2 Geckos Travelling Australia: Sun, 2nd Feb, 2025 Kev & Linda’s place, Bunbury to Bush camp at Greenbushes Pool, Greenbushes, WA (exploring Bunbury)

17 degree min, clear sky.

Rang Roald and chatted with him and Joan for a while. They will come up to Woodgate to catch up when we are there which will be lovely.

Packed up and said bye to Kev and Linda.

Into Bunbury to the Mangrove Cove car park then we walked across to the Dolphin Centre to pick up a brochure on the art trail. We just missed the dolphin feeding along the beach front. Unfortunately they aren’t part of the Information Centre now so didn’t have any info.

We drove into town and parked near a huge skate park area and had a cuppa under one of the shade shelters overlooking the Leschenault Inlet.

Interesting art work on one of the walls as we walk around the edge of the skate park.

Under the road bridge then up and onto the footbridge over the inlet waterway (used to be where the Preston River came out but it has all changed over the years) out into the bay which we went through on Kev’s boat. The path is marked with the names of the wrecked ships that have been discovered in the bay and it was the old railway line bridge.

On the other side is a map showing the locations of the wrecks and the change in the shore lines over the years.

This explains the changes to the bay area too.

We walked back over the bridge then along the foreshore with hotels and cafes. Great mosaic.

A few people out on the water having fun. Foil-board looks interesting.

Found one mural but I think it is for the restaurant here.

Town map.

These old silos are now a hotel.

Art in the middle of the big roundabout as we head back to the camper.

A chap asked us about the truck and camper. We picked up our water bottles and headed into town for a wander. Found one of Ketones 6000’s artwork I had seen on his FB page - did it 4 years ago.

Some ‘interesting’ characters on the power boxes etc.

The art gallery was open in the old convent so we went in for a look.

Some ‘interesting’ pieces on display. A lot was about a chap that did pottery and there were videos playing of him using wood-fired kiln etc. Another moving one was a movie about Blackbirding for pearls.

Up the stairs - reminds us of Millaa house. Found a room, a nun’s cell, with history of the Convent of Saint Mercy - Saint Patricks.

Continued on - not sure where all these murals are supposed to be. Found a big floating spinning ball in a park.

Steve wasn’t keen for the stairs up to the lookout!

Found a mural. Must have been challenging painting on each individual brick.

At the corner we found the bust of Lord Forrest and the site of an old church.

Back to the camper again. The chap was back from his walk with his dogs and asked if we had seen the ship wreck in the inlet just along from the boat ramp. He also said where we were was the old rail yards - the station is further around (we had visited that previously when the Info Centre was there). They shifted the station etc so they could open up this area for activities etc. We said thanks and headed back over the road bridge this time. Spotted some dolphins making their way in. They looked like torpedoes going through the gate.

The wind was disturbing the water but you can just make out the curved outline and a hunk of timber along the edge of the water of the ship. No signs about it here though.

On the way back we found some plaques - missed them while we were looking at the dolphins! Looking back to where the wreck was near the wooden jetty.

Another one was uncovered here but was sadly destroyed with the earthworks.

Back to the camper for lunch - again in the shade shelter enjoying the view.

Drove out around the inlet to head to Donnybrook. Nice mural where we stopped at a red light.

Met the new highway which was still having things done to the area so we had to take a detour to get to the South Western Highway.

Passed lots of fruit trees etc then the Big Apples at Donnybrook. Also known for a huge playground area.

We continued on passing wineries, olives and pastural land.

Nice mural of the Carnaby Black Cockatoos on the side of someone’s shed at Mullalyup.

Turned off before Balingup onto Grimwade Road to camp at an old timber mill settlement. Mr Goanna didn’t want to get off the road but he eventually sauntered off.

Into Kerr State Forest - nice drive. Found the turn off down to the settlement area but there was big road closed signs as they were using the road for logging trucks. We took a road from there, part gravel, part bitumen through a pine plantation back to Greenbushes. There are two camping areas, one by the pool (3 days - Norm Lindsay Reserve) where we have stayed before and one at the sportsground (7 days).

Fran had texted about a video chat so we pulled up in town first and had a lovely chat with our darlings. Even the cats wanted to be on the video too. So looking forward to seeing them soon.

Down Spring Gully Road to the pool where lots of people were enjoying the water and picnic area. A few vans parked in the first area so we walked up the bush track and found a spot perfect for us. Shady but hopefully we can get enough charge through the trees with the solar blanket as well.

Lots of Red-tailed Black Cockatoos, 28s and magpies about.

Had a cuppa. I checked what we had seen on our previous visits here in Dec 2016 with Kev & Linda and then when we camped here in Jan 2017. The water level was much higher and now there are new murals on the toilet block. We have explored the mine and town history but there are a few walks to do so will get some exercise while we are here.