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Published: November 23rd 2006
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After a week in Perth and Fremantle we headed south again for 328km to the seaside town of Yallingup. This is where Katie used to live and surf a few years ago while she undertook her chef apprenticeship. This is a beautiful place and the caravan park has the most spectacular view of any we have stayed at so far. Cocktail hours were special here as we sat overlooking the beach watching the surfers as the sun set. We have been here before, nearly 5 years ago when we visited Katie for her 21st.
Over the next 5 days, we visited a number of Margaret River wineries (is 10.00 o’clock too early for this activity?? We didn’t think so), the fabulous Margaret River Chocolate Factory, a cheese factory, a fudgery, an ice creamery, a Providores with all manner of relishes, jams and oils, and a brewery. A big tick to them all, not to mention a few extra kilos! One afternoon we spent on Meelup Beach - beautiful turquoise water (see photo) We also went for a drive to Busselton to see the jetty and continued on back to Mandurah, 100km south of Perth, to visit our good friends from
the UK, Ian and Kim, who were on their second whistlestop holiday in Oz. It was great to catch up. One other day we spent driving through the Blackwood River Valley, through a number of charming villages (Bridgetown, Nannup & Donnybrook) and had a nice lunch in a cafe.
The day we left Yallingup was Melbourne Cup Tuesday, and as we were 3 hours behind the eastern states, we pulled up in the park on the edge of the Margaret River township, went to the pub to put on some bets, came back to the caravan and tuned in the TV and had a lovely cheese, nibblies and wine lunch while watching the race. No luck with the bets though unfortunately.
Then we drove through the magnificent giant Karri (eucalyptus) forest to the Augusta Lighthouse, where the Indian Ocean meets the Southern Ocean. Then on for the night to pretty timber town of Pemberton. The next morning we got up early and climbed 160ft to the fire lookout platform in the ‘Gloucester Tree’ using the embedded tree spikes. I thought we were really brave and rugged until we were passed on the way down by a very fit
Meelup Beach near Yallingup
Overweight geek in photo is not Wes (yet) lady in her 70’s! We had a drive around this very picturesque town and then packed up and left to drive the 292km to Albany.
It is now Thursday 8th Nov and we booked into a very nice beachfront caravan park here, (although right on the beach, a fence separated the caravan park from the view). And here is where the weather turned shitty. It was cold and windy and we wore jumpers in the daytime for the first time since June! It also rained for the first time since a single shower in Alice Springs. Albany is a big town and again, very picturesque with large harbours, close offshore islands and nice beaches. We visited Whaleworld, which is an old whaling station, only closed in 1978, now turned into a tourist attraction. Interesting place, but some very gory photos of the killing and processing of the poor whales. We also went to the Sandlewood factory, where our friend from Barn Hill, Glenda, works. We went to Glenda and Gary’s house on Friday night for a lovely dinner - it was the first time we had been in a house since June. Ahhh, the feel of carpet. On Saturday
night we went with them and their daughters, Chelsea and Brooke to a Thai Restaurant in the middle of nowhere, 30 minutes from Albany. This place has been on countless travel shows and is very popular. We had a great night, finishing very late with nightcaps back at the caravan. It was sad to leave them again.
On Sunday morning we drove 335km to Hopetoun which is a little seaside village between Albany and Esperance, to visit the other part of the Barn Hill bowling team, Renee and Mason. Renee and Mason are from Inverloch, south of Melbourne, but Mason is a carpenter and has landed a job on construction of the new BHP Nickel mine nearby and the money is too good to pass up. After a long walk on the beach, I cooked a great lamb roast in the caravan for us all and another great night was had.
Onto Esperance the next day. The beaches here have the whitest sand which makes the water the most beautiful azure blue. Unfortunately the photos don’t do the colour full justice because at times it was cloudy. There are so many of these beautiful beaches around this area.
The Gloucester Tree
Wes at the base of the tree used as a fire lookout. Platform we climbed to is 160ft up. The next day we drove 55km to Cape Le Grand National Park and spent the day walking the beaches and climbing Frenchmans Peak. This peak was quite a climb as you can see by the size of the road in the distance in the photo, and it was so windy when we got to the top, it almost blew me over when I was taking Wes’s photo. On the way back we discovered by accident that we could actually drive 22km of the return trip right along a beach. Literally on the sand, right alongside the water for 22km! It could only be done in a 4WD because the sand was quite thick in some spots, but it was a such an experience. We spent the next day on one of the beaches and played 9 holes of golf.
Off to Kalgoorlie the next day - covered in next blog.
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Dom
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tree hugger
your right i never thought i would see that, im wondering if he just shut his eyes and thought back to his wedding night!!! Looks like your having a great time will speak soon Dom