Day 26 – The sites of Albany

Today we sort of went our own way a bit with Di, Wendy and I heading into Albany to have a look around. There are some magnificent old buildings and heritage precinct as well as a full size replica of the ”Amity” which brought the first settlers into Albany.

Anzac commemoration on harbour

Amity Replica

Is this the earliest digital clock?

 There is also a rich ANZAC history here with Albany the point of departure for many of our ANZAC’s. It is also claimed that the first dawn service was held here from which the tradition of the dawn service has flourished. A lot of work (and money) has been put into the Avenue of Honour and memorial park overlooking Albany and is quite a tribute to the spirit of the ANZAC. Next stop was the Patrick Taylor Cottage Museum. This cottage was one the first in Albany and is the last surviving wattle and daub building in WA. The cottage is filled with artefacts and memorabilia and was well worth the visit. The cottage was saved in the 60’s by a couple of local women who partitioned to have it saved. One very interesting piece was the first digital clock – from America (see photo).  Another must see was dog rock and with a little imagination it looks like a dogs head. 

Dog rock where's Dougal??

After lunch we headed back to the caravan park for a quiet afternoon. We meet up with Gaz and Shaz for afternoon tea to celebrate Sharon’s birthday. Gaz, Wendy, Laura and I went to try our luck fishing once again. We had a few small ones and a slight drama when Laura and her phone parted company and it slid between a crack in the rocks. Gaz managed to retrieve it after some time and the loss on some skin and subsequent bruises will remind him of his efforts for a while, but it was a good save. We had a few onlookers wondering what we were doing so I told them we had found a rock lobster and we were trying to catch it. One of the onlookers then proceeded to tell us he thought we might have lost mobile phone, then proceed to tell us that had caught a few rock lobsters in the previous few days just down from where we were. Then Gaz promptly told them it was actually a mobile phone should have seen the look on their faces.

New ANZAC memorial above Albany

Day 25 Albany - Paddling in the sea

Today we headed in the opposite direction to yesterday and headed to Two Peoples Bay and Little Beach. Pretty much all we wanted was a quiet day and we succeeded in that. The bays were spectacular with the sand brilliant white and the water clear and blue.

Two peoples bay

Little Beach

Wildflower Little Beach

We scooted around a few of the lookouts and finally made Little beach around 11 ish. We paddled and walked along this beautiful beach until lunch time and then sat on the beach and had lunch. All very nice and relaxing, Di even managed to get her feet wet. A fitting end to the day or so we thought. Gaz, Laura and I decided on a spot of fishing at the break water. Laura bagged a reasonable bream and Gaz a calamari. Me, well I almost had a fair sized cuttlefish, operative word almost. Ah well at least I don’t have to clean anything.

Day 24 Albany – The Arch, Blowholes and Di’s nemesis (the snake)

Today we have woken to a nice day and our tour today was down the western side of the King George Sound to West Cape Howe National park. There are a number of natural features here which are interesting and spectacular. First was a walking trail down to Dunsky’s Beach which is a bit of rugged coastline on the way out to “The Gap”. 

Dunsky's Beach

Snake 1 Crowned snake

 A short walk from the car park takes you down onto the rocks and had some great views back along the coast. On our return we had the first of three encounters with Di’s nemesis the snake. On the last set of steps at the top landing there was a Crowned Snake these little fellows grow to about 30 to 35 cm long and are “mildly venomous”. Di managed to step over it and didn’t see it and was “not happy Jan” when I pointed it out. 

The Arch

The Gap

Looking back from the Gap

Not to worry probably won’t see any more (oh how I was to eat these words). Next stop was a few km’s further on and was called the bridge and is a similar formation to the London bridge at the 12 apostles. There was a bit of swell running and the water wasn’t quite as spectacular as it could have been. None the less it was well worth the effort. A little further on the same walking track is the gap and even with the relatively small swell running this was spectacular. The waves entering this small, narrow cleft in the rocks produced some explosive wave action. Back in the car and a few more kms were the blow holes. This was by far the longest and hardest walk of the day with a steep decline to negotiate and steps and the blow holes were not performing today as the swell wasn’t quite large enough. That said the noise coming from the blow holes was like the earth breathing. Gaz and I ventured down to the outlet in the rock face and nearly got blown of our feet with the air movements. The actual holes in the crevice would be no more than a meter square and the air comes out in a rush. I can only imaging the effect if the swells were larger and the holes were spouting water. 

Snake  3 Same as snake 2

snake 2 Barbick Snake

Our return journey up the walk way was not without excitement. We came across not 1 but 2 snakes about 500 mtrs apart. They are known as Barbick snakes over here and like our other friend only grow to about 30 to 35cm long and are also “mildly venomous”.  Those of you who know Di know how she loves snakes and, well this sort of didn’t help her be at one with nature any time soon. I found them quite interesting and felt a little important as I became the “sacrificial lamb” to shepherd Di around the little fellows. 

It seemed lunch was now in order so we took ourselves and our picnic lunch off to the Discovery Bay Centre and had a late lunch on the beach.  Munchies completed we headed back towards Albany and the wind power observation area. Albany has a wind generation set up and this is about as close as I’ve ever seen anyone get to these things. At the closest point we were literally almost directly under the spinning blades. There are 12 in the farm and they generate a significant portion of Albany’s power requirements. Next stop was Limeburners Distillery and the thought of a single malt whiskey, alas it was not to be at more than $300  a 750 ml bottle there are more pressing things to buy, the coffee there however was more than acceptable. A fitting end to the day.

Day 23 Walpole to Albany – Cider and Mead

Today we moved on from Walpole, destination Albany around 130km so not a big drive. We got away about 9.30 ish and meandered our way through the forest. 

Elephant Rock Cidery - Where's Dougal?

Old timber boat fully restored Denmark WA

View from the caravan window

First stop was the the Elephant Rock Cider company. We tasted a few ciders and local produce made a few purchases and headed off once more. Only a few km’s down the road was our next stop. There are a number of these places around South west WA and it’s taken some time to find one open. The attraction in question is a meadery which is making wine from honey. Mead is wine made from honey rather than grapes and is the oldest fermented beverage known to man. It can be traced back at least 5,000 years dating back through antiquity to Nordic legends and non-mythological history. During these times the bee was held in high regard as honey was considered ‘the giver of life’, courage, strength and wisdom. It is different and I think an acquired taste, which I didn’t acquire never the less a worthwhile experience. Denmark came over the horizon shortly thereafter and we stopped for coffee and a break. This is  a nice little town and one that would have been worth a longer visit. On the road again and it was pretty much straight to the caravan park at Emu point, which is a suburb of Albany. The park is right on King George Sound where it meets Oyster Harbour. Not a bad outlook for us trailer folk. It was a bit wind and cold on our arrival so the afternoon was pretty relaxed.

Day 22 Walpole – Forest giants and water holes

Our main aim for staying at Walpole was to go to the Valley of the Giants treetop walk and Ancient Empire Boardwalk during our planning session we discovered there was a scenic route which offered good views back over the coast and a walk into view a giant tingle tree. 

View back towards Walpole from lookout near Giant Tingle tree

Base of giant tingle tree

This was unusual

more of the giant tingle tree

 These tingle trees have very tenuous hold on mother earth but are huge and up to 400 years old. They have incredible character in their trunks and most of the older ones are hollow in side. There is a picture in the discovery centre of one that was used as a garage for an old Holden. The tree, unfortunately, fell over a few years back, not sure if the car was still parked in it at the time. We then followed a dirt track up to the circular pond which was a spectacular water fall and rapids. 

Circular pool

Section of the Forest walk suspension walk way

The water was the colour of coffee and covered in a foam layer. The foam is caused by an excretion from the trees that line the river and not pollution and in places had to be a metre thick.. It called the circular pond because of the way the water rotates around the pond. From there it was on to the Treetop Walk. This is very different to the Colac fly in that there is no cantilever just the suspension walk way up to 40 mtrs above the forest floor. It’s like walking on a swing bridge and very disconcerting at times. The trees here are huge both in height and circumference. You are only allowed 20 people per section at any one time and 10 people on each of the landings. The place is well set up and enjoyable. By now it was mid-afternoon so we headed back to camp. Gaz and I wanted to get the kayaks on the water and do a spot of fishing. We ended up out for about 2 hrs on the water. Got a lot of small black bream but no keepers but it was enjoyable. Wendy tried her hand at fishing from the jetty with Laura and managed to land 5 – all undersize – black bream , not  bad effort for the novice.

Day 21 Pemberton to Walpole – Breakfast Treats

Today is another “travel” day from Pemberton to Walpole not a huge distance about 130kms all up. We had been discussing with Laura the merits of a trip to the berry farm and well last minute decision we decided to pack and have breakfast at Lavender and berry farm. So we hooked up and headed off.

Breakfast

Plants around the Berry and lavender farm 

Plants around the Berry and lavender farm

 What can I say other than it was a fantastic little interlude to the start of the days trip. Apart from the scrumptious mixed berry pancakes with berry sauce and ice cream the surrounds, gardens and the beautiful day made it just a great start. We opted for the small size, thank god, the large one would have fed a small nation. As we partook of our fare we were visited by fairy wrens with a large variety of colour and a friendly bandicoot which popped in and out as we ate. It was a fitting end to Pemberton as we quite liked the place. After that it was pretty much a straight drive to Walpole. We had been given the heads up on a nice park to stay at, right on the river feeding into Nornalup inlet.. At the moment its ok a bit run down but the site fees reflect that but wouldn’t like to be here during the high season. You would never get near the one toilet/shower block. In that vein I’m not sure what it is with our body clocks that says when you age starts to get into the 50's your bladder will shrink and it will be necessary to go to the dunny at least once or twice during the night. I mean there can be no other reason for it – I don’t drink any more than I used to, in fact I probably drink less. And then you get up in the morning enjoy your morning coffee and start heading off, you guessed it that’s the trigger your brain says “toilet time” 45 minutes later were on the road and I have to go again. I guess I have raised this cause we are in caravan parks and the need to go in the wee small hours (no pun intended) requires a sprint of some distance. I wonder what 60 will bring?

Day 20 Pemberton and Yeagarup sand dunes

The Yeagarup Forest, lake and sand dunes in the D’Entrecasteaux National Park are a site to behold. The dunes are the biggest land locked, mobile dunes in Australia and move a couple of metres each year, inland. You are permitted to drive over them and it provides beach access. A challenge we could not pass up. We made it there and back without getting bogged, although the BT50, at times, resembled a bulldozer. I also may have been a bit exuberant in my attacking the dunes on the way in. 

Yeagerup Dunes

Yeagerup Dunes

images from heartbreak trail

Heartbreak trail

 This lead to some lengthy discussions on my driving prowess and detracted somewhat from the otherwise pleasant experience. Lost a few brownie point I did, however, I took the critique on board and the return journey was acceptable. We captured a fair bit on the Gopro and I must say the footage provides a better perspective even if its upside down. (I forgot to invert the camera image – more lost brownie points). From there it was on to the Warren National Park and we followed Heartbreak trail through the park. This is a very picturesque track and was a fitting end to the day. Tomorrow its on the road again.