THE ISLAND AT THE END OF THE WORLD

WITH LIMITED VEHICLE NUMBERS, YOU’LL FEEL LIKE YOU’RE AT THE END OF THE WORLD ON PRISTINE DIRK HARTOG ISLAND

GETTING to Dirk Hartog Island seemed pretty easy on paper, just head out towards Steep Point in the far west of Western Australia, G book the barge and spend a few days exploring the island. But it wasn't until I started doing proper research that it's not quite that easy; this needed some proper logistical organisation.

The island has a few rules, and one of the most important is that only 20 vehicles are allowed there at any one time. So with that in mind I found a time slot to suit my exploration of the island for five days, next was fuel and supplies. The nearest fuel stop to where the island's barge departure point is more than 200km away, and the same for the drop-off point, plus I needed to allow travel for at least 100km of the island's tracks, all with low tyre pressures. All up I should be good for nearly 500km worth of 4WDing. A fuel drop can be organised on the island, but expect to pay a premium price.

With both fuel tanks chokers and a top-up shop at Denham on the Cape Peron peninsula I headed to Steep Point, and where the Dirk Island barge pick-up point was. Conserving fuel, it was an easy 100km drive to the turn-off point on to Useless Loop Road which is sealed for part of the way.

It wasn't long, though, before it was time to drop the tyre pressures for the dirt-road section, and the sand started. Signposted 39km before Steep Point, Parks WA recommend dropping tyres down to 28psi and switching to low range for the sand-dune section and corrugated roads. It's a point well taken as the road to Steep Point was extremely rough from recent traffic, and I must admit some of the worst I have come across in 30 years. With a few hours of daylight left I headed up to the Steep Point sign for the obligatory photo to say 'been there, done that', and with the barge pick-up point and camp spots right on the beach.