(9/5/2018 – 21/5/2018)
We continued our travels to Denmark and checked into the Big4 Ocean Beach Caravan Park for a couple of nights. That afternoon we had a walk through town then we drove along the coastline stopping at various lookouts. WA’s coastline is really impressive!!!
Ocean Beach, Denmark
Honey tasting at Bartholomew’s Meadery in Denmark
On Thursday we spent the day at Elephant Rocks and Greens Pool in William Bay National Park. Wow!!! What a beautiful area with white sandy beaches and clear water. Andrew and Mitch did some swimming and snorkelling. I put my feet in and that is as far I got, water too cold for me!!! LOL. Later that afternoon we stopped at Waterfall Beach and Mad Fish Bay where Andrew and Mitch did some fishing, no fish but they caught some squid!!!
They really do appear to look like an elephant herd
Greens Pool
Various shots from our drone!
On Friday we packed up and headed across to Augusta, which is just over a 3 hour drive, and we checked into a Munday Campground. This was a new campground that had only been running for about 3 months. The owners, Keith and Leonie, were very friendly and they had a communal fire each night starting at 5pm for happy hour in the new camp kitchen. Surrounded by natural bushland and hundreds of grass trees, the sites are large and easily accessible for large vans. There is half an acre of grassed area for the kids to play and run around. We spent 3 nights here.
From here we drove around the coastline to have a look at Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, Grannys Pool and the Water Wheel. On Mother’s Day we went into town for brunch at a lovely café overlooking the water.
Cape Leeuwin lighthouse
Grannys Pool
We also stopped at Hamelin Bay, it is one of the best places in Australia to see wild sting rays up close. The gentle and friendly, yet completely wild sting ray population that live in the bay are unafraid of people wading in the water and swimming with them. Unfortunately we did not see any of them as it was too windy and you are more than likely to see them in the summer months rather than winter.
Hamelin Bay
The Landing Place plaque – where Augusta’s first settlers came ashore
We left Augusta on Monday morning and drove up to Margaret River on the Bussell Highway and we stayed at the Big Valley Campsite in Rosa Glen for 3 nights. This was a beautiful farming region where there were guinea pigs roaming around, sheep and donkeys to feed at the campsite. We met some lovely families from Perth so Mitchell had fun climbing trees and playing with their kids. That afternoon we drove to Margaret River Berry Farm to purchase local jams and we also did some wine tasting!! It was great to enjoy a campfire each night too!!
On Tuesday we booked a wine tasting tour through Cheers Wine Tours. There were 3 other couples plus us on the bus and it was a fantastic day out. We had wine tastings from 3 wineries, cocktail and liqueur tastings from a distillery, wine tasting with lunch, french nougat from Bettanays, cheese tastings at Margaret River Dairy Company, chocolate tastings from Margaret River Chocolate Company and venison tasting from Margaret River Venison Farm. Thoroughly enjoyable day out!!!
If a full day wine tasting tour was not enough on Tuesday, we went out again and visited some more wineries on Wednesday!!!! We also visited the Margaret River Dairy Company again for some yoghurt and ice cream. Margaret River is a wonderful region to explore the numerous winery estates, underground caves, gourmet foods, fresh produce, breweries and distilleries and beautiful beaches.
More wine tasting!!!
On Thursday we packed up and continued our travels along the coastline around to Busselton which is on the southwest tip of WA. We checked into Amblin Caravan Park for a few nights.
Busselton is home to the longest wooden jetty in the Southern Hemisphere, stretching almost 2km out to sea. Construction of the jetty began in 1853 and was continually extended until the 1960s, when it reached its current length of 1841 m. It was closed to shipping in 1972, and maintenance was discontinued for a time. Following major damage caused by Cyclone Alby, in 1978 and a fire in 1999, it was restored and improved. Since 2003, the jetty has offered visitors a tourist train ride, an underwater observatory, and an interpretive centre.
The Busselton Jetty is home to one of only five underwater observatories in the world!
We took the Jetty Train 1.7km out to sea. It has 360 degree views across Geographe Bay, then we did a tour through the Underwater Observatory at the end of the Jetty where we descended around 8 metres beneath the water’s surface to view hundreds of individual marine species in their natural habitat through eleven viewing windows at various levels within a 9.5 metre diameter observation chamber.
The next day we did more sightseeing along the coastline stopping at Cape Naturaliste and then to Sugarloaf Rock for some fishing. Andrew never gives up in having a fish wherever and whenever he can!!
Cape Naturaliste
Sugarloaf Rock
On Sunday we drove up to Bunbury for the day. We went to the Bunbury Farmers Markets and stocked up on fresh meat, fruit and vegies. It was an awesome marketplace for fresh produce. We then stopped at the Marlston Hill Lookout Tower. It was an easy walk up the spiral staircase and at the top was a wonderful 360 degree view of the city and Indian Ocean. From there we drove past the Bunbury Lighthouse which is a black and white checkered lighthouse erected in 1971 and then down to the Bunbury Foreshore for lunch. Afterwards, we dropped into Taffys which is a delightful little shop selling chocolates, candies, fudges and almost everything sweet you can think of!!!! Yum!!! Yes, we love our sweet treats!!!
Views of Bunbury from the Marlston Hill Rotary Tower Lookout
Bunbury Lighthouse
On Monday morning we left Busselton and continued north to Mandurah where we stopped for lunch at a seafood cafe.
We then continued driving and arrived at Coogee Beach in the afternoon (checking into the Discovery Parks Caravan Park – Stay 3 Pay 2). The caravan park was only a short walk from the Beach and about 15 minutes south of Freemantle.
(9/5/2018 – 21/5/2018)
Laughtons Living Life 