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The South Coast for the purposes of this guide covers the area between Walpole to the east of Esperance.
Generally this is split into two areas, the Great Southern and Esperance - Goldfields.
1. The Lily Windmill - Borden
"The Lily Windmill is an authentic 16th Century design brick "ground-sail" mill. The five story full size Dutch Windmill, with its 22 Ton cap and a sail length of 24.6 meters,
is one of the largest traditional windmills ever built in Australia."
Located 20 kilometres south of Borden the Lily offers more than just an interesting view of the windmill. The mill is in fact operational and flour can be purchased on-site.
There is also accommodation available and if you are looking for something really different perhaps you would like to book a few nights in a WWII vintage
Dakota DC3 air-plane. As fas as we know this is the only Dakota in the world you can stay in.
A restaurant is open by appointment and meals are available for on-site guests 7 days a week.
There is also an airfield on the property for those who want to fly in. For more information visit the Lily website.
2. Whale World - Albany
Whale World at Frenchman Bay near Albany is a must-see attraction for anyone visiting the area.
The facility sits on the site of the last operational whaling station in Australia. The exhibits and information available will keep you
entertained for several hours so make sure you have enough time available to really enjoy the experience.
Attitudes to whaling have changed a great deal in recent times but the emphasis here is on education rather than getting 'preachy'
about the evils of whaling.
For more information check out of Whale World page.
3. Stirling Ranges
The Stirling Range is an icon of the south coast and is an important wildlife and flora sanctuary.
There are many walk trails and an interesting drive through the centre of this large wilderness area.
4. Cape Le Grand
Cape Le Grand is located on one of the most spectacular stretches of coastline in Western Australia. Granite cliffs plunge into the sea and
pristine white sandy beaches stretch off to the horizon.
The cape is east of Esperance and is part of a large national park.
There are two campsites in the park for those who like to stay in the great outdoors.
5. Mount Barker Museum
Although technically not on the coast, the Mount Barker museum is only 50km inland from Albany.
We had passed the museum many times without bothering to stop but when we did we were amazed by the size of the place and the huge number of exhibits.
It really doesn't look that big from the road but when you walk behind the old police station you find a complex of buildings that can take several hours to see properly.
We recommend that if you are passing through Mount Barker, make the time to see this very interesting display of our history.
6. Esperance Stonehenge
If you have ever wondered what the original Stonehenge in England looked like when it was first constructed around 1950 BC,
you can now see it as a full-sized replica near Esperance in the Great Southern region of W.A.
This is a relatively new attraction in the area and was completed in 2011.
Esperance Stonehenge showcases the full grandeur of the structure as it would have been when first built.
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