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February 2020
01 February 2020
It seems like only yesterday we were welcoming in the new year, and here we are in a blink of an eye, into the second month of the new year!
Forestania Plots was a good camp for us yet again and so we set off down the Norseman Hyden Road rather than going back and tackling some more of the narrow, bush pin striping Holland Track. With a nice wide and billiard ball smooth road we made it to Lake Johnson in good time for morning tea, which we enjoyed looking over the dry salt lake while in the shade of some large salmon gum trees.
Back a few km's we made the turn up the Queen Victoria Rock Road, fairly wide at first and then again, narrowing off as it wound its way through some beautiful stands of trees and then opening up into sand country with sparse bush and yellow sand under our wheels. WIth the bush so low and sparse in places it was easy to see for some distance out of the window as we made our way long.
With recent bush fires throughout parts of WA it was inevitable that we would find ourselves passing through some of the devastated remains of the bush, the only greenery being the grass tree's that had begun to re shoot after the fiery onslaught. Tall skeletal tree's standing over totally burst ground made for an eerie yet sometimes beautiful scene as we went, the dust from the road turning black behind us.
Passing the end of the narrow part of the Holland Track we soon arrived at the Victoria Rock campground in the Nature Reserve and set up in what the sparse shade.
Our campsite at the base of Victoria Rock.
Our track can be found here.
02 February 2020
A very peaceful night in camp, except for the small bat that we awoke to flying around inside our camper around midnight. We got up and eventually caught the little bugger and put him outside where he/she belongs and then settling in for the rest of the nights sleep.
We named our camper the Bat Cave after this midnight visitor. How it got inside is still a mystery.
Kim and Carolyn were off heading for home to attend a funeral while we packed up and headed off ourselves, but backwards! We made our way back 30 odd kilometres to the Caves Hill track, which promised to be an interesting part of the Albany to Kalgoorlie (AlbOorlie) track.
Turning off the Queen Victoria Rock Road we had not gone far before the track narrowed and we came to our fist obstacle, water and a muddy bog on the track. We got out to check the depth and the firmness under the water and then, with Joanne on the other side filming, I took the dip and passed through easily enough, the only problem being our trailer plug wires being ripped out on a bit of a tree root sticking out on the mud. We left that as it was and would fix that problem later on.
More and more bogs presented themselves as we went, and while most were easily negotiated, some required the use of the a chicken by pass track. The track itself resembled a dried up, narrow creek bed in places where the water had flowed down the sandy surface on it's way to those bogs.
We were crawling along at 20 to 30 km/h and hardly got out of third gear for most of the way, taking over 1.5 hours to travel a meager 30 kilometres, and we were only half way to the first stop (morning tea), which turned out to be a small clearing next to some beautifully white tree's.
Morning tea over we just got moving and we had to stop to clear one of those white tree's off the road using our winch. Not having a chainsaw on us, we resorted to the tree protector strap on a tree on the side of the road with the winch rope through a pulley block and hooked onto the tree. From there it was a simple case of winching the tree over to the side of the road so that we could pass. Little did we know that that tree would just be a warm up for what came along later on! From our fist tree after morning tea we cleared tree after tree after tree, sometimes carefully taking chicken tracks where we could to get past the bigger ones, and generally getting nowhere fast.
Popping out onto a proper sandy road, we found the Caves Hill Rock Campground and large granite rock. The drone went up for a look before we continued on to what would be the Higginsville Road (?) of torture.
We were heading for the Pioneer Graves and the rest of the track but after driving down yet another creek road with its sandy silt on one side and the hard dirt on the other we came to yet another tired tree lying across the track.We got out and pulled that out of the way, From there it was tree after tree again, chock track after chicken track, carefully going bush along short, narrow by-passes that were made for single vehicles, not for vehicles towing campertrailers.
We must have passed or moved about a dozen trees until we came to a spot where we could not pass,and we could not move the tree, or the others that lay ahead for over half a kilometre and out of sight. It was here that we decided to abandon the trip to the Pioneer Graves and to make our way back to the Burra Rock Road, if we could turn around that is!
Obstacles as far as the eye could see. Next time we will be bringing a chainsaw!
Well, we eventually reversed to a spot where we could jack knife the camper and turn around, and traverse the same trees and chick tracks that we had dome in the last hour, and then we noticed that one of the campertrailer tyres had been staked and was dead flat. So out came the high lift jack and we put the spare on.
Heading back to the Caves Hill Campground we stopped for a late (1.30pm) lunch and then made our way along the Burra Rock Road, with the intention of camping at Burra Rock, but...
Passing through more fire devastation we arrived at the turnoff to the campground only to find it closed until further notice. The surrounding area was totally devoid of any life at all and passing along the road the dust out of the back from under our wheel was black soot, not road dust.
We continued on until we were just out of Coolgardie and stopped in the shade of a tree to repair the trailer plug just in case we got back into traffic, and then, just a few hundred metres from where we did that, we found a campsite in the bush.
We set up camp and the shower tent, dropped some water into the bucket and then stood in the bucket for a nice long refreshing shower. With the days sweat and dirt washed from our bodies we sat down to swat flies with one hand and to eat with the other before retreating to the camper when the mozzies began to site. What an adventurous, exciting and interesting day!
Our track for the day can be found here. Note - Track is red in colour.
03 February 2020
Leaving camp this morning we discovered that we were about 150m from the first house, and 1.4km's from town, so if we hadn't found that little spot we would have been in and out of town and looking for a spot along the highway.
The day was fairly plain and after nearly 180 kilometres on the highway arrived in Southern Cross. We stopped in town for Joanne to visit the op shop and the supermarket and then we were on our way, South along dirt, country roads until we took what we thought would be an easy short cut to the original town site of Holleton, but no, we were following a track, somewhat wider than the Holland Track, but just as slow, and with more washouts to negotiate. There were a few tree's down and the initial thought was "oh no, not again!", but it turned out to be only a couple thank goodness.
Arriving at the sign post showing where the various buildings etc used to be it was hard to imagine that a small mining town once stood and thrived here, especially now that the bush has reclaimed the land.
Back out on a decent road we covered some distance before coming to what used to be Gate 54 on the State Barrier Fence. The gate, fence and some signed information is there but the fence was cut long ago to allow the dirt road through and with no barrier to the vermin for some 50m.
We spied a nice spot in the shade about 150m off the road and not far from Gate 54 so reversed ourselves into it and set up camp for the rest of the day. Around 5.30pm a truck that had been going up and down the road carting sand or something similar came past on his last run, tooting his horn as he did.
Our track can be found here.
04 February 2020
Waking to a coolish morning we packed up and headed out before the heat began to build for a 40 degree day. Making our way to the CBH site at Mt Walker we stopped for a quick chat with the IC and the truckies before heading off to Narembeen, where Joanne visited her favourite Op Shop. We were then on the road again and passing through grain country until we picked up the Old Beverley Road, and followed it all the way to Beverley.
Noting on wikicamps that Campertrailers were supposedly allowed to stay there we pulled in, made a quick call to the Information Centre and then after being assured it was okay, decided to stop for the day, and so, with expected rain and wind, we selected a spot away from under the tree's and settled as the clouds began to build, and the rain going around us.
Our track can be found here.
13 February 2020
After getting back to Kim and Carolyn's we spent the next week cleaning the rig, fixing, changing and adding some things and generally getting it ready for it's next outing, which will be in March/April this year, the trip being longer and harder, and definitely more challenging than this time.
Leaving Kim and Carolyn's yesterday we made our way to Jarrahdale (again) where I had a specific photo in mind, and managed to get it on the first evening.
The sun's golden light hit these tree's just as I had hoped, and gave me the shot I had seen, but was unable to get the last time I was here.
Today we awoke to another warm day and so before the heat got too much we replaced the other wheel bearings on the house, and then settled in for the rest of the day as the mercury climbed.
18 February 2020
Leaving what has become a regular and favourite haunt of late, we made our way to Hoffman's Mill. Taking the highway and an excellent dirt road we arrived to find the place almost chock full of four wheel drives and campers. So with the main area full we explored the other areas looking for the best spot in the sun, preferably with a view of the magnificent tree's that we had come to photograph. We eventually settled on a large open area just a short walk back to the camping area.
Some old bits of machinery from the mill have been left in place.
Beautiful trees at Hoffman Mill.
Even these beauties are not exempt from idiots and their graffiti.
Love the texture and colours.
Some trial abstract ICM (intentional camera movement)
Plenty of time was spent down at the old mill site looking around, getting photos and some drone footage. Unfortunately the shots I had in mind did not eventuate because the light was fairly flat thanks to the cloud. But it was a pleasant stay anyway.
We left the old mill site thankful for having been there, and knowing we would at some stage, be back. Making our way to the small town of Dardenup we managed to get the same camp spot we had last time, and settled in for the rest of the day.
After another pleasant stop in Dardenup we moved on to Capel to utilise their excellent dump point and water fill up before heading over to Bunbury to check out the trial free camps that the City has running. Having looked at the Maidens Reserve spot with it's trees and small, tight area, we moved on to check the spot at Ocean Drive. Being just a normal carpark it is limited in space, but would do if need be. Picking or getting the best spot to be out of the way would depend on what other vehicles were in the parking area at the time, and so we moved on to the last spot at Wyalup Rocks.
Now having seen the roadside spot on Google Earth we were not sure it would be any god, but pulling up we were immediately sure that this would do. Two other caravans were in the spots towards the top of the hill so we just took the next spot down. Joanne walked over to the Information Centre to get our permit as I began to set up camp for the next two days. Yes, the traffic does pass right past your window (no good for those with slide outs), but we were too busy looking out over the carpark, grassed BBQ area and the beach to worry about the traffic.
The traffic was fairly busy from around 3pm until around 8, but nothing to worry us, and as the workers from nearby businesses came and took their vehicles home, the view to the beach improved. Groups of women came down to the grassed area for their fitness classes and to burn away the days stress.
Before sunset there was time to check out potentially photographic compositions and to put the drone up before sunset arrived and it was time to get some shots.
The rocks leading down to the ocean help keep the water in natural pools.
Some of the wave action at the end of the natural cut.
Of course the backpackers in their converted people movers, station wagons and 4wd's with roof top tents moved in after dark and after the Rangers had knocked off for the day, and they left well before the Rangers started work, so overnight there were the four of us legal campers, and six illegal campers!
With only the odd vehicle during the night we were awake as the sun started to lighten the sky and it was time to get up and down to the beach for some sunset shots, the cloud over the ocean looking like it would be good, but it fizzled as the carpark began to fill up with workers cars.
The sunset began to look promising.
Wave action near sunset with a brave (or foolish) admirer.
The best shots and colour are often long after the sun has sunk below the horizon.
Our second day was just as pleasant as the first, but started a little earlier thanks to the idea of some sunrise shots over the beach. Well, the sunrise colours in the clouds didn't happen as desired, so it was a case of Plan B.
Some long exposure photography just before the sun got up.
And from a slightly different position.
The day went fairly quickly and despite being at the beach, the humidity was fairly high. Two caravans left and others came in to take their place. A small motorhome came in behind us and the owner decided to install a satellite tv system on his roof, providing entertainment to those in the park next to him.
Sunset beckoned and it was time to grab some more shots, and with some more interesting cloud than yesterday it promised to be a ripper, but...
The sky and waves getting warmed up as the sun came down from behind some cloud.
The sun dipped below the horizon but didn't quite light up the cloud as much as I had hoped, but it was still pretty darned nice.
The last shot of the day just before blue hour.
20 February 2020
Another peaceful night in Bunbury as the traffic past our window slowed to nothing and with only two backpacker vehicles in the carpark. We awoke to the sprinklers going to water the grass outside of our door. We packed up and headed off, to check out the Gnomes at Gnomesville and then made our way to Glen Mervyn Dam South of Collie.
We chose to stop on the road side and as we pulled in found that we were the only ones there, unlike the last time we were there. There were some others camped on the opposite side of the dam, but we were happy to have this spot all to ourselves.
The weather was hot and humid again, and we spent the day doing very little and then spent a very peaceful night having been serenaded by the red tail Cockatoo's as they perched in the trees nearby to roost for the night.
21 February 2020
Waking to a cool morning the reflections in the water opposite us caught our attention and so it was time to grab some shots, both of the reflections, and some ICM (intentional camera movement).
Reflections across the dam.
The same shot but with some intentional camera movement for that abstract, arty farty look.
The rest of the day passed fairly quickly and despite other people coming in, we ended up there by ourselves yet again.
22 February 2020
We awoke this morning to the pitter patter of rain on the roof, something we have not heard in this rig for some time. We were camped below the normal high water mark and on some potentially scratchy ground, so after breakfast we packed up and moved up onto the old bitumen road as the rain continued to fall.
On our way again we made our way to Boyup Brook for a stop for fuel, the supermarket and the dump point before heading out of town, eventually stopping at a small parking area near the new Tonebridge bridge. We had seen this spot before but had never camped here, so with rain still falling we grabbed a nice spot and settled in, with the place all to ourselves.
24 February 2020
Tonebridge was a great camp, but we didn't have it to ourselves as we thought we might with one other camper coming in for the night. The next morning we were up and off fairly early, enjoying the countryside as we drove.
Just near the location of Kenny's Tank a glint of light caught my eye and a bush scene was enough to make us turn around and park in the Kenny's Tank parking area and for the camera to get some exercise.
Clouds rolled in and blocked the light as I set up, but it still made for a pleasant photo of the Wandoo's (Eucalyptus Wandoo).
Leaving the Wandoo's it wasn't long before we were pulling into Mt Barker where we took up our usual spot in the free camp and enjoyed a little sunshine before the clouds and rain came in.
Waking to a wet morning we left town and took the short drive to Denmark, and then out to Ducketts Mill Wines and Denmark Farmhouse Cheese. Last week we applied and were accepted to come and stay here for a while. Our stay will see us work for a couple of hours a day (Mon-Fri) doing whatever needs to be done in exchange for a spot to camp. This arrangement works out perfectly for us as we want to spend some time looking around the area, and of course, getting some photography done.
27 February 2020
Well the past few days have gone very nicely and we have settled into our surroundings quite nicely. We have even been joined by another couple in their caravan and so there are four of us helping out.
We have a great spot on the concrete hardstand next to the sheds and are plugged into power and a very large rain water tank. Phil and VOn have a nice spot near the greenhouse and veggie garden and life is good. So far we have cleaned up three large garden beds and trimmed the hedges around the cafe garden and a number of other small jobs.
Nothing too strenuous and hard around here, especially when you have a quad bike and trailer at your beck and call, not to mention all the tools and equipment in the workshop. We have been doing that little bit more than the 2 hours per day requested, because we like to get these jobs (of which there are plenty) finished and not left for tomorrow. And as an added bonus there is free coffee and, today we were given some beautiful local sausages, bread, sauce and coffee for morning tea, all of which we enjoyed on the cafe verandah. It's a tough life sometimes.
But it has not all been work, we have taken a few drives to Lights Beach and Wilson Head for photography, and would have gone to Green Pool and Elephant Rocks but they are closed until June for roadwork's and carpark upgrades, so that is a real bummer.
So now we have the long weekend off and will do some exploring, but not with the camera as it has developed a problem with the SD Card reader and has been sent off to Perth to be fixed. So now photography will have to be done with Joanne's little pocket camera or my phone, and that, should be interesting.
Had some fun capturing the ocean smashing this large pointy rock at Lights Beach.
The picture says it all really.
The weather has been rather interesting, days of light drizzle but warm enough to get around in shorts and short sleeved shirts, but today a nice big storm formed and just after we knocked off decided to dump a few mm on us, fine at the time but now that the sun is out, so is the humidity.
The headland at Black Hole.
Mark Twain once said "...years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do that by the things you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - and so we will.
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