Walpole

A funny little place on the coast. From the main road as you drive through it's hard to tell how close to the coast it is, but turn right and drive 200m and you're on top of a large protected inlet.

Both the walking and cycling tracks pass through Walpole so we were in our element.

The bike trails are very well looked after. This one ran along side the Frankland River. We're about 20k out when this was taken.

The Caravan Park at Coal Mine Beach (next to Walpole). A nice place and being renovated. They actually run cable TV to your site

Mother and Joey. (The head belongs to the Joey).

Shannons

Shannon's Campground is along the road from Pemberton to Walpole. It's in the Shannon State Forest on the site of the past town of Shannon (an old logging town). They are going to redevelop it and are spending millions.

There are some great walks.

The log bridge on our way around a 5k loop. The bush is indicative of the surrounds including the campground.

Pemberton (Big Brook Arboretum)

You know, you don't need to look too far to find some great places visit and to park a caravan for a few nights. The National Parks in WA are generally cheap and very accessible. When travelling outside of peak holiday periods they are more so. We've stayed at some very nice and reasonably priced places. Security is not a really big issue, but we've never left our van alone in any out of the way places. We have left the van and gone walking or cycling, etc but only when there are one or two more vans around and we've met the other campers.

We found such a place about 6k from Pemberton called Big Brook Arboretum. In the trees, next to a dam about 2k off the road, fire pits, long drop dunny's, etc. We went in for one day, and stayed for two. $10/night/person, (or $6:60 concessional) compared to $35/night closer to town.

We were either out walking on the Bibilman or cycling on the Munda Biddi tracks over the 2 days. Pemberton have the whole side of a hill devoted to MTB's so we had a little play around the easier sections.

I was in  Pemberton years ago and found sections of some old rail tracks that would allow you to toboggan down the side of a hill and shoot out across the river. We used to spend most of the day using this. It's now considered too dangerous and has been partially dismantled.

 The view from the top of the Gloscester Tree... 54m up. You climb the tree to an old fire spotting platform using steel spikes that have been hammered spiraly into the trunk. I climbed it 45yrs ago and didn't get the same buzz when I climbed it last week. White knuckled more likely.  

Track clearing here takes on a new meaning. Trees like these are commonplace.

Some people bring their pets. Some pets need more care than others.

One the road out.

Albany

The word had gotten around within the caravan fraternity that Albany would be pretty full over the weekend. It was unfortunate really because party due to this "mis-information" numbers were down. Having said that, the park owners and other providors really decided the capitalise. Hence, a site in a van park at Middleton Beach would set you back no less than $100/night, yet free camping (not well advertised) was available less than 10k from the city centre. $20 price tags on hamburgers, etc were not uncommon. I payed $22 for mine.. but they were local sardines. On the other hand, all the events on over the weekend were free. These events included concerts, parades, light shows, the sailpast, etc. All were great fun and very well managed. They really showcased Albany as a booming community, and the general vibe from those who attended was really upbeat...

 Middleton Beach

Images projected around town using the buildings as the screens were amazing.

The crowds down "York" street after the march past. 

We got talking to a little old lady in the crowd during the march past to discover that the "older" lady next to her was her mother, who's husband had been in the first march past 100 years ago. Well, she managed to find her way to the front (with a little assistance) pretty quickly. She was a very happy lady.

Rose and I did a mammoth 16k walk to "Bald Head". One of our many training walks in preparation for the Tasmania leg of our journey in February. It took us 5 hours and we we absolutely exhausted by the end of it. We managed to get to the very end of the path. The final 500 were the hardest with about 200m being a steep almost vertical drop. The slide down was OK, but the trip back up took us more than an hour. 

On top of the first hill about 300m from the start of the walk.

At the bottom of the first hill Any opportunity for a break. The photo excuse seemed to work best.

Looking back (north) towards Albany about 4k into the walk. A really great harbour.

We had an oil leak in the power steering fixed in Albany by VW. They did it under warranty. It took us 2 visits for them to get it right. We didn't mind as we were staying a few k's up a dirt road and the car came back spotless, and they'd vacuumed what they could reach on the inside too Needless to say, when the car went in the second time I'd taken out all the gear we were carrying inside the car, and they cleaned it inside and out once again I'd definitely go back, if only for the car wash...

We're off back to Pemberton via Mt Barker in the next day or so. Then we'll make our way back along the south west coast once more a little slower this time.

Narricup

Danny and Marg own a small (120hectare) property at Narricup, about 30k north of Albany, and 8k south of the Porongerups. We pulled the van up next to a small "donga" and it became the base for our Albany ANZAC weekend. Snakes frequent the place and one had taken a liking to the donga and set up residence around it somewhere, so we walked everywhere very carefully.

The view from our shady camp with the Porongerups in the background.

 Looking out from "The Gap" towards the "Natural Bridge" and beyond. We are south of Albany.

The "Munda Biddi" bike trail runs to Albany. Rose and I rode about 56k of it heading west from Albany to Torbay. This part of the trail follows an old rail line and some back roads. A really nice ride and a brilliant day weather wise. We stopped at the Ellaker Tavern (a mud brick and timber place) on the way back for lunch.

The view from "Castle Rock" in the Porongerups looking south. After the 2k walk and a 65m climb.

Wouldn't want to be doing this when you're 60... perhaps!

Walpole

From Pemberton we headed for Walpole. There's not much in the way of traffic on these roads. I think the loggers must go on holidays during the "caravan" season. The truckers call caravans "wobblies", and you will know why when you see some of the setups.

Walpole is a deceiving place. From the main town you would think it's just a general store, garage... the usual, but head south down any street in town and you realise that it's right on a beautiful inlet. Rose remarked that it's gods country... and it really is just amazing.

From Walpole we headed to Denmark (..in Australia!) and on the way stopped at the "Valley of the Giants". Huge Tingle Trees. Well worth the stop. Most everything in WA has some $$$ attached. Park entry fees are about $12/day or $75/annum, plus other entry or camping fees if applicable. Some of the parks are worth the fees.

 The walkway is awesome.

There's a lot of sawn value in these I'd reckon.

Brockman Sawpit

JB have arranged for us to have 3 new tyres fitted to the van on Tuesday. We had a wheel alignment completed in Perth and the tyres being fitted was the last stage in the remedy to a problem we've had for some time.

We got away from Margaret River about 9am I'd suppose and the van is travelling better now than it has ever been.

We have been invited to stay with some friends we knew some 17 years ago. We all belonged to the same Ski club. Danny and Marg now live in Narricup, about 30 minutes north of Albany. Albany is celebrating 100 years since the first Australia's troop ships left for the war so need to be in Albany by the weekend to join in. The fact that their daughters both are working at the "Limeburners" tent might also be adding to the excitement Limeburners is the name of the local distillery.

We stopped overnight just south and east of Pemberton at a historical site (Brockman's Sawpit). It's not listed on the camping guides as an overnighter, but it's far enough off the road, and we'd arrived late, so we'll stop anyway.

Being able to run up these dirt roads occasionally with our own water, power, etc is "Just Brilliant".

Note the saw. The guy underneath used to wear a sugar bag over his head.