Esperance Winter Solstice 4-Day Tour

Stonehenge was built to align with the Solstices at Esperance.

On the morning of the Summer Solstice (21st or 22nd December) the suns rays align with the Heel Stones and shine through to the altar stone.

The sunset of the Winter Solstice (21st June) repeats the same alignment in reverse. Both are an amazing sight to witness.

Tour Details

Day 1 - Perth to Esperance

Williams, Lake Grace, Newdegate, Lake King, Cascades,
Esperance

On our first day we follow a series of ancient river beds, which are now salt lakes, into the heart of the Wheatbelt of Western Australia (Dumbleyung, Lake Grace, Newdegate and Lake King).

After morning tea at the town of Williams, we head south-east to Esperance.

At the unusually named Pussy Cat Hill, you will get the opportunity to view a memorial to Donald Campbell’s famous 1964 world water speed record when he raced his boat, Bluebird, across Lake Dumbleyung. This made Donald Campbell the fastest man on both land and water. Lake Dumbleyung is the largest natural body of inland water in Western Australia.

We take a break for lunch at Lake Grace.

Newdegate PUBLIC Silo Art.  In May 2018, faced with a row of CBH silos high above his head, Perth artist Brenton See conquered his fear of heights to paint four huge murals which draw inspiration directly from the flora and fauna of the area.

Continue to Lake King and cut across country to Frank Hann National Park, Cascades and into Esperance.

Esperance is our overnight stay for the next three nights. Discover and experience everything that makes this region so amazing.

Enjoy walks along the town’s foreshore overlooking the Recherche Archipelago, or maybe go for a refreshing swim in the sparkling waters.

Accommodation: Esperance Island View Apartments

Day 2 - Esperance to Cape Le Grand National Park

Friday 21 June24
Cape le Grand NP, Condingup, Wharton
Today is the winter solstice Stonehenge. before this evenings highlight of our tour, visit Duke of Orleans Bay and Wharton Bay. Wharton Beach offers magnificent coastal scenery, a superb beach of iridescent white sand and crystal blue waters.
It is a photographer’s delight!
Your guide puts it out there and believes this is Australia’s best beach!!!
Lunch at the Condingup Tavern and this afternoon we visit Cape Le Grand National Park and Lucky Bay. This beach is famous for its kangaroos which are often seen sunning themselves on the white sandy shoreline.
We also stop at WA’s very own Stonehenge, an exact sized replica of the famous landmark in England. Step back in time 4,000 years and stand in the middle of this massive construction and feel how awesome it must have been when Stonehenge in UK was built.
This early evening (around 4.45pm) of the Winter Solstice (21st June) the suns rays align with the Heel Stones and shine through to the altar …
The June solstice (winter solstice) in Perth is at 4:50 am on Friday, June 21, 2024. In terms of daylight, this day is 4 hours, 11 minutes shorter than the December solstice. In locations south of the equator, the shortest day of the year is around this date.

Accommodation: Esperance Island View Apartments

Day 3 - Esperance Cruise, Great Ocean Drive

Scenic Wildlife Cruise, Great Ocean Drive, Cindy Poole Glass Gallery

This morning we join the Scenic Wildlife Cruise from Esperance.

With regular sightings of New Zealand Fur Seals, Australian Sea Lions, Cape Barren Geese, Common and Bottlenose Dolphins, White-bellied Sea Eagles (including feeding) – Whales (this cruise is season dependent). Bring your bathers for a swim in some of the world’s clearest water.

After lunch we tour the Great Ocean Drive to see Rotary Lookout, West Beach, Blue Haven, Twilight Cove and Spencer Lake.

We visit Cindy Poole Glass Artist, Gallery and Working Studio.

We also stop at WA's very own Stonehenge, an exact sized replica of the famous landmark in England.  Step back in time 4,000 years and stand in the middle of this massive construction and feel how awesome it must have been when Stonehenge in UK was built.

On our return to Esperance visit Lucky Bay Brewing.  The only brewery in WA that sources premium quality raw barley direct from nearby local farmers to make the beer. Western Australia exports all of its Malting Barley. Hence the unique local brew is literally from paddock to pint with no mileage, fully organic, and years of experimenting to arrive at an award winning drop to be enjoyed by local farmers, local community, and all the while using locally produced grain. The paddock to pint concept is fully realised in Lucky Bay Brewing’s beers.

Accommodation: Esperance Island View Apartments

Day 4 - Esperance to Perth

Ravensthorpe, Hyden Wave Rock, York

On our last day, we visit Ravensthorpe; a picturesque agriculture and mining frontier town boasting spectacular local ranges scenery.

Ravensthorpe PUBLIC Silo Art. The landscape around Ravensthorpe comes alive every spring with thousands of species of wildflower bursting into colour, so Amok Island decided to focus on native Western Australian flora and fauna for his largest mural to date.

‘Each silo side shows a different stage of the flowering cycle of this species of Banksia:  from flower buds, to full bloom, to seedpods developing, drying out and opening’, explains the artist.

The artwork encircles the three silos infinitely; the final silo marks the beginning once again of the first, making a connection with the cycle of the seasons and grain farming processes this area is known for. This species, Banksia speciosa is only found between Hopetoun and the Great Australian Bight.

After morning tea / coffee  continue on to the spectacular natural phenomenon that is Wave Rock at Hyden.

Wave Rock was formed before the age of dinosaurs, about 2.7 billion years ago. It is one of the oldest rocks in the world.

Wave Rock is an ancient granite formation that has been exposed to weathering processes for over 60 million years. It is about 15 metres high and about 110 metres long.

It really does look like an ocean wave about to break on the shore. 

After leaving Hyden and Wave Rock, we tour through the Eastern and Central Wheatbelt regions which are made up of farming communities with cropping, sheep and cattle as the main industries.

We finish the Perth to Esperance tour with a visit to the charming historic town of York, which is Western Australia's first in land rural town, developed in 1831. York is an attractive rural town rich in Victorian and Federation buildings.

We arrive back into Perth at approximately 6:00 pm.