Thurs, 28th Nov, 2024 RV Rest Stop, Katanning to Jayes Bridge Picnic Area, near Boyup Brook, WA (exploring Cranbrook and Mt Barker)

Min of 12 degrees this morning. Clear sky and still windy.

Back onto the Great Southern Highway heading south. Through the roadworks with the polite and happy stop-go men then through Broomehill again.

Continuing through grain and sheep farms. Lots of ’28’ parrots eating something on the side of the road.

Turned off at Tambellup - Town of Friendship, to check out Gordon River picnic area. The river flowing downstream from the weir. Nice lake.

Drove across the railway line and through the neat little township.

Continued southward through an area of salt lakes. One was very pink but it doesn’t show up well enough in the photo.

Into Cranbrook (est 1894) which has a lovely park etc but we continued on and turned left onto Salt River Road (we drove on the other section of it yesterday). There is a wildflower walk here.

Onto Sukey Hill Road to find the lookout on the hill full of towers. Nice parking area with big platform and information. Very windy up here but it was nice to stand in the sunshine while we had our cuppas.

The photo of the pink lake is different too - very orange rather than pink. Good views over the lakes.

Nice view of Stirling Ranges too.

I walked to the other side and got a photo through the trees.

As we drove down the hill I got a photo over Cranbrook area.

Back into town - nice mural on the cafe.

Parked at the park. There is a magnificent playground further over too - lucky kids. Some history and a chat with the local kangaroo.

Great sculpture of a shearer and sheep and some Kangaroo Paws.

Continued on then turned on the Albany Highway and headed to Mt Barker. We did some exploring here previously but there are new murals to check out now. Into wineries as we near Mt Barker. Nice entrance mural.

Pulled in opposite the war memorial. Beautifully presented.

Across the road is the Plantagenet Hall (name of the Shire) which has a nice mural.

Walked down across the rail line to the Hotel - also the shire name which is very confusing as this is Mt Barker.

Spotted a painted building which is a studio for a silo artist so we went in for a look. I love the emus.

Chatted with the sales lady who said that Sobrane had a studio in Broome for 9 years before moving down here. She has exhibited all over the work with her art as well as on silos and shipping containers etc. She bought this old bank (complete with vault) and turned it into a gallery also selling painted t-shirts etc. It was all very good.

Beautiful red Kangaroo Paw in the garden outside.

Next door was a mural about a flight in 1928 to bring a bank manager here so they could get a loan.

The Shire is putting up their Christmas tree - shame they couldn’t use one of the natural ones.

Continued along the street then spotted another mural up another street. Interesting to note the mural was designed by someone in USA.

Another good one further along on the side of the Post Office. Shame they put carparks in front of them which blocks the view. Another designed in USA.

Another one in the park area. Then another great one across the road - gocarting with magpies. Again the cars are blocking the view. It was done by Ketones6000.

Back along the other side to the IGA to another mural.

Back to the camper then we drove around trying to find a few more murals. Some were inside the sports ground so we skipped those. Found a long one on a long shed of the showgrounds.

Back around to the big park area and made lunch then found a nice sunny spot to sit and eat.

Lots of fun things to do in the playground area for the kids.

Headed back up the Albany Highway towards Kojonup. We haven’t driven this section of the highway before but have explored Kojonup (est 1837) before. It is home of the Big Wool Wagon.

We turned off onto a road to Donnybrook. More sheep grazing around here and still grain in the fields. Rolling up and down hills. Still windy.

Across Scotts Brook. Stopped for a cuppa in a rest area by a field of bailed hay. Down Scotts Brook Road to check out a camping spot at Querijup Pool. Passed a high fence then saw some deer further over. A bit further along we found another group by the road and on the other side of the road was black-faced sheep who look very pregnant. Nobody wanted to stick around and chat with us.

Down a dirt track to the pool but it was more of a swamp. Peered through the trees to see the water. Found a clear area where people have parked up. Steve walked further down to the shallow crossing that the farmer used to get into his paddock. I found some pretty flowers.

We decided to continue on to the next spot. The deer were standing in and around the dam as we passed them.

Back to the main road then onto a gravel road to Jayes Bridge Picnic Area by the Blackwood River.

Nice big area - two other travellers are parked up. As it is very windy Steve didn’t want to park under any of the trees. Tried down by the river but it was sloping and we couldn’t level up so went along the fence onto the flat. A few sheep about but they quickly disappeared as we parked and set up. Hotter day but still windy.

Noticed a few signs around the edge so went for a wander down to the river then along reading the signs.

Reached the bridge - there is a 10 ton limit on it now.

Read about the memorial but couldn’t see it.

Then I saw another plaque hidden behind the drooping branches of the big tree. The memorial was behind that. Sad no one is keeping up the maintenance now. Beautiful scent from the leaves.

3 more plaques, one could be read, the next one about the marathon needs replacing and the last one had nothing left.

View over the picnic area.

Worked on my blog for a while then we played cards with drinks - too many flies outside. Lots of birds to listen to otherwise it is quiet. The sheep wandered down to the river for a drink.

The wind stopped and it is still at 6pm so we opened the windows and it was still 28 degrees at 7pm. Got to 32 today in the camper. Another hot day tomorrow forecasted then a few rainy days and back to 24 degrees max!!