Wed, 11th Jan, 2017 Estuary Waters RV stay, Busselton to Pine Plantation, Ludlow Tuart Forest, Ludlow, WA (Busselton history)

Warmer night and warming up quickly, 25 degrees at 8am. Said farewell to Rob and Alison then packed up and headed into town. Stopped at the dump point near the Showgrounds and had to ring the Council for a code to unlock the locks on the dump point and taps – must be having problems!! We even had to give out rego, driver’s licence number and how many litres we were dumping!!

Parked down by the beach – beautiful morning.

Headed down Queen Street for a bit of history. Nice sculpture of a whaler’s wife outside one of the old bank buildings.

Across the road is the old Courthouse built in the 1897.

Another sculpture of a timber worker in the park beside the Courthouse.

The Courthouse is now the ArtGeo Cultural Complex and doesn’t open till 10 so we will come back.

A sculpture of Busselton’s founding father of the settlement of Vasse (Busselton’s original name) – John Garrett Bussell.

An old pub – the Vasse Hotel.

At the other end of Queen Street is St Mary’s Anglican Church, built in 1844 of limestone and jarrah, with a she-oak shingle roof. It is the oldest stone church in WA. This 10 metre bell tower was built in 1902 – complete with bell but no rope to ring it.

Lovely little church.

The churchyard has many pioneer graves including John Bussell’s and his family.

Back down the street to the Courthouse. Looking down the side which houses the gaols and the two quarters for the police officers built in 1906.

First room was the Magistrate’s retiring room (built 1861) and is now a café.

Through the door into the original 1860 courtroom where they have just removed an art display.

  

Through that to the police station built in 1861.

Next room was the policemen’s day room, also built in 1861.

Then the cells also built 1861. Two were lined with jarrah as the stone proved soft and one prisoner pulled out the bars, I wonder why the other prisoners didn’t do the same in the other cells.

The last one was bigger to house the aboriginal prisoners. Should I let him out!!

The floor is made of square jarrah blocks.

One last room which had a toilet for two in the little room!!

Lots of other information.

Knew I should have left him locked up!!

Back through the first room and into the room next door which was the Bond Store (built 1860).

The railway lines lead away from the store and would have carried the cargo to here from the jetty.

Next door was the newer addition (built 1897) of a new courtroom, which was the front we looked at when we first walked up the street.

At the other end were small copies of the sculptures they are creating to commemorate the settlers of the area.

Looking back up to the Magistrate’s end of the room – one fireplace for the whole room but the magistrate a fireplace right behind him.

The jarrah floor blocks during the 1982 renovations. The buildings were classified by the National Trust as a Heritage Site in 1972 and the last court case was heard here in 1975.

Back to the van for lunch. Lovely cool breeze blowing in the window it was hard feel hot enough to go for a swim. But we did – and the water was cold!! I got my feet wet for a photo then got Steve getting in then I joined him but I didn’t stay under the water for long!! Lovely and clear though – easy to spot any approaching ‘sea creatures’.

The seagulls were all hanging around in big groups on the beach.

Rinsed off then wandered along the foreshore. You can hire their peddle boats complete with slippery slide.

Another pop-up playground – they are making a killing these holidays.

All dry and changed and off again. Across the Vasse River as we head out of town.

Back north 15km to a free camp area that I thought had been closed – well if they have it isn’t stopping anyone. Nice spot under the pine trees.

We are in the Ludlow Tuart Forest – Tuarts only grow on the coastal limestone in WA from Busselton to Jurien Bay. The world’s only tall Tuarts grow at Ludlow and are up to 40 metres tall. There are now less than 2000 hectares of tall Tuart left, which makes this area one of the rarest forests in the world.

Rang Mum for a chat, then I rang Kaylene for a chat and Steve chatted with Rick.

Warmer night with a few clouds coming over.