Feature by Julie Hosking
The shape of the spectacular South West Edge seems to shift with every turn, another surprising twist waiting around the corner.
From lush forests to blinding white sands and turquoise seas, granite cliffs to ochre-painted outback, each stop on this epic road trip unearths unexpected joys and jaw-dropping experiences.
Bare Kiwi’s Kyle Mulinder and Lisa Barton couldn’t agree more, describing the adventure-filled corner of Western Australia as “a pocket of awesomeness”, albeit a rather big pocket.
New Zealand’s popular tourism influencers have been sharing awe-inspiring videos to thousands of followers across social media channels of their 15-day adventure from Perth (Boorloo), where they picked up their motor home, hugging the incredible coastline all the way to Esperance (Kepa Kurl), before heading inland back toward Perth via the natural granite majesty of Wave Rock (Katter Kitch) and some man-made tin marvels.
The couple’s first stop on a journey of about 1900km was a soul-enriching kayak with Base and Jamie from Salt Bush and Eco Tours in the extraordinary Peel-Harvey Estuary, which is twice the size of Sydney Harbour.
Busselton Jetty, Busselton
“It was one of the most relaxing, beautiful moments ever; everything slows down, and they are so in tune with everything around them,” Kyle says. “We had a swim, saw some kangaroos, pelicans, a dolphin. It was surreal.”
As was a dive exploring the underwater world around Busselton (Undalup) Jetty, where 13 striking sculptures have been embedded on the sea floor in shimmering Geographe Bay. “It honestly blew my mind,” Kyle says. “When you round the corner and there’s a giant mermaid hanging out with an octopus, it’s just super cool, and to see the marine life taking over those sculptures you know it’s going to get even cooler."
The adrenaline really kicked in for these adventurous souls in invigorating style with Margaret River Adventure Company, Australia’s only coasteering experience, in the spectacular Margaret River wine region. “I love going to the beach and roughing it up, so going around the coast and jumping off rocks into the waves was super fun and such a beautiful spot for it, too,” Kyle says.
Canal Rocks, Margaret River
The couple keep singing the praises of the people who help make the places along the South West Edge even more memorable. “I’m a massive fan of guided tours and these passionate tour guides will change an entire region for you – WA should be so proud of those locals because they are telling those stories so powerfully,” Kyle says.
This included their experience with Pemberton Discovery Tours, exploring the Southern Forests region. Kyle and Lisa were struck once again by the ever-changing landscape that morphs from lush forests of towering tingles and karri trees to the startling white Yeagarup Dunes set against the azure Southern Ocean.
“It was one of those rare moments. You’re walking through a forest, crossing a river and you’re in all this bush and next thing you’re on these white sand dunes – it was such an awesome day,” Kyle says.
National ANZAC Centre, Albany
Things took a more reflective turn at the National Anzac Centre, a powerful memorial to the thousands of Australians and New Zealanders who left Albany (Kinjarling) in 1914 for the battlegrounds of World War I. Visitors to the museum overlooking Albany’s stunning harbour step into the shoes of an Anzac.
“Being Kiwis we thought it would have more of an Aussie focus,” Kyle says. “But my soldier was actually not far from where I was brought up, which was really interesting to go around and find out what happened to him. It was definitely a contrast from the rest of the trip.”
Back in the outdoor playground, the couple were captivated by the beauty of bushwalking haven William Bay National Park, in the Great Southern, the couple want to return to spend more time soaking in the calm emerald waters of Greens Pool and basking in the shadows of Elephant Rocks.
Fitzgerald River National Park
The road trip also took them on some unforgettable hikes, from climbing Bluff Knoll (Boola Miyel) – a mere one billion years in the making – in heritage-listed Stirling Range National Park to the top of peaks in Fitzgerald River National Park, just outside Bremer Bay.
“Frenchman Peak and Cape Le Grand were also really cool and Hellfire Bay blew my mind,” Kyle says. “Hiking down to Misery Beach (crowned Australia’s best beach) was just beautiful. There were so many amazing places to hike really, and we saw so many kangaroos and other wildlife.”
Misery Beach, Albany
In a journey packed with highlights, there were also some surprising ones, such as the motley herd of equine sculptures scattered among paddocks along Kulin’s Tin Horse Highway
“We didn’t really know what to expect but the quality of the artwork when we got there was just so cool – it got a lot of engagement on our socials because people just didn’t know it was a thing,” Kyle says.
While they returned to New Zealand with mind-dropping footage to share, the duo also took a mountain of memories, not the least of which was the road taken. “That was one of the beauties of the South West Edge - the road was also the destination. It was an Australia I'd never seen before; there is just so much diversity. It blew my mind.”
Published April 2024.