Road trip: Wave Rock to Hopetoun

By Jenny Ringland
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Continuing on with her Golden Outback road trip, Jenny Ringland takes the road less travelled and explores stunning Fitzgerald River National Park, one of the largest parks in WA.

Part 2: Wave Rock to Hopetoun

 

It’s a 3.5-hour drive to Hopetoun via Lake King and Ravensthorpe. Passing Lake King, we’re met by the same eerie scene of dead trees and cracks of salt.

 

According to Sheenagh, the government matches dollar for dollar the money farmers spend on regeneration. However, few have participated in the scheme.

 

“Farmers don’t have that money to spare. We’ve only just come out of a 10-year drought where so many farmers were forced off the land. Spending money on regeneration isn’t a priority and you can’t blame them,’’ she says.

 

More stories of hardship greet us at Hopetoun – this time thanks to the sale of BHP’s nickel mine in 2010, but there’s a recurring theme emerging. Everyone seems happy.

 

It’s a tiny coastal village with a bakery, cafe-slash-small-goods store and a self-serve laundromat, petrol station and hot shower depot for independent campers passing through. However it’s Fitzgerald River National Park that demands our attention.

 

We’re surprised to learn that it’s one of the largest and most botanically significant parks in Australia, home to nearly 20 per cent of WA’s flora species.

 

Even more surprising is that we literally have the park to ourselves. We follow a 1.7-kilometre walking trail to Hamersley Beach and at each turn the sound of crashing waves intensifies.

 

We weave past Hamersley Inlet, which has a lovely protected spot for camping and arrive to find an extreme coastline, sand dotted with prehistoric-looking rocks jutting from the ground, and sea mist swirling. We feel quickly transported back millions of years.

 

The park has it all: desert-like sand dunes, jaw-droppingly beautiful beaches, and days’ worth of walking to do. So why is it that we have the place to ourselves?

 

“We’re just one of many national parks in WA," says Rick Besso, owner of local accommodation Wavecrest.

 

“We have a lot of competition and to get to Hopetoun it’s a detour, but we’re hoping we can attract more of the independent travellers, the grey nomads… you know? It’s really beautiful here," Rick says. Yep, we hear you.

 

CONTINUE ON THE GOLDEN OUTBACK ROAD TRIP…

 

Part 3: Hopetoun to Esperance

 

Part 4: Esperance to Kalgoorlie

 

The details: The Golden Outback: Wave Rock to Hopetoun, WA

 

Staying there: Wave Rock Motel – Basic rooms, perfect for a one-night stay. 2 Lynch Street, Hyden

 

Eating there: Selena’s Ravy Country Kitchen –  Excellent coffee in a country cottage setting. 92 Morgans Street, Ravensthorpe; 08 9838 1163

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    By Emily Murphy
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    This ancient rock formation looks like a giant ocean wave frozen in time, and it’s every bit as awe-inspiring as it sounds.

    Deep in Western Australia’s Wheatbelt, where the skies are big and the red earth stretches for miles, there’s a wave that doesn’t crash – it looms. Towering 15 metres high and curling dramatically like it’s been frozen mid-break, Wave Rock – known as Katter Kich to the Ballardong people of the Noongar Nation – is one of the most surreal natural formations in the country. And yes, it looks exactly like a giant stone tsunami rolling across the outback.

    Wave Rock under the Milky Way in Western Australia

    In local Dreaming stories, Wave Rock was created by the Rainbow Serpent. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

    Located just outside the small town of Hyden – a four-hour drive southeast of Perth – Wave Rock is fast becoming one of WA’s most Insta-famous destinations. But this is no recent TikTok trend: this ancient granite cliff is over 2.7 billion years old, predating the dinosaurs by hundreds of millions of years.

    What makes Wave Rock truly jaw-dropping is its colour and curve. The dramatic stripes along its surface – in hues of ochre, rust, charcoal and mustard – are the result of chemical weathering over millennia. Rainwater has washed down the rock face over time, dissolving minerals and creating the distinct streaks that give the formation its tiger-like coat. Combined with the perfect curve of the rock, it’s easy to forget this isn’t a real wave until you’re standing at its base, dwarfed by solid stone.

    Wave Rock in Western Australia

    Many visitors come to snap the classic ‘surfing the wave’ photo. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    While many visitors come to snap the classic ‘surfing the wave’ photo (bonus points for a boogie board prop), there’s more to this spot than a photo op. A short climb to the top offers sweeping views of the surrounding bushland and salt lakes, and the nearby 3.6-kilometre Wave Rock Walk Circuit lets you explore the full breadth of the outcrop and the surrounding area on foot.

    Hippo's Yawn at Wave Rock in Western Australia

    There’s no questioning why it’s called Hippo’s Yawn. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Just a few minutes away, another quirky natural wonder adds to the appeal: Hippo’s Yawn. This rock formation – yes, also exactly what it sounds like – resembles a yawning hippopotamus and is a hit with families and photo hunters alike.

    Wave Rock is also rich in cultural significance, playing a role in local Dreaming stories. According to lore, the wave was created by the Rainbow Serpent as it dragged its body across the land. Visitors are encouraged to respect the site’s cultural importance and learn more about its history with local Indigenous tour operator Katter Kich Tours.

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    Feel weightless in the salt pool. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    And if you’re planning a trip, there’s more than just geology to explore. The annual Wave Rock Weekender, held each spring, transforms this sleepy outback destination into a boutique music and arts festival complete with camping, lake swims and stargazing. There’s also a wildlife park, a lace museum and a salt pool that promises zero-gravity floating thanks to its high mineral content.

    Wave Rock in Western Australia

    Wave Rock has to be seen to be believed. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    The beauty of Wave Rock is that it manages to feel both completely out of place and exactly where it should be. It’s a natural marvel that looks like it belongs on another planet – or at least the edge of a vast ocean – but instead rises out of the dry, flat Wheatbelt like a mirage made real.

    So, if you’re chasing your next great Aussie road trip, add this prehistoric breaker to your bucket list. Because in the middle of WA’s red-dirt heartland, there’s a wave that doesn’t move – but will still move you.