From Esperance to Margaret River

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Sorry everybody it has been so hard to gain internet access. Hope everybody is well. This journal is very loooong!!

Day 11 - 12 April
Esperance to Bremer Bay
What another beautiful spot. The weather wasn’t the best again but we still had a good time. Another beachside village with only a general store for supplies. The beaches are still bright blue and white sand. Duane and Kiera went in the beach even though it was cold but sunny. Only up to their tummy’s. We saw kangaroos grazing near the museum. They were so tame. The caravan park was very nice in a bush like setting. We met some girls that were going scuba diving. It would have been freezing. We even had the little heater going this night as it was so cold.

Day 12 - 13 April
Bremer Bay to Albany
We didn’t leave until 10am this morning as Graeme and Duane went fishing but as usual nothing for tea. It was raining and a terrible drive in the weather to Albany. Lots of hills and lots of roadworks. Arrived about lunchtime and put up the annexe for the first time as we are staying over the Easter period. It took us approximately 45 minutes which wasn’t too bad. The kids are staying in the annexe and it is still cold. The heater is getting good use. The caravan park is exceptional, the best we have stayed in. It has a pool, spa, movie room and recreation room with table tennis and billards. It is right on Middleton Beach. Didn’t do much except stock up with supplies. Albany is probably a small Geelong in comparison. Quite busy in the shopping centre.

Day 13 - 14 April
Albany
Tried to sleep in but we just can’t seem to. 5.30 to 6.00 am we wake up. Mucked around this morning. Duane did some activities for school. He had to measure lung capacity and make a skeleton and did some art with paints (which Kiera loved). We went for a short walk up the beach as it is just on our doorstep. It is beautiful. This afternoon we went to “Whale World” which is an old whale station. We learnt how they caught the whales and cut them up for oil. The pictures were gross. They had the old ship “Cheynes IV” which used to harpoon the whales. The working facilities were very low and apparently no company would give the employees insurance. I wonder why. The stench must have been horrendous. We watched a 3D movie about whales. Duane and Kiera were waving their hands everywhere. We also visited the “Blowholes” which was a 900 metre walk from where you parked the car. Closer to them you could hear and feel the vibration of the sea pounding against the rocks. It was a huge roar. Graeme as usual never keeps to the paths and went closer but then the blowholes blew and he nearly sh…. his pants. He also said a few unsaid words. It was quite funny. Everybody was laughing at him. We then visited “The Gap” and the “The Natural Bridge”. Amazing rock formations. Kiera lost one of her thongs down the ledge and we all said leave it there but Graeme had to go and get it. I am glad our life insurance policy is paid up. We had lovely home made fish and chips and sweet chilli prawns for Good Friday tonight in the caravan which I bought from the local seafood supplier. At least today the sun was out but only about 20. We are expecting 24 tomorrow but I am even surprised when I see the sun. So much for coming to the West for the sun. I have been watching the weather up the Coast and it is in mid 20’s to early 30’s. Nice. We are still thoroughly enjoying ourselves even though the weather hasn’t been the best.

Day 14 - 15 April
Albany

Today we went for a huge 4 km (huge for Graeme & Kiera). Duane rode his bike. We went along the Ellen Cove Boardwalk which is a walk that goes around the coastline of Middleton Beach in Albany. It is only up the road from the caravan park. The scenery is spectacular and we saw lots of black lizards on the way. Gra had to carry Kiera up the hills and she was encouraged to walk down the hills. Gra said he hasn’t walked so much in years considering he normally drives down to the milk bar to get the paper on the weekend at home. The day was beautiful 25 degrees. The kids went in the surf with their wetsuits and played in the sand for a couple of hours. They then went to the theatre which is in the caravan park and watched “Charlie & the Chocolate Factory”. We then went to the “Legends Bar” for a drink. The comment from Gra as he walked through the door was “ONLY LEGENDS ARE ALLOWED THROUGH THIS DOOR”. We all laughed!!!!

Day 15 - 16 April (Easter Day )
Albany

It poured with rain that evening and everything got wet in the annexe except the kids and their beds. It was Easter Day and the kids woke up with wet Easter eggs. The Easter Bunny must have got wet this evening. We mucked around this morning and enjoyed Easter morning. In the afternoon we went to the Albany Cup (horse racing), it was so cold and so windy. What an awful day. I took the kids and went on a drive as there was not much to do. We left Graeme at the races. He came out smiling when we picked him up as he won the trifecta on a race. We then walked up the to the “Legends Bar” to have a drink. It was packed as there was a band on. We decided not to go in with the kids. We tried our oven out with a roast that evening. Beautiful!

Day 15 - 17 April
Albany to Denmark
What a shocking night. We made the kids sleep inside with us as it was so windy and rainy. We thought the annexe was going to fall down. We left after 10 am and it was only a ½ hour drive to our next destination. The man next door helped Graeme pack up the annexe as it was raining. We then drove to Denmark, all it did was rain. What an awful trip. We were told Denmark was a lovely place as it was except the rain. Does it ever stop here!! Fine rain that makes everything so wet. We booked into the Rivermouth caravan park which was so wet underfoot. Graeme was hoping he would get the tinny off and go down the river but no luck. We went for a drive to Green Pool and Elephant Rocks where surprisingly the sun came out for a minute and the kids wanted to swim in the surf so they did. We also went to Bartholomews Meadery were they make honey wine and the bees are in a glass case. It was a competition to see where the Queen bee was? We then went to the Denmark Farmhouse Cheese & Ducketts Mill Wines which is a wine and a cheese factory where we enjoyed samples. Came back to the caravan and still raining. What a shocker - Graeme thinks he will weld the tinny to the top of the car as no luck yet.

Day 16 - 18 April
Denmark

We got up early this morning and drove to the Valley of the Giants - Treetop walk. Again raining so we weren’t sure whether it would be open or not. This is a wire walkway joining to platforms through the Karri Forest. The highest point was 40 metres and Graeme kept wobbling the bridges. The kids weren’t even scared. It was very high up when you were standing on top of the trees. We went around twice. We then drove to the “Old Kent Winery” where you can eat or take away blue marron. Apparently it is similar to yabbie but sweeter. We tried the wines (of course) and the olive oils. Kiera went crazy on the local jams with bread. We also drove to the toffee factory. Yummo!! We tried to have a picnic next to the river but of course it rained again. What luck we are having only about 4 days of sunshine so far.

Day 17 - 19 April
Denmark - Pemberton

This morning we couldn’t wait to move on as the weather has been awful. It is very disheartening. We haven’t had internet access since before Albany. We arrived at lunchtime at Pemberton. Thankful it is fine and not raining. Still fairly cold. Booked in for a tag along tour tomorrow to drive through the D’Enreacasteaux National Park which drives though the national park and the Yeagerup Beach sand dunes. This will be an experience. Apparently you have to deflate your tyres to 18 on the way out and sometimes down to 10 on the way back. Graeme climbed the Gloucester tree which is a tree that stands 61 metres high and has a platform at the top. It has huge rungs that you have to climb and children are not able to climb. There are only 6 people at a time that are allowed to climb. I didn’t do it. I had the excuse that I had to mind the kids. Graeme is still trying to encourage me to do it. It looks very scary but Graeme said you must do it. We also went to the Jarrah Jacks brewery were they brew their own beers. It was a wonderful view looking over the vines. For the first time it hasn’t rained so we are hopeful the weather has changed for the better. There are fires at the caravan park and it is lovely to sit outside and put your back against it. Duane collected most of the firewood for us. Duane cut up a piece of wood with our only saw (a hacksaw). Needless to say his arms are very sore. It is a lovely surrounding and reminds us of Echuca in winter. Hi to all the Cottonwood people. I hoped you missed us at Easter for the Easter Hunt. Strange to be away from Echuca for another year.

Day 18 - 20 April
Pemberton
What an afternoon. We went on our tag-along tour. The photos don’t do justice. We went for four hours over lots of sand dunes and along the beach. The adrenalin was pumping. We had to put our tyres down to 15 PSI. The man who we followed was Graeme also and he did a commentary through the UHF radio. It was great. We all had the best time bumping up and down on the tracks. The kids absolutely loved it.

Day 19
Pemberton to Margaret River
Drove to Margaret River today and went via Augusta and Hamelin Bay. At Augusta we visited the Cape Leuwin Lighthouse. This is where the Southern and the Indian Ocean meet. I spoke to Chris O’Malley at work and he said not to miss Hamelin Bay. When you arrive at the Bay there are friendly stingrays that wait at the beach for fisherman to feed them the scraps. There was about 20 or so and they are absolutely huge. It was raining but we didn’t care. We rolled up our jeans so we could get in the water to pat these huge creatures. They were so slimy. Amazing!!! We arrived at Margaret River about 4pm and had a nice bbq for tea. We met up with lots of people in the Camping shed were they have open fires to sit near. We had our tea in there. Spoke to some guys who were grape pickers (they drive the trucks) that shake the grapes of the vines. The kids love this caravan park. They have ducks, sheep, camels and ponies that they all feed the scraps to. They are forever running down to the fence to feed them something. The ducks come around the caravan for bird seed that we bought in Pemberton.

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Photos

Bremer Bay
This was the caravan park

Whaleworld
A blue whale skeleton. Massive.

Whaleworld 1
Duane prentending to harpoon a whale.

The Gap

The Natural Bridge
This is Graeme standing on it!!

Gloucester tree
Graeme starting the 61 metre climb.

Gloucester tree
Graeme up the top.

Gloucester tree
Kiera pretending to climb.

The sand dunes adventure

The sand dunes adventure 1

The sand dunes adventure 2

Hamelin Bay
The stringrays were so huge.

Hamelin Bay 1

Hamelin Bay 2

Comments

[rhylee]

ur pics are fantasic

[mum and dad]

i did it wendy is helping me love from the wheeler love from mum dad finally the weather is good after the cold and wet footy is on as it is anzac day so everybody is glued to the tv came to visit all looks like it is a fantastic trip so far even though the weather is not so good mum had a big laugh a when graeme nearly sh-- his pants photos look great hoping weather is on the improve love to all mum and wendy