Windy Harbour is a small settlement situated on Crown reserve, surrounded by D'Entrecasteaux National Park. 219 cottages have been built here since the 1900's, most after the Great Depression, when inexpensive camping holidays on the south coast were favoured by many local timber workers. It was during these times that the strong community spirit which typifies Windy Harbour was established. Fishing has always been a major part of life at Windy Harbour and one of the principal reasons its establishment. The relatively sheltered aspect of the harbour means it remains popular with fishermen today. Visitors can also view Sandy Island from the cliffs at Windy Harbour, an important nesting site for flesh-footed shearwaters (Puffinus carneipes). Up to 300,000 breeding pairs of these birds descend on Sandy Island each year, a large proportion of the global population.
Getting There
Windy Harbour is approximately one hour from Pemberton. It is one of the few sites in the D’Entrecasteaux National Park which is accessible by sealed road.
Walk Trails
One of the best ways to experience Windy Harbour’s stunning setting is to take a walk along a cliff top. Coastal Survivors Walk is a coastal walk along the dunes and cliff tops which links Point D’Entrecasteaux and Windy Harbour via Cathedral Rock. Learn about the coastal plants and animals and their adaptations to this most demanding of environments. Distance: 2.8km one way. Time: Allow 2 hours. Class: 2-3 Moderately easy
Fishing
Windy Harbour has always been renowned for its excellent fishing. Keen anglers can expect to catch herring, whiting and skippy year round, and salmon and tailor when they are running.
Swimming
The harbour’s sheltered nature means that it is one of the few places along this coastline to offer a safe area to swim, although care should still be taken.
Camping
As Windy Harbour is accessible via sealed road, it is the only site in D’Entrecasteaux National Park with facilities for caravans. The nature based camping and caravan ground is small but well set out, and contains a campers’ kitchen, drinking water, hot showers, toilet and laundry.
