Torbay – half way between
Torbay
Most people haven’t heard of Torbay. That is because it is a tiny little community halfway between Albany and Denmark on the South Coast. Perth to Torbay is nearly five hours drive so a long weekend is best use of your time. It is a great place to relax, refresh and revive during a Weekend Away.
Friday…
If we are going away for a weekend, we like to wake up in the location on the Saturday morning. Drive down to Torbay after work on Friday, stopping for dinner at Williams Woolshed.
Check into your villa and go outside onto the deck and listen – so quiet except the rolling waves.
We recommend Robyn’s AirBnB
Saturday…
Wake up to the gentle sounds of the birds. So you know exactly how peaceful Torbay is, grab a coffee from The Cape Bar Store Café and drive down to Cosy Corner. Get down to the beach and get your toes into the sand. To the left is the long white Torbay beach. To the right is Hartman’s Beach, a more protected cove. There may be some people down there but certainly not many.
South of Torbay is West Cape Howe National Park. It is a less visited national park than nearby Torndirrup but it is no less spectacular but far more remote.
The main 2WD location to visit is Shelley Beach. It is a beautiful stretch of white sand and aqua water surrounded by rocks dropping into the sea. From the lookout above, the paragliders and hand gliders jump off a perfectly good hill. It is spectacular to watch.
For the people who have 4WD, this is adventure time. Turn right off the main dirt road and onto the sandy track. Lower your tyre pressure to lessen your chances of getting bogged and preserve the condition of the track. At one time, rubber mats where put on the sandy tracks. Some of these are worse for wear so take care.
There are some remarkable spots in West Cape Howe. Some are harder to get to than others like Dunsky Beach and Golden Gate Beach. The best part is at West Cape Howe itself where the basalt cliffs drop 80 metres into the rough ocean. Care needs to be taken here, but if you lie down you can look over the edge. Torbay head is the Southernmost point of Western Australia.
Sunday…
Have you ever walked part of the Bibbulmun Track. From Torbay there is the opportunity to check out a Bibbulmun Shelter fairly close to a normal car park. The Torbay shelter is 2.6 km from the Cosy Corner car park. Just follow the yellow Wagyl triangle up the stairs in the carpark. The track continues along the beach in the other direction till it reaches Albany 34 km away.
If walking isn’t your thing, maybe gourmet food and wine fits the bill. Torbay sits halfway between food and wine hubs: Albany and Denmark. The South Coast is famous for its Riesling and beautiful local cheeses. Choose a food and wine trail:
On the way to Denmark is one of the most spectacular beaches in Western Australia. Protected from the rough Southern Ocean by large round rocks, is Green Pool and Elephant Rocks. The water is clear and exhilarating.
