Surf, Forest, Rivers and Breweries

 

Pirate Cow.

21/05/2024 - Margaret River

We have arrived in Margaret River where we are staying for a few days. It was a late start and we were doing chores and then wandering around town.

22/05/2024 - Margaret River

Track to Prevelly.

Surfies Shack.

The next two days are forecast as perfect so today we rode our bikes to Prevelly Beach a world-renowned surf beach in WA.  The waves were spectacular for a calm day, we ended up sitting on the beach watching the waves crash into each other and over the rocks.

 Some waves were breaking just beyond the seaweed bed, and you could see many fish caught in the waves.

Fish in the waves.

We then walked to the rock pools the waves were so big crashing across the rocks and filling the pools.

Feeding a fish.

An Artist at work.

We then rode into Prevelly where we had lunch at a cafe on the beach admiring the surfers tackling the "Bombie" a well-known offshore surf break that only experienced surfers tackle.

23/05/2024 - Margaret River

Another sunny day in paradise.  Today we headed off down the rail trail to 10 Mile Brook everything started out lovely until we started home.  We stood the optional route just to make sure we had covered all available territory, the track turned to shit and the signs ran out.  We ended up in the middle of a logging area.

Wandani Rail Trail

River Walk

10 Mile Brook Dam

Kate the Log Train

We ran into an old fella who we had seen cycling around during the day training for a mountain bike race he hailed us down and informed us that we were all lost.  He was a local so he had a rough idea that if we could get to the Margaret River airport we could make it home.

He gave us directions and then disappeared, we couldn't keep up with him. In the end, we figured if we kept going downhill we would run into the river eventually and in the end we did.  As luck would have it the track emerged right next to the local brewery so we stopped in for a few well-deserved refreshments.

Ringneck Parrot

24/05/2024 - Margaret River

We spent today exploring on town on foot. It seems like a quiet little village but there is a lot more to it than meets the eye. We ended up at the old settlement and looked around to get a bit of local history.  

Around 1870 the British Settlers were logging in the area and by 1910 the town had a hotel that operated as a post office.  After World War One the WA government decided to attract migrants to the area known as the group settlement scheme, to establish farms. Dairy farming was the main industry, and dairy farming is still dominant along with wineries.

Blacksmiths at the Old Settlement

Old Settlement

Marri Trees

Margaret River Main Street

After our history lesson, we walked the trail along the Margaret River to beyond the weir. The trail is an old rail line for cyclists and walkers.  Cycling is very popular here and there are cycle tracks everywhere.  We were really impressed by the amount of bikes parked at the high school. A lot of the students ride to school.

25/05/2024 - Margaret River

It was a pretty wild night with wind and rain and the forecast was for the rain to continue. We decided to drive to Augusta where the Southern Ocean and the Indian Ocean meet at Cape Leeuwin.

It was very windy but the rain never came.  On the way to Augusta, we stopped off in Witchcliffe where there's an interesting housing development. It's eco-friendly and they have their own microgrid using solar and batteries.

Once we got to Augusta we visited the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse built in 1895.  It was so windy it would blow a dog off a chain.

Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse.

On the way home we took the scenic route through the forest and along the coast.

26/05/2024 - Margaret River 

Today we decided to explore the township of Margaret River to see if we could find any original old buildings.  Unfortunately, most have been demolished to make way for modern development.  The only old building left is the Margaret River Hotel which dates from 1936 and is currently being refurbished. After our long walk, we then went for a Sunday Roast at the Margaret River Brewery.  A Kookaburra came in and snatched a piece of fish off a plate that was being delivered. It was a perfect Sunday Roast.

The Thieving Kooka.

The cool pizza shop.

27/05/2024 - Yallingup (Place of Caves)

We stopped in Dunsborough on our way to Yallingup and walked around the town and along Geographe Bay. We've pitched camp in Yallingup, a nice quiet surfing town.

It's hard to find the horizon.

28/05/2024 - Yallingup.

The weather has changed and is rather fickle. We started a walk in bright sunshine to Yallingup Beach and then the heavens opened just as we had started. So we returned to camp for the car and drove down to Yallingup Beach.

Korrianne Gnwirri 

Yallingup beach.

We then drove to Cape Naturaliste Light House.  After a visit to the lighthouse precinct, we did the 2km loop walk around the lighthouse where we got wet again.

Cape Naturaliste lighthouse.

On the way back to camp we stopped in at the Eagle Bay Brewing Co. for a few well-deserved drinks.

29/05/2024 -Yallingup

After a wild night, we channelled our inner Englishman, frocked up with our wet weather gear and went for a bush and coastal walk.  We walked past the Ngilgi Caves to Yallingup Beach, along the coast past Smiths Beach and back to camp. We walked around the houses of Yallingup and found the last shack everything else in town is a Grand Design. 

Learning surfer etiquette.

The last shack.

Yallingup.

Showers.

Wild weather.

At the end of the day, we stopped at the cave's hotel to warm up around the fire.

30/05/2024 - Bunbury

We have arrived in Bunbury, and the weather will be wet and windy for the next few days, We walked from the caravan park in South Bunbury to the beach and along the esplanade into the city of Bunbury to get the lay of the land.  A few ships are moored out in the ocean, waiting to enter the Port of Bunbury.

Waiting at anchor.

Bunbury Lock.

Roundabout Sculpture.

31/05/2024 - Bunbury

Today we drove into Bunbury the WA Day Festival is starting and the first event is a reconciliation walk from Koombana Beach to the Graham Bricknell Memorial Music Shell.  Before the start of the walk, we followed groups of people to the Wardandi Boodja statue, we left them there and headed for the Port of Bunbury where the is a lookout to watch the ships come in. (There wasn't any while we were there).

Wardandi Boodja Sculpture Koombana Beach

We then walked to the Koombana Park lookout which has great views over the Preston River and the mangrove swamps.

We managed to dodge a few showers but still got rained on occasionally, we headed back into Bunbury to the Marlston Hill Lookout via some of the few remaining old buildings on Victoria Street.  This gave us a great view of Bunbury across the Indian Ocean, the Marina and back into town.

Chequered Lighthouse

Bunbury Tower

Bunbury Marina.

Our walk continued to the Chequered Lighthouse which looks like a rocket, we continued around the point through the more affluent area of Bunbury to Jetty Road and we watched the Hansa Narre a bulk carrier that had been sitting off the coast come into Port.

Bunbury Space program.

Converted silos.

The more effluent area.

Hansa Naree Coming into port.

It was then off to the Brewery to shelter from the oncoming showers.

Bunbrewery.

01/06/2024 - Bunbury

Bad weather is forecast for the next couple of days and we expected it to be very wet and windy. It was mainly windy and quite warm.

We started the day with some shopping. And then walked around the older residential areas of Bunbury admiring the old homes that have been renovated.

We got back in the car and drove along the Bunbury Australind tourist route which follows the Leschenault Estuary to Australind. It took us to Buffalo Beach in the Leschenault Peninsula Conservation Park. (It was too windy to walk along the beach).

Back in Bunbury, we stopped off at the Leschenault Homestead owned by the Bunbury Port Authority,  The homestead is a collection of buildings built between 1840 and 1870.  Two homesteads were built the new homestead was built between 1844 and 1871. You can only view the building from the outside as it is used by the Port Authority for training.

Leschenault Homestead.

We then drove around the dock area where the bulk carriers moored at the port were loading and unloading cargo.  The road around the port takes you to the cut, where the Leschenault Estuary meets the Indian Ocean. 

Linda's new hobby. Ship spotting.

We then stopped off at the Parade Hotel (The Old Coast Road Brewery) for a drink, before having dinner at the White Elephant Thai Restaurant. By this time the weather had worsened, we drove back along the esplanade and stopped to watch the storm approaching.  The lightning was spectacular, lighting up the sky everywhere as the waves pounded the beach.

A tornado had formed at about 10pm and ripped part of the roof off the Parade Hotel where we had been drinking earlier in the afternoon.  Some of the houses nearby also lost their roofs. ( we found this out the next day when checking the news).

02/06/2024 - Bunbury

It was a very wet and windy night.  The rain fell constantly for hours so we didn't get much sleep. 

We had a lazy morning and then visited the Bunbury Geographe Motor Museum. We were hoping to get a Sunday Roast but the only pub that had them was closed.  

The wind and showers have continued for most of the day.

03/06/2024 - Bunbury WA Day.

We stayed an extra day in Bunbury to take part in the WA Day celebrations. We walked into Bunbury to the fun fair and market. what a fizzer.! There were only four market stalls, a few rides for littlies and half a dozen food vans. We then strolled down to Koombana Beach where we saw the damage that Saturday's tornado had caused.

Boat yard.

It should be on the Beach.

Close one.

The foreshore caravan park had some big trees come down and one had just missed a caravan. 

04/06/2024 - Collie

We arrived in Collie this morning and our first stop was the information centre. The lady there was very helpful.

Collie is a coal mining town, they also refine bauxite. It's also a tourist town with mountain bike and rail trails. And the township has a great collection of old buildings.

One of the last steam engines used to haul coal to Perth.

Pubs.

The Coal fields.

This morning we did a historical walk around the town. 

Old Post office.

RSL.

Memorial Park.

After lunch, we followed the scenic forest drive into the Wellington Forest National Park which follows the Collie River. On our way to Wellington Dam, we stopped off along the river at Big Rock, a rock formation that came down the hill and formed part of the river. As it had been raining the water had created small waterfalls and streams running into the river. Our other stops were Little Rock and Long Pool.

Big rock.

Collie river.

Our final stop was Wellington Dam, built in 1931 to store water for irrigation.  A huge mural has been painted on the dam wall. 

Viewing platform.

Wellington Dam mural.

Wellington Dam.

05/06/2024 - Collie

What a wonderful day. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the track was flat. 

Town Wier.

The Old Rail Bridge.

We rode the Collie River trail from near camp to the far side of town. There's a lot to stop and look at on the way, we passed under another highway bridge made of timber, It's surprising how many timber bridges are still in service in WA we've come across quite a few of them.

Still supporting B Doubles.

We passed the old coal mine site that operated on and off from 1898 to 1960.  The ventilation shaft and one of the entrances (which is now filled with water).

Coal Mine.

Lunch stop.

On the way back we rode the other side of the river through the arboretum, there are various groves of Australian Native trees planted between 1922 and 1929.