Nannup and on to Busselton

Karri Gully to Augusta and Cape Freycinet

Sat. March 12^th

In the morning we set off to Nannup, another timer town and a place with a strong ‘hippie’ feel to it. Alternative shops, long skirts on older women etc encouraged us to think that this town was caught in a time warp!

Nannup had a lovely feel to it, with its timber buildings and shops and we went for a bike ride along part of the Munda Bindi Trail, a bike track that at the moment extends from Perth to Nannup but with further expansion planned. The river was dry, as this area is still in drought, but the grass trees and eucalypts were wonderful. We also loved what they had done at the oval where the fortnightly market takes place. The imaginative use of timber in creating shelter for the stall holders was great to see, particularly as we had seen so little in the way of imaginative design and construction to date.

We were thrilled to hear that Stu was pleased with his performance in 2 practice matches for his new footy club and thinks that he may be a borderline selection in the squad. He sounded confident and happy.

After talking to Barb we decided to leave Luke to his 30^th birthday celebrations and head to Augusta for the rest of the day. This very attractive, up-market fishing and holiday centre, with its large river estuary and crashing surf coast was beautiful. We went to see the lighthouse and the views, bought some red snapper for dinner then made our way to the Leewin-Naturaliste NP at Conto for the night. Another NP and another great camp site.

Cape Freycinet to Busselton

Sun. March 13^th

We drove along the corrugated road down to Cape Freycinet and had our first exposure to the rolling swell of the Indian Ocean. The beach and waves were wild, so no fishing from the rocks there! We headed north and visited a couple of beaches along the way – Redgate, Prevelly and Gracetown – where surfers were vying for the big waves and the carparks were full. It was a great day to be at the beach and at Gracetown there were swimmers, snorkelers, fishermen, surfers and picnickers, so it was a versatile place.

We spent some of the afternoon visiting Doug Simpson and his 2 kids, George and Amelia, at their home at Coraramup. Marnie was in Perth for her sister’s hen’s weekend. It was great to see Doug and he gave us many ‘must see’ places in the north-west and also the best fishing spots! Graeme was very happy J

Onward to the Wills Domain Winery to meet Ulrika, Luke Webb’s partner. Lots of timber and glass, some interesting sculptures and a lovely view – standard winery experience! Ulrika provided us with coffee and tea and invited us to stay the night with them in Busselton.

We met Luke at his home, just an older version of the young boy I knew.  We then headed out to see some of the local sights - the pier, the parks along the foreshore, the 1840s church and manse and the Vasse River. When we returned, Luke & Ulrika were home and we greatly enjoyed their food, wine and company. Generous hosts and we did not impose on them by sleeping in the house but camped in the driveway so that they could go about the early morning work preparations the next day.

Busselton

Mon. March 14^th

A day in a house with a computer, catching up on bills, mail and this account of our travels. Locating anew fire extinguisher, having the audio on the DVD player checked out also took some time. It was good to have some time to think about and research texts for Phlip’s wedding. Not long now.

Warm to hot weather has been forecast for this week, so our plans include lots of beach time for swimming and fishing. The drought has taken its toll in this area so the lakes and estuaries are almost dry, so we will head to Perth, making our way along the coast rather than the arid inland areas.

We eventually set off for Bunbury but by the time we arrived GVS was tired so we did a quick ‘Cook’s tour’ and drove on to our campsite on Leschenault Inlet, about 25km to the north and along 4km of VERY corrugated road. The camping ground was set under shady trees beside the inlet and kangaroos fed along the water’s edge and a range of water birds abounded. A walking/bike trail led to historical information posts, where I learned that this was once a large farm where Arab horses were bred for the British military in India in the 1850s and the site was also used as a hippie commune in the 70s, where the 3 rules were ‘No dogs, no drugs and no dole’. Apparently this worked successfully for 5 or more years but eventually the council bulldozed the houses and dwellings after the original founders moved on and the later residents did not respect the rules. The written reflections of some people who had been kids there reminded me of the early Penbank and Preshill years.

One inlet to another

Tues. Mar 15

Graeme ate his breakfast in the company of kookaburras, magpies and butcherbirds who were all waiting to share his food, and the ‘28’ parrots that abound in this area.

We headed down the road to the long, sandy beach from which we could look back on Bunbury’s port and town in the distance. Many ships were anchored out in the Indian Ocean, presumably waiting to load/unload at the port. Graeme fished in the clear water and we watched an enormous stingray patrol the shallows for food and a small pod of dolphins swimming in just 10m off the shore. I enjoyed swimming in the refreshing, clear water and had 2 swims before 11am.

We drove north to Preston Beach, where once again I enjoyed a swim but this time with 5 even larger rays causing some consternation as they came right up to the edge of the beach.

Our destination for the night was Harvey Estuary and a new freeway had been constructed since the map had been printed so as we drove through an area of burnt out vegetation and new housing to discover the estuary on the wrong side of us, we called into a fisherman’s shed, bought some prawns and asked directions. Back along the road we had come, we found the road to the estuary and a beautiful picnic spot with a ‘No Camping’ sign.

We had a late lunch, set up our chairs and watched a beautiful hawk and many pelicans on and over the water. A man came to exercise his dog and told us that the lake could be crossed from sandbar to sandbar and the maximum depth was about 1m at high tide. The only fish were blowfish – our toadies. He also directed us to the campground, via the new freeway, on the opposite shore.

I spent the afternoon kayaking around the very large area, managing to enjoy a close up view of the pelicans, cormorants, sandpipers and other birds. It was very peaceful and relaxing out on the water and when walking along the shore later I saw herons, egrets and other shore birds.

The sun set over the hills on the opposite shore was just beautiful but one my little camera could not capture accurately. For the 1^st time in months we needed mozzie protection as the little blood-suckers were there in their hundreds!

Mandurah and Pinjarra

Wed. March 16^th

After a hot night, we decided to set off early to Mandurah, once a holiday destination for those who found gold inland and later for the wheatbelt families. It is now a suburb of Perth and many people commute. It is also one of those places that has been developed along a series of lagoons, much like the Gold Coast, and much of the natural beauty has been lost. They even called one area Venice, gave the streets Italian names and designed little arched bridges to cross the water – appalling!

We dusted off our bikes and spent the morning riding around the designated tourist areas, finally deciding that lunch in the park across the old bridge would be pleasant, and it was. In the ‘swimming centre’ – the netted off area in the estuary – high school kids were enjoying kayak ball games and it was fun to watch them. We found a beach where I could have a swim before we headed west to Pinjarra.

Pinjarra is 19km south-east of Mandurah on the banks of the Murray River in Western Australia's South-West agricultural region. The town is one of the oldest in the State and began as a farming community. The area later developed into a lucrative bauxite mining and timber milling town. Alcoa has an office and a mine there.  In 1830, following the establishment of the Swan River Colony in 1829, Thomas Peel was granted 250,000 acres  to the Murray River . The area, now known as the Peel Region, was intend for farming use, as all of the fertile land near the Swan River Settlement had already been taken up. Included in the Murray region was Pinjarra land.  Unfortunately conflict between the new settlers and the Nyungars slowly increased as tribal lands near the river were taken up by the farmers. Cattle were speared and so too some settlers. The area became a trecherous and dangerous place to be. As unrest continued an incident involving the death of a servant Hugh Nesbit brought the conflict between settlers and Aboriginals to a head. Stirling, along with John Septimus Roe, Captain Ellis and a detachment of soldiers headed to the banks of the Murray River to confront the Bindjareb Bilyidar Nyungars. On October 28th, 1834, they surrounded the Nyungars and opened fire on them. The Battle of Pinjarra, otherwise known as the Pinjarra Massacre, would go down in Western Australian history as one of the State's darkest and bloodiest days. Similar conflicts were occurring on the Swan River settlement as farmers fenced off areas, depriving Aboriginal people of their traditional food sources.

Today, little of this conflict is noted, and the town is a sleepy little place where a new shopping area with a supermarket has led to the main street shops becoming deserted. We visited the Arts Centre, walked across the suspension bridge, meandered under the shady trees in the historical precinct then returned to the Heron Island Point camp area on the Harvey Estuary for a 2^nd night.

To Rockingham

Thurs. Mar 17^th

Another hot night but not a windy one! Those hot easterly winds of the past few days and nights remind us of the Melbourne northerlies and are just as dangerous in this tinder-dry region.

Rockingham was our destination for this day, just 30km up the road and then just another 30km to Perth! Sneaking up on the city! We had arranged to spend Friday night with Lizzie & Joel Ciszek at Cottesloe Beach before moving on to Barb’s for the rest of our time. A call to Simon Thompson will determine whether he has time to catch up for a coffee or wine over the weekend too. We’re looking forward to other company for a while now.

Rockingham turned out to be a pleasant commuter suburb of Perth and a holiday destination as well. The town was wide-spread with the chemical industries and harbour with enormous grqain storage facilities at one end and Garden Island Naval Base at the other, after which there was Peron Point and fabulous snorkelling opportunities. We explored by van and on foot, enjoyed lunch in the beachside park under the trees, indulged in a cappuccino at a nearby cafe, purchased a new hat and an LED light for using outside at night as the existing one was not bright enough. Having decided that Rockingham had enough areas of interest to keep us busy for the day and into Friday, we swam at the Palm Beach jetty while we waited for the caravan park office to reopen after lunch and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon.

Rockingham to Perth

Friday, March 18^th

We drove up the road to Lake Richmond, a shallow body of water with beaches which had thrombolites, about which we had read a little. They are extremely primitive life forms, consisting of single-celled bacteria which deposit layers of silt and calcium that slowly grow into rounded rocks. Scientists believe they are the earliest form of life on earth, dating back about 3500 million years, and the origins of oxygen in the atmosphere. These relics are mostly extinct and exist only as fossils - living examples can still be found growing in just a handful of places in the world.

Adapted from http://www.roamingdownunder.com/thrombolites.php

The thrombolites were not a great scenic attraction but the little eagles that rested on the sandy water’s edge and hovered above the lake were very entertaining.

From there we went to Point Peron to snorkel but while the water was warm it was murky too. However, it was great to be in the water again.

The rest of the day was spent travelling to and exploring Fremantle, a great spot in which to while away a couple of hours by walking around the old buildings, looking at the cafes on the port and watching the uni students and tourists. The market was on but the quality and range of fresh food was disappointing.

We arrived at Cottesloe and had a great night catching up with Lizzie and Joel and hearing about their WA lives.

Parry's Beach to Augusta

Parry’s Beach to the Tingle Trees ..... and Shannon NP

Wed. Mar 9^th

Another glorious day, so another beautiful beach! Having farewelled Kerrie and Tom, our neighbours from Geraldton who kindly offered us a place to stay when up that way, we set off on a 25km trip to Peaceful Bay ..... a beautiful name and a beautiful beach (but I’ll never adjust to 4WDs parked all over the sand). The morning passed in fishing and reading on the beach, exploring the rocks and little bays and swimming in the beautiful water. The world of Casterbridge in Thomas Hardy’s comic/tragic novel, Far From the Madding Crowd – an apt title to read on our travels, contrasted superbly with the environment in which we travelled. Again we count our blessings that we live in Australia in the present day, despite its inequities and issues.



The giant red tingle
trees grow up to 85m tall!



Heading west after lunch, we enjoyed the magnificent Tingle Tree Tops out of Walpole. These eucalypts are amazing in their height, and as they are without a tap root, they develop a huge girth to balance the tree. 

The largest one, unfortunately almost split by fire and insects, had a girth of 24m.! The tree top walk above the forest set us swinging in the trees; don’t hold on and don’t look down. Fortunately the wind was not too strong and there weren’t many people so the swaying of the 60m spans was not too great.

We spent the evening at the Shannon NP camp area where we camped under the high canopy of the giant tingle, jarrah and casuarinas. Many birds high up in the tree tops that could be heard but not seen.

Thurs. Mar 10^th

A very slow start to the day as the surroundings encouraged us to move slowly and enjoy the forest. This very beautiful camp site was idyllic, with the sun filtering down through the high canopy of the giant trees and hardly a breath of wind.
We were the only campers in our part of the grounds, so the only noise was the birds.

The wood heater for showers had gone out overnight but much to my surprise the water was still hot, so a hot shower was greatly enjoyed ... all 3 minutes of itJ GVS cooked the aubergine for lunch/dinner on the gas BBQ, just in case our next stop does not have these facilities. We have become experts in making the most of any opportunity.

After driving to Snake Gully to see more forest, we travelled on to Northcliffe, from where the road led north west to Pemberton or south to the D’Encastreaux NP on the coast.

Northcliffe was the only town founded as part of the Group Settlement Scheme and once again the prospect of those men clearing karri, marri and jarrah forests with hand saws and axes is amazing. Sadly for so many, the Depression and the conditions led to most walking off their farms in the 1930s.  A small tobacco industry started in the 1950s to give employment to returned servicemen and a timber mill employed people until the 1990s. Now small cottage industries and tourism keep this place alive.

We filled with diesel - $1.60l – and I walked a small section of the 1000km Bibbulmun Track, a walking trail from Perth to Albany through some of the finest scenery in the south. The section at Northcliffe led down to the Gardner River, which was not flowing at this time of year, so was little more than stagnant pools.

Having been lured by the thought of the coast once again, we set off to Windy Harbour, a settlement of fishing shacks in the D’Encastreaux NP. On the way we climbed Mt Chidalup, a granite outcrop from which there were views on this clear day all the way to the coast and across the forest tree line.

We spent the rest of the day at Salmon Beach, a wild and magnificent with huge waves crashing on to orange/yellow cliffs or onto the sand.

GVS tried to entice the fish onto his line while I walked along the beach, enjoying the scenery, avoiding the strong rips and currents and listening to the crashing waves.

The camping ground was surrounded by holiday shacks that are leased on long term leases, are very well maintained and provide a break from the forest for the people in this region. Windy Harbour however had 2-3metre piles of sea grasses rotting on the shore and the smell was not appealing.

Windy Harbour to Karri Gully out of Bridgetown

Fri. Mar 11^th

‘...and the wind came up and it blew and blew and blew....’

Hot showers were greatly appreciated before we set off for the day, pleased that we had experienced the area of a sunny and calm one before the wind came in again.

A day of travelling north and watching the landscape change from lush, green rainforest areas to drought-ridden farmlands.

We travelled to Pemberton, the heart of karri country. Although we still struggle to identify marri, jarrah and other trees, the karri, with its smooth pale bark and enormous trunk, is easy. It is the tallest species in WA and some of the biggest were used as fire lookouts in the 1930s and 40s and can still be climbed ..... by those with stronger constitutions than mine!

We took the Karri Forest Explorer drive around the forests, however it was too much of the same thing and the Beedelup Falls were dry at this time of year, however the magnificent Warren NP with its flowing river, great walks and amazing trees made up for it all! Not to be missed.

The mill workers’ cabins lined the streets and it certainly had its own profile.

Pemberton was a thriving timber town in the early 1900s and a mill is still working there.

Quite pretty but not much to do in town except top up the pantry. Having seen and heard about the food speciality of this area, the marron or fresh-water cray, we decided to try some. As GVS did not want to cook one himself, we went to a trout and marron farm and shared a meal ($45 per serve). It was tasty but cannot match a real crayfish, although at $75 per kilo, crayfish is off our menu!

 We drove on to Bridgetown, another small town trying to create a positive tourist image to bring in other dollars to the economy.  A quick walk around, a cappuccino, then on to spend the night at a free-camp at Karri Gully on the Bibbulmun Track.
Our fellow campers were a young German couple and we introduced ourselves then had an early dinner and settled in to watch a dvd and read as the night in the forest was cold. A loud thumping on the van and the call “Do you have a fire extinguisher?” quickly stirred us and we handed over our extinguisher so that the young man could put out the flames before the forest caught alight! The gas bottle he was using ignited and was burning furiously but he quickly extinguished the flames and we were grateful that no-one was injured and that the car and van did not catch fire either!

My ‘who done it?’ was very tame after that excitement!

Denmark and Parry's Beach

Mon. March 7^th

As we neared Denmark, about 50km west of Albany, the trees were taller, the forests thicker and the rain heavier. Fortunately it stopped and we were able to explore the river at Denmark via a 3km walking track and walk around the streets of this busy tourist village. People, vans, dogs and kids everywhere, enjoying the last moments of the long weekend.

In the 1880s Europeans moved into this area to harvest the forest – in the 19^th century London’s streets were paved in timber blocks cut from Denmark’s trees – but they eventually killed the goose that laid the golden egg!

In the 1920s the area was one of the Group Settlement Schemes, where British WW1 soldiers who returned from the war to an economy that offered no employment were offered ‘free’ land if they cleared and settled. What a task for these poor families, as grubbing out the roots of these enormous trees would have taken enormous energy and the land would not have easily supported European crops ... until the days of superphosphate!

Denmark’s shops indicated an environmentally-aware community with a commitment to sustainability. The alpaca produce shop and vast array of boutique coffee shops, B&Bs, wineries etc. indicate that there is plenty of money in the Denmark region; agricultural industries and boutique businesses of such contrast to the light and heavy industries of Albany’s port.

Graeme was keen to settle into Parry’s Beach before mid-afternoon so we continued only to discover a ‘Camp Area Full’ sign! Following our experience at Lucky Bay with a ‘full house’ sign that didn’t mean what it said, I asked at the caretaker’s cottage and was told that we could have 1 night in the overflow carpark or go to a park further up the road. A quick check of the large, heavily treed, cool and shady camping area revealed a number of camp sites so back to the office to pay our dues - $7 per site per night – and we settled into the area. Fresh fruit and vegies were for sale at the entrance and mullet for sale at the salmon fishermen’s shack area. There is a 3-week limit for camping here and I suspect that many of the people here stay to the limit.

The salmon fishermen’s shack area was interesting as it is generally only occupied for the 3-month salmon season when the 5 families move from their homes and live here. Fishing is done by nets released from small boats and secured to tractors on the beach. The woman to whom we spoke said that it was good fishing as the salmon came in close to shore and only salmon were caught in the nets. The fish were taken to Albany for processing as bait or tinned fish.

A newspaper article on display at the caretaker’s cottage indicated that there has been a push to clear these corrugated shacks from beaches in the SW area, just as the Victorian Labour Government at one stage wanted to remove the boat sheds from the bay beaches. While I found the Betty’s Beach shanty town unattractive, this is all part of the heritage of the area and there are so few of them that I cannot see how it is fair and reasonable to demand their removal when they are still serving their purpose.

Having been spoiled by other pristine beaches, the one at Parry’s Beach was not outstanding and the fishing from the rocks on the point not successful!

Tues. Mar 8^th

Back to Denmark to explore, kayak on the Denmark River, take a bike ride from the river mouth into town and have a wonderful morning doing the things I love – thanks, GVS.    It was a beautiful autumn morning and the wait for a coffee was no longer 20 mins as it had been the day before. The ducks, cormorants, pelicans and egrets on the river and sand-blocked estuary were enjoying the sunshine too.

The afternoon was spent at the William Bay NP, amazing at the incredible Elephant Rocks and fishing on the rock platforms beside them. The water was crystal clear, as it has been from Esperance westwards, but never fails to amaze us. Sadly, the fish weren’t biting, so we eventually walked around to Green’s Pool, a beautiful protected swimming area where others were lying in the sun, snorkelling around the rocks, trying to catch fish or walking along the beautiful beach.

A perfect day!

Albany

Friday, March 4^th

Happy Birthday Clancy Cunningham and Barry Andriessen, just 60 years between you J

On this glorious hot and sunny morning we packed up, said farewell to our fellow travellers and explored Nannarup beach, Lower King and then onto the picturesque Oyster Harbour at Emu Point. This large, protected harbour with a very narrow channel is home to the now very small fishing fleet and oyster and mussel farmers. Overfishing has almost killed the industry here. Emu Point is a suburb of Albany and holiday spot, much like Middleton Beach, and home to the Squid Shack, a local icon. Our salt and pepper squid, which came battered and deep fried, was not our idea of a good meal and we were disappointed.

A couple of hours in the shade of the trees on the beachfront and a swim in the crystal clear water restored our energy and we continued on towards town, stopping to visit the Princess Royal Fortress,

Don't push your
luck, GV!

a fortification that began life during the Boer War and continued to be used until the 1960s. It was restored in the 1980s and is now used as a military museum relating specifically to this area with emphasis on the Light Horse brigades that embarked for the wars from this port. Some interesting information on the treatment of Aboriginal people in the armed services and upon their return. We also went up to the top of nearby Mt Clarence to the war memorial where dawn services are held on Anzac Day.

Our next stop was at The Old Farm at Strawberry Hill, a National Trust building and garden. The old house with its stone foundations, brick and stone walls and shingled roof was a beautiful piece of architecture although the inside is now in need of repair.

We eventually made our way to the caravan park where we were reminded that the long weekend had filled all available spaces, so we were glad that we had booked earlier in the week. We must remember this before Easter.

Sat. March 5^th

This day was spent enjoying the arts in this regional centre. We began the day at the Farmers’ Market where the organic meats and other produce were sold along with chutneys, jams etc. from the local area. We thought that the name of the chutneys and sauces - ‘a little bit on the side’- was very clever. We then attended the opening of the Minang Mainitch Indigenous Weaving Festival where the didgeridoo player was among the best I’ve heard.

Dolls for AIDS-affected
children in Africa

The women weavers from Papua New Guinea, various Africa countries, New Zealand Maoris and Aboriginal women from different parts of the state shared information about their work, materials and traditions and were running workshops during the day.

Our next stop was at the magnificent Entertainment Centre, designed by architects Cox Howlett and Bailey Woodland and opened at the end of 2010. Its situation, right on the harbour and below historic Stirling Terrace, ensured many debates and battles about the site and the architecture, however the result is spectacular. 

Here we were most fortunate to hear Joe Filisko, a maestro of the harmonica, and Eric Noden, a wonderful guitarist, talk about their music making and play some great blues and ragtime music. This was one of the free offerings of the Playmakers series, part of the Great Southern Festival 2011. We returned later in the day to hear Australians Dave Clarke and Justin Brady discuss and demonstrate the art of playing the mandolin and the harmonica (harp) in the rack. Celtic music was the preference of Justin Brady who could play with astonishing finesse.

Another part of the festival was the Paperazzi011 where works on paper were displayed on and in public and private buildings, papermaking sessions were held in the park and museum, and the short animations of William Kentridge were screened at the Arts Centre.

Sun. March 6^th

A drizzly, grey day – perfect for completing domestic tasksJ In the afternoon we drove to Torndirrup NP to see The Gap, the Natural Bridge  and The Blowholes, all granite features with water churning and tumbling under, through or around the feature; many tourists on the same route today. We also drove up to Mt Melville for a 360 degree view from the tower and a walk across the granite outcrops reinforced the beauty of the harbour. We have been pleasantly surprised by Albany’s natural features.

West Cape Howe NP – East Bay on Two Peoples Bay

Wed. March 2^nd

East Bay on Two People's Bay

After a sleepless night we were pleased to see that our fellow campers were all still safely there and not blown away J We woke early and the wind was not as wild, however it was not long before it came up again so another move was planned. We returned to Albany, booked a caravan park for the 3 days of the coming long weekend, and then headed back to Two Peoples Bay and the beautiful East Bay free camp site.  It is truly superb and as picturesque as any beach to date with the peaks across the bay, aqua water and white sand with white waves breaking noisily on the small reef and rocks.

It was the perfect day on which to finish reading ‘My Brother Jack’ by George Johnston as this engrossing novel, which is set in Melbourne between the 2 world wars, manages to take the reader to another time, a time with which I am familiar due to the stories of my grandfather and mother, and working class suburbs of Melbourne from that time. Johnston won the Miles Franklin Award in 1964 for this book which apparently was the first of a trilogy which revolves around David Meredith, the main character in the semi-autobiographical story. David’s brother, Jack Meredith, is a hardworking battler who struggles to maintain his family’s survival during the Great Depression and wants to ‘live life’ through an overseas posting in WW2. His younger brother David, clever and ambitious, becomes a journalist and a celebrated war correspondent, but his success can never compensate for the hollowness of his personal life.
The story highlights the divisions in society at the time, issues of class and prejudice. It also presents the moral dilemmas of a war correspondent that would undoubtedly be similar today.

Keeping the diary
up to date.

Loo with a view!

After a long walk along the beach where the impact of the wild winds was visible in the plastic bottles, lids, ropes, fence posts and other rubbish that was washed up, we settled into camp, again turned our backs on the wind and enjoyed being free to wait out the time before the sun shone again.

Thurs. Mar 3^rd

We didn’t wait long! The morning was calm, the sun was shining and the out-going tide meant little noise from the bay.

GVS wanted to fish at Betty’s Beach, so we set off on a 4km walk, breaking from the dirt road to explore 4WD tracks that led to other parts of the bay. The bush fire that came through here recently had decimated much of the plant life, however the resilient ones were sprouting new growth and it was easy to see that it would not be long before much of the vegetation would be back. Seeing kangaroos, stumpy-tailed lizards and goannas reinforced this.

It was an unsuccessful fishing trip but a great walk (a view not shared by Graeme), an opportunity to scramble over rocks along the outcrops and to enjoy the sun. The view on the return walk was stunning as to the right was dense vegetation over which the Stirling Ranges could be seen in the distance and on the left was the magnificent Two Peoples Bay.

Normans Beach to Albany to Stirling Range National Park and on

Mon. Feb. 28^th

From the beach we could see Betty’s Beach camp area along the shore but as it was not accessible from the beach we headed up there this morning.

Betty’s Beach was a fisherman’s beach with old rusted tin sheds, more dunnies than people and a beautiful view across the headlands to the granite hills, shrouded in mist. East Bay was prettier and we will return there after travelling into Albany and up into the Stirling Range National Park.

We listened to Captain Sydney’s run at Terang and wondered whether the fellow stake-holders were there to see it. A call to Jim later indicated that Capt. Sydney had quite a lot of interference put in a fair performance overall.

Albany was an interesting and picturesque town. The brig, Amity, arrived from NSW with convicts, soldiers etc in 1826 and the settlement was named Frederickstown. This was the site of the 1^st European settlement in WA, a fact that many of the locals in the museums etc were keen to tell us as there is great rivalry between Albany and Perth, it seems. The harbour and its terraces of houses up the hill facing the harbour reminded us of English coastal fishing villages, however this harbour is very, very large. The port area is directly in front of the old part of town, however this was also a vital part of the history of the place, along with the whaling. We collected our tourist info. and walked around the areas of historic interest.

At the beautiful St. John’s Church we learned that this is the oldest consecrated church in WA and that the 1^st ANZAC dawn service was held here in 1923 as the port was the last view of Australia for soldiers being dispatched to Gallipoli. We then went to Patrick Taylor Cottage, dating from 1832 and the oldest building in Albany. This lovely wattle and daub cottage contained many interesting small items of interest, including a most amazing hat and tie pin collection.  A trip to the old gaol reminded us of the magnificent tours at the Fremantle Gaol which we had taken some years back. This little gaol was still in use up to the 1960s.

Waves of fine drizzle came across the harbour  so we headed out to the Stirling Range NP camping area at Moingup Springs, right beside the road where 6km of roadworks were taking place. The fine rain had now set in and the view to the range was limited so an early dinner and an early night were essential.

Stirling Range to Shelley Beach in the West Cape Howe NP

Tuesday, March 1^st

A day of ‘What if...s’! What if the gale force wind had not blown us off the Bluff Knoll car park, what if the balancing rock walk in Porongurup NP had been open (the minister was officially opening the new facilities the following day), or the banksias were in flower in Mt Barker. Frustrating all round, however the walk at the tree-in-the-rock area was lovely with the views of the granite hills and wonderful plants.

Apparently this is the oldest mountain range in the world, at some 1100 million years of age!

Back to the coast again, hoping to find a good camp site at Cosy Corner but it was full and the beach was exposed to the wild gale-force winds, so we continued on to the west Cape Howe NP where we turned our back to the wind and the beach and tried to sleep! The area was beautiful with high hills, gullies where a fresh stream of water ran down to the beach and waves that broke noisily over the sand.

13 Mile Beach to Albany

Sat. Feb. 26^th

Here a fish, there a fish, everywhere a fish, fish ........... Graeme is in his element. This morning’s catch of cod and sweep will keep us in fish for a while, and Neil accepted one happily. A cloudy and cooler morning was good for a change. After saying our farewells to our lovely neighbours, we headed up to 2 Mile Beach which doesn’t have the reef protection but it was not as attractive as our other site so we continued on to Ravensthorpe then decided to go on to Bremer Bay. We booked into a caravan park and enjoyed long, hot showers and washed all our bedding and clothing. Wonderful!

Sun. Feb. 27^th

We explored the small settlement of Bremer Bay, visited the beach and the estuary with its myriad of birdlife and fenced-off areas to protect the endangered plovers and other birds. A very environmentally-aware place! 



Dillon Bay



 We then drove just a few km across the headland to the magnificent Dillon Bay where families were swimming and diving off the rocks in a gorgeous tiny little bay – 4WDs on beach, of course – and surfers were catching the shore break waves.

From there we drove on, intending to camp at Millers Point, however after 6km on a very painful corrugated road, we decided that this fisherman’s retreat and land-locked estuary had nothing to offer us, so on again. We travelled a total of 260km today but ended up turning at Many Peaks to Nelson Beach in Two Peoples Bay at a pretty camp spot under trees and sheltered from the wind and with a view out to some of the ‘Many Peaks’.