The breeding ground of the salmon is from Esperance to Walpole. The fish gather in mid-summer around the south-east coast and migrate to southern WA where spawning occurs in March and April each year.
The commercial fisherman have targeted these schools as they move along the coast since the 1950’s canning, for both human and feline consumption, and cray bait. These seasonal camps a diverse lifeblood to local industry and a unique lifestyle for the workers, families and communities. To catch the salmon a net is shot around a school as it passes and is then hauled up on to the beach. The sight of tons of salmon being man handled on to the beach and ready for transport, at the crack of dawn, is a sight to behold.
Aside from this, their hard fighting tactics and means that recreational fisherman can chase a world class sportfish from the beach. A favourite pass time for anyone young or old avid fisherman or not, it is universally agreed they are a fun catch and great way to spend a day at the beach.
Salmon form very large schools in southern waters and head westwards in mid to late summer, continuing up the west coast as far as Perth. Salmon eggs are planktonic and then ultimately find their way offshore and drift south and eastwards with the aid of the warm Leeuwin Current.
One of these favourite locations is Betty’s Beach.
The Norman’s were three brothers, Arthur, Percy and John [Jnr] Norman whose family was some of the first European settlers in the area. John Norman whose wife was Mary arrived in 1795 and there family still hold a strong local presence. The Norman brothers used to live in “The Green House” at Mount Manypeaks. Betty’s Beach once known as Betty’s Bay was named after Betty Jones, she used to go camping and fishing there with her family. At that stage there were no real roads so it was a great adventure bouncing around in the back of a truck over bumps rocks and Blackboys to get to the fishing beaches. Camping out was a lot harder then as she had to make her own mattress out of dried seaweed.
The Salmon "Spotter" needs a view of the whole beach to alert the team of the school, its size, approach and timing so this location gives you a great outlook. The main road in is suitable to all vehicles and then is a short walk to 4WD up a sand track to the GZ. Please bring your own writing stick.