Esperance to Albany

Tues 2 Oct – We left our camp in Esperance and parked in the town and went for a walk thru the shopping area. Another grey day and it started to rain as we got back to “Andy”. We drove east along the coast for 50kms to the Cape Le Grand National Park. There are two camping areas in the park and we drove to Cape Le Grand Beach and a site with a view of the beach. It was cold and raining off and on and we picked a gap in the showers and walked along a huge sandy beach. The sand was very white and the water a brilliant turquoise colour. Unusual as the sky was grey. The coast of the N.P. is granite with smooth boulders going into the sea. Very strange!

Wed 3 Oct – A very short drive over a hill to the next camp at Lucky Bay. Another great site with sea views. We went for a 5km walk before lunch as it was not raining. The track followed the granite cliffs with great views down into the beaches. Val took many photos of the spring flowers. We walked to Thistle Cove the next large beach along the coast. This track is part of a 17km walk along the coast of the N.P. In the afternoon we went for a brisk walk along Lucky Bay. Again the unusual sea colour and hard white sand. The wind was freezing and were glad to return to “Andy” and a relax. A kangaroo and her joey are in the garden opposite our campsite.

Thurs 4 Oct – We left the Cape Le Grand National Park and drove back to Esperance. First off, we went to an RV repair place and the guy fixed the pump leak which had developed and supplied a new water filler cap (lost the last one, bugger). Then we went to the service centre where we had jacked up for an oil change and filter. We were on the road out of Esperance and driving west by lunch time. All good. It started to rain heavily and we stopped for the night at the Munglinup rest area. It rained most of the night.

Fri 5 Oct – The rain cleared as we drove west and then turned down to the coast to Hopetoun. The town was small with only a pub, café and an IGA. There was a nice rest area backing onto the beach where we parked. We walked the town, took about 20 minutes and then along the beach into a cool wind. More rain and drizzle in the evening.

Sat 6 Oct – On the way into Hopetoun we spied a huge car-wash, so we went back there and gave “Andy” a thorough shampoo and rinse. He is really looking good with all the attention he has had lately. We have decided to go on a loop thru the Central South region (inland and north) to see the wild flowers. We have seen some already and they are very nice. We stopped in the tiny town of Varley. Not even a pub! This is farming country, mostly grains and wheat. The rain had cleared and we enjoyed sitting in the sun in mild temperatures.

Sun 7 Oct – We drove north to Wave Rock. This is another huge granite outcrop. This one has been eroded and had formed a large wave along one side. We climbed the rock for some great views of surrounding countryside. The road has all sorts of wild flowers growing along the edges. Our stop was at Kulin, in a great free camp.

Mon 8 Oct – We drove the “Tin Horse Highway”. This is a 15km stretch of road where the locals have made horse sculptures out of old drums at their gateways. The famous local race meeting was on Saturday and these sculptures line the route to the racecourse. We are now in the “Wheat Belt”. The country is undulating with huge fields of wheat still ripening. The fields have large gum trees along the roadsides and some trees have been left in the fields. Very picturesque! Our overnight stop was at Narrogin in a camp. This is a larger town and we will shop there tomorrow. Val did a huge laundry and I gave “Andy” an inside clean-up.

Tues 9 Oct – A lovely warm sunny morning and after shopping we headed south down the Albany Highway to Cranbrook where we arrived at the farm of David and Lorraine Preston. Val met Lorraine 50 years ago and we have stayed in touch ever since. They have been and visited us in Kaiapoi so it was good to catch up with them again. The Preston family (sons Mark and Neil plus families) own three farms along a country road. After a catch-up we were straight into the farming life moving a mob of sheep 5kms from one farm to another. The farms run sheep (meat) and grow canola and wheat. The sons plus two drivers were preparing to drive two huge machines (swathers), which are used in the harvesting of canola, 400 odd kms north to the Geraldton area where they will work for 4 weeks non-stop. The circus is a pilot car, the two huge swather machines on trucks towing the combs and two caravans for accommodation. We had a great roast meal and sat around the table and chatted.

Wed 10 Oct – David took us for a tour around the farm in the 4WD ute. It is beautiful country with great views of the Stirling Ranges in the distance. David is breaking in more paddocks out the back of the farm for grazing. He is using a gigantic machine which lifts the rocks out of the ground and crushes them leaving gravel which the grass grows thru. All the sons plus the drivers and the children arrived for lunch. David arrived back from Albany (100kms) with one of the trucks which had to be certified for the trip north and then took us to a bush area where there were wild flowers including some rare spider orchids. Lorraine was on grandchild minding as Dallas, Neil's wife, was getting more stuff from Albany for the road trip. Another great chat after dinner.

Thurs 11 Oct – Photos and farewells. Thanks to David and Lorraine for their generous hospitality. Back on the road again to the Stirling National Park.  This is a range of unusually shaped mountains (the highest mountains in this part of Western Australia). The camp was beautiful, and we sat and enjoyed a peaceful read in the sun.

Fri 12 Oct – It rained in the night and we drove to the Porongurup National Park and did great 2.5km climb up to an area of granite boulders called the Granite Skywalk. At the top there was a walkway attached to the giant boulders giving views over the valleys. The last climb to the walkway was quite a scramble. The wild flowering shrubs in the bush were great. It was only a short drive into Albany where we booked into a camp for a couple of days. A chilly wind and showers set in in the afternoon.

Sat 13 Oct – A nice sunny morning so we hopped on the bikes and rode an 11km cycleway along the beaches and around into the harbour and the CBD of Albany. We got caught in a heavy shower just before we arrived but dried out walking the main street of the city. Albany (pop 33,000) is quite like Timaru, hilly and with a main street running down to the harbour. A very pretty town! We had a rare cup of coffee and a muffin in the oldest pub in W.A. before we walked across a walkway (over railway track) to the beautifully designed Entertainment Centre looking a bit like a ship. Back on the bikes for the return 11km ride. Unfortunately, the skies opened again, and we got very wet. After lunch we rode around Emu Point at the entrance to Oyster harbour where we are camped.