G'day everyone! Steve here, writing this from the comfort of our Retreat Whitehaven after what turned into one of those unexpected treasures—a full six-day soul-recharger at Sandy Cape Recreation Park, just north of Jurien Bay.
Between our usual accommodation commitments, Lisa and I managed to carve out five glorious nights. We fired up the Ram 2500, left the van behind for once, and headed north with nothing but a swag, camp chairs, and a determination to properly unwind. We secured Site 20 through SpacetoCo—gone are the days of the first-come, first-served scramble, which is honestly a relief when you're planning around other bookings.
Day one started with a bit of drama, though. As we were setting up camp, massive pyrocumulus clouds started building inland. You know the ones—those towering, anvil-shaped monsters that form above bushfires. Lisa kept the Emergency WA app open on her phone while I set up our awning, both of us watching those clouds with one eye. Fortunately, the reliable sea breeze kept the air at Sandy Cape fresh and clear, and the fires stayed well inland.
There's something about coastal camping that just strips away the stress, isn't there? Maybe it's the constant rhythm of waves, or the way the light changes throughout the day. I spent a good hour that first afternoon just watching the water shift from deep blue to aquamarine as the sun moved across the sky.
We'd actually stopped at Yanchep on the way up—always good to break the journey and stretch the legs. The lagoon there was absolutely packed with families making the most of the protected waters. Those calm, reef-sheltered conditions make it perfect for kids, and the mix of Norfolk pines and limestone outcrops gives it that classic West Australian coastal feel.
But Sandy Cape? That's where the real magic happens. Quieter, more remote, and with that sense of space that only comes from being properly away from it all. Site 20 became our home for five nights, and honestly, we almost didn't want to leave when the time came.</p>
More on the rest of our Sandy Cape adventure next time—this one deserves a proper yarn.