure that we can’t wait to share with you!
Venturing out to the most Western point of mainland Australia has been a huge highlight of our vanlife travels. We explored this rugged remote coastline, slept under the most vibrant stars, and feasted daily on fresh fish.
Many travellers head out to Steep Point for a day trip via the long and bumpy 140km unsealed track to check off the compass point, get a photo with the famous sign and then head back again. It’s a full day trip with most of your time spent in the car, with 30kms of steep sandy tracks to traverse towards the end, it’s great fun for any adventurer with a high clearance 4WD.
After researching the area and talking to fellow travellers we realised there is so much more to see and do out there, so we decided to tackle this adventure over 3 days to allow us to really explore and enjoy this remote coastal area known as Edel Land National Park (proposed).
Having based ourselves at Tamala Station, a huge grazing property 100km East of Steep Point, we enjoyed a few days either side of our adventure on a stunning beachfront camp. It was the perfect spot to relax and enjoy, no phone reception, and nothing but the sound of the water lapping a few metres from our caravan door.
We had prepared for at least 7 days off-grid in the caravan and/or tent. So we were well stocked with food, water and an extra supply of diesel as there are no shops or fuel supplies out there.
With our adventure truck loaded up and our trusty OzTent on board, we waved goodbye to our little home on wheels for 3 days and headed West!! After a long drive spotting a few Kangas, Emus and feral goats, our first stop was at the Zuytdorp Cliffs near False Entrance beach (a 7km detour off the main track to Steep Point), to visit the blow holes and try our hand at some of the famous cliff fishing.
This place was insane!! It felt like we were standing on the edge of the world, as we looked up and down the coastline we were greeted by the most amazing sight of sheer limestone cliffs as far as the eye could see.
Standing on top of the (unfenced) cliffs, which at some points can measure up to 200 meters high, we were in awe. We stood in silence and just listened to the powerful rumble of the waves crashing against the cliff face far below.
But that was not all that was rumbling, as we headed towards the blow holes it was like listening to the belly of a huge beast, grumbling angrily below us. We became aware of a powerful vibration under our feet as we inched closer which was followed by a huge gush of wind and sea spray as it erupted from the 2 holes in the ground!! …in true ‘girly’ fashion, I screamed, jumped and ran away as quick as I could (and I’m sure Rob did the same), …only to then wander back to the holes and wait for another monstrous roar! We have seen blow holes in the past but there was something about these that sounded like they lead all the way to the earth’s core or to the fiery pits of Mordor from the movie Lord of the Rings.
We then took the time to scout out the best place for Rob to try his hand at cliff fishing. We found the perfect spot with a nearby rock pool full of crabs for the kids to safely play in back from the cliff edge.
Armed with a huge fishing rod rigged up with bait and heavy sinkers, Rob eased his way towards the cliff edge and cast out. To fish from this spot was definitely something he was going to remember! It didn’t take long before he had a hit and something pulling hard from down below. He had caught a Rock Cod. It was not the huge reef fish he was hoping for but as he was reeling it up the sheer cliff wall it felt like he was hoisting up a whale!! With a yahoo of delight echoing around us I knew that his ‘cliff fishing bucket list’ had a big tick.
With a few more crazy heavy ‘whale cods’ under his belt and the swell below getting more and more crazy we decided that we’d had enough ‘living on the edge’ adventure for one day so we headed to make camp.
We set up camp on the water’s edge with a nice sandy beach nearby for the kids and no cliffs in sight! We had a small island which was about 20 meters offshore that was full of noisy nesting birds. We loved watching them and listening to them chatter. It reminded us of our time spent on Heron Island a few years back. With no internet reception and no phone service we kicked back and enjoyed some family time while the sunset over the water.
Waking up full of excitement, it didn’t take long for the kids to ask for their fishing rods and within no time they were catching Wrass only a few steps away from our tent! A waterfront camp spot like this is like winning the lottery for us as it allows us to fish right out the front of our camp, enjoy a quick swim and watch the kids play in the sand while we can put the billy on and have a cuppa… so we did just that and more!
Each afternoon Rob jumped in the water with his spear and caught us fresh Tusk Fish! We cooked these up straight away for dinner – you couldn’t get any fresher! We love dining in mother nature’s restaurant and our mini Blondies can’t get enough of it too! …they even helped us fillet the fish and prepared it for cooking.
Heading out for more exploring we visited the westernmost point, signed the book and had our photo with the famous sign. We found untrodden tracks that lead us to remote beaches and bays where the kids had a ball chasing the waves and beachcombing for shells and treasure! They found loads of different things including clams, starfish and sand dollars.
Amongst the vibrant blue water around Steep Point we spotted whales playing offshore as well as manta rays, dugongs and dolphins.
It was a great adventure and one that will stay with us forever. Spending the time together exploring places not many people get to see is what drives us to get out and do it all again. With so much of Australia still to explore, we can’t wait to see what’s next!
Watch our highlight clip here:
Are you a camper? Where is the most remote location you have camped? We’d love you to tell us in the comments below.
The juice:
- For our 3 day camping adventure we had 40 Litres of water in 4 separate containers
- We deflated our tyres to 20psi to smooth out the bumps, gain more traction in the sand and reduce the chance of punctures.
- We had two 20 Litre Diesel jerry cans on board.
- We travel with a satellite phone and first aid kit at all times.
- We ate simple meals for this trip consisting of porridge for breakfast, salad wraps for lunch and our fish was fried in butter in a pan served with salad.
- We packed loads of snacks for the kids to keep them happy like fruit and crackers but also a few ‘tinned’ options like tuna, baked beans, rice pudding and tinned fruits. We share some healthy travel snack ideas here.
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These photo’s are just amazing. Makes you definitely feel you want to go and visit this incredible wild part of our coastline. Thanks for sharing your epic adventure