Starry nights in the Shannon

Every morning we woke in Denmark was suppose to be our last, but on Monday May 13, we decided it was time to move on. Given the strong winds that we’d endured, we were a little reluctant to move on to the Shannon NP, where the camping area was amongst some very large trees. Our timing was perfect. We arrived at one of the most beautiful campsites we had been to thus far. Set amongst some enormous eucalypts and pine trees, a toilet block with showers complete with wood stoked boiler for hot water. 

What’s more, it was virtually deserted so we found ourselves a level site and collected some fuel from the wood pit for our evening fire. Now OJ, like most boys is interested in fire, it’s a primitive instinct, and he was very willing to lend a hand with the fire lighting. I think it was also the thought of roasting marshmallows that reinforced his resolve to get the wet wood to burn. We hadn’t had too many opportunities to have a fire given the restrictions over the warmer months, but it was certainly starting to feel like campfire weather and this we were in the perfect setting for it. 

It was our first still night and we sat around the fire warming ourselves till quite late. The sky was amazing on windless and cloudless night with only a thin sliver of a moon to detract from the brightness of the stars. 

We set off on a walk to Shannon Dam the next morning. It was graded as an fairly easy walk and the kids decided to ride. The sky was blue as we set off and we were all in the mood to see more of this old growth wilderness. The rain over the past days had brought out a peaty damp smell in the undergrowth and the trail was covered spongy underfoot with a thick blanket of decaying leaf and forest material. There was fungus and moss everywhere. So many minute environments existing in synergy with one another - under fallen trees, within the hollows, in the dug out burrow of some forest dweller and high up in the canopy of the trees. It’s hard not to feel alive in such a place.  

An afternoon taking it easy at our near perfect site after our morning hike was in order. We ran the gennie to power up the battery, showers were thought of, and I stoked up the wood-fire boiler. A bit of left over pumpkin soup and a hearty vegetarian past for dinner and it was once again time to gather round the fire for the evening. 

A third day of reasonable weather and we took a drive to some falls that were recommended. We figured that they would be raging after all the rain, but they were a little disappointing. On to a herb farm for a bite to eat and then a loop via Walpole to do make some calls and check our mail. Josh lined up a bit of work for July on the east coast and it was back to our haven in the Shannon. No phone, no TV, just a pleasant glass of red, the solitude and quiet of the old trees...and the nagging of the kids. 

A drenching in Denmark

An empty green caravan park in Denmark was to be home for 5 nights whilst the winds and rain battered our little home. Despite all the rain our home has been water tight thus far and proven itself a haven. The days weren’t too bad but during the nights the deluge was unabated.  But Denmark and this region seem used to the wet just soaked it up. The forests took it all in their stride. On a trip to the tree tops walk, outside of Walpole, we discovered that the massive tingle trees require 1200mm of annual rainfall as sustenance for their shallow roots. As we drove through this magnificent forest, one can see why the Greenies fought so hard against logging to protect this wonderful resource. We have been amazed at how much of Western Australia has been set aside as National Park or protected land. It really is very special. 

Throughout our many walks, the kids have been subjected to Josh’s rekindled love of photography. So much so that when we leave for a walk, we know we can expect to wait at least 10 minutes for Josh to catch up to us at each rest stop. His persistence is admirable, yet painful. However, of interest to all of us has been the diversity of mushrooms (or in hebrew P’triyot) within both the caravan parks and the forests. Jem has taken to saying the word in hebrew with great gusto and clarity. 

We took out membership at the local video store to get through some of the rain. Surfing was out of the question as the swell had become pretty large and fairly messy. We didn’t think fishing would be very fruitful either. But we had entered some big forest country and the trees were getting bigger and bigger. 

We didn’t want the weather to prevent us from seeing some of the spectacular walks in the region so we got out when we could. As well as outdoor activity, there was plenty to keep us occupied indoor - a local brewery/winery, chocolate makers, a bead shop, bookstore, toffee factory and more. Jem picked up some more Lego to keep him occupied whilst OJ and Rubes spent some time doing schoolwork. 

Trace has had some questions about the quality of the facilities at some of the places we have stayed. Mostly they have been very good, but just to show give you an idea of one of the better ones, here is a shot of the female amenities at the place we stayed in Denmark, talk about roughing it!

Mothers Day commenced with some pressies and a fried breakfast, followed by visit to a park by the Denmark River. Here Rubes fell in love with 8 pups that were just 6 weeks old. A picnic lunch in the park during a break in the weather, then on for some coffee and ice cream. With a bit of blue sky we ventured down to the beach in the afternoon for a stroll, after sighting some schools of sizable mullet in the estuary off the beach the kids got enthused about some fishing, but a walk along the beach had to suffice as school work to be sent off the following day beckoned. After a game of hockey and a version of Avengers both played out on the jumping pillow at the van park it was time to shower and get some dinner at an Indian restaurant in town - OJ could probably write a concise guide to Indian round the nation by the time we finish this trip. 

Stunning but stormy Stirling Ranges

With the taste of the mountains and a bit of wilderness fresh on our palates, we headed for the Stirling Ranges about 80km directly north of Albany. Little did we know that a fierce storm was coming in from the west. Not long after we arrived at our pleasant campsite in the middle of the Ranges, a Parks volunteer paid us a visit and advised that we should get out and have a look around before the nasty weather arrived in the afternoon/evening. We decided to get amongst it. 

We drove out to Knoll Bluff, the highest peak in south-west WA at 1095m. Jem fell asleep on the way, Trace’s knee had packed it in from our walk the day before and Rubes wasn’t interested in a partial ascent.

That left the big boy and me. It was already a little late in the day but we set off for a short walk at a quick pace. On the way up we met an older couple from NSW on their way down, they warned us it would be dark in a few hours - this didn’t stop us though. We trudged on, well we only planned to trek up for 30 minutes or so, as the others were waiting in the car. No sign of a storm, just beautiful vistas across the Range. After about 40 minutes and about a third of the way up with the imposing bluff towering above us, OJ and I made a pledge to return in the morning, weather permitting, to take the summit. 

We returned to the van cooked up a few chops and snags and got ready for the brewing storm. And did it come! Not so much rain, but winds that rocked the van and kept us up a good deal of the night. More of the same the following day with a little more rain. We packed up, left the van where it was and decided to take a scenic drive across the Range. Sloppy unsealed roads, a lot of low cloud, steady rain, no end in sight to the bad weather, and the decision was made - off to Denmark for the safety of a caravan park. Unfortunately, we never got the opportunity to conquer Knoll Bluff. 

Historic Albany

Albany seemed huge, even compared to Esperance, which had seemed rather large. Our caravan park was located on the beach not far from the centre of town and featured a games room, pool and a family bathroom suite complete with a bath big enough for the five of us. A special trip was made to find bubble bath and we even purchased a bath bomb (which was misplaced en route back to the park). Our first bath on the journey was hot and very foamy, so hot that OJ felt a little faint and had to take some time out getting his head back together. 

There’s a lot of history in Albany and so we commenced our stay with a visit to the Museum and a replica of the Brig Amity, but not before a visit to the Saturday markets. First the farmers market, where we picked up some freshly baked Turkish bread, local goats cheese, strawberries and a large pumpkin for a hearty winter warming soup. It was then onto the artist market. 

The Amity had brought the first European settlers to these shores to establish a military post in 1826. The ship had sailed over 6 weeks from Sydney and arrived with soldiers, 23 convicts and some crew and staff. Our sojourn on the Amity was an eye opener for all, as we learnt what it was like to be at sea on such a vessel in the early 19th century - working the rigging, sleeping below deck and getting our digestive juices flowing (not!) in the cargo hold discovering what salt preserved morsels the crew and convicts had to curb their appetites on such long journeys. Skipper Jem struggled with turning the ship’s wheel and, whilst on his power trip, put his first and second mates right where he wanted them. 

A fascinating morning at Australia’s last operational whaling station in Albany was also really educational. We were all impressed with this museum which includes the Cheynes IV whalechaser, access to the cutting up deck and processing factory, a boiler house with working triple expansion steam engine, a skeleton exhibit with a 22-metre pygmy blue whale on display, and oil storage tanks now converted into movie theatres. We took a guided tour which was fascinating. The kids reckon it’s a ‘must see’ in Albany.

May 6 and we took a drive north of Albany to Porongurup NP for a walk up to Castle Rock. On a clear day the peak which is some 560m above sea level affords views of Albany to the south and the Stirling Ranges to the north. We trekked up some beautiful wet forest to a sky walk about the granite boulder outcrops crowning the peak. Despite the hike up, OJ and Rubes demonstrated their strength in preventing one of these boulders converting Jem into a crepe. It was a commendable ascent by all, especially Jem and we were rewarded with some pretty vistas of the surrounding countryside, albeit a little cloudy. 

Our return leg took us via Australia’s and, indeed the world’s (so they say) largest independent sandalwood factory. Of course the children could not keep their hands off all the tester products and after purchasing a mother’s day gift came out smelling like sandalwood and feeling rather greasy. 

Beach fishing at Bremer Bay

We had a long stretch of road ahead with a quick stop in Esperance. A few faxes and phone calls and a bit of shopping and we were on our way. It was an overcast day with intermittent showers driving through some pretty countryside. Bremer Bay was our planned destination, but with our extended stopover in Esperance trying to contact some of Josh’s colleagues and some locum agencies to arrange some work over in WA made this an overly ambitious ask. A sensible pull in at a rest area outside Jermanjup seemed a good idea, if only dad had not decided to pull extra weight and empty out the water tanks. What’s more empty promises of activating the virgin commode in the caravan, left us cursing him, as the rest area was without bog holes - no water and no dunnies!

We arrived in Bremer Bay on April 30. It’s a quiet seaside holiday village that boasts 2 caravan parks and the kids insisted we go to the one with the pool. We had been told that the fish were biting round Bremer so we headed down to try our hand. Not having a beach rod we decided to fish off the rocks. After losing a reasonable amount of tackle with no results we called it quits. It was disheartening to see some youngsters with good sized fish. Josh had been cursing lugging 4 fishing rods around the country for so long with so little use, but it was clear that our short rods weren’t going to catch us fish in these waters. So it was with some reluctance we decided to invest in a beach rod, and after some local advice from a real fisherman, we were up to speed on how to fashion a salmon rig. 

Trace made some awesome scones, the kids braved the pool which was the briefest swim ever, and with the weather fairly gloomy we rented some videos for the afternoon. After a terrible Woody Allen flick set in Rome, there was a ruckus on the other side of the caravan park. A rather ugly domestic argument had broken out and a child was crying, it was no holed barred and things were sounding pretty awful. Josh wandered down, but kept a safe distance and in the end decided to phone the police who were some 80km away. No one in the park seemed concerned, although the park manager had driven down in an attempt to calm the situation, but without effect. Trace saw the flashing lights some hour or so later and by then things had settled down. Fortunately, no one was hurt and they were kicked out of the park the following day. 

Our first expedition beach fishing was not entirely successful. Casting over the breakers is a skill in itself, working out how much weight to use is another and keeping the bait on a third. We managed all these skills with some success, but no fish. We didn’t lose any tackle though. The water was surprisingly warm, the kids had a nice swim and OJ sent our mini-rugby ball on the trade winds to Antarctica.  

Double Rubes at the Duke

On April 24 we set off for Orleans Bay, about 85 km east of Esperance. Trace and the kids had the feeling once again that it was time to move on after their longest stay in one place. After nearly 2 weeks in the seaside town of Esperance they were itching for some new scenery and adventures. Strange what life on the road does to one’s sense of home. The caravan has become our home and it doesn’t matter all that much where we park it, whether it be the Flinders Ranges or Kalgoorlie, it’s always home. Anyway, the home was on the move and all were fairly pleased about it. 

We thought that we’d go via Cape Le Grand NP to have a look at some campsites as we planned to spend a few days there on our way westward. Trace and I were enjoying the greenery of the vegetation, it was a welcome change after some of the drier areas we had visited over our last few weeks in South Australia. The landscape with it’s generous rainfall and fertile soils provides for excellent grazing and huge tracts of timber plantations. A striking feature of this landscape are the granite outcrops that rise dome-like from the earth, smooth and weathered by years of exposure to the elements. These form a backdrop to the dramatic and beautiful coastline that punctuates this geography. We were impressed with Cape Le Grand and decided where we’d prefer to stake a claim upon our return. 

We had been recommended The Duke Caravan Park by several people we’d met and we weren’t disappointed. A grassed site set amongst trees, on the bay and with more of the stunning coastline we had seen at Cape Le Grand. Our evaluation of a good caravan park now includes not only a quiet, green patch with a few trees in a good location, it must also have some good biking areas for the kids, a playground, drinkable water and, of course, hot showers. 

The Duke had all this, the only drawback were the number of quad-bikes parked about the place - we were a little worried about noise pollution and the possibility of hearing AC/DC at high decibels until unpleasant hours of the evening. In the end we were well protected by Wendy the owner of the Park who snuffed out any anti-social behaviour fairly quickly. 

There was a good surf beach a 3km drive and OJ was very keen to get out on the surfboard we had purchased the day before. Unfortunately, my leg rope I had carted from Sydney snapped before he even got into the water. This was not enough to stop the little grommet, he was determined to ride the waves, and so he did. A nice gentle beach break to learn the basics, and it was to be the site of a daily surf during our stay at the Duke. OJ leant how to ride the whitewash taking tips from his old man, reluctantly at times, but by day 2 he was already standing and had a taste for it - and he's a goofy-footer!

Our first full day at Duke was Anzac Day it was a cracker. After a pancake brekkie, a  leisurely morning was spent hanging out and doing a little baking. Trace and Rubes whipped up some flat Anzac biscuits minus the baking soda, but they were delicious nonetheless. OJ tried his hand at washing up for the second time in as many months, I got to work changing an inner tube on Jem’s bike, Jem got busy with some Lego and Rubes and OJ got to working on their bracelet making. This attracted the attention of a girl from the caravan next door, another Ruby from Perth, traveling with her parents, Melissa and Mark who we were to end up spending a few days with. Ruby was 6, and our Ruby enjoyed hanging out her, as did the boys. 

After constant niggling from Oscar to get back in the surf, we finally returned to the beach to catch a few waves. This time I donned my wetsuit, limbered up my tight shoulders and paddled out to see what this foam board could do, or rather see what I could remember from my long forgotten surfing days. Oscar’s persistence and determination paid off and he was getting up more times than not. I was left several times cursing our lack of a leg rope and spent more time chasing the board in the shallows than actually standing on it. 

Ruby’s dad, Mark, had caught a salmon that day and we took over a couple of homemade pizzas to throw into the smorgasbord of dinner that evening. The salmon was filleted and cooked up on the BBQ and was unexpectedly good, washed down with some cold beer by a warm fire. After a busy day in the sun the kids were exhausted and all slept well. Friday was spent much the same, in the afternoon we headed for the beach with Ruby in tow to try our hand at the surf once again, Oscar keen to display his surfing skills to young Ruby!

The weather which had been great for a few days was starting to turn, so we took a drive further east along the coast to Cape Arid NP for the day. Not long after we arrived the rain set in and our plan for a day out at the beach with supplies for a picnic and even try our hand at catching some tucker for tea was spoiled. The back up plan was to head for the tavern at Condingup - not a bad alternatively. 

Our Rubes was sad to say goodbye to Ruby, Mark and Melissa, but before our farewells we exchanged details and hope to catch up with these wonderful people in Perth. 

A few more rain soaked days at the Duke and it was time to move on.