Uncategorised – Page 8 – Chris & Merelyn's Travels

Sep 18th

After our Bluff Knoll adventure it was nice to have a few days R and R. We stayed in Kendenup and had another day trip to Mt Barker. It’s a nice town for a day out.

We wandered through some of the reserves, looking for different flowers over a few days .

We took picnic lunches, and slowly the soreness left us encouraging us to move on again.

Some of the flowers and orchids are so similar, I’m not sure if I have already taken a photo. We are seeing more shrubs out now especially along the sides of the bush tracks

This is a typical bush reserve , its hard to see the orchids till you walk around .

In swamp areas and around old watering holes, I’ve found patches of delicate mosses, that have pretty flowers.

Last Wednesday we left Kondinin and in a round about way headed towards Albany . We stayed in an off road area in Narrikup that night.

Narrikup is a very small bush town ,that has a big cricket sports ground. The fence surrounding the oval is made from cricket bats from other teams that have played there over the years. We though of our cricketer Corey, when we saw it.

Moving on after a few more flower stops, we arrived at the Panorama caravan park at Big Grove, across the bay from Albany, we checked in for 2 days, we are now going to extend our stay for another week.

It’s a big park ,with lots of permanents, but we were given a great spot on the waterfront, away from the main area.

We are able to sit out and watch the birds, so peaceful, it’s just like a holiday.

This one below looks like a mix between a gull and a duck, quacks like a duck too, but is much bigger.

This is our night view across the bay to Albany.

Guess you can see why we have extended our stay here. We are so fortunate to be able to travel in our later years, enjoying and seeing this country we love .

Sep 14th

As most of you have seen on Facebook we climbed Bluff Knoll last Sunday, I have one word to describe the climb, CRUEL .

So here is my pics of our day out. Perfect weather, and the track starts like most bush tracks. Looking back towards the Stirling Ranges was beautiful.

Looking forward to the peak of Bluff Knoll, was breathtaking, literally!

So the idea is to make an excuse to stop for a breather, photos was mine.

and Chris’s, after the first km, we were both feeling it. But still smiling.

This little bird was enjoying a waterfall nearby, and pruning his feathers for the day ahead. We also enjoyed a cool seat on the rocks, and a chat with another climber.

The climb is 3.1 km, to the summit, not straight up, but out around the cliff edges, giving great views . And an excuse to stop for photos.

How much further.. the smile has gone as the steps are getting harder, some were knee high, so I was having to actually climb up or have Chris pull me up them.

Half way, but no seat!!

Then it gets more cruel, dont look down, dont get too close to the edge. Don’t think about turning back as its too far to the car park.

We’re not there yet, the top was still towering above us, Ok more photos needed.

Getting rougher, then we made it, along with a few others, that were more than a few years younger than us. Most had something to eat, as we did, also had a rest and had pics taken as we won’t be doing it agin. !!

The clouds were making their way over as we started to head down, Chris was off.

Half way down and feeling rather pleased with ourselves, so a fun pic, at a not so fun area.

It was quite hot going down the western rockface in the afternoon sun, we were glad when we reached the waterfall and could sit down for awhile.

Ahh ,back in the car park, time for a cuppa and one last pic of Bluff Knoll . It took us 6 and a half hrs return, with photos and lunch included.

On the way back we took the tourist road through the Stirling Ranges, only stopping to take a couple of photos. Well maybe more.

Nothing like a nice hot shower after a big day out. And a beautiful sunset to end the day.

Sep 12th

After a overnight stop in Nyabing, we took our time driving further south to Tenterden

We stopped at some of the reserves on the way,. looking for different wildflowers really is obsessive. They say orchids only have 5 petals. The one below still looks like an orchid to me.

I can’t dismiss the freesias, so many out at the moment. And lots of different colours.

From this spot we have been able to do day trips, so will stay for 5 nights . Last Saturday we went to the local markets, then to Mt Barker, which is only 20 mins away. There we did the nature walk up around the lookout. It was beautiful and of coarse more different flowers, and quite a few murels in town.

looking across at the Stirling Ranges, where our next few day trips are planned. But thats another story. So just a bit more from Mt Barker and flowers to finish this post.

hopefully I am not doubling up with all these pics . Let me know if I am.

Thats it for now with these beautiful orchids about to bloom.

Sep 8th

We went for a day drive out to Yeerakine Rock, not the best of days as it has been rather cool and showery. The gravel roads are lined with daisy’s as well as more wildflowers. So it was worth going for a look.

The rock is an easy climb, and has a metal horse statue in memory of the ANZACs. at the top.

Amazing how these flowers grow amongst the rocks !

So many different shades of orchards, but one thing that was consistant out here was the size of mosquitos, they were huge. Every time we stopped we got covered in them.

Today we left Kondinin about mid morning and headed South again, the plan is to see the Stirling Ranges again. We travelled down through the lakes area, they are all rather full after recent rain . Plenty of black swans on them.

We only stoped a couple of times ,once for a quick walk in a reserve ,then on to see the Silo Art at Pingrup.

Guess this person is a West Coast Eagles supporter.

Tonight we are camped at a pull off area, at the gateway to a canola farm.

The ground is covered with little flowers, and the canola is in full bloom. A nice view for the end of day .

Sep 5th

We are staying in the caravan park at Kondinin for a week, so on Fathers Day we went for a bush picnic and a look at Buckley’s Breakaway. It is a big rock formation, not far from the well known Wave Rock at Hyden which we have been to a few years ago. Actually I think this area is more interesting.

After walking all around the rocky area, it was time to look for some different wildflowers. We are finding different areas depending they be rocky, sandy or damp bush mulch, have different flowers growing.

Fathers Day lunch was a pie and cuppa under a bush shelter, lots of mosquitos joined in, so we didn’t hang around long. We went for a walk around another rock area after lunch and found more flowers.

These rocky areas are surrounded by brickwork and used as a catchment for water and piped down to the surrounding towns .

Back at the park again. Its quite a pleasent park, in the centre of town, there is a roadhouse opposite and community sports fields with club behind the park . there is also an IGA store.

Sep 4th

Between Corrigin and Kulin, there is the Tin Horse Highway. It took us a couple of hours to do the drive as once you stop to take one photo you cant help stopping to take more.

They sure have a quirky sense of humour in outback WA . Not sure how many times we stopped or how many photos I took. I have posted a lot, but not all, and some I didn’t think worth taking a photo of.

Most are easy to identify, but others took awhile to sink in. Yes, this one is sitting on a loo.

Looks more like a camel.

How patient was Chris Pulling over every few hundred meters, so i could take the photos. By the end of the trail I had had enough of getting out of the car, so he would pull up close enough for me to take the photo out my window. The things you do when you have nothing better to do,!!

Sep 3rd

From Pingelli we travelled East, stopping at many nature reserves and wandering around looking for bush flowers. A very relaxing day and not getting far, but the different flowers and coloured orchards we found were great.

On one of the back roads we passed a dozen or so rally cars, something different !

We stopped into Lake Yealering caravan park thinking we were going to stay there, but we were met by a Lady who said they had booked the whole park out. 32 vans were turning up that evening. Ok, not our idea of a quiet time, so we moved on.

We eventually arrived at Kondinin, after doing another afternoon bush walk. We are here for a week. hope you enjoy looking at more of the wildflowers we found.

Thats it for tonight, something different to show on the next post.

Aug 31st

What a lovely park in Wagin for our morning cuppa. We then decided to go have a look through the heritage village.

What a surprise, we ended up spending a couple of hours there as it was so interesting. The townsfolk have got together and collected an amazing amount of old wares and displayed them in a walk through village.

Some of the original buildings have been shifted to the site and restored. Replica buildings of the old town also have been built to display restored furniture as it would have been back then.

Everything is so well done, old cottages, the old dunny, and I loved the school, with little Jonny standing up the back of the class room.

On the mantle above the fireplace there is even 2 original canes. Most things that have been collected or donated are in very good original condition.

The bank, and the bankers office had this tiger skin on the floor, not sure if it represented the era, or they had nowhere else to put it.??!!

The stone church was lovely, complete with an old organ and pews.

The blacksmiths, complete with all the gear including these huge bellows.

The hospital, with the lovely old cane wheelchair.

There has also been a recreation of early settlers huts, stables and a saddlery.

The trading post building is just packed with antiques, something to interest everyone. You could spend hours in here alone.!

The photos I have put up are only a small showing of what’s in this village. there is also a number of sheds, full of old machinery. A real credit to the people of this small town, and a way of keeping their heritage alive.

From Wagin we went on to Narrigin and camped on the lake, there were 3 other friendly caravaners there as well. A nice spot.

Next morning was rather chilly for us, but not for this fellow, sunning himself on a rock. The lake looked nice with the fog rising of it.

Who’s Doctor Who .. ??

Yesterday we didnt do much other than shopping and a short walk in the bush. We then stayed in the RV park in Pringelly, another small town. Also went for a walk around town, all very quiet, but we love stopping in small towns. People are so friendly. If you ask for directions, they draw a mud map, or come out from behind the counter and walk out into the street,to show where it is, that’s country folk, and that’s it for now ….

Aug 29th

The last couple of days we have been staying in a R V park in the small town of Dumbleyung, Just a couple of shops, a pub and a nice park.

Some of you may have heard of Donald Campbell. Back in 1964 he broke the land speed record on Lake Ayre and the water speed record on the Dumbleyung Lake .

There is a replica of his Blue Bird boat in town as well as lots of mementos of the occasion. A Museum has a movie, which we watched, of Campbell and the event.

There are a lot of lakes within an hours drive, so we left the van for the day and drove out to Lake Grace. The wildflowers are a bit different to the ones we found on the coast, I guess its because of the salt flats they are growing on.

This tinny on the bank shows where the water level was up to in the foods of 2006. The lake level is well down at the moment.

Most of the roads are good gravel, but then some are defiantly no go zones, as we found out. I think we should have realized when we bypassed this make shift bridge

While we were out we also did some of the wildflower trails. Hope your not sick of them yet….

One of the trails that was sugessted to see flowers, was along the rail track. I was busy taking photos when along came a train, yea , some different pics.!

As well as the flowers,we also came across an old water tank that would of been used for the steam trains back in their day.

It was a big day out, and I was glad to get back to the van, also to see a rainbow over the park we are in.

Another drive today out to the lake where Donald Campbell broke the world record. There is a monument up on the hill overlooking the lake. We drove the lake circuit and through lovely farmland and had nice views of the lake from the lookout.

On the boat ramp from which the Blue Bird was launched.

A small town, in the middle of nowhere, with an interesting piece of history. Glad we stopped in. We will move on tomorrow…

Aug 27th

After spending two days in the park at Fitzgerald, we have moved up North a bit to a RV park at Dumbleyung . We only stopped once to get fuel at Jerramungup. A bit cold today, with some lite showers of rain this afternoon.

If you like bush flowers then scroll on and I will show what I found around the last bush camp. Lachenalias growing wild, reminded me of my childhood home. Mum had them growing on both sides of the front path to the house.

And freesias, one of my favourite scented flower.

And wattle trees in bloom, my sinuses’ haven’t let me forget that we were camped in a park surrounded by them. AhhhChooo.

These little orchards are commonly called Donkey Orchids. They seem to be the first orchards to flower each spring, and the easiest to find.

Some Daisys and other flowers, that I don’t know the names of, also put on a good display.

While wandering around I try not to tread on anything that’s flowering, even the ground covers , they are so delicate. And some things not so delicate, but well camouflaged.

All the gum trees are out in flower as well, so many different colours and shaped gum nuts.

The WA orchid, is harder to find as it is a bit early yet down south, and the flowers are green before they open, this one I found must have been in a warm spot, compared to the others.