BACK TO TRAVELLING!  FROM BEVERLEY TO ALBANY

It was with joy that Walter received a good health report from his Cardiologist in Perth at the end of January. It didn’t take us long to clean and pack up at Beverley and resume our travels!

We left Beverley on 25th January and headed South to Wave Rock. After 40˚heat the day dawned cold and showery! We arrived at the Wave Rock Caravan park in the afternoon and after we set up camp, planning to stay a few days we strolled around the area. We found a small zoo and bird park so we paid and wandered through it! It really was great and we were the only ones there.

The next day dawned sunny so we donned our walking shoes and headed up the path from the caravan park to view Wave Rock. It really is an incredible geological feature! After viewing the actual “wave rock” we walked further around to Hippo’s Yawn. The track meandered its way through the bush. At one stage we had a rather large brown snake sunning itself beside the track! It was so hot by the afternoon we headed for the pool with our books and stayed there for the rest of the day.

The next day we rose early and drove out the 18kms to another area known as Mulka’s Cave. There are 2 walks here, the first we undertook was the one up to the top of the range. You can view here other rocks that are in the makings also of a wave. The second walk was about 2 kms, more flat but was very interesting with good signage along the way. This was as area rich in aboriginal heritage and also has water holes in the rocks that they used to use and protect when on walkabouts. We were glad we did the walks early as by the time we arrived back at the start and Mulka’s Cave it was getting very warm. Another afternoon spent sitting around the pool!





As is had been a while since we had travelled any distance, we took it easy and only drove as far as Mungilup where we had a road side stop for the night before moving on to Esperance. Esperance is a beautiful place, turquoise clear water and white sands. The jetty is also fascinating with many opting to try their luck fishing from it as the sun is setting. At the end of the jetty is a sigh cleaning table and underneath, Sammy the sealion patrols each evening waiting for his dinner when those lucky enough to have caught fish toss him the scraps over the jetty!

One of the lovely drives around Esperance is the coastal drive. The road follows the many bays and passed the Wind Farm. The sheltered coves, white sands and rocky cliffs make this a very spectacular area. The circular route then comes back inland but pass the Pink Lake. Like near Kalbarri, this lake is tinged pink because of the Beta Carratine in the water.

We also took the cruise to Woodie Island. This island is one of the hundreds in the Recherche Archipelago. Only a half day cruise but you get to view the amazing coastling, cruise coast to other islands that are the home to the Australian Sea Lions and Cape Barren Geese and see dolphins and Sea Eagles in their own environment. Whilst on the island I took the chance to snorkel the clear waters of the bay whilst Walter hiked up to the lookout at the top of the island.

Caravan parks are not really “our thing” so then we drove 60kms east of Esperance to Cape Le Grand National Park. There are two camp areas in this park but our research made us choose the Le Grande beach camp. This is an amazing beach – 22 kms long – pure white sand and clear turquoise water. Our camp site was tucked away in the vegetation which gave us privacy and also shelter from the winds. We were only 150 metre walk to the beach and had a toilet and running water just opposite us. This is an amazing park as water is not a problem here, then even provide flush toilets and solar showers. There is a great camp kitchen too! As in many of WA’s National Parks there are Camp Hosts. Dinese and Mac were our camp hosts here and were a delightful couple and very willing to help out when help was needed.

First though we were saddened and devasted by the news that Fred (from Beverley) had passed away suddenly less than a week after we had left. Only 55 years of age and had such a zest for life. He apparently had a very severe heart attack. At the same time Walter wasn’t well again and was having problems breathing. After 3 days I packed him up and took him back into Esperance to the outpatients department where they then referred him to a local Doctor. Well, after X-Rays, Blood tests etc, they admitted him to Esperance hospital. At first they believed he may have had a number of blood clots so he had to have a CAT scan. Thank goodness this proved negative and found that he had fluid on his lung. Now he is on double the fluid tablets and he hasn’t had any further trouble.

After a week of recuperating he then felt well enough for us to tackle a couple of walks. The first one was from Hellfire Bay to Little Hellfire. Lovely walk (only about 40 minutes through the bush) to reach a delightful bay, again white sand and turquoise water. No one else there, just us. We both went for a swim and wandered down to the other end of the beach where we found a Rosenberg’s Goanna wandering around.

Another more ambitious walk was to the top of Frenchman’s Peak. This is 262 metres above sea level and is virtually a straight up rock face with an incredible cave at the peak and 360˚views of the National Park.

We had a great crowd camping there and that resulted in a few special nights! First we had an Italian night, then a curry night and followed by a Pizza night! Gosh, eating on the road is tough!

Over all we had 3 lovely weeks at Cape Le Grand before we felt it was time to move on. We began to head west along the coast and the first stop was Stokes Inlet National Park. This is a hidden gem only about 70kms form Esperance. We caught up with the camp hosts, John and Christine, who we met nearly 2 years ago just outside Sandstone when we camped the night. They (then) were heading up to Cape Range National Park to take up their first Camp Hosting appointment. Since then they have hosted in many of the WA’s National Parks including King Edward river in the north. They will be hosting at the Bungle Bungle NP later this year.

From Stokes Inlet we travelled on west to the Stirling Range NP. Just a small camp ground but the volunteer Ranger gave us a great site. Lovely Camp Hosts here too, Margaret and Ken. We took the Stirling Range drive, about 80 kms return trip right through the ranges. We hiked up to one lookout, quite a bit of a rock climb at the end, but the views were worth it! We had taken our picnic lunch so we found a nice spot among the ranges and gum trees to have this before returning. We opted out of the other walks as they are over 5-6 kms but all straight up the mountains. So instead we drove to the Bluff Knoll lookout (where one of the most popular walks begins) and looked at the views from there. The Stirling Ranges are spectacular in the Spring. They have over 1500 species of wild flowers, including 10 species of Mountain Bells, and only 2 are found outside of the park. There are also a huge variety of orchids found here too. Even though we were outside of the wild flower season, there was still quite a few species out.

The bird life here is also wonderful, kookaburras, Scarlet Robins, Red capped parrot, Carnaby (short billed) cockatoos, Grey Fantails and the amazingly coloured Splendid Fairy Wren. Very hard to get a decent photo though as they never stay still!

After 4 days (and some rain) we drove another 40 kms to the Porongurup Ranges and booked into the lovely caravan park there. These are only a small range but spectacular. These have a volcanic origin whereas the Stirling Ranges were once a part of an ocean. This means the vegetation is completely different. The Porongurups have huge jarrah, karri and marri trees and also many wild flowers but a different selection.

Walter and I decided to undertake one of the walks here, up past Tree in a Rock, then a 5.5km trail that took us right to the top of the range, via Nancy’s Peak and Morgan’s View. The views were spectacular! There are plenty of birds too, but many hard to see as they are high in the canopy. A number of Rufus Tree creepers and Twenty Eight parrots were visible.

We stayed a week as we found the Porongurup Wine Festival was to be held on the Sunday of the long weekend. There were 12 local wineries, a wok cooking competition and grape stomping! Live band entertainment and free wine tasting made for a very enjoyable day.



We left yesterday and now have arrived in Albany. So much to see and do here but today was a domestic day! Washing and cleaning! Tomorrow we shop and then begin the tourist bit!



So time now to sit back with my Porongurup Wine Festival Glass topped up with a nice local red, a bit of cheese before our roast dinner tonight!

Now we have started to discover Albany. After shopping and topping up our wine cellar, we took a drive around the coastal bay. Albany has a number of small suburbs set around the Princess Royal Harbour. Emu Point was delightful as was Bayonet Heads. We enjoyed a lovely coffee at the little coffee shop at Emu Point, whilst watching the children swim in the protect swimming enclosure and we delighted in the magnificent views in all directions. Across a very narrow isthmus of water is the Botanic Reserve. To get there though it is a much longer drive right around the bay!

We drove up to Mt Clarence and visited the ANZAC Memorial and one in particular to the Desert Mounted Troops including the Light Horse. It meant quite a lot to me as my Grandfather’s brother were in the Light Horse Brigade. From there a drive up to Mt. Adelaide and the Princess Royal Fort. This fort was built in the late 1800’s when there was a scare that either the French or the Russians might invade Australia! However, there has never been a shot fired in anger from these guns.

No one can visit Albany without a trip out to Frenchman’s Bay and Whale World. This is the site of the whaling station that operated for 26 years, closing in November 1978. It has been kept pretty well intact with even the triple expansion steam engine has been kept in working condition. Cleverly designed with the 4 huge tanks that were used to hold the whale oil, now converted as theatres. One of these is a 3-D experience on these giants of the sea. The others have features on sharks, one a hologram on the day in the life of a whaler, and one on the history of the area and the whaling station. Even one of the last whaling ships, the Cheyne 1V is moored here forever on dry land and you can walk through it and imagine how it must have been. There is also a great gallery featuring photos of the work on the station and the ships.



We took a picnic lunch with us so after spending quite a few hours here we drove to the small and beautiful Frenchman’s Bay for lunch. Great facilities and the flashest public toilets we have ever seen!

Then is was a drive back along the coast, popping into the different spots along the way. Places like Salmon Holes (great Salmon fishing here) Stoney Hill (another observation post particularly for W11) , then onto the Blowholes followed by Natural Bridge and the Gap. The day was overcast and a couple of times we had showers so it wasn’t the best for photography. Back into town for a drive around the port area. Quite a busy terminal with grain handling, fertilizer and wood chips. Quite a few ships have been in to be loaded whilst we have been here.

There is also a replica of the brig Amity, but again the light was failing. We may go back before we leave if we get a fine day for another go at taking its photo!

Albany has 2 markets each weekend. A Farmers Market on Saturdays and The Boat Sheds Markets on Sundays. The farmers market is great, such great fresh local fruit and vegies, bread and meat of all varieties: chicken, pork, beef and lamb. There is a Strawberry farm we found here on the outskirts of Albany and we have been buying the best strawberries, 1 kg for $3.00! At the markets, we also found fresh blueberries and raspberries too!

The Boatshed markets  are held on Sundays and feature fresh local seafood. This was another great market so we bought fresh Red Snapper, squid, oysters and mussels.  We have also been getting stuck into the beautiful fresh local strawberries from the strawberry farm!  $3.00 per kg!  Oh, life on the road is tough....

Until next time…

Rob & Walter – The Happy Travellers