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Day 36 - Gracetown (Northern Margaret River area)
Today 140kms / Total 6766kms
Off to the 'other' end of the Margaret River region. We started off by taking our time entering more little dirt tracks (and some sealed roads) down to the ocean. One of the first we looked at was Canal Rocks south of Yallingup. It is a interesting area from a geological point of view with a bridge built out to a rock outcrop in the ocean.
Canal Rocks Walkway.
On then to Yallingup, where the conditions were perfect with a small swell and a lovely break.
For the technically curious, some of these shots were taken with a smaller Canon (Powershot SX20is) than my EOS SLR. It's a very handy camera but it sometimes looses the plot when it comes to retaining focus and exposure across stitched panoramas (as above). Hence the somewhat lighter bit of sky on the right. Of course, it is never the fault of the photographer... :-)
Surf's up!
On the north-westerly point of the Margaret River region is Cape Naturaliste. As with Cape Leeuwin, this is an area fraught with danger to mariners, so there's a lighthouse here as well. It is set high on a headland surrounded by scrub.
The Cape Naturaliste light is positioned on a 100 m high bluff overlooking Geographe Bay and was constructed in 1903 from local limestone. Bullock wagons carted the stone from the quarry about 1 km away, as well as carrying most of the other materials and apparatus landed at nearby Eagle Bay. This included the lens and turntable weighing 12 1/2 tons. At least 12 vessels came to grief in the area before the lighthouse was built.
After a 1.5km walk around the headland, we moved back to another beach called Windmills to have lunch. This was another delightful surfing beach.
While the surfers we talked to all said how great the conditions were, I noticed that all had full wetsuits on! That instantly makes it too cold for this tropical body!
On the way home we just couldn't resist a few tasting sessions at a few of the wineries.
Day 37 - Gracetown (Central Margaret River area)
Today 65kms / Total 6831kms
Just out of Margaret River township there is a raptor (birds of prey and owls) conservation and rehabilitation centre. Apart from caring for injured birds, they also fly Black Kites, one of Australia's most prolific birds of prey. While only half the size of the iconic Australian Wedge-Tailed Eagle, it is still a magnificent bird in its own right.
Milvus Migrans with friend
What a magnificent specimen (and the bird looks good, too).
Waiting for lunch!
This one (there were 3 flying) had just caught a piece of meat thrown by the handler.
Those readers with keen eyesight will notice that the Black Kite is actually brown!
A comparison of Sue and a Wedge Tail.
We then pushed on to sample some more of the area's wines. Between yesterday and today we tried Sandalford, Swings and Roundabouts, and Hay Shed Hill, stopping at the last for a beautiful gourmet pizza (including local venison chorizo, yummm) lunch.
Where else but Australia would you find grapes, gums and grass trees?
Day 38 - Gracetown -> Perth
Today 310kms / Total 7141kms
A leisurely travel day today as we left the glorious south-west of WA and headed for the capital, Perth. As school holidays were approaching, we had to get out of the holiday areas as there were no vacancies, even when we enquired about a month ago. Even Perth was looking like a problem, so with friends to see in Perth and a host of attractions (and a service coming up for The Beast), we decided that a base in a large city was needed.
P&P (now in northern WA) had recommended a caravan park in the northern suburbs that they stayed in last year, and this park had space for our 'smaller' van, so we proceeded up the coast to Perth.
It's a very pleasant park, and has a couple of small lakes/ponds that attract water birds.
Late afternoon at the duck pond in the caravan park.
The Pied Piper of Karrinyup. Who said "Free Bread?"
A couple of Western Australia's avian emblems come to investigate.
Days 39 - 42 - Perth
Total 7321kms
Lots of boring things happening, like shopping and cleaning; and lots of non-boring things like visiting friends.
From a travel point of view, the possibly interesting but non-picture-worthy things were:
* Installed a new radio/CD/MP3 player in the caravan (told you it was only possibly interesting!) The original one decided to eat and then eject any CD offered, so we upgraded to one that will allow input via the usual CD, but also from a USB stick and my MP3 player and Android phone. Sue is now happy she can listen to Margaret Throsby on CD/MP3 in the van.
* Went for a drive up the coastal road through the suburbs near the caravan park. It was like the Gold Coast transported to WA with million dollar houses all about 1 metre apart!
Picture-worthy events happened again starting on Day 43.
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