This Adventurous Age

Adventures travelling and working around Australia.

Monthly Archives: March 2019


by Leave a comment

2004 Travels May 21

FRIDAY 21 MAY     WALPOLE

On our only other visit to these parts, in 1993, we gave up on the wet and stormy south west, and hightailed it from Albany direct to Perth. On our long trip, we had intended to spend the summer and early autumn of 2001 exploring the area south and east of Perth. That was before we had to, unexpectedly, go home.

This time, we were determined to see more of this area. However, the elements were definitely not on our side, yet again. We were just too late for these parts – again.

Steady rain had set in overnight and this continued into the afternoon, when it cleared, a little.

Daughter texted in the morning, asking to borrow more money. We were not really happy about it, but found it impossible to refuse, under the circumstances.

We drove into the town, arranged the money transfer. At the tyre place, had a new tube fitted in the latest flat tyre.

Then we walked around the town, seeing what it had to offer. As it was a small township, this did not take long. The town is situated on Walpole Inlet, but our caravan park, just out of town, faces onto Nornalup Inlet. The two are joined by a narrow stretch of water. In turn, Nornalup Inlet empties via a narrow opening, into Grace Darling Bay, with its attractive sweep of sandy beach.

Resize of 05-21-2004 walpole inlet.jpg

Nornalup Inlet

It was an attractive little town, with its watery setting. In better weather, we would have been wishing for a boat or a canoe, to explore the inlets. This would be a great place to stay, with a canoe.

Back to the van, and lunch. After that, we ventured out for a walk on the Bibbulmun Track. This long distance walking track extends from Perth to Albany, some 1000 kms, sometimes through the great forests of the south west, sometimes along the coast. Here, the track followed the coast and went between the caravan park and the sea. We were able to walk out of the park and onto the Track, which we followed for some way to the east. However, we got rained on, and retraced our route. It was a very pleasant segment of exercise, despite the damp.

Resize of 05-22-2004 01 Walpole camp

In the caravan park were two ladies, widowed sisters in law, travelling with a Phoenix van. We had seen them in the caravan park in Esperance too. Both had lived on Queensland pastoral properties, one in the Lakefield area, years ago. We’d talked with them at the fish BBQ last night. Tonight, they had power problems in their van, and came across to ask if John might be able to help – in the dark and the rain! They fiddled about for quite some time, trying to find the source of the problem, until eventually realizing that it was a faulty electric jug that was shorting out their power. Sir John to the rescue!


by Leave a comment

2004 Travels May 20

THURSDAY 20 MAY   ALBANY TO WALPOLE   119kms

Nice day, with pleasant driving conditions.

We took the highway along the coast, westwards. Actually, although it was the South Coast Highway, the route was somewhat inland from the coast, so we saw a mix of farm land and bush land, rather than coastal vistas.

At Denmark, we visited Goldfields Timber and Burls – an inspirational place with an excellent variety and supply of special timbers and tree burls from WA species. John obtained details of how he could make purchases from home, and have them transported.

Our next stop was at a place producing honey and mead, where we bought some wine and honey. I guess mead was mankind’s first wine?

The final activity for the day  was at the Valley of the Giants, where we wanted to do the Tree Top Walk – on an elevated walkway through the canopy of a tingle forest, some 40 metres up.

As we pulled into the car park there, yet another tyre went flat. Well, that was number three out of the four that had been on Truck at Fowlers Bay. John refused to admit cause and effect, but I was convinced. We changed the wheel before doing anything else.

Resize of 05-20-2004 01 Flat tyre Tree Centre.JPG

Yet another flat tyre

The 600 metre long Tree Top Walk was not the most comfortable experience, given my aversion to heights. It seemed very high up, and swayed. But I was very pleased to have had the experience – it was an unusual perspective and good value.

Resize of 05-20-2004 06 it sways

Hanging on tightly!

Resize of 05-20-2004 09 distant tree top walk.jpg

Resize of 05-20-2004 12 wendy on walkway.JPG

Resize of 05-20-2004 14 looking down

Bird’s eye view

Then we did the Ancients Walk there – this time at ground level, on a pathway that took us through a little forest of old Red Tingle trees – unique to this corner of the world. This was actually more impressive than the Tree Top Walk.

Resize of 05-20-2004 15 giant tingle trees

Long way up there!

Resize of 05-20-2004 16 survivor johns pic

Base of Giant Tingle tree

Resize of 05-20-2004 17 john in giant tree

At the inevitable associated shop, I bought a National Parks book and a jarrah waiter’s friend that John took a liking to.

Continued on towards Walpole, turning off just before the town, to go to the Coalmine Beach Caravan Park. We wanted to stay there because it was right by the Nornalup Inlet, and had a really bushy setting.

The park was a Top Tourist. After discount, cost $18.90 a night. It was really pleasant.

There was a free fish dinner night happening, which we took advantage of. Quite a few people attended. The fish was really nice, too.

Resize of 05-20-2004 to walpole


by Leave a comment

2004 Travels May 19

WEDNESDAY 19 MAY   ALBANY

Today was relatively pleasant weather – windy and not too hot.

I did the washing.

We went off to visit Whale World, driving around the coastline to a point almost opposite Albany town. Whale World  was a display of the whaling history of Albany – and wider parts – located on the site of the Cheynes Bay Whaling Station, which was the last one to be opened in Australia (1950’s) and the last one to cease operation (1970’s).

Resize of 05-19-2004 01 Old whaler Albany

Former whaling vessel at Cheynes Bay

The hunting of whales and seals was the first major industry of the new colonies set up in Australia. The main product gained was oil, from the melting down of their blubber, (for lamp oil) but items like whalebone for corset stays and fur from seals were also of value. The whaling industry often led to the first (informal) settlement of many areas along the coast, where small groups of hunters set up land bases. By the time whaling ceased, several species had been hunted almost to extinction. It is pleasing to see the extent to which the populations of these beautiful creatures have recovered since.

Resize of 05-19-2004 sea from ws.jpg

Grey day at the whaling station

At Cheynes Bay there were factory buildings where the whale meat was processed, and a whaling boat on display too. We did a tour, which was detailed and interesting, and then were able to wander about independently. We could even go on the boat.

Resize of 05-19-2004 02 Whale World Albany

Resize of 05-19-2004 ws

The flensing deck, where whales were cut up

The area was so pretty, to have had such a grisly past!

We were several hours at Whale World, then drove further around the coast to look at the dramatic rocky coastline at the Gap and the Natural Arch.

Resize of 05-19-2004 05 More Gap Albany.JPG

The Gap

Refuelled – 99cpl. Under the dollar again – good.


by Leave a comment

2004 Travels May 18

TUESDAY 18 MAY     ALBANY

John had arranged that Truck would go into the Land Rover dealer here, today, for a service.

He suggested that we fill in the time waiting in town by going to the cinema – a favourite activity of his, though we rarely agree which film to see! This time, he chose to see “Troy”. It was absolutely awful and put me in a bad mood for the rest of the day!


by Leave a comment

2004 Travels May 17

MONDAY 17 MAY     ALBANY

It was another day of rain.

We don’t seem to have much luck, visiting Albany. Our other time here, in ’93, we had major storms and wet weather, to the extent we had to abandon the tent and hire a cabin for the duration of that stay!

After breakfast, drove to the Tourist Information Centre. Followed the coastline around, through Middleton Beach. The drive around the headlands into town was very scenic, much of it through coastal bush land, interspersed with outlooks over the bays and islands. I hadn’t realized there were so many little islands off Albany. Last time we were here, we couldn’t even see the harbour. Now, we discovered, it was lovely.

Resize of 05-19-2004 bay colours ws

Picturesque Frenchman’s Bay at Albany

After collecting some information about the region, and some about parts further afield, we went off to look at the full sized replica of the brig “Amity”.

In 1826, this vessel brought the first settling party from Sydney, to establish a settlement at King George Sound – in case the French had ideas of so doing!

Being able to walk around inside the ship was fascinating – it was so small! It gave a really good idea of the difficult conditions of so many voyages of those times.

We drove past the Dog Rock – an outcrop beside one of the main roads. It really did look like the head of a Labrador dog.

After browsing the tourist propaganda, decided to visit the Mount Romance Sandalwood Factory. Just the name appealed. It was a 12km drive from the town centre.

There, we found out much about the nature and production of sandalwood oil in WA. The native Australian sandalwood tree was once a significant export product – to parts of Asia for making incense, on particular; and for its oil for perfumes.  It had long been used by the aborigines for its anti-biotic properties and this was exploited by pharmaceutical industries overseas. But this demand stopped with the coming of manufactured anti-biotics.

Mount Romance had revived the use of sandalwood oils for a range of skin care products, soaps and so on. They saw it as a potential growth industry and were working to have sandalwood plantations established, rather than just rely on the harvesting of the tree in the wild.

Resize of 05-17-2004 sandalwood

Sandalwood tree (photo Forest Products)

Also on offer there was the Gong experience. This sounded unusual, so we paid to do that, for something different. We went into a specially built, 16 sided, conical room, and were supplied with a sandalwood infused small scarf. The idea was to relax in the dim room, on large cushions, inhale the sandalwood smell, shut the eyes and listen to the reverberations of s number of gongs being struck. A number of these had different tones and pitches. I did seem to go into somewhat of a meditative state, I thought. Anyway, the “resonance massaging” was very relaxing, as promised, and put us in a receptive mood to spend money on sandalwood products in the shop!

After that, relaxed some more back at camp.


by 1 Comment

2004 Travels May 16

SUNDAY 16 MAY   QUAGI BEACH TO ALBANY   448kms

Today was a long, rainy, windy day. The driving conditions were most unpleasant, and whichever one of us was driving needed great concentration.

We stopped to fuel up at Ravensthorpe ($1.11cpl). This small-ish town, once a copper and gold mining base, appeared to have had its natural decline halted by talk of BHP setting up a big nickel mining project here. Presumably, they would ship the product out through Esperance, which would be good for the economy of that town, too.

We were relieved to reach Albany and go into the Emu Beach Caravan Park, at Emu Point. This was a Top Tourist Park and after discount cost us $18.90 a night. Its beach front location had drawn us, despite the weather. We found it a very pleasant park.

Resize of 05-16-2004 to albany - Copy.JPG


by Leave a comment

2004 Travels May 15

SATURDAY 15 MAY   ESPERANCE TO QUAGI BEACH   81kms

We did not go far today.

I had read that there was a pleasant bush camp spot at Quagi Beach, west of Esperance. Thomas River had given us a real taste for camping away from the masses, so we moved on to here. The thinking was that, if it was really good, we would stay for a while.

Took the main highway out of town, then turned south at a little hamlet called Coomalbidgup, and then had a few kms on a good gravel road.

It was an attractive spot, with an interesting coastal area that was a mix of rock outcrops and sandy beach.

We had no trouble finding a fairly level and sheltered place to park the rig.

Resize of 05-16-2004 Quagi Beach camp.JPG

Site at Quagi Beach

The views were not as great as we’d had at Thomas River. However, it was free, and there was only one other lot of campers there.

John went down to the beach and fished for a while.

Resize of 05-15-2004 Quagi Beach.jpg

I went for a walk along the beach and around the rocks.

Resize of 05-15-2004 rocks quaagi

Overnight the rain started again. We would not stay on here if it was going to be wet. In fact, it was looking like we should soon consider making for parts north – just as we’d had to do back in ’93, when the weather turned against us. The intention had been, on this trip, to spend some more time exploring the south coast – Hopetoun, the Fitzgerald River National Park, Bremer Bay, before  Albany – but I thought  we were too late in the year for that now.

Resize of 05-15-2004 to q beach


by Leave a comment

2004 Travels May 13

THURSDAY 13 MAY     ESPERANCE

There was more rain today. We decided not to try to pack up and move on in these conditions.

I managed to do our accumulated washing, but had to use the driers – no point in trying to get it dry the usual way.

John went off to an internet place to do some investigating of systems and to check emails. He dropped my films in for processing.


by 2 Comments

2004 Travels May 12

WEDNESDAY 12 MAY     ESPERANCE

It rained solidly, all day today. The grey days and rain had vindicated our decision to leave Thomas River. It would not have been all that pleasant out there, in the wet, and we would have been limited in what we could do. I guess we were lucky to have it as nice as we did, at this time of year.

Before I could change my mind, John took us looking at generators! He struck a good deal on a new Honda eu101 1KVA one. Parting with $1450 saw us leave the shop with the machine, a container of Honda oil, and a spare spark plug.

So now we had a little red monster to cart around in Truck. Together with its fuel – it had a petrol motor, so we should have to carry a small container of that, which I did not particularly like the thought of.

Resize of 05-12-2004 genset

It did not take too much rearrangement of the back of Truck, to make room for the new gear.

After depositing me back at the van, John went off to see ARB about the Truck shock absorbers, which he was not happy with. He was pleasantly surprised when they replaced them there and then. He was so pleased that he could get it done at all, here – but was much less pleased at the expense!