James Street Jetty Beach is located in the centre of town by the Esperance foreshore and Whale Tail sculpture. The beach is perfect for swimming as it’s protected by a shark proof barrier.

There is also a floating pontoon and a jetty to walk along (noting you can’t walk on the jetty when the helicopter is based at the end of it).

This beach is ideal for families. Not only for the protected swimming area and calm bay, but there is a playground, toilet and shower facilities and a long stretch of green grass along the foreshore.

The beach faces to the east, so it’s susceptible to the southeasterlies and easterlies in the summer months. The best time to visit is when these winds are not blowing, which is typically in the mornings.

Dogs are permitted on leash in this area.

The Esperance Museum houses a unique collection of memorabilia dating back to the 1800s. See a range of interesting feature displays covering the region’s early pioneering history, maritime exhibits and farm machinery.

Be sure to check out the world’s most comprehensive display of NASA Skylab memorabilia. Skylab was America’s first space station which plummeted to the earth in 1979, landing to the northeast of Esperance.

The Esperance Museum is located in the old goods shed of what was the town’s original railway marshalling yards. The old building, constructed soon after the turn of the century, is a significant icon in itself, a highlight being its magnificent old beams.

View the extensive range of historical objects ranging from a locomotive engine, and early century musical instruments, along with an assortment of gear and lifeboat from the ship ‘Sanko Harvest’ which is the largest dive wreck off the Australian coast.

Esperance is a one-and-a-half-hour flight or an eight-hour drive south of Perth.

The Esperance waterfront celebrates the glorious coastline by linking the foreshore to the central business district.

The most recent development is an Ocean Lap Pool, located next to the Swimming Pontoon. The foreshore is also home to many attractions such as the Esperance Skate Park, Esperance Jetty and the famous Whale Tail sculpture.

Take a stroll or ride along the sealed path connecting Esperance’s central business district to the eastern suburb of Castletown, or continue west over the overpass and into West Beach. The waterfront provides direct beach access close to the Esperance central business district.

For children and families, the foreshore offers an “all abilities” playground for younger children/toddlers. The Jetty Headland Playground is a shaded, world-class discovery-based nature playground designed to stimulate the senses during playtime and blend in with the natural environment. The Adventureland Playground is perfect for the kids to run wild or explore the pathways through tranquil gardens and see the resident ducks. Have a hit of Mini Golf or ride the Miniature Railway (which operates school holidays and weekends from October to April).

You may also wander the Taylor Street Jetty precinct and admire the vessels penned up at the dock. Finally, take a stroll along the beach in front of the Esperance Bay Yacht Club and view the giant ships loading up at the working port.

The beaches of Esperance are rated among the best in the world – and Twilight Bay is one of the town’s most loved.

Here, impossibly white sand meets unbelievably clear turquoise water creating a beautiful vista and perfect swimming conditions. Gently rounded granite cliffs and the deepening blue ocean make this area of coastline one of Australia’s most scenic.

Popular for families, Twilight Bay offers safe swimming and idyllic conditions. Fishing is also a common activity.

Twilight Bay is a few minute’s drive from Esperance. It takes a day to drive to Esperance from Perth or you can fly there in one-and-a-half hours.

Similar to Eleven Mile Lagoon, Ten Mile Lagoon is also protected by a stretch of reef (about 20-30 metres from the shore), making it a perfect place for a sheltered swim. To access the beach, take the scenic wooden staircase straight from the car park. (Dogs are allowed)

However, unlike Eleven Mile Lagoon, where visiting on high tide is preferable, low tide is best for Ten Mile Lagoon. This is because the reef opens up on either side, ensuring the lagoon is always filled with water. On low tide (and low swell), the waves don’t make it over the reef, meaning the lagoon is extremely calm and protected.

There is a viewing platform which provides fantastic views over the whole stretch of coastline, all the way to Eleven Mile Lagoon and to Observatory Beach.

Ten Mile Lagoon is also Esperance’s dedicated clothing-optional beach (the section is marked as a 200 metres stretch to the west of the stairs).

Eleven Mile Lagoon is an absolutely stunning beach that was very unlucky to miss the top 10. This really demonstrates the depth and range of the incredible beaches in the Esperance area. Here, the large, close-to-shore reef creates a beautiful and calm lagoon that is perfect for a relaxed and sheltered dip.

The best time to visit Eleven Mile Lagoon is on a high tide to ensure the lagoon has water in it. Access to the Beach is via two sets of scenic, wooden staircases (which make for great photos!). You can also drive down onto the beach, but it’s a steep ascent on soft sand to get back up, so it’s really recommended for experienced four-wheel drivers only.

Golden hour is best for photography here (both sunrise and sunset), with a range of different views and compositions. Either shoot from the carpark, the staircases or use the tidal pools and rocks along the ocean floor.

Set in tranquil bush surroundings, Esperance Bird and Animal Park and Cafe is a pleasant 10 minute drive from Esperance township.

Come and pat the animals, walk through the bird aviary and feed the birds (over 200 birds).

Interact with some animals, photograph or view from a distance, then settle for some refreshments and something to eat in their spacious café.

Morning and afternoon teas available from their Tearooms and Function area.

They also have budget Farmstay accommodation available, which is dog friendly, includes full access to Bird and Animal Park.

Kepwari Wetland Trail is a five-minute drive from the town centre of Esperance.

The one-way interpretative trail is 3.6 kilometres in length and is designed to be a learning experience. Information displays help you discover why these wetlands are important, why they are under threat and how you can help protect them for future generations.

The trail winds through fringing sedgelands, heathlands, under banksia canopies and over dune ridges with views of the wetland system and surrounding catchment.

The trail has been designed to protect native vegetation from the threat of die back. A return trip along the trail will take roughly 2.5 hours. You can start at either end. Shorter sections can be walked instead of the entire trail.

Dispersed along the trail are facilities for you to sit back, relax and soak up the serenity of the natural scenery.

Tourists are advised to check for alerts and road/park closures before commencing their travel on www.emergency.wa.gov.au and https://alerts.dbca.wa.gov.au

Lake Monjingup is ideal for a picnic, and great walks including a boardwalk on the Lake, bird watching and many wildflowers in spring.

From Esperance, follow the South Coast Highway until you see the signs to Telegraph Road. Monjingup Lake Nature Reserve spreads on both sides of that road, with the first entrance on the left-hand side and the second entrance further on the right-hand side of Telegraph Road.

Esperance Stonehenge is located in the beautiful coastal town of Esperance, on the South coast of Western Australia. It is a full-size replica of Stonehenge in the United Kingdom as it would have been when it was built. It consists of a solid pink granite structure weighing 2,500 tonnes.

Stonehenge is aligned to the winter and summer solstice, making it a spectacular event to be witnessed.

Visitors can experience the tranquil ambience of the structure as they can walk amongst the stones. It is a natural amphitheatre, and the structure’s acoustics provide visitors with additional wonder. Sound journeys and theatre plays are amongst the events held here to benefit from this unique structure.

Esperance Stonehenge also has amazing views over Esperance townsite on the south coast of Western Australia.

Esperance’s stunning coastline has no shortage of picture-perfect beaches, but only one can claim the honour of being Australia’s whitest beach – Lucky Bay.

Paddle out into the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean or follow the bushwalking tracks of Cape Le Grand National Park. Even an afternoon spent soaking up the sun’s rays comes with a wildlife encounter, thanks to Lucky Bay’s inquisitive kangaroos, which roam the shores.

Esperance is around an eight-hour drive or a one-and-a-half-hour flight from Perth. From Esperance, Lucky Bay and the surrounding Cape Le Grand National Park are a 45-minute drive east.

For a breathtaking experience, soak up the sights from the sparkling sands and the resident kangaroos before exploring Cape Le Grand National Park and camping under a moonlit sky. Bushwalking trails and hiking tracks connect the bay to the granite outcrops of this rugged coastal area, with their sweeping views of the idyllic Recherche Archipelago.

Gaze out to the ocean for the chance to see migrating whales between July and October. From its brilliant white sands to its welcoming campsites, Lucky Bay invites beach lovers to linger.

Hellfire Bay is one of the most beautiful bays situated within the protected bounds of Cape Le Grand National Park. It is a great spot to enjoy a picnic or a refreshing dip in calm conditions. The bay is thought to have been named after St Elmo’s fire – a bluish flame-like electrical discharge that sometimes occurs above a ship’s masts.

This secluded beach nestled between giant, granite rocks, boasts some of the most impressive turquoise ocean views in Western Australia. As this beach is a little less well-known, you may even be lucky enough to have the entire beach to yourself, making you feel like you’re on your private island.

The Recherche Archipelago sits in the distance. with the silhouettes of islands popping up through the ocean. This scenic bay is a perfect spot to swim in calm conditions followed by a picnic on the sand, with barbeque facilities at hand.

The Cannery Arts Centre is the most dynamic arts facility in the region presenting contemporary visual art exhibitions in a unique historic gallery, eclectic music events, and a wide range of creative workshops.

Housed in a heritage building initially used as a fish cannery and located on the beautiful Esperance foreshore, it is also home to the Esperance Potters Club, has a quaint community garden to forage from, and an impressive lookout to conquer. There is always a reason to visit.