2. Augusta – Pemberton

At the caravan park we are given a site right on the river bank and wow lovely and calm. You can hear the ocean out the end of the river but here is peaceful with duck and pelicans cruising on the water.

Cape Leeuwin lighthouse is our first port of call this morning a coffee before and then a walk to the lighthouse for a climb to the top. One of the tallest lighthouses in Australia with Tasmania’s Cape Wickham at 48 metres.

A Story by Cameron about the lighthouse tour it starts: “The guide asks as we start up the steps count how many steps there are and I will ask at the top.. we get to the top and the Guide asks how many steps and Cameron thinks to himself there is 177 and says to the little Asian guy next to him there is 177 and the Asian guy says no there is 176 and of course Cameron cant be wrong and says no I counted them and there is 177 and the Asian says I googled on the second step and there is 176. Now I tell you who is the wise one.” !!!!

After the lighthouse we drive to the Historical water wheel having no idea what it is and amazing the ingenuity of previous generations on how they provided the water from a nearby spring to the light house when building for the mortar and later for the cottages.

Today we get to meet a friend, Karen & Tony Collins, who I haven’t seen for 16 years. We had a lovely talkative lunch at the Augusta Pub, very enjoyable food and view. We worked together at Medicare and they shifted to Margaret River 2007.

Day getting slightly better we take photos of the fungi, grass tree and trees

A very pretty spot Hamelin Bay but a grey day with little sunshine but still enjoyable and-more coastline to admire

Augusta has it all the chimney a message in a bottle if you look closely and then our lovely tow hitch last one disappeared on the ground it is a dog toy with a whole cut big enough for our spike. Yes we did see dolphins how magical but very hard to get a photo. Next we see parrots having a bath in a puddle on the side of the road how cute didn’t think so later.

Moved onto Pemberton thought we would stop here for 3 nights and then thought I wonder what we can see. I was inundated with parrots while trying to have lunch.

After a lovely walk in the forest this afternoon, before the rain, we pack up and are moving on.

We visited the Info centre and we advised to definitely go on the tram and 2pm so off we trot and on the train well worth the effort. Just loved it when the train driver pulls up at the road crossing and gets out and presses a button for the boom gates to go down we cross the road then he stops again to bring the boom gates up. What a laugh!

The train goes out to to the Cascades and you have 25 minutes to look at the cascades and return to the train and back to Pemberton.

The bridges the train slows right down and crawls over them. These tracks were originally for logging and obviously now for tourist.

Feeding the parrots away from our van!!

Quaint little cottages some left with the original wood but some have been renovated. The statues around the town show how logging was a major part of their history and still is with the tourist visiting the Kari trees. Notice to black and white building in the pool it is going to be a floating sauna opening in the next few weeks.

The quilt was in the info centre depicting the fauna and the Karri trees from the district very impressive. The woman statue was outside the CWA hall made of metals and chains.

The Gloucester tree is famous for many reasons but the main one today is you can climb. Sorry we didn’t climb today but we did back in 2004 and it was higher then. They have just reopened after making safer for you to climb. After being closed for 3 years.

Driving on a loop we come across the Beedelup Falls. A lovely walk through the trees down many stairs to a wobbly suspension bridge not my favourite footpath but to do the circuit it must be crossed.

Beautiful maidenhair ferns and a moss covered log are part of this beautiful walk. We see a star? And do wonder what it is a weed or a native, back at the car park we talk to Google and find it is a tassel flower, only grown here in the southwest of Western Australia.

A drive to Northcliffe as it is raining and saw these beautiful statues and wall art. Amazing how these little towns are surviving even in winter. We were entertained by a little boy whose birthday it was and all he wanted was a baby chino and was quite excited to receive it and then to top it all off the cafe owner gave him a toy but have to say the baby chino was the hit of the day. And all this while we sitting eating our pies so a free show.