Leaving the magnificent Margaret River region behind we made our way toward the land of the giants, both terrestrial and ocean-going giants.
The first giants to see were the terrestrial giants, majestic forests of towering Karri, Marri, Jarrah and Tingle trees. We meandered through the Southern Forests and Valleys region, passing through the towns of Nannup, Bridgetown, Manjimup, Pemberton and Northcliffe, each with its own distinctive style and character. We dropped into the Visitor Centre at Northcliffe for some helpful information of the area before heading to a bush camp just out of town for an overnighter. A rather disorganised area with camp sites dotted within the forest. We were fortunate to grab a large site which enabled us to stay hitched and we could receive satellite TV despite the proximity of the forest trees.
The following morning, we drove to Windy Harbour and Point D’Entrecasteaux. Windy Harbour wasn’t much to look at, just a random array of generally old fishing shacks, with a few more impressive new homes. Despite the nature of the place, the shacks all appeared to be well maintained and tidy, as we drove through the tangle of narrow streets with Blake in tow. Returning to Northcliffe we revisited the Visitor Centre to explore the “Understory Art and Nature Trail” and “Rising from the Ashes” sculptures scattered through several hectares of forest. Absolutely fascinating.
Next stop was the town of Walpole, with the Valley of the Giants and the Tree Top walk, plus the nearby Mount Frankland. Rather than staying in Walpole we opted for a caravan park several km out of town at Peaceful Bay. And peaceful it was. Even the caravan park was peaceful, being more like a freedom camp area with loosely defined huge sites across meandering grassland, rather than the regimented sites of a normal caravan park. We arrived late afternoon, but took a dip in the tranquil clear waters of the Bay after setting up, and the following morning, which was rather cool, but superb nonetheless.
The following day we visited the Valley of the Giants, being a karri, jarrah and tingle forest with a tree top walk along a very high elevated platform. We followed this with a walk through the forest floor, where we bumped into some BOG buddies from the muster, having also bumped into them several days earlier at Augusta. From there it was a forest drive through these magnificent trees to Mount Frankland, and a walk to the top of the rock with its 301 steps to reach the top and the fire watch tower. Carol wisely declined to do the walk.
At the end of this great day, we spent 2 hours, from 4pm to 6pm, sitting in the car outside the Walpole visitors centre where there was internet access so I could participate in a Zoom BOG committee meeting, as I didn’t think there was a sufficient signal at Peaceful Bay.
After another peaceful night at Peaceful Bay we headed off to a freedom camp at Cosy Corner, 30km west of Albany. We visited Albany in 2020 and spent several days exploring its coastline and the town but COVID had forced the closure of a few indoor attractions we wanted to see. So we had to return in order to visit the Historic Whaling Station and the National Anzac Centre. We were able to wander the extensive outdoor exhibits at the Anzac Centre in 2020, but not the main building. Both were well worth the return visit. We did the self-guided tour of the whaling station on the afternoon of our arrival which took us 3.5 hours. We could have spent more time there, but domestic activities at Aldi and Dan Murphy beckoned us.
The next day, with Blake in tow we visited the National Anzac Centre for the morning. Over the past couple of days, Carol had been developing a rash and was miraculously able to secure a doctor’s appointment in Albany at two days notice. Carol had a idea what was plaguing her, and the doctor confirmed her diagnosis…..shingles. A course of anti-viral medication and two pain killers were prescribed. At the time of writing (10 days since the doctor’s visit), the irritations exist (not me), but are improving. With medications in hand we headed out of Albany, on our way to Kalgoorlie, stopping overnight at a free camp in the little town of Tambellup, 120km north of Albany.
Nannup is a perfectly preserved heritage timber town from the early 1900s, nestled on the banks of the Blackwood River. These beautifully carved totems stand at Foreshore Park on the river’s edge.Nannup’s streetscape. As with many locations in WA’s southwest, there is a connection to the Tasmanian Tiger that roamed here thousands of years ago.The old railway bridge, now a pedestrian/cycle bridge spans the Blackwood River. The river has seen some significant floods, especially the one in 1982. I hadn’t seen the 1982 marker, but Carol was on the bridge and pointed it out to me. That’s more than twice as high as the next highest flood (1946).The town of Bridgetown, also on the Blackwood River, has a lovely streetscape with large trees lining the main street. With a mix of pre and early Federation buildings plus art deco of the 1930s, it’s an interesting town through which to stroll.Our campsite in the Northcliffe Bush Camp. The staff member in the Northcliffe Visitor Centre pointed us in the direction of some nearby wildflowers.Point D’Entrecasteaux adjacent to the seaside town of Windy Harbour has a series of easily accessible vantage points to take in views of the Southern Ocean and interesting limestone features including Nature’s Window (yes, another one). On the Point sits a very low automated navigational light beacon. Certainly not as spectacular as the lighthouses to the west, but undoubtedly, just as functional.Rising from the Ashes. Portraits carved into the charcoal of trees burnt in 2015 within the Understory. These ‘portraits’ of local residents commemorate the catastrophic 2015 Northcliffe bushfire that was out of control for three weeks. Each person depicted was directly affected, including firefighters, those that lost their home, their livelihood, a sense of security. This series acknowledges the trauma of bushfire & celebrates the resilience of community spirit; their tenacity in the face of great adversityThroughout the Understory is this series of five children’s story nooks incorporating sandblasted imagery & bronze elements relating to children’s podcast stories. Each story & sculpture features a local native animal.There were 48 art installations throughout the Understory, so this is just a small sample.Some native flowers within the forest of the Understory.Peaceful Bay, our camp destination for 2 nights whilst we explore Walpole and the surrounding forests.The Tree Top Walk and the ground level Ancient Empire Walk enable access to these giant trees. I was fascinated with the construction of the elevated platform. I think I took more photos of the platform than I did of the trees through which it stands. A white tailed cockatoo flared its tail for me as I walked under it on the Tree Top Walk. The giant tingle trees are shallow rooted and thus have large buttress bases for support. Many have had their centres burnt out from past bushfires, forming at times, large archways.Mount Frankland stands in the centre of the Walpole Wilderness area, offering 360-degree views over the surrounding forest, including the smooth barked karri. A perfect location for fire spotting. In 1956 a fire watch and weather station was built at the top, and the base hut below the summit where the “tower man” ate and slept, walking to the top three times a day. The original fire watch has been replaced, or at least refurbished. The base hut is no longer used.Albany’s Historic Whaling Station, the last whaling station in Australia to cease operations, closing in 1978. Built in Norway in 1948, this whale chaser was launched as W Fearnhead, then sold in 1970 to the Cheynes Beach Whaling Company and renamed the Cheynes IV. It was towed to its present position at the museum in 1981; view from the upper wheelhouse; the rudder mechanism; the Engineer’s quarters; Carol taking aim with the harpoon on a poor defenceless whale.Our campsite at Cosy Corner from where we travelling into Albany: a replica of an original whaling boat; towboat Georgic (1952), used until 1955 to berth whale oil tankers to buoys and running floating pipes from the whaling station.Winching gear used to drag the whales onto the flensing deck to commence processing; the green and grey machine is the triple expansion steam engine removed from the Cheynes III whale chaser; two cookers under the cutting up deck into which chunks of whale were dropped. Each could hold a 40 ton whale. The cookers were heated and rotated, rendering the 40 ton whale to 10 to 11 tons of a thick soupy liquid; old photo of a whale being cut up on the cutting deck and pushed into the holes directly above the boilers.Ocean Giants: A 22m pygmy blue whale, found beached in Albany Harbour in 1973; a 9.5m humpback whale found deceased in the harbour in 2003.The original 6 inch breech loading gun in the A1 gun pit at the Princess Royal Fortress built in 1893 to defend against a Russian threat and protect Australia’s shipping routes; ammunition and a cut-away of the gun in the ammunition bunker; the Depression Range finder used to determine the position and range of targets.The little town of Tambellup, 120 km north of Albany, with its free camp and historic buildings including the railway station and the station master’s house.The lime green line is the 2023 route to date. The blue line is from our 2020 visit to WA, then having to turn back from Albany due to COVID travel restrictions.
One thought on “Giants”
Hi, So sorry to hear of your Shingles issues. That must be a real bummer. I had a shot for that last year when turning 70, and Jane is having one on Wednesday.
Otherwise you travels look so much fun, and the photos great as usual. We had a great time down there last year, especially the Tingle trees and the walk. It is somehow uplifting seeing those giant tree, excuse the pun.
Love seeing your posts, travel safe.
Hi, So sorry to hear of your Shingles issues. That must be a real bummer. I had a shot for that last year when turning 70, and Jane is having one on Wednesday.
Otherwise you travels look so much fun, and the photos great as usual. We had a great time down there last year, especially the Tingle trees and the walk. It is somehow uplifting seeing those giant tree, excuse the pun.
Love seeing your posts, travel safe.