Withnell Bay is a beach in the north-western area of Western Australia and is on the south-western edge of the Murujuga National Park.
The beach is about 300m of high tide sand with two sections of rock breaking it up and a rock ledge and mangroves bordering it.
Following the signs to Withnell Bay takes you to the entrance of Murujuga National Park. The track from here on is rougher and is meant for higher clearance off-road vehicles, walking, or mountain bikes.
Withnell Bay is named after Emma Withnell , a pioneer and first white female settler in north-west Western Australia. Emma and her husband John Withnell began operating Mount Welcome station, in which the homestead became the side of the first town in the area, Roebourne.
There is a lot of Aboriginal art on various rocks scattered around the trails in the Murujuga National Park, however, we didn’t venture beyond the beach. In contrast, the opening of Withnell Bay is lined on one side with the Karratha Gas Plant , where the North West Shelf Visitors Centre is.
To get there:
From Dampier, head south on the Dampier Hwy and 1.7km after the Red Dog statue turn left into Burrup Rd. Follow Burrup Rd for 9.3km, driving through Burrup, and turn right at the brown sign for Withnell Bay. Follow the road/track for about 2.5 to 3km to reach the beach of Withnell Bay.
From Karratha, head west along Dampier Hwy towards Dampier. After passing the cemetery (Madigan Rd) continue for 16.2km and turn right into Burrup Rd with the brown sign for Withnell Bay. Follow Burrup Rd for 9.3km, driving through Burrup, and turn right at the brown sign for Withnell Bay. Follow the road/track for about 2.5 to 3km to reach the beach of Withnell Bay.