Esperance to Manjimup

Hi all,

Well hare we are again, well we are still in WA of course. From Kalgoorlie we went south to Esperance to start our way round the south west, we stayed for about a week to look around, nice place to ride & walk with most of the shops you need.

View of Esperance from the lookout

The port is quite busy with bulk carriers, grain, minerals & other stuff. There are some lovely beachs to go to, with lots of rocks & waves were surfers abound. The colour is just brilliant & clear.

Tug boats waiting for some work to do

Surfers @ one of the many great beaches along the coast

View of the bay @ Esperance, with lots of little islands

Mini lighthouse @ Esperance docks

From Esperance we decided to spend a few days in the Le Grand National Park. The camping ground that we stayed at "Lucky Bay" $12 a night but you need your own water & power the camp ground did have loos & shower. Happy every night with the other campers. Such pretty crystal clear beaches & the colour is real, (not photo shopped in my photos.) Lots of bush walks if you like that. On one day we walked from the camp ground to the "Mathew Flinders plaque" on the other side about 3 Km one way, passed sand hills, rocks & big waves, most days were a bit cold with clouds & wind.

Lucky Bay from our van

This is Frenchmans Peak, you can climb it if you wish.

Sand duns, sign says "don't climb" as unstable. Just look at the tracks, either side of the sign.

Yo can drive on the beaches if you wish, we didn't take the truck down as we felt it may be a bit heavy & I don't think the RACV would tow us out.

The Matthew Flinders plaque is between the rocks & the hill  

Hellfire Bay, the colour of the water, the white sand & rocks is just beautiful

From Lucky Bay we returned to Esperance for a few days to wash the clothes etc. we then moved on to Albany with an over night stay in a free camp along the way.

This Southern White Bandicote, this little one came every night for  potato crisps & happy hour

Ian being a kid on the whale

while in Albany we went to the Whale Museum, this was a most interesting day to see how it was done up till the late 1970's. A very hard work life on the station. Ian even found some Dryden's that worked on the whale ships. From there we moved onto the Natural Bridge & The Gap both fantistic natural rock formations on the coast.

Albany whaling station

Natural Bridge

The Gap

The most Southly point of WA.

On another day we had a drive to the most Southerly point of WA. The photo was taken on the edge of the cliff which has a deck for the hang gliders to jump off. We are looking south & the next land fall is the Antarctic. The ocean was just so blue. Then we had lunch at the Bush Foods Factory then onto the Wood Turners Gallery, the products were just great but a bit overpriced we thought, from there we continue on to Denmark for a coffee & quick look around.

Full moon over the bay, from the beach behind the park

One night the view from the beach was great, what with the ship lights, the moon across the water & the channel lights. When we left Albany & head for Walpole on the way we stopped at the Valley of the Giants & the Tree Walk. The tree walk is 40 metres at the top and the trees are still going up. The Red Tingle tree is huge, big bases, tall & very very old. A most interesting time spent looking at the trees.

The Tree Top Walk

Red Tingle Tree

Ian in a Red Tingle Tree

We spent the night at a little park on Nornalup Inlet, went for a walk and watch the Pelicans gliding by at sunset.

Pelican @ sunset on Nornalup Inlet

We arrived at Manjimup after a long drive well not all the long just narrow through lots of hills & trees. The next day we went over to see Cliff, Phyll & Bev for morning tea which continued to lunch, later for dinner we went out to the farm as it was Phyll's 86th birthday. We had a great drive around Rockbridge Farm, the Mottram's have been on this farm since the 1870's.

Cliff Mottram

Phyll Mottram

Rockbridge Homestead 1870's , Cliff was born here.

The following day we went driving with Bev to see the sites. Timber Museum with photos of John & Sarah Mottram, then a look at One Tree Bridge, The 4 Aces 'Karri Trees and many family sites.

One Tree Bridge

Cliff in the kitchen of the 1870's , 

The 4 Aces "Karri Tree"

On Saturday we went down to Pemberton for the Timber Tram ride. Great fun lots more history & trees.

Pemberton Timber Mill, still a working

Giant Jarrah Tree

Our stay in Manjimup was great, we were made to feel one of the family and will have to try to call again. We left Manjimup & went onto Margaret River but more of that next issue.