Perth, Western Australia

Lots of traffic!  Terrific weather and beautiful streets where I am staying.  We went to the Botanical Gardens for a relaxing stroll and coffee and also went on a dinner cruise from Perth to Fremantle & back, a lovely relaxing way to spend an afternoon!  As the most remote capital city in the world, Perth is a long way from everywhere, Tassie included, so it is always good to catch up with the rellies residing here. 

View from Botanical Gardens

Canning River

 An afternoon stroll around the Canning River Eco Reserve was amazing – in the middle of a Capital City such a reserve is priceless!  Not to mention the Botanical Gardens, virtually in the heart of the city.  A beautiful city indeed!

Western Australia's SW Forests

Giant Tingle Tree

Traveling west from Albany my next stop was the Giant Tingle Tree.  This tree (so I have been informed)  is the largest living eucalypt and is one of the ten largest living things in the world.  It is around 400 years old and has a girth of 24 metres.  The Tingle Trees are the earliest eucalypts and now are found in only a small pocket in SW Western Australia, where the higher rainfall they require still exists, unlike the subsequent eucalypts that evolved from them adapting to much drier conditions.  A truly amazing tree and an amazing species.

My next stop was to be Shannon National Park but the 25km of burnt forest on either side of the road on the way there hinted a contingency may be called for.  So it was.  The campground was closed, the once beautiful kauri & jarrah forest sadly blackened and so I continued on to Pemberton to stay the night. 

 Pemberton is a quiet, pretty

 town supported by sawmilling, thus many of the houses are quaint older timber cottages.  Many small vineyards, art outlets and such give it a cultured ambience, thus a very pleasant place to visit.

Nightmare in Greenyville

Goblin Swamp!

The following morning on the way to Perth I visited Snottygobble Loop and Goblin Swamp. Snottygobble Loop is the name of the nearby campsite and – while a good campsite – is unspectacular other than in its fascinating name.  Goblin Swamp, however, is as intriguing bit of forest as I have ever seen!  I have no idea what forces have so sculpted these venerable tea- trees;  fire seems to be a factor but not the only one.   The Swamp is quite small, less than ½ hectare, but so totally unique!  It, unlike nearby Shannon NP, was fortunately untouched by the recent bushfires and was unchanged from when I first saw it two years ago.  From this primeval setting to the bustling city of Perth four hours later – quite a contrast.

Albany - Anzac History

Before leaving Albany I visited Mt. Clarence, where the Cenotaph and the Princess Royal Fortress are located, overlooking the harbour.  2015 is a special year for Albany, as in 100 years ago in 1915 the first Anzacs set off for The Great War.

The Cenotaph is majestic, sitting on top of the hill, thus wonderful views.  You approach the Cenotaph from below, walking up a series of steps lined by heavy railings – quite a powerful approach, with the Cenotaph in full view above you. 

You drive around to another part of the hill to get to the Princess Royal Fortress & Museum.   There is a walk up to the Flag Pole & Signal Mast with a panoramic view over the harbour from which the fleet set sail in 1915.  The museum is comprehensive (I toured it on my previous visit two years ago) and a day could be easily spent to see it all; as I was very early it wasn't fully open, but visitors can wander about the grounds.  A worthwhile start to the day.

Cape Arid, Western Australia

From Melbourne to Esperance – three days.  Onward to Cape Arid on day four;  on arrival it was a brilliant sunny day.  The tent was set up, solar panels out, and then off to be overwhelmed by the view!  We sometimes return to a place and are a bit disappointed.  Cape Arid, however, is more spectacular as in any memory or photo.  Being there, you are presented with a view of a magnificent large bay with waves rolling onto the white sandy beach  giving it a dynamic that I cannot capture with a camera.  The movement, the sound, the smell;  you have to be there to fully appreciate this treasure!  Thus ending my concern, “Would the trip be worthwhile?” with a happy “Oh YES!”.

Setting up camp was a bit more involved than rolling up & popping the top up on the van.  My things were packed more to fit than in a proper order.  Thus, my rattle gun was in one place while my box of security bits was somewhere else; this proved to be the rule rather than the exception.  The rattle gun (cordless impact driver) proved essential to drive long screws used as tent pegs into firmly packed gravel with extreme ease!  The tent, table, chair, camp bed, mattress and sleeping bag were then set up and made a comfortable camp indeed.  The camp kitchen was next door, proving convenient for a qwik coffee and cooking a meal: It also proved handy for folding up tent & mattress in the wet when I left.

Rain fell through the night with showers continuing in the early morning.  While a bit damp from the high humidity the tent didn’t leak, or get blown away in one of the many wind gusts – further endorsement of the rattle gun & screws!   Packing up was done between showers, using the cover of the camp kitchen as previously mentioned.  On my way back west, I stopped by Wharton Bay, another beautiful spot, but photos were a bit gloomy as it was overcast.  Continuing west toward Shannon NP, I made it as far as Albany where I will spend the night. 

The Travel Bug, Wanderlust… call it what you will but it has infected me.  To some, a drive from Tasmania to Brisbane (involving a ferry crossing of Bass Strait)would be enough travel for quite a spell.  My journey from Tasmania to Brisbane this year will take the scenic route, through southern Western Australia, a visit to my niece& her family in Perth and then to Brisbane.  Some of the beaches along the south coast of WA are as fine a scene as I have ever viewed.  Having sold my campervan, I have packed my trusty 1998 Camry with a whole lot of gear that probably won’t be used.  However, I am sure that my 4-person tent, super comfy self-inflating air mattress,  12V fridge - running from a deep cycle AGM battery & solar panel - camp table, stove and other standard essentials will be! 

On my way out of Tasmania I stopped by my daughter’s farm at Roland for a few days.  It is very pleasant to help out with her four cows, two horses, eight ducks, three chooks and – of course – her lively & friendly German shorthaired pointer/chocolate lab cross.  

The Sheffield Steam Fest was on, a very well run festival with fascinating restored & working steam machines (grandchildren now realise how the steam shovel and steam roller got their names!).  They had other exhibits as well, one super interesting one being C Squadron Tasmanian Lighthorse Brigade.  A couple of days in Launceston with my son and his family, then off to Devonport to catch the Spirit of Tasmania ferry to Melbourne.

This first post doubles as a learning exercise as I want to include photos in the blog and also separate major segments by using pages, so off to learn and to travel!

NB  OK, still some learning to do on photo placement, if I can learn how to place them where I want I'll edit this post.