Wharton Beach, WA: Amazing white sand Duke of Orleans Bay beach

In the Cape Le Grand National Park, photo-friendly Wharton Beach is arguably Australia’s best secret beach. A 4.5km stretch of surfer-friendly white sand gives way to turquoise ocean an hour east of Esperance.

Wharton Beach is not one of Australia’s best known beaches. The likes of Bondi Beach, Whitehaven Beach and Bells Beach are known internationally, but Wharton Beach is one of those amazing little secrets. People who find it rave about it. But not all that many people find it.

Wharton Beach offers a near-perfect curve of white sand, which gives way to water doing the vivid turquoise and teal thing. There are no resorts behind it, no cafés or restaurants and no shop selling inflatables. It is basically undeveloped and marvellously wild.

Where is Wharton Beach?

Wharton Beach is in the Cape Le Grand National Park in Western Australia. It’s on Duke of Orleans Bay, and about an hour’s drive east of Esperance. From Perth to Wharton Beach, it’s a 752km drive.

Given that it takes serious effort to get to Esperance, this is a good indication of just how far away from anywhere Wharton Beach is. It is officially part of the tiny settlement of Condingup, and that’s where you’ll need to take the turn-off. The car park for this Duke of Orleans Bay beach is at the eastern end of the beach.

Surfing at Wharton Beach

Wharton Beach is not just staggeringly beautiful, however – it tends to offer excellent surf, too. The bigger waves are at the western end, although there’s a zone of rips at the eastern end, which can create excellent conditions.

Surfers regularly encounter dolphins just offshore at Wharton Beach, WA.

Wharton Beach accommodation

If you don’t want to drive out from Esperance to Wharton Beach, the nearest accommodation is the Duke of Orleans Bay Caravan Park. Luxurious, it is not, but you don’t come out this way for luxury in the first place.

Other nearby Western Australian beaches covered in the Australian Beach Guide include Lucky Bay and Hellfire Bay.