Back on the main track, it is about 19km to the
start of the gypsum claypans. Heed the sign
advising you to stay on the track: the crusty, salt
surface of the birrida only appears to be hard and
it doesn’t take much to get totally bogged here.
Five kilometres on is the turn-off on the right to
Harold Bight on the east of the peninsula. It is
6km to the campground. You can launch a boat
from Harold Bight and it provides protection from
the almost constant south-westerly winds.
The next campground turn-off, 8km further, is
South Gregories on the west side of the peninsula.
Gregories is next and offers some very nice
snorkelling just offshore.
The Bottle Bay campground turn-off, another
4km on, is the closest to the tip of the peninsula
and Skipjack Point. These three are worth the
short side trips of around 500m each, but you’ll
need low range 4WD.
SKIPJACK POINT
Just 1km on is the car park for Skipjack Point. A
boardwalk weaves out to two stunning lookouts
over the Shark Bay Marine Park, where you can
stand for hours and view a mesmerising display
of marine life on parade.
To the south-east, the view sweeps back across
the red cliffs leading to Herald Bight and to the
west is a cove with the 3km return Wanamalu
Trail, an interpretive walk to Cape Peron North.
Cape Peron North can also be accessed by road,
1km from the car park for Skipjack Point.
These waters beg you to come in, but beware two
strong currents converge here, making it the only
spot along the entire peninsula that isn’t safe for
swimming. Diving and boating is permitted but
spear fishing is not.
So spend a few days here or as long as you can
go with the supplies you have brought in (you can
always scoot back to Denham for more, or over
to the homestead for a spa).
Skipjack Point.
The final word on Francois Peron, and the
entire Shark Bay area, is we wish we were
there right now.
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