P&A GoGoGo: Head of Bight, Penong, Cactus Beach

Friday, February 17, 2012

Head of Bight, Penong, Cactus Beach

From About 12kms east of Nullabor rdhse is the Head of Bight*****. This park is famous for whale watching during May to September. But it is open during off peak season as well for a cheaper entrance fee of $5. Opening time is 9am till 4pm. It is a good walk around the park with two observation platform to see the whales . . . When they are here. . .

The cliffs at Head of Bight

From Head of Bight, we stopped at Penong for some snacks then proceed to its world class surfing beach, Cactus Beach*****. Although it is well known, there are no signboards leading the way to it. Just make a turn into the primary school then continue south of Penong for 20 kms of dirt road. The road is very bumpy, but still accessible by 2wd. The journey into the beach is so nice, with Lake Mcdonnell (the pink salt lake) as an eye opener. Then the various bird species around some small lakes and lastly the big Blue Lake.

First time seeing a Pink Lake~! It is so beautiful, its colour best seen on a hot sunny day!

Wikipedia: Pink Lake is a result of the green alga Dunaliella salina and the halobacterium Halobacteria cutirubrum. Once the lake water reaches a salinity level greater than that of sea water, the temperature is high enough and adequate light conditions are provided, the alga begins to accumulate the red pigment beta carotene. The pink halobacteria grow in the salt crust at the bottom of the lake and the colour of the lake is a result of the balance between D. salina and H. cutirubrum

You can see the different colours of the lake on both sides =)

There is only bush camping facility in Point Sinclair beside Cactus Beach, privately owned, costs $10 per pax. With toilet, outdoor shower and dishwashing/ laundry basin. The beach itself is good for surfing, not that good for swimming cause it’s full of small rocks.

Sunset is simply beautiful here

360 ̊of starry night at the bush camp

There is a walking trail around the coast of the beach, up the cliffs then the gorge and back to the camp which takes us 3 hours return. We saw many wildlife along the walk, among them the rock crabs, pied cormorant birds, slow moving bobtail lizard, sooty oystercatcher bird. It was a good and tiring walk =)