Clare and Ross - a van, no plan.

We have spent the day with the Scott family in Nannup. Catherine is Clare's second cousin. The family run a farm ....growing fruit.....apples,pears,apricots,peaches,nectarines,avocado.....and keeping cattle. The farm is in a beautiful spot on the Blackwood River and extended as far as the eye could see. Thanks for a great day Catherine, Mark, James and Harry.

Explored the walking track along the river and out to where it joins the ocean....lots of people in kyacks, swimming and learning to surf in quite protected waters. Rode along the extension of this path to Cape Leeuwin lighthouse. It was a nice path off the road mostly and running all along the coast past a sparkling new marina. The lighthouse is situated on the most south westerly point in Australia and is where the Indian and Southern Oceans converge. It is being renovated so we were not able to climb it so we settled for an ice-cream instead. This is also the end point of the Cape to Cape walking trail.....sorry Rachael we beat you to it. Cycling home, we watched some stingrays in very shallow water at one of the beaches. A different type of shingle back lizard was on the track sunning itself.

Drove today through tall Karri forest initally then much smaller scrubby bush as we moved further West. Augusta is where the Blackwood River comes out to the coast. Near the bottom west of WA. It is a big river and very picturesque. Our campsite is right on the bank of the river. We had a family of ducks come to visit with their 14 ducklings.....very cute and not scared at all. There is a nice path along the river.....lots of pelicans arguing over crabs they were catching and trying to swallow......what happens to the shells and claws?

We have a family of Tawny Frogmouths in a tree just near our caravan...Dad and Mum with 2 little babies snuggled in under her....very cute! Drove 30 mins North to Mt Frankland through more spectacular forest with huge straight Karri trees....thank goodness they are protected  Mt Frankland summit was used as a lookout for fire across in a huge area of forest. The man doing the looking out, lived in a hut at the bottom of a steep path, 300 steps and 2 ladders. He stayed there for Four months a year. It is a granite peak.....we understood why it was a lookout when we got there. We sat on the rock looking out for 100km in all directions with the warm sun on our back thinking how lucky we were. There was another suspended lookout a little further down....we prefered being on top of the peak. After returning to Walpole we walked a short section of the Bibblemun Track....for days we have been crisscrossing the trail that runs  1000km from Perth to Albany....it...

Walked up Mount Clare today.....just because of its name. The path up went through tall timber forest.....huge old Red Tingles and Karri....they make a dense canopy so not a lot of understory plants. The summit was granite with grass trees and moss....views out to the ocean. After a rather classy lunch at a surprising cafe in a town with about ten houses, we went to the Tree Top Walk. A network of suspended walkways in the tops of the massive trees here....they bounced as we walked along and took us up 40 metres above ground level. We were then able to walk amongst some fine old trees many with burnt out centres.

Dreadful weather last night and this morning...wind and torrential rain. We drove the back way through the forests between Denmark and Walpole. Things were brighter this afternoon as we explored Coalmine Beach where we are staying .... kangaroos are very much at home in the caravan park. We drove to see old Tingle forest.....massive trees. The biggest is thought to be 400 years old and has survived many bush fires. There are Red and Yellow Tingle trees....types of eucalypts...named for the colour of timber they produce. The ones here are Red Tingle. Drove on through the National Park to Circular Pool on the Frankland River. The water was very brown from the tannins and the turbulence as it rushed over rocks caused lots of froth....massive amounts....all very natural according to the signage, which suggested it was actually a massive cappuccino.

Drove inland again to the Porungarup Ranges. Walked up to Castle Rock where they have an amazing granite skywalk built around the granite peak. 2.2 Km steadily uphill with so many plants flowering...masses of yellow and purple pea flowers with a really strong perfume all along the path. Just before the top was a balancing rock....it looked like a big wind should have blown it off. Ross managed to keep it steady though. We then had a rock scramble with metal hand holds in the rock before a 7 Metre vertical ladder up to the skywalk. up on the top the view was breath taking....out to the coast...Albany and along to Denmark and back the other way to the Stirling Ranges and Bluff Knoll that we climbed a few days ago. We passed through Mt Barker on our way home and stopped at one of the vineyards for some tasting and pizza. We sat outside enjoying the beautiful day.

We have moved a little further west today  Denmark is a nice town full of art galleries, cafes and vineyards. We have suddenly entered the realm of the huge trees. Visited Green's Pool on the coast here. And Elephant Rocks. 2 hardy souls were swimming but everyone else enjoyed soaking up some sunshine and the view while sitting on the big rocks around the headland. We had some very cheeky visitors to our campsite this evening....Ring Neck parrots.....looking for food....happy to eat out of our hands.

South of Albany is a beautiful coastal National Park. We stood looking down at the water surging into The Gap ....there is a walkway over the gap so we were suspended over the water....very dramatic! A little further along was a natural arch...again with the ocean rushing in and out under the arch. Lots of inaccessible white sand beaches and rocky slopes sliding into the ocean.. The blowholes were not blowing today but made a great noise as the waves crashed underneath us. There is an historic whaling station on the southern most shore of the park....a cafe with sensational views over the ocean and an old whaling ship as part of a museum. Another banksia that we had not seen before....great colours!

Bluff Knoll is in the Sterling Ranges..the highest point in SW WA.....the news reported snow on top 2 days ago. As we drove up the top was covered in cloud but as we started the walk it cleared. The path gains 650 metres over 3 km....so it was up up up all the way. The views from the top were sensational and 360 degrees. The next challenge was getting down again! Lots of interesting plants flowering including black boys that do not have a flower spike but multiple little flowers out of the base of the leaves. You will be glad to know we made it safely down...not sure how the knees will be tomorrow though.

Rode the cycle path that goes past the caravan park where we are staying. Rode out to the end at Emu Point...a very narrow water channel going into Oyster harbour...a very protected and large waterway with a marina on it and large swimming area cordoned off. Had a great spot on the point for a cafe....coffee always welcome! We then cycled back along the full 10km past the caravan park, along Middleton Beach and around the headland into town. Lots of uphill climbs but also lots of long downhills. Noticed this beautiful banksia as we cycled past.

Arrived here at about lunch time so explored town a little....we have been here several years ago and remembered things as we went along. Walked back from town around the headland to Middleton Beach where the caravan park is. There is a large port area and a narrow entrance to the harbour. This is where the Australian troops gathered before being put on boats and sent off to Gallipoli and Flanders in WW1 Overlooking the entrance to the harbour is a statue and memorial to Ataturk Peace at home Peace in the world. Lots of things are flowering....we can usually guess the genus but most are different species to those we are familiar with. Look at this banksia (or Dryandra) which was prolific along the path.

We have stopped half way to Albany. It has been a very very windy day...hot wind to begin with. We stopped at Ravensthorpe for lunch and it sounded like the roof was going to blow off! Silo art of local banksias....many of which were growing in the main Street. As we drove further it began to pour with rain and it got very cold.....decided to call it a day at Jerramungup.......everything is something up here.

Cycling day today....cycled down to the waterfront and rode East. The main town beach looks clean and attractive despite the port being close. Arrived at the old jetty which has been rebuilt in the original curved shape....lots of fishermen and people just out strolling enjoying the sunshine. Riding along further we left the shoreline to visit Lucky Bay Brewery...pizzas and beer in a garden setting....the brewery appears to be doing well....lots of people with tasting trays. Rode back to town and afternoon coffee and cake at The Quarters..... overlooking the marina with an old clock tower that chimed in the hour. Sunny day with light winds max 17°, a very nice day in a beautiful area. Esperance gets a big tick from us🥂

Explored Cape Le Grande National Park today. Walked up Frenchman's Peak.....a very steep climb but an amazing 360 degree view from the top....views out over the park in one direction and over the coastline and islands in the other. Lucky Bay....just beautiful! White sand and turquoise ocean, a coffee van....$7 a cup but we both paid happily, no kangaroos today but some hardy souls were swimming and why do they let people drive on a beach as beautiful as this? We went on to Hellfire Bay....a great name! the ocean was certainly fierce here  As we walked along the beach there were hundreds of bees on the sand....some dead and some only just alive.....it was like a swarm of bees flew out over the ocean too far, got exhausted and fell into the ocean to be washed up on the beach....is that possible?

We are camped 21/2km from the centre of town so nice walk in to have breakfast then walk back. We went to look at Pink Lake just up the road....sadly it is no longer pink....it is very shallow and just looks like other salt lakes we have seen. Drove along the coast drive...all the beaches west of town. Beautiful white sand beaches. We dutifully went down the stairs and walked along each beach and out to every lookout. Each was a little different....all were very windy and empty....just us and some hardy dog walkers. Our favourite was Twilight Beach....beautiful...there was a notice saying there had been a recent shark sighting....we did not see any today.

Driving South from Norseman through places with interesting names....Salmon Gums (why their gums not their tails?), Grassy Patch and Gibson's Soak. Esperance is delightful...the sun was shining, the water looked inviting, the waterfront has been nicely developed with a path for strolling . We took up a perch in a bar over looking it all and out over to the mountains of Cape Le Grande.....such a nice change after all the dryness and emptyness of the Nullarbor.

Driving driving driving again today. We woke with the sun and have struggled with what time it was all day. Where we camped we were in the Eucla time zone 45 mins ahead of Perth time but all our electronic clocks do not know about Eucla time so as soon as we crossed the border they went back 2 and a half hrs from SA time....all very very confusing! Drove 600 km and then collapsed when we got to Norseman so decided to stop. At Norseman you can turn right for Kalgoorlie or turn left for Esperance after driving a straight line for 2 long days  Had a walk around town after all that sitting....established in the gold rush 1896....a strong horse and camel history evident in the artworks around town 

A big day of driving today. We left Ceduna early and had a good talking book to occupy us. Stopped at every Roadhouse to stretch our legs....we have worked out our petrol stops to avoid the most expensive spots. We noticed lots of dead wombats on the road... apparently they are in plague proportions....50 to 60 in each burrow.....paddocks are full of them. We have all our remaining apples and avocados to the staff at the Nullarbor Roadhouse....we were in a no man's land....people heading East have to hand in fruit and veg at Ceduna and those heading West have to hand everything in at the border. No issues at the border, the police were happy with our G2G passes and checked our credit card statement to ensure we had spent the last 14 days in SA. Quarantine man searched all the draws, cupboards and storage areas in the caravan.......we had forgotten the potatoes.....so handed them over. Off we went....went a further 200km and found a nice free camp off the roa...

We drove all day yesterday to get here and have spent today preparing to cross the Nullarbor again. We have decided we cannot go to Tasmania due to the Covid situation in Victoria, so we are returning to WA to explore the South West and Perth a little more. It is a public holiday today so everything is closed except the supermarket fortunately. We have restocked, cooked several meals to freeze and use up all of our vegies otherwise they will be confiscated at the border. We have washed everything, refueled, checked tyre pressures and water levels. We applied for our G2G pass so WA will let us in. Walked down to the waterfront, along the coast a little and out along the jetty.....we were nearly blown away.... hopefully the wind will be less in WA.

Left the Flinders Ranges today. The campground was overflowing with people and huge numbers more passed us on the road....it is the middle weekend of the school holidays. We stopped for a stretch in Quorn which had a fete atmosphere...lots of people and market stalls set up. This is one end of the Pitchi Richi railway...the other end is Port Augusta. It is the only remaining section of the original Gahn Railway and a steam train runs along it on weekends winding its way over the ranges. As we were driving towards Port Augusta.....along the train came  puffing up the hill with 4 or 5 carriages full of people. driving on we have stopped at Kimba.....halfway across Australia again.....heading West this time. The big galah was looking very fine after having a very nice paint job. Last time we saw it was looking very dull and shabby.

Walked up Wilpena Creek into the Pound today. An easier walk than yesterday. Enormous river red gum trees all along the creek....no water flowing but several good size pools. We saw a grandaddy shingle back lizard it was huge! nearly twice what the books say it gets to. Inside the Pound it was relatively flat but we walked up to the Wangara lookouts...one a little higher than the other.....great views over the pound from both and a different perspective from the view from yesterday's mountain. On the flat area was a recreated homestead...a family lived here in the late 1800's farming wheat initially but eventually cattle due to recurrent droughts. A lovely day for a walk sunny but not too hot... beautiful! Finished the day with dinner at our campfire!