Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and Cabins

Waking up to kangaroos nibbling outside our bedroom windows was something special, and the beach and ocean views, with waves rolling in, were spectacular. We also loved the sanctuary tour and seeing koalas living wild as they always have. Tom and his lovely dog Abbie made the stay memorable. Tom shared great insights on the tour and kindly kept us supplied with firewood. He even invited us surf casting for Western Australian Salmon. We hooked one on nearly every cast on that beautiful beach, with a seal after the same fish. We kept a few and had delicious fresh fish for dinner. By the end, Tom felt like a lifelong friend, not just a host. We were lucky to finish our monthlong Australian vacation at Hanson Bay Cabins.

The beach was stunning, and I caught a few salmon there. I stayed for two weeks in 1999, so it’s been 26 years now. I’m surprised the place is still there. We left a door open and possums came in to raid us. They seemed completely tame and unafraid. A big monitor lizard hung around too.

The bay was so beautiful and calming that I drifted off as if I were sleeping right on the beach. It was heaven, and the best sleep I’ve had in ages. I’ll definitely stay there again.

We found the cabin had everything we needed, and the Wi-Fi was fast enough to stream video if required. There’s no TV, which we saw as a plus. It also works well as a base for nearby attractions. The place is wonderfully relaxing, with superb ocean and beach views, and it’s remote enough that you often have it to yourself. Nature is recovering well. You can still see clear signs of the fires, but they didn’t take away from the experience.