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Plans for the introduction of visitor entry fees at Torndirrup and West Cape Howe National Parks, Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve and Lane Poole will come into effect on the 4th April 2016

This brings the total number of parks in Western Australia where entry fees will apply to 34.

How much are park entry fees?

What park passes can you get? In addition to these passes, with the new fees, Albany residents will be able to purchase a pass with unlimited entry into National Parks in the Albany region for a 12 month period at a discounted cost of $15 per vehicle from 4th April 2016 until 3rd April 2017.

What about camping? There are no camping areas within the Torndirrup National Park or Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve. Within the Cape Howe National Park, there is one small camping area at Shelley Beach. Shelley Beach is not suitable for caravans or camper trailers. Only tents and small camper vans (without side awnings) are permitted for overnight stays.

20th November 2015

Bushfire season has started early this year

Lightning strike between 15th and 17th November 2015 has started a number of wildfires in the southern parts of Western Australia, which include

There is a bushfire EMERGENCY WARNING for an area west of Coolgardie-Norseman Highway in the North Cascade area in the Shire of Esperance. Homes in Scaddan, Grass Patch, Red Lake and Salmon Gums may be threatened by the fire, and communities have been evacuate to Esperance. This bushfire at North Cascade has burned at least 170,000 hectares, and multiple fatalities have been reported. The Coolgardie-Esperance Highway is CLOSED north of Gibson.

UPDATE 19th November 2015: The Salmon Gums/Grass Patch fire has broken containment lines and is moving fast in a south easterly direct. The Coolgardie-Esperance Highway remains CLOSED north of Gibson to Norseman. Around 120,000 hectares has been burnt with a 250 kilometre perimeter.

Cape Le Grand National Park and Cape Arid National Park have been closed due to bushfires in the area (17th November 2015). The campgrounds are being evacuated. Travellers are asked to avoid the area to the east of Esperance, and asking those in the vicinity to leave.

UPDATE 19th November 2015: The Merivale fire to the east of Esperance is contained but not controlled, and Merivale and adjoining roads in the area remain CLOSED. The fire at Cape Arid is not contained, and Merivale Road and the Cape Arid National Park remain CLOSED.

See Fire Shape map 9.26 am 18th November 2015 for the North Cascade and Merivale Road fires.

Travellers on the Highway between Norseman and Esperance are advised that the Coolgardie - Esperance Highway is CLOSED between Norseman and Salmon Gums due to a fire which out of control fifty kilometres south west of Norseman near the Highway. Exercise caution when travelling in the vicinity.

UPDATE 20th November 2015: This fire is not yet controlled, however the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway has been RE-OPENED between Norseman and Salmon Gums.

There fire is burning in the Heartbreak Ridge area in the Dundas Nature Reserve south east of Norseman and fourteen kilometres south of the Eyre Highway.

UPDATE 20th November 2015: This fire is not yet controlled and is burning slowly towards the Eyre Highway and it is now seven kilometres from the Highway.

A bushfire advice remains in place for people travelling along Forrestania Road, thirty kilometres north of Hyden-Norseman Road, in the Shire of Yilgarn. The Forrestania Road and the Hyden-Norseman Road have been CLOSED.

UPDATE 19th November 2015: The Forrestania fire has been contained but not controlled and the Hyden-Norseman Road has RE-OPENED, but the Forrestania Road and the Holland Track are CLOSED.

Fires in the popular summer holiday area aroundAlbany in Western Australia have resulted in road closures and access to popular places to visit being closed today (16th November 2015).

The Stony Hill area of Torndirrup National Park near Albany, with Salmon Holes, Stony Hill, Blowholes and
Jimmy Newells Harbour being closed to the public. Road closures include Stony Hill and Salmon Holes roads, Blowholes Road and Jimmy Newells Road. Frenchmans Bay Road is opened under traffic management and may be closed periodically according to smoke conditions.

UPDATE 19th November 2015: This fire has been brought under control and Frenchman's Bay Road and Salmon Holes Road are OPEN, while other roads remain CLOSED.

A fire burning in Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve has resulted in closure of the reserve and the entry road.

UPDATE 20th November 2015: This fire is contained and controlled, but the Nature Reserve and access Road remain CLOSED.

Closer to Perth, the Albany Highway was closed between Jarrahdale Road and North Bannister Road during 17th November 2015 but is RE-OPENED 18th November 2015.

Updated 20th November 2015

LATEST: The Salmon Gums - Grass Patch fire is at present stationary, but is neither fully contained nor controlled. Speed restrictions apply on the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway in the vicinity.

The Merivale area fire which broke containment lines on the western side of the fire near Mullet Lakes, this morning moving in a south westerly direction. It is not contained or controlled and the wind changes expected have changed to have the fire travelling in a north westerly direction. Roads and parks remain closed in this area.

At Cape Arid fire crews have brought one fire under control but the other remains uncontrolled. Roads and parks remain closed.

South of Norseman the fire has been contained but not controlled. It is burning near the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway which remains OPEN.

The fire in the Dundas Nature Reserve seven kilometres south of the Eyre Highway is moving slowly in a west north westerly direction. The Eyre Highway remains open with CAUTION for smoke and emergency personnel vehicles.

See latest Fire Shape map of the main fires in the Esperance and Dundas (Norseman) shires 14:15 on 20th November 2015.

LATEST NEWS on the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway: The Highway has been RE-OPENED with speed restrictions 15:42 20th November 2015

The Highway has been RE-OPENED from Salmon Gums to Norseman, but remains CLOSED betweenSalmon Gums and Gibson. 19th November 2015 3:07 pm

Updated 22nd November 2015

What sites are currently closed due to fires and fire risk?

Due to the Severe Fire Danger today, Serpentine National Park and Avon Valley National Park are CLOSED today (Sunday 22nd November 2015). It is expected that the parks will reopen again tomorrow.

Due to several large and damaging fires in the Esperance area, the following sites remain CLOSED.

• Cape Le Grand National Park - including Lucky Bay, Cape Le Grand Beach, Thistle Cove, Hellfire Bay, Frenchman’s Peak, Coastal walktrail, Dunns Rock and Rossiter Bay

• Cape Arid National Park - including Thomas River and the Esperance Shire campsite, Poison Creek campsite, Seal Creek, Jorndee campsite, Thomas Fishery and Mount Ragged campsite.

• Nuytsland Nature Reserve - including Point Malcolm to Israelite Bay (including Point Culver and Wattle Camp) and the Cliffs fishing location.

• Peak Charles National Park - including Peak Charles campsite, walktrail, Peak Elanora and Dog Rock.

22nd November 2015

UPDATE 24th November 2015: Brand Highway Muchea and Bindoon fires are contained or controlled overnight. The Brand Highway is open, but some local roads remain closed.

The North West Coastal Highway Milinya Exmouth Road to Nanutarra Roadhouse was CLOSED 23rd November 2015 due to a bushfire.

Albany Highway and Bannister roads have RE-OPENED 24th November 2015. The Bibbulmun Track remains CLOSED between Dwellingup and Randall Road.
A fire at North Bannister to the south of Perth resulting from two fires started last week by lightning is out of control and the Albany Highway is RE-OPENED between Jarrahdale Road and Crossman Dwarda Road. The Bannister-Marradong Road is RE-OPENED north of Crossman Road. The Bannister-Wandering Road is RE-OPENED west of Ricks Road. The Bibbulmun Track is CLOSED between Dwellingup and Sullivan Rock.

With a number of fires today (22nd November 2015) to the north of Perth in Western Australia, there is an EMERGENCY WARNING for people at North Muchea, and the Brand Highway between Cockram Road and the intersection of Railway Parade and Brand Highway just north of Muchea townsite. There is an EMERGENCY WARNING for people near Julimar State Forest in the Shire of Toodyay. Local roads may have been closed. There is an EMERGENCY WARNING for Bindoon where the Great Northern Highway has been CLOSED.

A number of roads north east of Mandurah closed due to a fire on 23rd November have RE-OPENED.

Updated 24rd November 2015

Forrestania area, off Norseman-Hyden Road. A fire is burning in bushland east of Marvel Loch-Forrestania Road and south of Norseman-Hyden Road. The following roads which were closed this morning have been RE-OPENED:

• Norseman-Hyden Road

• Norseman-Lake King Road

• Marvel Loch-Forrestania Road

In the Gascoyne and Pilbara, roads CLOSED due to fires include:

UPDATE midday 24th November 2015

• The North West Coastal Highway Milinya Exmouth Road to Nanutarra Roadhouse NOW OPEN Burkett Road to Nanutarra but remains closed Milinya Exmouth Road to Burkett Road intersection.

• Burkett Road NOW RE-OPENED

Roads in the Merivale area of Esperance have RE-OPENED with the fire being brought under control 25th November 2015, but roads in the Cape Arid area remain CLOSED. Parks that remain CLOSED:

• Cape Le Grand National Park - including Lucky Bay, Cape Le Grand Beach, Thistle Cove, Hellfire Bay, Frenchman’s Peak, Coastal walktrail, Dunns Rock and Rossiter Bay
• Cape Arid National Park - including Thomas River and the Esperance Shire campsite, Poison Creek campsite, Seal Creek, Jorndee campsite, Thomas Fishery and Mt Ragged campsite.
• Nuytsland Nature Reserve - including Point Malcolm to Israelite Bay (including Point Culver and Wattle Camp) and the Cliffs fishing location.
• Peak Charles National Park - including Peak Charles campsite, walktrail, Peak Elanora and Dog Rock.
• Esperance Lakes Nature Reserve – Woody Lake; Lake Wheatfield; Lake Windabout; Kepwari walktrail; Canoe trail.

Updated 25th November 2015

Western Australia

Two Rocks Road has been closed due to a fire in the vicinity. Road OPEN 27th November 2015. This fire has been contained.

In the Cape Arid region where several fires remain uncontrolled in rugged terrain, the Balladonia Road between Parmango/Balladonia intersection and north of the Mount Ragged campsite turnoff remains closed.

With several fires are burning in bushland near the North West Coastal in the Gascoyne Pilbara regions, the following roads are RE-OPENED 26th November 2015:

North West Coastal Highway between Fortescue Roadhouse and twenty kilometres south of Nanutarra Roadhouse
Burkett Road at the Minilya Exmouth Road intersection.
Nanutarra Munjina Road between North West Coastal Highway and Munjina Road

See updates above

• North West Coastal Highway is closed between the Fortescue Roadhouse and twenty kilometres south of

• Burkett Road is closed at the Exmouth - Minilya Road intersection.
• Onslow Road is closed.
• Pannawonica Road is closed.
• Nanutarra Munijina Road is closed

• Karijini Drive from Hamersley Mount Bruce Road to Great Northern Highway

Fires in the Esperance, Norseman and Great Southern areas are as reported yesterday, with roads in the Cape Arid area still being closed. The bushfire burning in the Mount Ragged area is not contained or under control. The bushfire burning in the Gypsum Lake area is not contained or under control.

Following the controlling of a fire at Forrestania, a further fire has been started by lightning The fire is burning in ten kilometres south of the Hyden-Norseman Road and ten kilometres east of the Marvel Loch-Forrestania Road.

Updated 26th November 2015

South Australia

Update 27th November 2015: The fire has now been contained, but is still burning within the area. The amount of property damage is huge. With strong winds 30th November 2015, flare-ups may occur with the potential to breach the containment lines.

Update 26th November 2015: The large and damaging fire in the Mid North still has sporadic fire activity across the entire fire-ground. Fire activity is principally to the north and to the east of Hamley Bridge and its surrounding areas. The CFS has been attending to flare ups on the northern perimeter, south of Owen and also around the town of Stockport. There have been two fatalities and number of burns victims have been hospitalised.

Updated 30th November 2015

New South Wales

A number of fires in New South Wales resulted in road closures during today. Sadly a firefighter at Kurri Kurri in the Hunter region has died, believed to be from a heart attack, whilst fighting a fire.

26th November 2015