Edel Land NP

Edel Land National Park (proposed) is the area surrounding Steep Point - the western most point of mainland Australia. Vehicle access to Steep Point can be difficult and a high clearance 4WD is required. We had been told it would take us at least two and three quarter hours to travel the 105 kilometres to Steep Point from Tamala Station. It is hard to believe it would take this long but once you have seen the road and you will understand.

There was quite good gravel road for the first 50 odd kilometres from Tamala Station and then you have to let your tyre pressure down to 20 psi before tackling the sandy and very corrugated tracks. These are only single width so you always need to be on the lookout for oncoming traffic as there are very few spots to pull off the road. Beautiful scenery along the way and covered in interesting plants.

Points of interest in Edel Land National Park:

• Ranger Station takes you over Bellefin Prong which is a series of huge sand hills some of the summits are quite blind. You will need to register here and pay the National Park Fee.
• After the Ranger Station there is Shelter Bay which is a designated camping area with a couple of Eco Toilets. The camping spots are close to the beach and seem quite sheltered from the winds.  You can launch boats into the bay from the beach. Eco toilet are available at this spot - they very rarely smell and these were well maintained. 
• After Shelter Bay you make a sharp turn up towards the southwest side of the point and up over some nasty rocks onto more sandy hills. Signs along the road warn of road hazard at particularly bad spots or blind summits. 
• The Oven / Faultline near Steep Point which is a well known fishing spot off the limestone cliffs. Apparently one of the best land based game fishing spots in the world. To fish off the cliffs they use a helium balloon to carry the bait out into the channel and then it bobs up and down in the water with the wind to help attract the fish.  
• Steep Point for some photos - make sure you sign the visitors book
• Thunder Bay and the Thunder Bay Blowholes. This was the scariest piece of road so far as the sand dunes were large but the Land Rover handled them without a problem. The Blowholes were not pumping as there was not enough swell but you could hear the air whoosh through.  One hole was only the size of a golf ball.  
• The Zuytdorp Cliffs are spectacular cliffs, forming an almost unbroken arc between Steep Point and Kalbarri, about 200 kilometres south - these cliffs are up to 200 metres high and we called in on our way back from Steep Point to have a look. 

If you are planning an overnight stay you will need to book ahead and obtain a camping permit. I am very pleased we made it to steep point but it took a few days to recover from bouncing over the corrugated road.