We came down on our own just for 4 nights this year Dec 18-22nd and stayed in a smaller “beach” cabin. It sleeps 5 allegedly but you would want to be a very snug and friendly 5! We think it was great for 2 adults and although it was a 3 min walk to the beach instead of 1 min we enjoyed the price drop. We would not have wanted to stay here with Jess and 2 teens….I think we would have come home with some very grumpy holiday participants in a cabin that small. This one is cheaper than the ocean cabin but also smaller, located more centrally within the park and has no included BBQ or oven. So trade offs for the cost.
This year we spent most of our time at the cabin or wandering around a local beach enjoying the disconnect – no wifi and no phone reception.
It was a good time to have a break from the news feed and algorithms full of terror, fake news and awful imagery. I definitely needed it. Aside from reading/drinking, we also visited part of the cape to cape track and walked the section along the cliffs over Conto’s Beach (contos cliffs) but gave up before we got 3.5kms down to Bobs Hollow/grotto. I couldn’t hack it in the heat and 7kms return was a decent trek. I was happy with our 2km effort.
We did go out and about on one day! Mostly so I could check my email for approval to travel from the Japanese government (confirmed!) in mid January. On our day trip we visited:
Swings and roundabouts – pizza is average but they do really quick and efficient service. They were also jam packed with people but it didn’t feel busy. I liked their sparkling (B liked their ginger beer on tap) and I got to pat people’s doggos because they are dog friendly.
Gabriels chocolates – we always visit here because it’s just so freaking tasty! As always the chocolate is amazing. So much better than that tourist trap other place….which we went to next since it’s 2km up the road. They also have baby lambs and two beautiful kelpies I got to pat.
Margaret river chocolate factory – it’s such a tourist trap but dammit they make tasty treats. We bought some Xmas presents and some chocolate covered pretzels here.
Then we headed back to Hamelin Bay and another 2 days of quiet time. This is our 5th year visiting and 4th year consecutively staying here after finally besting their phone ballot (that was the year I found out once you call someone 200 times on an iPhone it STOPS COUNTING) to get a cabin with dates in Dec or Jan. Will we be back next year? We have decided not to renew at this stage. It’s lovely and quiet but at $250-$350 a night it’s hard not to compare it to a villa with a private pool in Sanur, Bali for under $200 a night….also you can never get dates when we actually want them which is Dec 26-Jan 1st as it’s been booked out by the same people for 15 years.
So a couple more sunsets and pats of “Stingy” and home we went.
We are heading to Karri Valley with Jess and the kids for a few nights in Jan for something different. The cabin there is the same price as the ocean cabin for 5 at Hamelin Bay but MUCH bigger so hopefully less chance of teen/tween fights and Aunty Mel needing to hide in the bushes for quiet time lol.
Mel's Travel Blog 