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Published: November 22nd 2007
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Brochure text:
• Castle Rock
• Stirling Ranges
• Middleton Beach
Leaving Perth early we head south into the vast Jarrah Forest & southern wheat belt area towards the historic port City of Albany. The journey takes us through the convict heritage towns before viewing the magnificent Stirling Ranges and Porongurup Ranges. We climb the ancient volcanic formations through stunning forests reaching the summit of ‘Castle Rock’ to take in the breath taking views - truly a photographer’s delight. We continue our way into Western Australia’s first settlement. Here we stop at Middleton Beach and enjoy the exceptional views of King George Sound before retiring tonight in hostel accommodation.
(L,D) Tuesday 20th After throwing my alarm clock across the room in the middle of the night I am up in time. My lift for the tour is early, so knock back breakast and dash out the door forgetting to return my key... Someone promises to return it! Onto the bus - more comfy this one - and there's 7 of us: Judy (from Cairns), Caroline (UK), Annik (Switzerland), Tina (Germany), Myo and Hemoko (Japan), with Bart and Cleggy as our tour guides. Today is a big chunk of
driving down to Albany, and we're soon driving through a lot of woodland - and Bart tells us a few facts. Major logging industry here (Western Australia's main industries are: mining, agriculture and tourism), and there's a lot of burnt looking trees - can't remember their name but they need fire to survive - without it the seeds won't open - and the trunks are very fire-resistant, coated in black but otherwise robust.
After a couple of stops, we stop in the forest to check out the 'tree in the rock' (does what it says on the tin) and then another meat/salad sandwich lunch before jumping back into the bus for another short ride for a hike up to Castle Rock. The walk up is very picturesque with the lush new growth of plants set against the burnt black trunks - they had a major fire in February this year. It's also pretty steep and I'm the last up there - but just get there at my own speed! At the top is a balancing rock, and then it's scrambling over some rocks (losing some elbow in the process), under some others, up a ladder, across a walkway (this
is all pretty high) to get to the small viewpoint which has some pretty amazing views spred out - to the Stirling Ranges in one direction and the ocean in the other. On the way back down we sit down and find out a bit about each other.
Back on the bus and we head to Frenchman's Creek (or is it Bay?!) to see 'the Gap', the 'natural bridge' and the 'blowholes' - all pretty powerful natural attractions formed where Australia was once connected to the Antarctic. The Gap is a steep drop off with a continual powerful surge of water sweeping in and out, the natural bridge is, well, a bridge, and the blowhole is a hole in the rock where if the waves are of the right height, etc (which they were today) forces powerful gushes of spray up into the air. A steep walk back up the hill and we head for Albany, which we drive round, stopping at Middleton Beach (where many learn to swim... And house prices have doubled in 5 years) - too cold to go in right now, and past ANZAC Hill which was the last place many Australians saw before going
off to die in the First World War.
Final stop, the Albany Backpackers. Find rooms, find the Bottle Shop and then have a wander round town for 15 minutes before dinner (spag bol) is ready. The Western Exposure bus also rocks up, and on it is Helen who I met on Rottnest Island, and Sybil who I shared a room with in Perth, plus Sue who I chat to - planned to travel with her husband when they retired but he died, so she's doing it herself. Really tired but decide to go and see the Tangle Head pub which has mini brewery in it, and have a hot chocolate. Back soon for a shower and to bed... Before being woken at 1.30am by some drunk guy who is convinced that 'Jamie' is in the room, but wants to come in anyway even though s/he isn't! Shut the door in his face and back to sleep!
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