West Aussies refer to the stretch of coast from Lancelin to Cervantes as the Turquoise Coast. Lancelin is located about 130 kilometres north of Perth, and is rated the windsurfing capital of Australia.
If you're not well equipped, you can hire everything you need at the beach or from Lancelin Surf Sports. There are surfboards, boogie boards, and even sand boards for those who fancy a drier sport.
The best time to hit the beach for a surf is in the morning before the wind picks up. Once it does, the waves get blown out and the wind surfers are out in full force.
For a different type of surf, head five minutes out of town and try sand boarding, where you're always guaranteed a good ride! Unlike surfing, the wax goes on the bottom of the board to make sliding down the dunes a little smoother.
The dunes are open daily and are free of charge, but as there are no facilities there you'll have to bring what you need. Boards can be hired at Lancelin Surf Sports at reasonable prices.
The fun doesn't stop at sand boarding. If you travel further up the Brand Highway, you'll reach Cervantes, about two hours away. Depending on the season, you might also see the famous West Australian wildflowers.
If Lancelin is the windsurfing capital, Cervantes is the cray capital. Around the same time that the wildflower season is winding down, the rock lobster season is cranking up, with around 600,000 kilos of crays caught between mid-November and mid-June.
The population of the town is only 600, so that's a whole of lot cray per person. Most get sold overseas or at market, and a couple of bags go to the Western Hotel.
About 20 minutes out of town is The Pinnacles Desert in Nambung National Park. It's one of Australia's best known landscapes, and consists of a large desert area filled with strange limestone formations. It resembles something out of a science fiction movie, with every pinnacle varying in height. Some reach up as high as four metres. Needless to say, it's a magnet for photographers, especially at sunset.
The Nambung National Park also offers plenty more beautiful beaches and coastal dune systems to see before you get back in the car and head for home.
Further information
Namburg National Park
Website: www.calm.wa.gov.au/national_parks
WA Tourism
Website: www.visitwa.com.au
