Travel Tips

I stayed in Perth for about three weeks with some family friends which was great, going into the city, the botanic gardens, Subiaco markets, Cottisloe Beach, took a trip to Rottnest Island which was lovely. Pristine beaches, snorkling, only busses allowed on the island so everyone cycles around, qwockas (well that's how it sounds) trying to get into my tent, they're a kind of marsupial.
I wanted to travel down to the south of WA but everyone seemed to by going North to catch the weather, put up an advert in hostels and over the internet.

Finally found a lift down south, everyone seemed to be going north so this took a while to find. So I found a 23 year old Dutchman, Frank, over the internet, who said he wanted to take his time stopping at anything that takes his fancy on the way, I had the same idea too, finding camping places in the middle of nowhere. We were going to part company in Esperance and I head back to Perth somehow and he go on to the east.
We started by going through Freemantle, and Bon Scott's grave (of AC/DC fame) to Mandurah and stayed with some ex-work mates of Franks for a couple of nights.
Mandurah was a nice place, reminded me of some posh European place with canals and huge houses with their own jettys.
Next we went inland by the recommendation of someone at a cheese factory, after a winery (Harvey Wines where we must have tried around 12, some twice) and an Agricultural College which was great fun having your hand sucked by a calf.
After lots more wineries and camping for free in various places we hit Gnomesville, why this isn't in the guide books I don't know, though it's probably best to keep it a secret for a little longer, this was on my Birthday so we left a drawing Frank made of his motorcycle club 'de Kemmilebolls' (think that's how you spell it) amidst the 1000's of other gnomes left by people, even found one all the way from Hull.
That night we had a great dinner by a bonfire, wine and huge starry skys, by a river near Donnybrook.

23rd April today we travelled on the map 20ks but actually did 70ks passing in and out of all the wineries, breweries and ended up in the local tavern in Ballingup which was full of pot smoking homeless people, we played pool badly and ended up sleeping in the van in some place near a river.
Going through and arts and craft centre, lavendar farm, cheese factory and only one winery where the woman said we'd make Bussleton easily in about an hour, there was only two things of distraction on the way- a sheeps cheesery and a Mystical maze. Well we left the winery at about 12.30 and didn't leave the maze until 5.30, really needing somewhere to camp that night headed toward Bussleton but then saw a National Park thinking there's bound to be something there, however this was all fenced off so we took a dirt road, avoiding the odd kangaroo, which just stopped at a farm. Well it was getting quite dark by then so we decided to risk it and put my tent up there. We were just cooking dinner when a car pulled up, it was a lady who lived on one of the farmers plots she took Frank to the farmhouse to ask if it was ok to stay there, of course it was fine so we carried on cooking. A little later the lady came back again offering us a shower! Well we'd not had one for quite a few days so we popped round in the morning. Were offered coffee, then breakfast, then had a shower, then we were asked to be guineapigs for the lady, she was thinking of setting up a horse treck through the local bush so whilst I was off on that Frank helped to fix a shed roof.
When I got back from the horseride, which was fantastic, great views passing a winery and the plains and through some bush, it was then Franks turn, in the mean time I was given lunch and some wine.
Frank returned (they had to help some kids get their 4wheeler out of a ditch) and we had some more wine and beer, then were offered dinner which was great, we had more wine and some home-made liquors, I slept in their caravan which was so much warmer than the camping.
The next mornign we had more breakfast and did some clothes washing and were offered to take the 4 wheeler out, well if we'd have done that it would mean spending another night there, we'd never have left! You can't outstay your welcome. We'd have an amazing time there and were so grateful of a strangers hospitality.

We'd been travelling a week and had only got a two hour drive south of Perth.
We finally got into Bussleton just to do some food shopping, internet and I bought a much needed blanket.
From here we headed through Dunsborough, saw some of the rocky coastline, we were going to camp at Castle Rock but some weird religous woman was probably going to snitch on us so for the first time we had to pay for a campsite, the bbq's were crap here, you had to put in a dollar which wouldn't even fry an onion.
27th April we went to Eagle Bay, did a nice walk around Cape Naturalist where in the right season lots of whales come along, this wan't the right season, however, we did see a shoal of Bottlenosed dolphins.
We went to another winery and a brewery- Wicked Ale which was great, sitting outside tasting strawberry, lavendar, chilli, chocolate and a strong ale. We had hit the caves area so went into Ngilgi Caves and camped on the cliff tops at Injidup Point where heaps of mozzies bit through my trowsers, we ate in the van that night.
That morning we were woken up by some carzy surfers turning up at 7am to catch some waves, it was cold and windy, maybe that's good for them.
That day was a day of many wineries- Marybrook, Happs, and ice cream factory, Sandstone winery, Bootleg Brewery, Fermoy, Sandford, Bettany. Thought we should get some sustenance at this point so went to a fudge factory, cheese and chocolate factory and finally Colonial Brewery.
We camped at Cane Break Pools, light a fire with diesel stood around that drinking VB. That night was the coldest so far, my knees cease up.
We decided it was probably a good idea to book a wine tour so Frank didn't have to drive, we did one that day. We went to two wineries in the morning and had a bottle with lunch which was a bushtucker lunch- the whitchety grub pate was lovely.
After lunch we went to the same cheese and chocolate factory of yesterday and then turned up at another winery, the guy remembered us, me more for my drunken attempt at sounding sober. The last stop was our last brewery of yesterday. We picked up some supplies intown and wen to the campsite, cooked up a feast and drank some more, then headed into town to meet up with more people from the tour and just carried on.
We didn't do much the next day. I got as far as the local shops in Margaret River, Frank got as far as the toilets.

1st May- More caves today, first was Lake Cave which, surprisingly, had a huge lake inside with fantastic reflections of all the stalagtites and stalagmites. And also Jewel Cave, they're all sort of blurred together now. We stopped in Augusta for supplies which had lots of estury type land surrounding it. Went to Cape Leewin (Lioness in Dutch) where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet, dissapointingly you couldn't see a change in colour or rough waves crashing together which I expected to see. Passed by a worthless waterwheel and Skippy Rock. Hamlin Bay where lots of sting rays come into the bay, we saw a couple of them come really close into the beach. Stayed at Alexandra Bridge, where unluckly for the 1st time a woman came to collect our money, but we had a good night sharing a camp fire with some 'grey nomads' one with only one eye.
Next morning we went for a walk at Beedlup Falls with a suspension bridge over a river, Big Brook Arboretum with a walk through a tree collection which just seemed to be more of the same of the forests we've been going through for a few days. Through Pemberton to the Gloucester Tree, 60 meters climb of steel rods rammed into the side of the tree that you go up like a ladder, glad to have done it but glad to get to the bottom. Got some shopping in in Pemberton, had a look at Cathedral Rock with huge waves crashing up it and camped at Windy Harbour Bay, lots of rain but luckly there was an enclosed campers kitched where we cooked potatoes and stuffed apples with rum in the fire and more importantly kept warm.
3rd May- a head clearing cliff top walk on Point D'Entrecasteaux which was very wet and windy. Did the Great Forest Tree Drive in the Shannon National Park, watched some huge waves at Mandalay Beach, stopped in Walpole for more food and camped at Parry's Beach (the cheapest we've paid for at $7), a bit more rain btu we kept dry with a camp fire and warm by taking a hot brick wrapped in a jumper to bed which in the morning had burnt through the jumper and melted my thermorest a little.

4th May- had a very long breakfast waiting for the water to boil on a gas bbq, but we had to camp dog to keep us company. Walked to the 'amazing' rocks of Parry's Beach, hmm. Went back towards Walpole by Conspicous Beach, did the Hill Top Road to the Tingle Tree a huge burnt out tree that you can fit a car inside. Did the Gloucester Tree for wimps- Tree Top Walk, (40 m up on a suspended walkway) which was still good and you could take your time over it, not just race up and really want to get down again. Felt we were neglecting the wineries so found Moombaki Winery, camped back at Parry's Beach, this time for free as there was no one to collect our money and we didn't exactly look for them in the morning either.
First stop of the day was our first meadery, Bartholomews, the Puzzle shop where we spent ages taxing our minds with lots of 3-D puzzles, found Forest Hill wines, the Denmark toffee factory with lots of free samples, Ocean Beach sucked, Poison Point for a nice walk (this is where they collected all the poison for 1080, I think). Was recommended Shelley Beach for free camping so went there, the views were spectacular and being able to wake up right next to the sea was a huge bonus, however, the wind, couldn't put up my tent and we had to cook in waterproofs to keep the wine out, ate in the car, think we went to sleep or tried to at around 19.30.

Booked us into Albany YHA for a much needed shower and clothes wash, went to an old whaling atation with lots of gory detail, the Blowholes which wern't really blowing much.
The next day went to the Natural Bridge and The Gap, both rock structures right near the ocean, at certain conditions the sea comes right over the viewing platform, 60 meters above. The huge wind farm where the sun finally came out, about time. And we headed into the Porongurup Ranges, walked to Balancing Rock then up some rocks and ladders to the top of Castle Rock with fantastic views where we could even see across to Albany. Found another winery- Dukes where we asked where some free camping was, he said the the Tree in The Rock, we got here and the ranger said we can't camp here but kindly told us of a hut on the other side which was lovely, I put my tent up inside, we could cook inside, watched the sun go down on the veranda, great.

8th May- Went on a very steep walk to the tree in the rock which was just ontop of not in. Climbed up te Devils Slide to the top of Marmabup Rock with more spectacular views. Went into Mount Barker for some maps and headed into the Stirling Ranges on a dirt track which passes the bottoms of them. Climbed Talyberlup (783m) with lots of loose rocks and scrambling, we were up in 1.45hr and the signs said 2-2.5hrs, quite happy about that.
We camped at Mt.Trio camp site with a fire we just had to blow on to get it started again, never been that easy usually have a pile of damp sticks and some diesel.
The next day we climbed up Toolbrunup (1052m) which was quite rough going, lots of loose rocks to scramble and climb up and quite humid too. But as usual were rewarded with great views, couldn't stay up too long as the clouds were coming in.
Passed a Dutch windmill, through Amelum, Borden, Ongerup, Jerramungup to Ravensthorpe. Where we camped at a proper camp site, which was freezing.
Next day we drove to Hopetoun, a lovey little fishing village and into the Fitzgerald River National Park with some nice beaches but a rough dirt track so didn't stay on that for long. We took the Southern Ocean Road towards Esperance, another dirt track, stopping at Stravation Bay where the Rabbit Proof Fence was supposed to start but we couldn't see it, had a nice walk along the beach anyway.
Reached Esperance after three weeks traveling, think it could be done in two days if you rushed it of course.
We found a good camp site with a good kitchen where we met an Australian couple and we drank into the night with them.