No Boundaries Australia: Bunbury to Walpole

Bunbury to Busselton – Tuesday 11 October 2011

With the Bathurst races over it is time to get back to travelling again, so we were off to Busselton for a couple of days, not a big drive only an easy 54km. We booked into the Mandalay Holiday Resort, a very nice park with lots of green grass, pure luxury. After a quick set up, it now takes us only 15 minutes to unhooked and set the van up ready to rest, complete with awning and comfy outdoor chairs. We had a look around town, walked the Busselton Jetty, 1.8km each way, a great walk and the weather was just perfect.

Busselton Jetty 1.8km each way

Some take the train - we walked

After our walk we headed out to the coast to visit Dunsbourough, Edge Bay, Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse, Yallingup and Canal Rocks. What a great drive checking out a very nice coastline, we ended the afternoon with a drive inland back into Busselton.

Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse

Canal Rocks - Marlene

Canal Rocks - Ken

Busselton - Wednesday 12 October 2011

We were picked up at 10am by the Cellar D’or Wine Tour company for a wine tour through the region, stopping at 5 wineries, a brewery, chocolate factory and olive oil factory. What a day, there were 10 off us on the bus and as the day went on the more fun we had. We visited 5 very nice wineries, (Happs, Swooping Magpie, Windows, Cape Naturaliste & Knotting Hill) of course tasted lots and bought a couple from each place. The brewery was a special place with lots of crazy beers, strange but not my cup of tea. I also had the chance to play pool on a round pool table, with 5 pockets, work that out, I won as well.

Round Pool Table & I won

Wine Tour Group at the 5th winery

Busselton to Cowaramup – Thursday 13 October 2011

Well today was one of the shortest days we will do, only 24kn down the road, hardly worth it but we wanted to stay at a park called Taunton Farm Holiday Park, a caravan park on a working dairy farm. Very nice little park, and a nice change to the normal caravan parks, the place is 10km north of Margaret River. We spent the afternoon looking around Margaret River village, then went for a drive up through the vineyards and checked out a couple more that we were told about.

Feeding time Taunton Farm

Wild Orchards

Just arriving at Taunton Farm Hioliday Park

Margaret River – Friday 14 October 2011

First stop for today was to catch up with friends we met on the wine tour in Margaret River for coffee, then on to Augusta and Cape Leeuwin for a look around. The weather today was probably the worst we have had for the whole trip, cloudy, windy and a couple of rain scuds about, but we still did heaps. Cape Leeuwin is the most south-westerly point of Australia and is where the Southern Ocean meets the Indian Ocean, you can actually see the different colours of the seas, where they meet. The wind was blowing and the seas were huge, very magic sight.

Cape Leeuwin lighthouse

a crazy cow at the lighthouse

The meeting of the two oceans

The wild surf

We travelled up the coast though Hamlin Bay, Prevelly Bay, where the Margaret River meets the ocean and where the surfing classics are held each year. Another great day checking out all the sights.

Cowaramup to Manjimup – Saturday 15 October 2011.

On the move again, further inland today Manjimup, to visit some friends we met in Broome. We stayed at another off beat caravan park called Fonty’s Pool, a farm 10km from town and just magic. A very pretty place with this huge pool privately built over 60year ago by damming the river, just a sight to behold. Spent the afternoon sitting in the sun at the park chatting with our friends.

Fonty's Pool

Pemperton – Sunday 16 October 2011

Went for a drive today to Pemperton to check out the regions massive trees , forests and great natural features. We visited the Beedup Falls and walked the trail across the swinging bridge through the forest, then climbed some of the way up the Gloucester Tree, checked out Warren National Park, then just to change the pace we visited the Lavender and Berry Farm and had the best Pancake with hot berry sauce and ice cream, just fantastic. We ended up the trip with a visit to Lost Lake winery and the Wine and Truffle Company. Where we learnt a great deal about how you grow and what you do with Truffles, very interesting. Ended up the day with a BBQ at Greg & Chrissies, a great night chatting about our trip and their trip, it was an enjoyable evening.

The winding road down through the Forests

Swining Bridge Beedup Falls

Climbing the Gloucster Tree

See i did climb up it - maybe not all the way!!

Manjimup to Walpole – 17 October 2011

Busy day today, not a long way to travel with only 120km but we had lots to do. The day started with a tour our Manjimup and the local orchards and farms, with Greg & Chrissie, Manjimup is a great town with a lot going for it, great farming community.

Check out the hugew Protea's

King Jarrah at Manjimup

We were on the road by 11:30am and in Walpole by 1:30pm, within 15 minutes we were set up then it was time to check out the forest around this area. We met up with a Canberra couple (Derrick & Leanne, who we met in Bunbury) and all went for a drive to find some big trees, Giant Tingle trees, huge Karri trees and many more. We started the afternoon off with a tour through the Swarebrick Art Gallery, a protest gallery against logging, very interesting.

Who do you think took this photo?

Then onto the Valley of the Giants and Tree Top walk, words cannot explain how big these trees are, just incredible. The tree top walk is 40 metres above the ground walking amongst some huge trees. The afternoon ended with a look at the circular pools, were the running water is coloured by the tannins in the water and froths up as it goes through the rapids making it look like a huge cappuccino, incredible to look at. Back to the van late that night as the weather changed again and it rained most of the night. Onto Albany tomorrow for a few days, then Esperance for a few days, we may head up to Kalgoorlie than its head east for the last few weeks.