Day 154 - South of Margaret River

Today started with rain and wind but we decided to take a look-see south of Margaret River anyway.  Much to our delight before we got to our first port of call, Augusta, the rain ceased, the sun came out, but the wind did not let up ----- all day.

Augusta is a small village on Hardie inlet and is a few km from the most southern part of WA.  There were a few surfers on the beach which was protected from the howling NW/W wind.  We came across Flinders Bay where the first residents of Augusta set foot on this part of WA.  There is a large marina under construction near Flinders Bay.

070914 Hardie Inlet at Augusta

070914 Flinders Bay

070914 Marina under construction near Flinders Bay

Next port of call was the lighthouse at Cape Leeuwin and this was exposed to the wind bigtime.  We had an exciting time trying to keep our feet on the ground.  The Cape was surrounded by waves crashing into the rocks - spectacularly so.  We walked around the lighthouse precinct.  We were given hand held audio devices.  You pressed the number on the device corresponding to the number on the sign as you approached and received  an explanation of what you were seeing.  Very informative and highly efficient and you could go at your own pace.

070914 Cape Leeuwin from the protected side

070914 Seal Rocks out from Cape Leeuwin

070914 Cape Leeuwin lighthouse up close, built in 1895

070914 The meeting place of two oceans - shame they were each so "angry"

070914 Looking north from Cape Leeuwin

We recovered from the belting we got from the wind by having lunch and a cuppa in the comfort of the car. It was the only place we could get out of the wind.

Augusta Lookout came next.  From the lookout we could see Hardie Inlet and the town of Augusta.  Windy again but joy of joys, no rain.

070914 Hardie Inlet from Augusta Lookout

We headed north again, this time closer to the coast.  We by-passed a couple of caves but saw many beaches and headlands, waves and sand.  The views were spectacular because of the weather, with the incessant wind building up huge waves which crashed on the shore amidst much roaring, splashing and foaming.  The surf spray was so bad in places we could not take photographs, even though we were well away from the surf.  Following is a selection of photographs.  These barely do deference to the size and power of the waves and the tortured appearance of the sea.

070914 Cosy Corner - anything but cosy in real life

070914 Foul Bay - by name and by nature, today anyway

070914 The boat ramp at Hamelin Bay

070914 Looking south from Hamelin Bay

070914 Point Beach

070914 Conto Springs

070914 Marchant Rock

070914 The Beach north of Round Rock

070914 Round Rock

070914 The Point

070914 Trees at The Point - not the first windy day for them

070914 Cape Freycinet

On the drive back we passed through some beautiful country.  The grass is so green and the cattle and sheep are so plump and contented.  There were more wildflowers in the heath country nearer the coast, but behind the coastal high spots, there were karri eucalypt forests, maybe not as big as the ones further inland, but a great change from the stunted tress and shrubs we have been seeing for the last five months.  There were, to our surprise, more arum lilies under these huge trees.

070914 Wild flowers encroaching on the roadway

070914 Karri trees - note the arum lilies in the forground

Tomorrow - vineyards.  This place is so interesting we may stay another day.

Day 153 - Busselton to Margaret River

Today we did a short trip from Busselton to Margaret River.  Well, short as the crow flies at about 54km, but we detoured several times off the main road to see some of the beaches and headlands on the coast on the way down. 

We should mention that we did this in the worst weather we have experienced since we left home. Some of the photographs will attest to this.  The temperature reached a max of about 18 degrees so it could have been worse.  The sun is shining momentarily but the wind hasn't let up.  More bad weather tomorrow we are told.

Needless to say we saw the coastline with the Indian Ocean throwing all it could at the headlands and beaches.  Foaming surf and tortured waves belting the living daylights out of the rocks.  All this and not a board rider in sight.  This was not the best environment in which to take photographs.

060914 Yallengup 

060914 Yallengup Beach

060914 Canal Rocks

060914 At Canal Rocks

060914 Boat ramp at Canal Rocks

060914 Looking to the south of Injidup Point - a rare sand beach

060914 Injidup Point and one wet horse

060914 Wyadup

In spite of all this pandemonium, we arrived safely in Margaret River and have only exited the van to do some shopping.  Margaret River looks to be a well to do township, probably reflecting the nature and value of its surrounding agriculture, vineyards.  We saw the usual quality presentations by the various vineyards, lovely entrances of manicured grass and gardens.  The vines themselves are without leaves so the vineyards look like trunks supported by wires giving a display of symmetry, made more dramatic as you pass by.  There are plenty of vineyards here but more of that when we take a visit to some them on Monday.

060914 The main street of Margaret River

Day 152 - Busselton and Points West

Today dawned bleak and cold but we could not miss seeing the coastal sights west of Busselton.  Busselton is on Geographe Bay but within the shoreline of Geographe Bay there are many smaller bays, shaped by rock outcrops and white sandy beaches.

There are photographs of the various points and beaches we visited but some points can be made:

• The secluded bays with their small waves gave way to larger waves once we got to Cape Naturaliste and the coastline to the south from the Cape became more rugged eg Sugarloaf Rock
• There were wild flowers all along the roadsides and particularly so in the Cape Naturaliste National Park. The lighthouse there was surrounded with heath-like country made up of many, many wildflowers
• The arum lilies continued to make their presence filled as we drove through the several National Parks and farmland
• We did see some whales frolicking close to the beach near Castle Rock but we were a long way from them at the time.  We also saw others from our lunchtime venue at Bunkers Beach.

050914 Little Meelup Beach west of Busselton

050914 Castle Rock near Meelup Beach

050914 Castle Rock from a distance.  The black spot is the tail of a whale

050914 Meelup Beach

050914 Gannet Rock with pied cormorants on its top

050914 Point Marchant from Bunkers Bay

050914 Bunkers Bay

050914 Bunkers Bay from Marchant Point

090514 Looking north from the whale watching platform at Cape Naturaliste 

090514 Looking south from the whale watching platform at Cape Naturaliste 

050914 Cape Naturaliste Light House

050914 A local by the side of the path to Cape Naturaliste

050914 Looking north from Sugarloaf Rock

050914 The path to the viewing platform for Sugarloaf Rock

050914 Sugarloaf Rock south of Cape Naturaliste

 Our last attraction was the 2km long jetty at Busselton.  There is even a train to take you to its end.

050914 The two mile long jetty at Busselton

We are happy to add the day ended in bright sunshine but the temperature stayed down.  We are in for a cold night tonight.

Day 151 - Fremantle to Busselton

Well, we are on the road again.  In some respects we are having to wind ourselves up again, familiarising ourselves with the daily routine when we are on the move, making sure the van is hitched up correctly etc.

So, we did our 240km today and arrived safely in Busselton with everything intact.  Things are a little quieter down in the south of WA because it is winter and a lot of people have headed north to the warm.  In fact this caravan park is, at best, 10% occupied.

South of Fremantle/Perth is similar to the north.  Long sweeping beaches with a huge number of housing developments alongside the beaches and a short way back into the countryside.

We passed by some large industrial complexes on the way down too, including Alcan's alumina refinery, BP's petroleum refinery and Graincorp's huge grain storage and export facility at Kwinana. There were many more large factories that we couldn't identify, but as has been our experience, everything in WA is big.

The beach at Kwinana occupied our time somewhat.  We saw the remnants of the ship "Kwinana" which gave Kwinana its name.  It is aboriginal for "beautiful maiden".  The outline of the ship has been filled with concrete and small portions of the steel hull still remain.

040914 The last piece of the wreck of the Kwinana on Kwinana Beach

040914 The outline of the wreck of the Kwinana filled with concrete

From the beach we were able to see the wharf where oil products are delivered to the BP refinery and Graincorp's loading facilities and wharf.

040914 Ships at the Kwinana oil wharf

040914 The grain loading terminal south of Kwinana

In the distance we could also see HMAS Stirling on Garden Island and its bridge from the mainland.  It is home to five frigates and all submarines of the Australian Submarine Service. Public access is not allowed to Garden Island.

040914 The bridge to Garden Island off the coast from Kwinana

Wild flowers were still in evidence on the roadside most notable being the Geraldton Wax.  However we were greatly surprised by the number of arum lilies flowering in the Ludlow Tuart Forest near Busselton. They covered the forest floor for many a mile.

040914 Geraldton Wax shrubs on the highway south of Fremantle

040914 An Arum Lily in the Ludlow Tuart Forest near Busselton

040914 More Arum Lilies

040914 More Arum Lilies

The sunsets continue to amaze.

040914 Sunset from the Busselton Caravan Park

Day 139 to Day 150 - Absence

A brief note to let you know family circumstances have necessitated we return to Brisbane for 10 days or so.  Under these circumstances, the Dino's Travels blog will be off the air for this time.  The chariot, the anchor and the Gnome await our return.

Day 138 - Swan River Valley and Perth Hills

We are delighted to say the weather improved today but it was quite cool.  The Swan River Valley beckoned so we toddled off to see what we could see.

We drove west close to the Swan River and try though we may, we could not get something worth photographing.  That is not to say there weren't some great sights, beautiful houses and glimpses of the river but our efforts were thwarted by houses built along the river and incessant traffic not allowing us to stop where we wanted.

By accident we came across the Burswood Casino and also by accident, pardon the pun, a written off Porsche, subject of many news reports this morning.  The driver apparently crashed the car during the night and left the scene, leaving the keys in the car.  Mind you, it wasn't going anywhere.

220814 The Crown Burswood Casino

220814 The Porsche subject of news reports today

We gave up eventually on the river and headed for the Perth Hills. There we had more luck.  By good fortune we ended up in the Peter Forrest National Park.  We came across a fantastic view of Perth but it was hazy due to the remnants of the recent rain. 

220814 Perth from the John Forrest Park in the Perth Hills

We had lunch at the tavern in the park before heading for a walk in the forest. We were able to walk along a heritage trail which was, in fact, the route of an old train line from Perth.  The recent rain was the making of this walk because the river through the park, bone dry in summer months, was "cranking" and both waterfalls, the Hovea Falls and the National Park Falls were flowing quite well. 

220814 The Hovea Falls - sadly behind trees

220814 Some of the exposed rocks at the top of the Hovea Falls.
Water was seeping across the top of the rocks

220814 Top of the National Park Falls in John Forrest National Park

220814 The National Park Falls in John Forrest National Park

220814 Below the National Park Falls in John Forrest National Park

The park had some interesting features other than waterfalls.  Most of the infrastructure at the entry to the walks was built by sustenance workers during the 1930's. That included some of the picnic sites and also a rock garden.

220814 One of the original picnic tables in the John Forrest Park

220814 Rock gardens in the John Forrest National Park

Some of the locals made their presence felt.

220814 Some of the locals in the park

We drove home in bright sunlight which forebodes well for tomorrow.