Hang Gliding Association of WA

Albany/South Coast Site Guide

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Area Overview

Albany is 400km South of Perth, It has coastal soaring sites covering all wind directions. It is generally the best destination in WA if you want to clock up some serious  hours in the summer months.
There is considerable potential for thermal flying in the Stirling and Porongorup ranges , 50 to 100 km north of Albany if access hurdles can be overcome.

Esperance 400km East of Albany, offers even more stunning coastal scenery. the nearby Barren ranges and Peak Charles offer potential for inland flying, and if you keep going East you'll reach the famous Nullarbor Cliffs, home to world hanggliding speed records.

The sites listed here are the most convenient, accessible and frequently used. In fact it seems that most of the rest of the south coast is also flyable. Anyone for a Vol Bivouac trip to from Augusta to Adelaide?
 

Index of Sites

Albany Area

Inland Ranges

Esperance

Map of Albany Coastal Sites (click on site names)

Sites locality map


Point King / Albany Town

Right in the heart of Albany town, this site works much better than it looks, the flatness providing pleasant flying with views of Middleton Beach, Fort Adelaide, the harbour and islands, and plenty of spectators.
 

Site Type

Direction

Rating

Take off Altitude

  Coastal Ridge
SE
 Intermediate
 50ft

Getting There:

From Albany take  the scenic coastal drive to Middleton Beach (Marine Drive) after the Mt Clarence turnoff there are several carparks on the Dave Humphrey at Pt Kingocean side. Park at the bitumen carpark with information shelter and concrete lookout.  From here descend stairs to the cycle path.  Take off from the low scrub beside the cycle path or walk towards albany to where the path widens to accomodate a bench, providing just enough space to layout and launch from the bitumen.

Flying:

Flyable in similar conditions to Shelley beach, even in quite strong winds.  In front of launch there is a steep drop to the ocean, with no landing options below, but top landing options above are good.  In light conditions be sure not to get caught below the flat area.  In stronger winds you can easily get above the road - try not to be a traffic hazard and remember to keep your separation from onlookers at the lookout.

A very nice site, and a good option if you get bored of flying Shelleys after a few hours, or have to go into Albany, or live there.

Only fly here if your top and side landings are good. Can be difficult to get down if the wind picks up. Landing further up Mt Adelaide should be possible if caught out by rising winds, watch the water and try to avoid being caught.  Very public site so please fly responsibly and safely.

 

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Sand Patch

A huge site, more than 10km of ridge, but mostly without bottom landing as the limestone cliffs run straight into the ocean, have a look at the photo.
 

Site Type

Direction

Rating

Take off Altitude

  Coastal Ridge
SW
 Intermediate
 450ft

Getting There:

From Albany drive out around Princess Royal Harbour towards Little Grove and the gap. Turn right at the prison and left up a road looking northwestsignposted to sandpatch and the wind farm. From the carpark take the boardwalk west to the takeoff area in foront of number 3 turbine. Check with local clubs if you want vehicle access to launch.

Flying:

Be aware of changing conditions, you may have to land out along the ridge, only fly here if your top and side landings are good. Can be difficult to get down if the wind picks up. Due to the size and compression flyable conditions here equate to very light winds on the beach.

The launch area is currently covered in low scrub. Some netting has been stored at the launch as a temporary measure to reduce snagging of paraglider lines. If you use the netting please pack it away again after flying. Work is in progress to get a more permanent solution constructed. looking  southeast

 

windmills

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Mutton Bird

One of the most consistently on sites in WA, this is a coastal dune site suitable for beginners. The low hieght of the dune means it is still flyable in Albany's famously strong winds when the bigger sites are blown out. Good fun too.
 

Site Type

Direction

Rating

Take off Altitude

Low Coastal Ridge 
S to SW 
Novice 
0 - 70 ft

Getting There:muttonbird from the carpark

Turn Left off Lower Denmark Road between Elleker and Albany at the signposted bitumen road. This road is a loop, about half way along is a gravel road signposted to mutton Bird Island. Follow this to end T junction, then turn right to lookout and carpark 100m on. Limited 4WD access to beach depending on Salmon fishing. Otherwise walk down to Beach.

Flying:

Launch from the beach, or small top launch for hang gliders near car park. A 1 - 2m sub dune in front of the main one can make launching tricky in light winds. Beware of rotor behind island. Relatively safe place to be blown back, but some of those peppermint trees are bigger than they look. The ridge is about 2km long in a slight bowl. be prepared for a hike down the beach to a favourable bit of dune if the wind is more S than SW

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Perkins Beach

Good place when the wind is strong and SSE. Western end of the same bay as Muttonbird. Incredible feeling getting some hieght off such a tiny dune.
 

Site Type

Direction

Rating

Take off Altitude

 Bushy Dune
SSE 
 Novice
0 - 15 ft 

Getting There:

From Albany take the Lower Denmark Rd E towards Denmark for 25km. Turn left at Perkins Beach Road. Follow to the parking at the end. There is a footpath from here a short distance alongside a creek to the beach.  You can fly either side of the creek in the right conditions. A 4WD alternative is to drive along the beach from either Cosy Corner or Muttonbird until you find a dune pointing the right way.

Flying:

This site is a good beginners slope. It is about 1km long with lots of bushes on top but plenty of beach between the dune and the water.
Although the site is only low coastal dunes, there is a steep drop off behind them with significant rotor and a lot of trees in some areas. Take-off is from the beach or on the side of the dune. Space can be a problem, especially if the wind is a bit light. You may have to take it in turns if there is not enough room. Main danger is complacency - don’t fall into the trap of thinking everything is safe just because it is a low sand dune.

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Closed - Dingo's Beach, Albany.

The National Parks service currently do not allow flying from this site, which previously offered an alternativeto Shelley beach in stronger winds. The only way to fly it now is to fly across from Shelley Beach (its the next beach to the east).  If interested in flying here contact HGAWA to see if it can be included as a flying site in future revisions of the National Park Management plan. Fantastic white beach, away from the tourists, and enough rocks around the edge for a little thermal or too.
 

Site Type

Direction

Rating

Take off Altitude

Coastal Ridge 
SE 
 Closed
 na

Getting There:dingos beach (anyone got a better pic?)

Closed.

Flying:

Closed
 
 

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Shelley Beach

One of the best known coastal sites in WA, a large coastal site suitable for beginners with fantastic scenery, good access and a developed take off area with wooden hang glider ramps.
 

Site Type

Direction

Rating

Take off Altitude

Coastal Ridge 
ESE to SSE 
Novice 
320ft 

Getting There:laning on the beach (photo Georgina Bass)

Turn Left off Lower Denmark Road at the signposted turn off to Cosy Corner. Turn Right up hill after the Torbay Hotel, then left onto a good gravel road at the top of the hill. Follow this to the end where it splits right to the lookout/takeoff and left down to the bottom landing, beach and camping ground.

Flying:

Be aware of other pilots attempting to top land when setting up. Rotor behind take off and at often at SW end of main ridge. There is a steep valley between the take off hill and the main ridge. In more Southerly winds the main ridge may be unflyable due to Rotor, but the take off hill OK. In a more Easterly wind the take off hill will generate very little lift and it may be necessary to glide straight across to the main ridge. This can make top landing impossiblke if the wind is light as the valley cannot be crossed back with sufficient hieght. There is a substantial wind gradient at take off so the wind may be stronger than it feels on the ramp.

No commercial activities including teaching and tandems are permitted in the National Park without the relevant Dept of CALM permit.  Flying from Shelleys is an approved activity in the National Park Management Plan. http://www.naturebase.net/national_parks/management/index.html#management_plans

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Back Beach

Not often flown due to difficult access. I've never been there.
 

Site Type

Direction

Rating

Take off Altitude

 Coastal Cliff
SW 
 Novice
380 ft 

Getting There:

Restricted 4WD access or long walk. Second 4WD track on left heading back to Torbay from Shelleys.

Flying:

Good take off on hill 50m left of car park. Top landing good but take care not to go too far back. Excellent bottom landing but hell climb back to take off.  Novices should stay over beach area.

No commercial activities including teaching and tandems are permitted in the National Park without the relevant Dept of CALM permit.  Flying from Back Beach is an approved activity in the National Park Management Plan. http://www.naturebase.net/national_parks/management/index.html#management_plans

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Lowlands Beach

Another beach dune site between Albany and Denmark. Good if it's too strong for Dingos or Shelleys.
 

Site Type

Direction

Rating

Take off Altitude

Low Coastal Ridge 
 E, SE 
 Novice
 0 - 90ft 

Getting There:

From Albany or Shelley Beach drive along Lower Denmark Rd E towards Denmark. Turn left at Tevresee South Road. Follow to the beach carpark at the end. The site is along the coast to the W of the car park. Either walk along the beach to a suitable launch or if you're keen and can find it there is a four wheel drive track.

Flying:

Generally a beach launching site, but there is a top launch and landing area for hang-gliders.  Good wide beach for bottom landing.

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Parry Beach/Point Hillier

An impressive big coastal site west of Denmark, great if the wind is just north of east.
 

Site Type

Direction

Rating

Take off Altitude

Coastal Ridge/Cliff
 E, NE 
 Novice
 0 - 150ft 

Getting There:parry beach

From Denmark take the South Coast Highway towards Walpole. Turn left at the well signposted to turnoff to Parry Beach, just before you reach the coast there is a turn off to the left to Parry Beach and the camping area, the road also carries on straight ahead but turns to dirt. take the dirt road straight ahead, which leads to the flying site, which is Point Hillier. This will take you down to the beach at the foot of the hill. 4 wheel drive access is possible onto the beach, 2 wheel drives are catered for with a car park before the track gets too sandy.  In strong winds walk down the beach and bottom launch. In lighter winds it is necessary to launch from higher up. A gravel track with a locked gate leads from the carpark leads to an old quarry and a quite good launch area at the top of the lower (dune part of the site). It's a ten or fifteen minute walk, but better than clawing your way up the face of the dune. Alternatively a key to the gate may be available form the campground manager if you ask nicely.

Good camping facilities including toilets and showers are available at Parry Beach proper, fees apply.

Flying:

The site varies in height from a 50 foot dune at the eastern end, to 500 foot limestone cliffs at the southern end. Obviously a wind that is strong enough to allow flying the dune may be too strong on the main face.  Getting blown back on the main face is not an option, it drops off just as steeply into the ocean behind, make sure you have enough penetration and beware of changes in wind speed.  Take care in working your way up from the launch to the main ridge, as even the high launch is less than half the hieght of the main face.  There is a good beach landing to the north and east, but none at the southern end.  Heights of over 1000 feet are possible in ridge lift here, so you should be able to glide back to the beach.
 

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Stirlings

The biggest hills in the southwest, but access for flying has not been agreed with the National Park authorities..
 

Site Type

Direction

Rating

Take off Altitude

Inland Ridge 
 North? 
 Not a rated site
 3000 ft+ 

Getting There:

Located about 100km N of Albany. Approach down Albany Highway to Kojonup then follow signs to Stirling Range National Park.

Flying:

The National Park Management plan specifically forbids flying from Bluff Knoll and Hamilla Hill, although it has been flown from in the past.  The Park management plan has provision to work with the HGAWA to approve flying sites in the Park in future.  Please contact the HGAWA if .you are interested in doing this. The peaks are mostly covered with low scrub, in a few places it is possible for a paraglider to launch if you don't mind the possibility of line damage.  Landing options are also few and far between, but there are some old gravel pits beside the main roads which provide reasonable landing grounds.  The National Park does not permit landing in car parks or on roads.  Towing up near by and trying to thermal across the ranges is an option, but landings areas could still be a problem.

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Porongorups

A smaller range of hills between the Stirlings and Albany, about 1800ft at highest point.People have flown off Devils Slide at the Western end of the range, and the old Potato farm at the Eastern End. Access here is currently allowed at 3 sites if you obtain a permit from the ranger - check with cloudbase and the ranger before you go and don't mess it up for everyone else.
 

Site Type

Direction

Rating

Take off Altitude

Inland Mountain Range 
N, W, S
Not a rated site
1500 ft+ 

Getting There:Dave Humphrey launching form Nancy's Peak

Located half way between the Stirlings and Albany. Approach via Albany highway, turning off at Mt Barker, or out Chester Pass road. well signposted and mapped. Devils Slide is the most likely launch on the southern side of the range, a 300m high granite dome with north south and west faces. This is an arduous walk from the carpark and picnic area. The Old Potato Farm is on the North side of the range and accessed from the same carpark as Castle Rock.

Flying:

Lots of trees below but farmland not far away. potentially very dangerous or very good.
 
 

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Observatory Point-Twilight Beach, Esperance

A Great Coastal site.
 

Site Type

Direction

Rating

Take off Altitude

Coastal Ridge
 SE?
Novice (PG)
600 ft? 

Getting There:Twilight at Twilight Beach

On the coast very near Esperance. Road to top

Flying:

Big coastal site. Top landing away form launch is a choice of scrub or road. Beware of the sea breeze picking up very quickly.
Will fill in details later had to get the great photo below on the page.
 
 

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Closed - Frenchman's Peak

Spectacular Walkup Site in Cape Le Grand National Park. Flying from this site is not permitted in the National Park Management Plan. If you wish to fly here contact HGAWA to see how National Parks can be approached to request flying permission.
 

Site Type

Direction

Rating

Take off Altitude

Inland Hill 
 SE ++
Closed 
600 ft? 

Getting There:Frenchman's Peak

Cape Le Grand National Park East of Esperance. Flying not currently permitted in Cape Le Grande National Park

Flying:

Long hike up, not developed. Flying currently not permitted from this spectacular site.
 
 
 


Maintained by Mike Dufty/www.mikedufty.id.au/last updated 20 March 2005©