CAPE LEEUWIN and MARGARET RIVER

21^st March, 2012

Today we leave our forest home at Big Brook Arboretum and travel due west.  Driving along we pass through vast stretches of forest scorched by bushfires.  The hot summer has been unrelenting and many fires have ravaged areas in south west WA.  By early afternoon we are pulling into Conto Campground in the National Park.  We have now travelled from one side of Australia to the other - from the Pacific Ocean where the sun rises to the Indian Ocean where the sun sets.  It’s a long way.  The next day we take a drive south to have a look around.  Our first stop is at Hamelin Bay.

Hamelin Bay

We are watching the small waves roll in when movement in the water catches our eye.

What is THAT ......

We are astounded to see a pod of about six sting rays swimming close to the water’s edge.

Two different types of stingray patrolling the water's edge

There are two distinctly different types of stingray and if we had paid more attention to the signs we might have been able to tell you what species they were.  We were even more astounded when we watched this guy wade into the water to take some up close and personal photos.

Ummmm!  Hey fella ..... don't you think you may be a little too close?

This guy obviously doesn’t know or doesn’t care that the barbed spike on the tail of a sting ray can deliver a very painful and sometimes lethal sting.

Oh OK!  Obviously you know what you are doing ..... YEAH RIGHT!

Luckily the stingray wasn’t in a cantankerous mood and both it and the foolhardy tourist went their merry ways.  We also continued on our merry way and our next stop was at Jewel Cave.  Cape Leeuwin National Park and the Margaret River area are choc-a-bloc full of caves and we have picked out one that has piqued our interest.  Jewel Cave has obviously been around for millions of years but it wasn’t until 1958 that a curious caver actually explored its depths.  Its entrance was through a very small hole where a tree root used to be so access to the cave was very challenging.  Thus with public access highly restricted the cave is well-preserved.  Thankfully we don’t have to squeeze ourselves down a minute opening like Alice in Wonderland and the new entrance to the cave is quite straightforward.  The next 700 metres though is quite taxing – with lots of steps going straight down into the gloom.  At the first landing we stop to admire the tenacity of the trees growing on top of the cave.  A large Karri root and a Marri root wind down into the cave searching for water.

Marri and Karri Roots in Jewel Cave

At each landing we pause to marvel at the workings of mother-nature.  We have been in many limestone caves before but never have we seen such a prolific display of structures.  Every inch of the cave ceiling is covered with stalactites and stalagmites rise up from the floor.  In some areas tannin has seeped through and left a yellow or brown stain but the majority of the cave formations are white and shimmer and sparkle in the light.

Lots of stalactites hang from the ceiling in Jewel Cave

There are narrow passageways to negotiate

Kind of reminds you of being down a coal mine again eh Wok .... only prettier!

and we have to duck down to get under some of the overhanging formations.  After forty five minutes the tour is over and we haul ourselves up all the steps (with a few stops to catch our breath) until we are out into the daylight once more.  We both agree that this cave was worth seeing and it is well named.  It is definitely a Jewel.  We leave the underworld and drive to Augusta where we stop for a bite to eat before heading out to Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse.

Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse

The lighthouse is mainland Australia’s tallest and is built out of local quarried stone.  It was constructed in 1895 to safely guide ships travelling to Australia’s eastern ports.  Many ships had been wrecked on the rocks and reef along this section of coastline prior to the erection of the lighthouse but only one ship came to grief once it became operational.

This is one tall lighthouse .....

The lighthouse is located on Australia’s south western tip where two mighty oceans collide – the Southern Ocean and the Indian Ocean.

Where oceans collide .....

We thought it was pretty windy the day we were there and after climbing to the top of the lighthouse Wok held onto the outside railing to try and stay in one place for his photo op

Hey it's windy up here ....

whilst Robyn preferred the security of a more substantial rail attached to the lighthouse wall.  

I'm going for that windswept look ....

Our tour guide cheerily informed us that our ‘pretty windy’ was only just a ‘slight breeze’ and we should come back when the westerly winds were blowing.  We don’t think we will take her up on the offer – thank you very much.  The view of the lighthouse keeper’s residences and outbuildings looked rather small from the top of the lighthouse.

View of lighthouse keeper's cottages from the lighthouse

As we walked back down the track from the lighthouse Wok stopped to have his photo taken with the ‘pirate cow’.

Arghhhh!  This parrot looks a bit like a vulture matey .... Arghhhh!

A sign said the cow was part of a 2010 art works display but we just thought she was rather fun and couldn’t help but smile every time we looked at her.  It had been a long day so we were kind of glad to get back to the Van for a good night’s rest.  In the morning we were off again.  This time we drove to Eagle’s Heritage – an out of the way small centre which houses and rehabilitates Australian birds of prey.  We did a one kilometre walk around the complex before sitting down to listen to and watch a very informative display and free flight of five ‘black kites’.

There are three kites in this photo.  Can you find them?

These birds truly can fly and when the real good tucker came out (such as a mouse or a piece of chicken) they nearly fell over each other trying to be first to get to the tasty morsel.  At the end of the demonstration Warwick bravely offered his arm as a perch.

Nice birdie, nice birdie .....

We came away with a better understanding of the role that birds of prey have in helping to keep our environment on an even keel.  Hopefully one day soon all our state governments will ban the hunting of these amazing birds. 

Then it was off for a look at Prevelly Beach near the mouth of the Margaret River.

Prevelly Beach

This beach is one of the top surfing beaches in West Australia and as luck would have it we have arrived in the middle of a professional surfing event and there are surfboards, wet suits and bronzed bodies everywhere.  We drive a bit further down the road and manage to find a spot which looks along the coast to the headland where the surfboard riding event is taking place.  This area of the coast was recently engulfed in flames when a bushfire ravaged the forests and coastal heath.  Over thirty homes were destroyed and seven hundred houses damaged.  Just north of Prevelly Beach we call in at McHenry’s Farm Stop where Wok feels it is time to taste test some local reds and Robyn becomes the designated driver.  Margaret River is a premier wine growing region and there seems to be a winery around every corner.  If you were really into wines a serious effort would be required to visit every vineyard – and we’re not talking days here.  Weeks would be involved and maybe months.  Whether you would remember any of it would be questionable – probably one big blur.  Anyway, enough prattle – Wok has selected his red after numerous tastings and we are on our way.  We drive to the town of Margaret River for a late pub lunch followed by some supermarket shopping and then back to the campground.  The following morning we drive north to Ellensbrook Homestead which is operated by the National Trust.  The first noticeable thing as we walk towards the homestead is how close the bushfires have come.

Trees have been burned along path to Ellensbrook Homestead

Blackened trees line the pathway and we are sure that the house could not have survived the flames – but there ringed by green grass and trees the homestead stood.

Ellensbrook Homestead

We talked to the warden about the bushfire and he said that two fire trucks had battled to save the homestead and the caretakers buildings.  The volunteer bush fire brigade had literally battled with the flames that were inches away and planes had dropped bucket loads of fire retardant to save the property.  What an amazing job these people do.  If not for them this wonderful piece of history would have been lost forever.  Ellensbrook Homestead was built in 1857 by pioneer settlers Alfred and Ellen Bussell.  The aboriginal people in this area guided them to this sheltered site with its fresh supply of water.  With the help of some ticket of leave convicts they built a paperbark, driftwood, timber, lime, dung and hair house which was added onto over the years.  The home was occupied right up until 1970 and in 1979 it was donated to the National Trust which has done an excellent job in restoring and looking after the property.  The Bussell’s also constructed a dam across the small stream leading from the spring and then a canal to divert the water to a water wheel which was used to generate electricity.  We walk up the stream to the grotto where the water is running from the cave.

Grotto at Ellensbrook Homestead

Although the bushfire has raged all around it seems to have passed over the grotto itself and the plants have survived.  Ellensbrook is a splendid example of the pluck and ingenuity of our early pioneers and we are so fortunate to still have it.  After leaving the homestead we continued north, stopping off at Gracetown Beach and Yallingup Beach where we watched the surfboard riders paddle out to take on the big swell that was rolling in.

Yallingup Beach

At Sugarloaf rock (further north) we watched in vain for the Red-tailed Tropicbird.

Sugarloaf Rock

The rock is said to be the most southerly breeding colony of this species of bird and according to the calendar should still be in residence.  Wok even had his binoculars with him so that he could watch them soaring over the rock but they never appeared.  Guess they were all tired and nesting on the other side of the rock where we couldn’t see them.  From the rock we could see the lighthouse at Cape Naturaliste which finishes our mission to drive from cape to cape.

Looking towards Cape Naturaliste

For the very fit a trail winds from the lighthouse at Cape Naturaliste to the lighthouse at Cape Leeuwin.  It is only a mere 135 kms in length and appears to be very popular with the hiking fraternity.  We, on the other hand, are quite happy to let Mitzi do all the hard work.  After a quick lunch at the Squid Lips Fish and Chip shop in Dunsborough we drive to Busselton for a look at the jetty.

Busselton Jetty .... only some of it as we couldn't fit it all in the photo

At 1,841 metres, this timber piled jetty built in 1865 and recently refurbished, is the longest jetty in the southern hemisphere.  A little train chugs along to the Underwater Observatory or you can walk if you like.  After our visit to the jetty it was time to head back.  The traffic at this end of the cape was horrendous, with vehicles going in all directions.  Well it was Saturday and there was that surfing event on and the wineries seemed to be doing great business.  It’s definitely geared up for tourism.  We are more than happy to get back to the peace and quiet of the National Park campground and leave the hectic pace of the roads behind.  We’ve enjoyed our stay here but tomorrow it will be time to move on and join the rat race again.  Fremantle here we come!