Making the most of Esperance
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
The ship tenders in the Bay off Esperance. Tender takes about 15-20 minutes to the Taylor Street pier and there is a free shuttle bus into town.
Western Australia's most popular tourist town Esperance is located on the Southern Ocean around half way between Albany and the South Australian border.
Esperance is a lovely place to visit and wander around.
Located 720km southeast of Perth, this seaside beauty exceeds expectations every time. It’s got some of the country’s most stunning coastline and has been voted as having among the best beaches and surfing, not to mention plenty of great fishing opportunities for those who love to fish.
Here you’ll find beaches lined with Norfolk pines, incredible houses and Australia’s first wind farm at Salmon Beach. There are some great cycling and walking tracks and the area is surrounded by national parks making it a nature lover’s dream destination.
Of particular interest is Cape Le Grand National Park, 20 minutes away and the 105 granite islands that make up the Recherche Archipelago. This was a favorite haunt for Australia’s only recorded pirate, Black Jack Anderson, who frequented the area in the 1830s.
Getting around
It is a 5 to 10 minute walk to the Avis depot on the Espanade if you want to rent a car.
Money
Australian Dollar
Staying connected
English Spoken
Opening Hours and
Shops and services are generally open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and until lunchtime on Saturday. In cities and larger towns, many shops stay open late on Thursday or Friday evening - usually until 9pm - and all day on Saturday. Shopping malls are often open on Sundays as well.
In remote country areas, roadhouses provide all the essential services for the traveler and, on the major highways, are generally open 24 hours a day. In tourist areas, even ones well off the beaten track, tourist offices are often open every day or at least through the week plus weekend mornings; urban information centers are more likely to conform to normal shopping hours.
Tourist attractions such as museums, galleries and attended historic monuments, are often open daily, though those in rural communities may have erratic opening hours.