The Classic Shot of the Pinnacles + Kids.
One of Western Australia’s most exciting and iconic natural landmarks would have to be the Pinnacles, the highlight of Nambung National Park. It is well worth the $12 entry fee as simple photographs can not do it justice to the overwhelming amount of these limestone formations that make the landscape so uniquely unforgettable. These ancient Pinnacles were originally created by the breakdown of seashells into lime rich sands thousands of years ago. How they actually formed into their exact shapes and structures is greatly debated and for the most part open to speculation! Walking around the Pinnacles leaves you with the feeling that you may have landed on an alien desert planet, their beauty attracting over 250,000 visitors each year.
Criss Cross through the maze of Pinnacles.
You can enjoy exploring them either by taking a drive or a walk. The drive is just over 4kms and takes you in a circuit around the Pinnacles on a well marked, firm track offering plenty of places to pull over and enjoy small bursts of walking exploration. The track is 2wd friendly and open also to those getting about in medium campervans; for us though taking ‘Big Van’ was not a viable option (unless we unhitched in the parking bays provided). Instead we enjoyed the circuit stroll just over 1km which enabled us to criss-cross through the Pinnacles and enjoy all of it sights in our own time and space. It honestly felt like a whole new set of Pinnacles at every turn and for the kids and adults alike was like a wonderland.
Kady showcasing one of the displays in the Visitor Information Centre at the Pinnacles in W.A.
The visitor centre, which was built in 2008 is enroute to the walkways and viewing decks and so is easy to access and makes for an informative and enjoyable experience. It’s walls are lined with stunning illuminated glass printed images of the Pinnacles taken from many angles and at different times of the day – it’s a great place to get the magic started! It also offers factual information and displays on the formation of the pinnacles, animals of the area and the Aboriginal history of the area dating back atleast 6000 years.
Beach Side Free Camping in W.A – Love it!!!
We visited the Pinnacles off the back of the 3 of the best free camps you will find, just metres from the beach along the Indian Ocean Drive. We took a brief drive into the RV Friendly town of Cervantes, a beautiful sea side town with another place for you to feast your eyes on some Stromatolites which we spoke about in our post about Carnarvon. Cliff Head, Knobby Head, Fresh Water Point and Seven Mile Beach are ideal examples of how RV friendly we have found W.A a real credit to Dongara and Port Denison towns we certainly supported by spending money in the town on the way through. If you want more details of these Beautiful free camps call in on the Dongara Port Denison Visitor Centre or grab this governmental pdf. This litte clip was shot right here on the sections of the beach outlined above and is well worth the 30 seconds viewing – we called it ‘A Lesson In Life’.
The Pinnacles are unmissable and we feel so blessed to have seen them with our own eyes, another landscape the Roaming Rowes will have in their memory for all time.
Here is a bonus outtake from our time at the Pinnacles, let’s see how papa smurf handles the camera being turned on him in an impromptu fashion, gives us a good laugh still.
Thank you Roaming Rowes, You are creating so many beautiful memories for your family. I am taking notes as we will be over that way later this year.
Thank you so much Bruce and Shirley it is such a big and beautiful state, we wish you safe and happy travels for later this year. Thanks for your support and encouragement too, we are making some great memories along the way, the kind that last a lifetime we daresay.