My wife and I decided to do the trip to wave rock from Mandurah in Western Australia where we stayed for a week. More on Mandurah in another blog to come. In this blog I have included links to see locations and trips in google maps. Wave Rock (click for location) is a large rock formation in the shape of breaking wave if you didn’t guess.
I have created a trip link in google maps that shows a typical trip you could do from Perth to Wave Rock. You will see on the map that the distance is similar if travelling from Mandurah further south. The trip takes about 3hrs 50min. You may want to travel a slightly less direct route from Perth via John Forrest National Park. We didn’t explore this place but it looks like it is worth the stop.
On the Way to Wave Rock
If you are going out to Wave Rock I recommend you stay over night in a town closer to the rock as doing a return trip on the same day would limit the time at the rock and would be hard work. We stayed at Corrigin which turned out better than expected. Note that travelling in Western Australian roads in areas such as this have hazards and joys like wild Kangaroos, Emu’s and flocks of large birds. Take a bus trip if you are concerned.
If you like to take photos though you might need the option of being able to “stop and smell the flowers” as we say. We traveled in mid August and the Oil Seed crops were just starting to flower and were spectacular. You could also choose a different time of year when the wild flowers are blooming. In August when we traveled the area was all green due the prevailing winter rains. When we traveled back from Corrigin towards Perth the sun was just rising and the view over the extensive Oil Seed fields was spectacular as the mist hung over it.
About Wave Rock
The wave is about 100 metre long by about 17 metre high. It was said to be formed by water dissolving softer rock at the bottom causing it to be undercut.
The multiple colours on the rock face are from water running down the face washing chemical deposits such as iron oxide over the surface causing red, brown, yellow and grey vertical stripes on the rock. It is spectacular to see and I would allow a few hours there to see around it, or go over the top of it for that matter. You can obtain a paper guide/map at the office to help you find your way around the area. You will need to pay a small fee to see the rock and that can be paid at the caravan park office next to the car park right at Wave Rock. To see the rock you walk from the car park a short distance to the rock.
You can then walk under the wave until you reach the stairs that will allow you to climb to the top. On the top area there are interesting formations and another smaller wave formation. The climb does not require a high fitness level. Right at the top you can see a 360 deg view of the surrounding area.
Hippo’s Yawn
You can walk around the bottom of the rock to Hippos’s Yawn which is a rock structure that looks like (you may have guessed) a Hippo Yawning. You might spot some unusual rock formations on the way as well.
We loved this trip and would highly recommend including it in any Western Australian trip.