Warwicks Wander Our Great South Land: Beyond Albany...Busselton or Bust!

After the excitement of whales and Queen of Sheba orchids at Albany, Steve wondered if we should just go home as he felt he'd seen beyond our wildest expectations! How glad he is that we didn't as we've had such a wonderful Western adventure since then.

From Albany we made our way through pouring rain to Kojunup in sheep country. This little town has sheep models in various locations, is RV friendly, has a museum of the history of the local first peoples as well as a large visitor's centre. We spent two nights next to the defunct railway station in the spot set aside for self-contained RV's. During our full day there, we walked out to the nature reserve named after a teacher who for many years took the Grade 6's on Nature Study walks there. We thoroughly enjoyed the wildflowers that were putting in an appearance, especially the orchids.

The defunct railway yards behind the RV free camp

The old barracks

A Pensioner Guard houseand farm that stayed in the same family until the last of the family died.
Now a museum.

From there we travelled though Boyup Brook and Bridgetown to Manjimup, endeavouring to get into a doctor and being unable in each place. The three surgeries at Manjimup concurred with those others that I should just present to the Manjimup Hospital. After a lengthy wait I was seen and prescribed the necessary antibiotics, but I was fairly wiped out by then but, having told the RD's at Manjimup that I would be vollie photographer for parkrun, I was up early on Saturday morning. Steve, allowing for the hamstring recovery, had volunteered to be tailwalker. How surprised were we to find another Tasmanian car pull up alongside us and to meet another parkrunner whose home parkrun is Devonport! On the Sunday we attended the local Baptist Church. Although the songs were very I-centric rather than God-centric, the message was excellent and the friendliness over morning tea was wonderful.

It's a serious job being the tailwalker

My fun selfie as volunteer photographer

Manjimup parkrun is a beautiful walk

We went for a slow walk in the afternoon - all that I could manage

Our next camp spot was at Shannon National Park. This was on the site of the former timber town of Shannon. The campsites are very well set out and we enjoyed a couple of walks through the historic precinct.

The regrowth since the close of the timber town is wonderful

From there we drove through to Northcliffe where we stopped for a coffee and enjoyed the quaintness of the little town. Hat's off to them as they have a 'co-operative' where they sell a wide variety of things on consignment, as well as fresh vegies and health foods. We were particularly intrigued with the community mural depicting a year's change in their community garden month by month.

Deciding not to go into Pemberton as we've been there a couple of times previously we took off along a forested highway towards Alexandra Bridge on the Brockman River where we set up camp. We noticed another Tasmanian vehicle come into the campground and when they walked near us we naturally talked! In that conversation we ascertained that they were from the south, had lived in the Huon but moved closer to Hobart and, yes, our daughter had taught their children and, in fact, our daughter had been their daughter's favourite teacher. The next morning they told us that they'd texted their daughter with where our daughter now is, only to find that she already knew because they're Facebook friends! It might be a huge country in an even bigger world, but at times like this one realises that it is just a global village.

I have been very aware of the fact that we've not done this trip in time to share it with my parents, although Dad did know we'd booked the boat before he died, and so, although we've been to the south west corner of WA before, I just had to go again as Mum's excitement from seeing the Southern Ocean meeting the Indian Ocean is a memory from years ago that I cherished. I just didn't expect to burst into tears as we were driving along that last bit of Southern Ocean road before seeing the Indian Ocean. There have been so many places that I have wanted to ring them and tell them about the things we've seen and experienced, but with both of their deaths since Christmas, that's an impossible dream. I know that it is part of the grieving process, but some days are a little harder than others. I am so thankful that Steve is taking me on this adventure as, having known Mum and Dad's joy at exploring this wide land, it is something that I have anticipated for a long, long time. I am grateful to Steve who has gone out of his comfort zone for me and am thoroughly enjoying the fact that he is now enjoying this adventure with me!

We had found another National Park in which to camp for a couple of nights on our trusty camp apps, and we headed into the beautiful Southern forests to camp at Jarrahdene. This National Park is another at the sight of a former timber town, but this time the forest is rapidly reclaiming the area. Naturally, we had rain, as has been our wont, but rain in a forest is stunningly beautiful! For the second day, we went driving through the forests and around the Margaret River area. We were saddened by the feral arum lilies that have been allowed to spread like wildfire in that corner of the land. There is no way that either National Parks, nor the local council will be able to eradicate that which has become a weed of plague proportions. Our favourite part of Margaret River was not what it is famous for, but their parkrun course. We walked it, revelling in the trail and enjoying the promise of Spring amongst the wildflowers. After this wonderful walk, we went to the cafe that they use on Saturdays for the post parkrun coffee and had some lunch.

Hamelin Bay

Jarradhene sculpture showing the size of the jarrah chopped down last century

Regrowth has a long way to go to reach this circumference

Our night visitor

Margaret River walk

Near the end of the Margaret River parkrun walk
Do you think we really liked this course?
One day we might do it on a Saturday.

From Jarrahdene campsite we made our way to Busselton along the coastal road although seeing the water was not happening because of farm and bush. We'd booked a cheaper caravan park for their winter deal - pay for three and get a fourth night free!. It was situated halfway between Dunsborough and Busselton and from there we had a wonderful time exploring Yallingup, Dunsborough, Busselton and Ambergate Floral Reserve, and of course, doing the Geographe Bay parkrun! We had a wonderful morning with a few of them at coffee and brekkie, not leaving the restaurant until 11.30am, the latest we've ever had a post-parkrun get together. The WA parkrunners are very, very friendly! Unfortunately we couldn't say that about Busselton Church of Christ where we went on Sunday. We weren't the only ones who left without a soul stopping to ask us if we were visiting. It was really disappointing as we'd gone there deliberately as an old friend had ministered there in the past. Maybe we should have made ourselves known, but neither of us had felt comfortable during the service which was more of a concert than a service of worship for us, so we didn't! We visited Yallingup after church and it was absolutely pumping! There were people everywhere picnicking in the sunshine, catching waves and walking the coastline. It was a great afternoon and we sure did a lot of walking! Monday we spent at Ambergate, thoroughly enjoying the wildflowers that we were finding before shopping to restock ready for the next stage of our journey.