We have made it to Esperance, stopping for a night along the way at Ravensthorpe. And after a short detour through the Stirling Ranges. The camping ground at Ravensthorpe is in the process of being ‘renovated’. Not a lot needs to be said, apparently when the new owners bought it back in 2013 it was very run down, some work has been done to fix it up. There is a 10 year plan of work. The sites are great and the bush land setting very agreeable. But if you stay here go for the new amenities not the old ones………

As we left Albany we passed by Dog Rock. It is an institution with a shopping centre named after it and various little plays on words around the place. A must be seen attraction!

Dog Rock

Stirling Ranges

As we left the coast the weather cleared up and blue skies appeared, it also got a little warmer. At the Ravensthorpe campground we were able to enjoy the green grass, dam and the warmth of the afternoon setting sun.

In the sun at Ravensthorpe

Allthego enjoying a red as the sun sets at Ravensthorpe

Here in Esperance we are by the sea-side. The temperatures have risen and Allthego is enjoying shorts and thongs. Yesterday the temperature reached 38 d and it was quite humid, today a more pleasant 26 d.

We have taken it quite leisurely here, preparing for the Nullarbor. A day trip out to the beaches in Cape Le Grand National Park revealed what this region is famous for………white sandy beaches and turquoise waters. Truly spectacular sights. Lucky Bay is a particularly devastatingly beautiful place.

Lucky Bay

Lucky Bay

Frenchman’s Peak towers over the park. It is supposed to be a leisurely stroll to the top, one and half hours by the gentle east slope. Up close it’s not so gentle, we had thongs on so didn’t attempt it.

Frenchman’s Peak

In total contrast is Esperance Stonehenge. This is an actual size replica of what Stonehenge would have looked like in 1950 BC. Nothing like the bits and pieces that are currently on display over in the UK. No sir ree us Esperance Aussies built this one out of granite blocks and arranged them according to the layout of the original. Unlike the original this was assembled with bulldozers, cranes and winches etc. Didn’t muck around rolling stones on logs across the countryside and some how or other levering them into place. Sitting among the stones here in Esperance makes you think……. just how did those ancient Britains build Stonehenge? Well worth the $8 to get in!

Esperance Stonehenge

We now head up to Norseman and then along the Eyre Hwy to Fraser Range Station for a couple of nights before starting the crossing of the Nullarbor. The 6 th hole on the Nullarbor Links Golf Course is also at Fraser Range Station, it’s a par 3. Allthego may not need that 3 iron this time.

We have been at Albany now for 2 days having come down from Walpole through Denmark. We are at a Big 4 camp ground behind the sand dunes at Middleton Beach.

Middleton Beach, our camp site was behind the sand dunes

Along the way we stopped for some morning tea at The Lake House. This was a mistake. The Lake House nestles in a valley up behind Denmark beside a lake (it’s really a big farm dam) surrounded by a vineyard, some rolling grass gardens and wildflowers/shrubs. All very nice. As was the rocky road cheese cake Allthego had to have, along with a coffee. Homealone settled for a carrot cake. Both were drizzled with sauces made on the property. There were also some wines to taste. It was difficult to leave  as it was coming up to lunch time, but we had to make tracks for Albany.

The Lake House label

At the Lake House

In Albany we have had some quiet days around the town. Visited the National Anzac Centre and the associated historical precinct. Albany was the departure point for the first convoys that took  troops to Gallipoli. All up 30,000 left in the first convoy. The Centre tells the story of the departure, something which we haven’t really heard much about in the past. Quite a logistical feat in getting all the ships organised and away. Some great views at the Centre over Albany and the harbour.

National Anzac Centre

View of Albany port

There are some native plant gardens in the grounds of the Anzac Centre and lo and behold there was some great patches of red and yellow Kangaroo Paws. We have not seen these in bloom yet in the bush land so it was a surprise to see them here.

Red Kangaroo Paw.

Yellow Kangaroo paw

Also off into Torridirrup National Park to see the Gap and Natural Bridge sea cliff features. A cantilever viewing platform out into space above the Gap is quite impressive. Homealone stayed away from this one as well. Waves crashing in the chasm below were very powerful, sending up spouts of water and endless spray. The Natural Bridge feature was equally impressive. There was an info board telling the story of  a tourist back in the 1970s wanting to get a photo from down on a ledge getting sucked out when a big wave came in. He was rescued many hours later from the seas by the crew of a whale chaser boat (this was before the end of whaling in Albany).

The Gap view point

Natural Bridge

The weather has not been wonderful  here in Albany. Windy and chilly with a bit of rain. It has hampered the tripping around somewhat and there has been more to do than we allowed time for. Must come back again sometime! We now head off for Esperance with a stopover for the night at Ravensthorpe,  about two-thirds of the way.

We are now settled in at Albany on Middleton Beach. The weather is not great, chilly, very windy and rainy bits here and there during the day. Have the occasional splash of sunshine. On the way here we stopped for 2 nights at Walpole, about a 100 km from Albany. It is the heart of Big Tree country, The Valley of the Giants is nearby. These Tingle forests  are something to see. Great big trees that can grow to 75-80 m tall and 20-25 m round at the base. Upwards of 350 to 400 years old.

Forest drive

This is a Big Tree, 24 m around the base

Many of them get hollowed out at the bottom by fungi and the like, fire then burns this dead wood. It leaves big hollows, a while back one particular tree had cars driving through it. But they keep growing somehow supporting themselves until the time comes to come down. Must be a spectacular sight to see and hear  one coming down.

There is one particular tree near Wapole  still standing that was drawn/painted by a British artist in 1880. Her work along with another 800 is in the Kew Gardens in London. We didn’t see the tree but maybe the drawing is something to see if we ever get to London again!

Grandma

Jump in my car! Allthego at the wheel.

Allthego went for a tree top walk, highest point was 40 m above the forest floor.  The spans swayed a fair bit, Allthego was trying to take photos so this swaying was a bit frustrating. It wasn’t helped by a group of  40 or so senior citzs on a trip hurriedly passing by, seemingly more interested in getting back to the bus than looking down and around. Homealone passed up this whole experience and did her cross words/ puzzles instead.

The tree top walk

Looking down a Tingle tree

A bit later we both went for a short walk down on the forest floor, looking up instead of looking down. The Tingle trees are amazing which ever way you look at them! There is also the forest wild flowers, including orchids of various types to attract attention. We saw no orchids! Despite looking! Many of them are small and blend in with the other plants on the forest floor.

Tassel flower

Holly flame pea

The journey continues to Albany via the Lake House on the next blog.

Here we are at Margaret River staying at Taunton Farm near Cowaramup about 1o minutes from the Margaret River township. It’s a great little camp ground overlooking farm grounds. The animals are fed each day at 5 pm and attract all the kids to feed the sheep, goat, big cow, little cows and two rather large pigs, one named George.

George

Our time here has been too short! 4 days really does not allow you too get around the region, so it’s a case of see what you can see and leave the rest to next time! We have traversed the length of the coast from Cape Leeuwin in the southwest (at Augusta) to Cape Naturaliste in the north (near Dunsborough). Both places are sign posted by lighthouses built around 1900. The one at Cape Leeuwin at 40 m is the third tallest in Australia and makes a great mark on the coastline.

Cape Leeuwin

Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse

We have also had some attraction to the vineyards, visiting 2 or 3 to taste their wares. Vineyards are at every turn, many with accompanying eateries. It’s big business, the eateries seeming to be sometimes more important than the wine business. The region also has its little add ons. Plenty of dairy cattle to fuel the Margaret River Cheese Company….camemberts, bries, cheddars, yogurts etc.

The golden cow at Cowaramup

Cows make cheese

And the Chocolate Factory with a vast array of chocolates. Not to mention the Berry Farm where we had a great meat pie and salad one day. Could not resist some of their berry produce either, including a plum port to wash down the MR brie.

Homealone about to attack the pie

Vineyard

Also managed to fit a trip or two out to the beaches. Particularly, Prevelly Beach and where the Margaret River enters the sea. The surf was quite wild  but did not deter a number of board riders testing skills off the Margaret River estuary.

Margaret River estuary

On a wave off Margaret River estuary

The region is also blessed with a number of caves up and down the coast. We descended into Lake Cave, down about 60 metres and then about 80 metres into the Cave. It was quite spectacular down there, 330 steps down and steep in places. Allthego had negotiated the tour at senior rates. Prior to going down the guide questioned whether we could/should do it, go and have a look from the viewing platform and see if you still want to go she said. We did this. It only made Allthego more determined to do it, so we did it. Bit tiring on the way back up, but we made it. The ‘table’ suspended a foot or so over the lake by two stalagmites was  quite a stunning sight.

Steps into Lake Cave

Suspended table in Lake Cave

So we have come to the end of our time here at Margaret River and now head down to Albany. After a bit over 2 months we have turned the ‘final corner’ and are now on the way back to Brisbane.

Leaving Norseman we set off down the G & W T down to Hyden. The Trail passes through the Great Western Woodlands. This is a unique landscape and vegetation region. The gravel road goes 300 km through various vegetation types. From tall Salmon and Gimlet gums in mature growth phases to areas where the forest is being renewed and is literally packed with junior versions of these trees. The Salmon gums in particular have an amazing pink hue to their trunk which glows in the sunlight. The Gimlet gums have a bronze trunk and similarly glow in the sunlight, particularly in the late afternoon. Underneath are relatively open areas with low shrubs. It is almost a park like appearance in places.

Salmon gums

The rocks around these parts are old granite outcrops rising up a couple of hundred metres from the surrounding plains. Just demanding to be climbed up! Along the trail we stopped off at Disappointment Rock for a couple of hours to walk to the top. Well we got to the top but got lost on the way down! Took a wrong turn and wandered around for quite a while trying to find the way down, at least the right route to take us on the full walk around the rock. Any way we actually went backwards and ultimately got back to the van, a bit late though and a bit disappointed.

On top of Disappointment Rock

Ornate dragon on the rocks

This slight holdup cost us a bit of time and we had to stay overnight at the next rock, McDermid Rock. The weather was getting pretty ragged, very windy and rain on the way. We found a good spot in the lee of the rock reasonably sheltered. Went for a stroll up the rock. Main objective was to see a wave-like formation. A junior ‘wave rock’ compared to the iconic one at Hyden. Didn’t find it and because of the approaching rain storm we headed back to camp. Couldn’t have our usual campfire as the rain and wind came down.

McDermid Rock camp

The little ‘wave’ at McDermid Rock

All gone in the morning and we had blue skies to take us onto the Breakaways.  Prior to leaving we did see the ‘wave’. It wasn’t far from the camp site. We had originally planned to camp at the Breakaways. A beautiful spot, with the multi coloured cliffs, salmon gums and wildflowers blanketing the ground. We stopped here for a while before heading off along the trail into Hyden.

Breakaways

Breakaways

A grevillea of sorts

Hyden is a small country town surrounded by grain fields. Hyden Rock towers over it a couple of kilometres away. The ‘wave rock’ we hear about is really just one of the flanks of Hyden Rock. We camped for two nights at the Wave Rock Caravan Park a mere 100 metres or so from its base. The Rock has been significantly ‘used’ by us European settlers. We have built a dam in a valley between two humps of the rock and have built a mini wall (from slabs of rock quarried from the Rock) around the lip of the rock to funnel water into the dam. The dam was used to supply Hyden with its water up until 1963, it now supplies the water for stock watering. There are also steel ladders and steps on the rock to help us climb it. At the bottom of the steel steps there is a sign that tells us not to take ‘sample’ rock away as it harms the environment and offends the local indigenous people. Quite perverse! Anyway we had a climb up it and took some photos at sunset. Some great views and the ‘wave’ is a quite amazing land form. All the tourists love having their picture taken under the ‘wave’.

The big ‘wave’ at Hyden

An orchid of sorts

Leaving Hyden we now head for Margaret River. Along the way we passed through the small town of Kulin, famous for its Bush Picnic Race meeting. It was on the weekend we passed through and lots of people were coming into town. They come along what is known as the Tin Horse Highway. The road is lined with tin horses in all sorts of poses. There are about 70 of them and new ones get added each year as part of the race meeting promotions. Quite an attraction and something to see.

A tin horse

Another tin horse, Andy Capp

Next was Wagin were we stayed overnight. This is a wool town and they have Baart, the biggest ram known. It is big.

Baart

Not much time to look around and the weather was not great, a bit of wind and rain. So we hurried off down the road to Margaret River. Which is where we are now!

It’s time for a golf report. Allthego has played 5 holes on the Nullarbor Golf Links course which stretches from Kalgoorlie to Ceduna. It’s thought to be and claims to be the longest course in the world. Well it starts off with 2 par 5s and 3 par 4s, just to get you in the swing. The first 2 holes are at the Kalgoorlie Golf, a par 4 (356 m) and then a par 5 (502 m). The 3rd hold is at Kambalda, half way down to Norseman. It’s a par 4 (392 m). The next two holes are at Norseman a par 5 (463 m) and a par 4 (385 m). Norseman is a nice country golf club, nice fairways fringed with red sand and gravel.  Kambalda is a bit rugged, sand tees and oiled sand greens, the rough is tough but easy if you miss the small thick shrubs. Norseman has wide open fairways under trees with artificial grass tees and greens. That’s the setting.

Well, Allthego is 20 over par after 5 holes. A disastrous 12 at the par 4 in Kambalda responsible for a lot of the damage. Lodged in a shrub in the rough and then 4 putted on the oily green.

On the first at Kalgoorlie

The caddie

It’s been a pleasant walk around so far. Homealone has ably assisted as caddie. The long par 4s and 5s are a bit of a struggle with a 3 iron. Allthego only brought 3 clubs on the trip; a 3, a 6,and a putter.

Almost in !

Approach shot at the second at Kalgoorlie

A poor lie at Kambalda

Going down the Kambalda par 4

Not a lot more to be said.

Putting out at Norseman

At this stage Allthego is performing as a mere shadow of his former self (which wasn’t that much anyway!) and looks forward  with trepidation to the remaining holes across the Nullarbor in 2 weeks time.

We moved on from Kalgoorlie and headed to Norseman a bit further south. Norseman is the starting point for the trip back across the Nullarbor to the eastern states. But we are not going that way yet, although Homealone is a little bit tempted! We need to go back west to the southwest coast and Margaret River. In between we have  had a couple of nights here in Norseman. Allthego played 2 holes of golf here at the Norseman Golf Club. On the way down from Kalgoorlie we stopped in briefly at Kambalda to play the 3rd hole. So far have played 5 holes and will report separately on the state of play.

Norseman got its name from a horse called Norseman. Norseman the horse is acknowledged as the finder of gold here in 1892. He was pawing at the ground and a quartz rock with gold lodged in his hoof. That was that and the rush to Norseman started. He has a bronze statue in his memory, another attraction are the tin camels that adorn the town’s main roundabout. Something for everybody in Norseman.

‘Norseman’

The Tin Camels

The big waste dump from the old gold mine looms large over the town, almost threatening in its size. Looks a bit like ‘the Wall’ in the Game of Thrones!

The waste dump, about 40 metres high

These were out in bloom all over Norseman streets and parks

It was a quiet day in Norseman as it was a public holiday and most places were closed (not that there is a lot to close). The pub though was open for dinner and we had a pleasant meal there in front of their fire. The weather continues to be cold at nights and we have broken out the hot water bottles to keep the toes warm.

Some parmies in front of the fire at the Norseman Hotel

The map next leads us down the Granite & Woodlands Discovery Trail for 300 km to Hyden and Wave Rock. The road traverses the Great Western Woodlands and initially crosses Lake Cowan a large salt lake, mostly dry. It lies just outside of town and we have already had a look at it at sunset. Salt lakes are common in this part of WA, every town seems to have one handy to send tourists out to.

Lake Cowan

Lake Cowan

We will be out of range for a few days and will next blog in when we reach Margaret River.

We have come to the end of the Golden Pipeline route to Kalgoorlie and settled into a park in Kalgoorlie at Boulder. Kalgoorlie’s real name is Kalgoorlie-Boulder the two former little cities merging into one a few years ago. There are about 25,000 people here today. 1000 of whom are employed at the Super Pit, 600 men and 400 women. All have to live in K-B and they work 12 hours on 12 off for 7 days , 7 days off and then rotate through a night shift. Currently, the Super Pit has 3 years left of mining. When Alan Bond got the Super Pit started in the early 1980s by amalgamating and taking over a lot of small leases and miners they gave it 5 or 6 years. So things can change with these estimates of mine lives! There is also a big pile of low-grade waste rock being built up which will take 13 years to process once the mine closes. So there is a bit left to do yet.

Allthego learnt all this useful information by doing a Super Pit tour, Homealone thought she could better occupy herself on the  main street in the frock shops. The tour takes you in a small bus down into the Pit, only about 70 of the 600 metres to the bottom. Eventually the pit will be 3.9 km long,1.6 km wide and 700 metres deep. There are some big machines working away down in the Pit, all very organised and controlled. The big haul trucks carry 225 tonnes at a time and the contained gold in that lot is about the size of a golf ball! 1 in 7 trucks carries this material the other 6 go to the waste dump. A lot of waste for a golf ball size bit of gold. Witnessed a blast in the bottom of the Pit at 5 pm one day. A big bang with a lot of rock being broken up and a cloud of dust growing a bit like an atom bomb, eventually filling part of the Pit and coming out over the top.

Paddy Hannan, found gold in Kalgoorlie and started the rush.

It is race week here in Kalgoorlie,  the main sponsor being XXXX Gold. Feels like you are in Queensland. The Kalgoorlie Gold Cup runs on the Sunday as does a lot of XXXX.

Have had a wander around town and drink in the old Exchange Hotel and dinner in the Albion Hotel out our way at Boulder.  It has been a relatively quiet time for us around town.

Exchange Hotel in Kalgoorlie

York Hotel in Kalgoorlie

Allthego completed the first two holes of the Nullarbor Links Golf Course at the Kalgoorlie Golf Club. The 18 hole course finishes on the other side of the Nullarbor at Ceduna. There will be a more fulsome report on progress through the course in a later blog.

We now head off south down to Norseman before turning west along the 300 km Granite and Woodlands Trail to Hyden, home of Wave Rock.

The GEH (Great Eastern Highway) winds its way across the central wheat belt of WA. There is a lot of wheat grown out here, the fields just go on and on for ever. So do the grain trains at night. Rumble , rumble, rumble.

After leaving Jurien Bay we headed eastwards and then south to New Norcia. This is an old monastic town founded by Spanish Benedictine monks in the mid 1800s. They set up an entire community which at its peak numbered over 100 monks, today there are 11. The town now specialises in ‘hospitality’,  which is a Benedictine tradition. So there  are various sorts of live in accommodation, hotel, road house, education and training facilities etc. They also make some great hot  bread each morning in their old bakery, olive oil (from 100 plus old trees) and a range of wines . Their port was quite good! We stayed overnight behind the road house. It was a good price too, $10 the night and $2.50 each for the showers!

St Gertrudes Girls College at New Norcia (closed).

Abbey Church at New Norcia

Continuing on we reached Toodyay (pronounced Too-j) on the banks of the Avon River, we are now about 80 km east of Perth. Stayed here for a night, great little town.  But, it was cold and got down to 6 in the morning with an accompanying  morning mist……

We were off east. But not before getting some buns from the hot bread shop and some new lamb from the local butcher. It looked to be good stuff too, the butcher had his own lamb flock! This is the sort of town you could spend a few days in. But we needed to continue the journey east!

The GEH starts from Toodyay in earnest. We passed through Meckering, our most severe earthquake event back in 1968 when this whole town was virtually flattened by a 6.8 quake.The land in parts rose by a metre and half. Lots of memorabilia of the time is still around, including a ruined stone homestead. Then it was  on to Cunderin. Here we wandered around one of the restored pump houses for the water pipeline. There were 8 of these along the route of the pipeline from Perth to Kalgoorlie. The pump stations were driven by steam power and operated as such up until 1970 when they were phased out and replaced by electrical stations. The one at Cunderin acts as a Museum piece telling the story of the pipe line construction.

Homestead flattened in the earthquake.

The Water Pipeline

A little further on we chose to stay the night at Merredin, a major wheat town. Some huge grain  silos around these parts. Daytime weather continues to be great, blue skies but mid teens temperatures. Makes for great days but chilly nights and mornings!

Wheat silos

Our next stopover along the GEH was Boondi Rock in the midst of the Goldfields-Woodlands NP. This is a special sort of place because we camped right up against the walls of a dam constructed in the late 1800s as a water supply point for steam trains travelling out to Kalgoorlie from Perth. The large granite rock formation acts as the water catchment area for the dam. Granite slabs line channels that divert the run off into the dam. Quite some engineering work here!

Boondi camp site

The Dam at Boondi

Had a nice fire going here and BBQ’d some Too-j lamb sausages for dinner! These got our vote so far for best sausages, even if they were lamb!

Granite lined drainage lines into the dam from the rock catchment

Way Out West cafe in Coolgardie.

Next morning, the journey continued  to Coolgardie, where we had a short stopover for morning tea at the Way Out West cafe and then onto Kalgoorlie in the mid afternoon.

After Geraldton we have continued south along the coast to Jurien Bay. This is the heart of the Rock Lobster territory or though it seems most places along the coast claim this title. Of more import though is that this is also a good place to base oneself for exploring Lesueur  NP and Nambung NP

Lesueur is a remote park and involves a one way drive of about 18 km. It winds its way through some diverse country that is rich in flora types. Of course there are more wildflowers. Many we have seen before but there are a few new ones!

Another Kangaroo Paw

A wildflower at Leseuer

Banksia

More wildflowers

Nambung is home to the Pinnacles. Some amazing landscapes. A photographer could get lost!  It looks like a great big old grave yard with headstones of all shape sand sizes. No inscriptions though, just the sands of time……..

Pinnacles

Pinnacles

We spent an afternoon here after indulging in a half lobster at the Lobster Shack in Cervantes, south of Jurien (but still on the Bay). It seems that all our Asian visitor friends come here on day trips from Perth……to eat the lobsters and then gaze at the Pinnacles. They are also real terriers in the NP shop. All coming out with hands full helping our national debt! Stuffed kangaroos, koalas, lizards and dolphins etc etc………

Lobsters at the Lobster Shack

We are now going to head away from the coast and go back east to Kalgoorlie along the Great Eastern Highway. This will take us down through New Norcia and then east through Northam, Meckering (the big earthquake town), Merriden and Southern Cross to Kalgoorlie. The highway traces the route of the great water pipeline that was built from Perth to Kalgoorlie in the early 1900s. The pipeline provided and continues to provide the water resources that led to the development of the great wheat field and wool districts through which we will pass. It is going to take 3 or 4 days to get to Kalgoorlie and we will be off the air until then!