Little beach, Albany - my favourite WA beach!

There, I said it, my favourite WA beach and instead of saving it for myself like I really want to do, I'm going to share it with everyone because really it's too good to miss.

WA is blessed with over 10,000km of coastline and the vast majority of it is white sandy beaches and clear turquoise ocean, in the grand scheme of things I've barely experienced it but this beach was absolutely breathtaking.

Nestled at the end of a long dirt track in Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, about a 20 minute drive from Albany, is Little Beach. It lives up to it's name, compared to the sprawling beaches on the rest of the coast this beach is honestly quite little.

You can see the dirt track and car park at the back of the photo. We arrived by 9am and there were already quite a few people setting themselves up for the day.

If you're visiting mid-summer definitely bring a gazebo or shade of some kind and lots and lots of water, the nearest shop is at least 30 minutes away.

We visited in March, the end of our summer but were lucky enough to have a 35 degree day. Lucky the water was nice and fresh- perfect for cooling off after sunbathing! 

It looks gorgeous from above, but trust me it's even more incredible below...

I've never seen such beautiful clear water in all my life! And no sea weed - bonus!

Now seeing as I've already spilt the beans on this gorgeous beach, I feel I should go all out and tell you an even bigger secret...

(this photo is looking 180 degrees behind the first photo)

There's another hidden beach, if you walk all the way across the beach and over the rocks (or through the bush, just watch out for slithery friends) there's an even smaller beach, 

and the water is just as beautiful, the sand is just as perfectly white...but it'll be all yours.

As with all beaches, take care, there is always a possibility of large waves and rips. 

There are obviously no lifeguards on duty, so swim within your limits and stay safe.

 To get into Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve you need to pay the standard DPaW entry fee, $12 to cover everyone in the car for a day's entry.

You can access the whole park via 2WD.

There's more information about Two Peoples Bay on the DPaW website.

What's your favourite beach? Is it in WA?

xo

White dog Lane, the perfect Albany Farm stay

Every now and then you find the perfect place on Airbnb and are left with the moral dilemma, do I share this little piece of heaven with the world or keep it as a secret? White dog lane near Albany is something we really wanted to keep as a secret, it's just so perfect. 

I spent far too long looking for accomodation in Albany for our weekend getaway from Perth, I wanted somewhere we could totally relax and escape the hustle and bustle of city life, but equally wanted a bit of comfort and luxury. We found White dog Lane on AirBnb, at $200 per night for the whole cottage it worked out the same price as staying in a nice hotel but with so many added extras.

We set off from Perth mid-afternoon, just under 4.5 hours later we were driving down the gravel track to the cottage. White dog Lane is an original 1900s cottage which has been lovingly restored and modernised, by the owners Susanne and Brian. It has three large bedrooms, and comfortably sleeps 6- there's the option for extra beds to be made up though for a large family.

The building is such a beautiful example of old Australian farm houses, the Verandah looks out over the paddocks (below) and is the perfect place to sit and sip your morning cup of tea or your evening glass of wine.

The property is on the farm that Brian and Susanne own, they're more than happy for guests to wander around and make friends with the animals or get stuck in and help them out (trust me, nothing makes you feel further away from city life than morning walks up to see the goats!).

Susanne leaves afternoon tea out for all her guests, we had beautiful home made scones with jam and cream and chocolate fudge cake- the perfect little sugar hit after the drive!

The kitchen is equipped with everything you need, if you don't feel like cooking though the local pub (2 minutes down the road) is known for it's amazing steak. 

A secret cupboard filled with board games and toys for children! 

Two double bedrooms, both styled to perfection- a little trip back in time!

The master bedroom is tucked away off of the lounge, it has a super comfy bed and gorgeous ensuite with views from the bath out across the paddocks. It's modern, with the perfect touch of luxury! 

If you want to explore a little, the beach is a 6 minute drive, Cosy Corner is around 12 minutes and the amazing albany attractions like the Gap and blowholes are around 25 minutes away. Albany town centre is just 20 minutes and Denmark is just under 30, including Greens Pool and Elephant rocks, the property is literally perfectly placed for exploring around the local area. 

I honestly can't think of enough nice things to say about our stay at White Dog Lane, it was absolutely perfect and I can't wait to go back with friends and family. If you're looking for somewhere to stay in Albany I would highly recommend booking a stay at this gorgeous cottage. 

xo

4wd at wilbinga

I never thought I'd be one to enjoy four wheel driving, but it seems to have become a fairly regular activity to fill our weekends. We grabbed our friends D & N and made the 70km trip from Perth to Wilbinga to make the most of a sunny Sunday afternoon. 

The majority tracks at Wilbinga are fairly tame, however for safety's sake I'd recommend taking sand flags to let other vehicles know you're around. There's always a great mix of families, young lads in modified barbie jeeps (yeah I went there) and 4WD enthusiasts testing their cars on the more advanced tracks.

We always end up at the beach, and with views like this (in the middle of winter may I add) you can probably see why. We'd planned on taking the BBQ however decided no in favour of a stop at the British Fish and Chip shop in Currambine on the way back home. Massive shout out to my iPhone for filling in for my camera and producing some pretty nice snaps! 

Have you been 4 wheel driving before?

x

a birthday weekend away

Expat life definitely comes with it's perks, a new way of life, new places to explore and 10 months of almost solid sunshine....but there's the odd day when you realise just how far from home you are. For me, that's my birthday and as this was only my second I didn't want to even have the chance to feel homesick, so we packed our bags and head off on a drive north from Perth.

We pulled down a bumpy track, switched into 4 wheel drive and found ourselves our own little beach and set up camp...no phones, no internet, no home luxuries, just each other and the bare essentials, heaven!

Breakfast with a view!

Someone enjoyed herself a little bit too much, and slept the whole way home! 

Days spent reading, paddling, exploring, jumping waves, chasing pup and cooking crumpets on the grill, evenings listening to Jack Johnston, lighting campfires and boiling hot chocolate with loving earth and nights spend cuddled up under a big fluffy doona watching the stars and drinking the best WA makers have to offer....absolute bliss.

What's your idea of a perfect weekend away?

xo