Sun, 3rd Dec, 2017 Bob & Margaret’s, near Mandurah, WA (around Dwellingup)

7am 24.3 degrees, clear sky and gusty wind.

Rang Erica and Terry for a chat. Will visit her pen pal of 50 years, Audrey, on Monday.

Headed east with Bob and Margaret to Dwellingup to visit their son and family. Drove through Pinjarra first – we explored here last year with Bob and Margaret as they had a home here beside the Murray River. So strange having two Murray Rivers in Australia.

Called into Brett’s place near Dwellingup, plenty of room with two dams and an orchard with yummy cherries, apricots, nectarines and lemons. Margaret had brought two small buckets so we started picking (and eating) all the yummy stone fruit. Christmas is here – I have cherries to eat!!

Drove into Dwellingup to have lunch in a park but ended up following a forestry road east and ended up nearly at Boddington. Made it back to the main road and headed back to Dwellingup – great detour drive through the bush.

Had lunch next to the railway station where the Hotham Valley Railway operates from. They use a steam engine as well as a diesel one to take tourists from Dwellingup to Pinjarra down the Darling Range or from Dwellingup to Etmilyn, along 8km of the state’s last surviving pioneering railway. The diesel engine was being used today. It was getting ready to swap ends of the carriage for the trip to Etmilyn.

Checked out all the history in the Information Centre. Dwellingup was a timber town.

The Widow Maker – nasty saw.

Lots of photos and info about the 1961 fire that destroyed Dwellingup. Amazingly there was no loss of life though 75 homes and 72 vehicles were destroyed.

There were a few timber towns in this area.

Another timber town nearby was Marrinup. It became a POW Camp in August 1943 and continued till April 1946. Thousands of prisoners passed through here during this time. The camp could accommodate 1200 prisoners including Army personnel. The Camp was basically a transit stop for workers on the way to farms or rural control centres. Prisoners only stayed for long periods for medical or disciplinary reasons. When the war ended, the POWs were to be sent home but some wanted to stay in Australia to avoid returning to war-devastated Europe. While their employers supported them, they had to return home before they could apply to immigrate by sponsorship. Thirty men escaped and remained in WA after the final shipload of POWs left Fremantle in December 1946.

Outside was a sculpture of a sleepercutter made from lots of tools etc. Steve noticed his bottom was a jaffle iron.

We headed to Marrinup through the area of the POW camp – 4.5km walk but only a few slabs remain so we didn’t bother. There is a walk down to a waterfall too but we skipped that as there wouldn’t be any water coming over this time of the year.

We continued along the track, old forestry ones, till we found Oakey Dam. It was created to provide water for the steam engines of the railway. Followed the narrow track down to the dam wall and walked across it – well there were no signs saying not to. Two guys and their dog had just been in for a swim.

Halfway across was a great view down to the Alcoa Alumina Refinery near Pinjarra. The bauxite is brought down off the Scarp by conveyor belt from the Huntley Bauxite Mine.

Zoomed in closer.

The train carriages being filled up ready to take the product to the ships waiting at Kwinana Port.

Further to the west we can see Peel Inlet.

Steve wondered how many people have tried to push the ‘marble’ off the big rock.

Back along the track. Spotted the young guys in their 4WD up on the rock above the car park.

Continued along the track till we passed over the conveyor belts carrying the bauxite – made a loud rumbling sound. Looking up then down to where it disappears over the edge of the Scarp.

Down the Scarp to the flat pastures. Lots of lovely flowering Jacarandas along the road as we headed back. The orange blooms of the ‘Christmas Tree’ are starting to come out too.

Drove into Yunderup to check out the Murray River – looks a lot like the other one. Even has houseboats and pontoons though no paddle steamers!!

Lovely hot day – top of 38 degrees, no wind. The sky was covered with that funny low marshmellow cloud hence it was so hot. Back home for drinks then back in the van with all the windows and vents open.

6pm a strong wind started – like it is bringing rain.

7pm spits of rain came down but not much. We watched the Perth Christmas Pageant – strange name for a Parade.

Sat, 2nd Dec, 2017 Bob & Margaret’s, near Mandurah, WA

8am 23 degrees, clear sky and gusty wind.

Mum rang to say the boys and Greg and his two boys were all busy in her garden doing some pruning etc. So wonderful to know they are all helping out. Though it was a bit hot and sticky – 32 and humid. Jess is going to put up the Christmas Tree for her too as they will all have Christmas morning and breakfast together again.

Mum’s neighbours have put their house on the market – haven’t been the best neighbours so I hope the next ones are nice.

Steve and I walked to the Cut this morning, enjoying stopping and watching the dolphins work their way along the beach to where we saw them the other day. There were two little ones who were having a ball surfing the waves in. The water was clear so we could watch them zoom all the way in. A chap on a paddle board came along and the dolphins swum around him, jumping and rolling near him.

Rang Wendy but the reception was breaking up. I thought she said they were going to Goldsborough and wouldn’t be home till 8. She sent me a text to say they were heading south on their holiday and would be back to the New Year. The reception was bad!! She will ring again when she had better reception.

I finished off my kilometre and camp spot planning for our trip over and back next year. Planning trips is very brain taxing – no wonder we just like to roll along!! Though this trip has to have a lot of planning as there are ‘permits’ to get and pay for – aboriginal land, national parks etc. Rebecca sent me her Cape York information which was helpful for that part.

It was a lovely warm day with gusty winds from the east – hence the warmth.

NO PHOTOS TODAY.

Fri, 1st Dec, 2017 Bob & Margaret’s, near Mandurah, WA

7.30am 16.8 degrees – cold morning for the first day of summer. Clear sky and strong wind gusts.

No one answered the Cash Cow call this morning so it will be $110,000 on Monday – if they would just ring me I would answer!! Sent in another lot of entries.

Warmed up quickly as we went for our walk south again. Took the camera this time. The kangaroos are resting on the empty house sites.

Walked to the end of the sealed path and up onto the lookout platform. Lovely calm Indian Ocean this morning.

Looking south.

Then north.

Lovely day for a selfie.

Lots of cray pots just off the beach and plenty of boats zooming around.

Back to the playground and up to the road. Great day to take the school kids for a day out at the beach. We laugh each time we hear the ‘bell’ go for the school – it is bugle call like at the horse races – we keep looking around for the race to start!!

Margaret said the crays (lobsters) will start ‘walking’ soon. They head out to the deeper water following each other nose to tail – just like the hairy caterpillars at Tinaroo Dam.

Margaret took me into town to check out the Spud Shed. A chap with big bushy eyebrows who didn’t take kindly to the potato quota. He started his own shop for fresh fruit and vegies and it has just grown and grown with them in other towns too. He is also selling household things just like an IGA. I got some big ‘heart’ mangos. They didn’t have a name like ‘Calypso’ etc but they were only 99c so I got two to try. They were just like a Bowen in texture and taste so maybe they were!! Yum Yum – it has been so long since I had a mango.

Margaret cooked a silverside and I made my Impossible Pie for dinner together – fresh eggs from Margaret’s chooks.

Thurs, 30th Nov, 2017 Bob & Margaret’s, near Mandurah, WA (coast walk & dolphins)

7.30am 21 degrees, clear sky.

$90000 for the Cash Cow Competition so I am using up a lot of my excess phone credit to enter the competition. They rang someone in Cairns – but it wasn’t me (I put Mum’s address in case the Cash Cow comes with flowers and chocolates). No one answered in time so it will jackpot to $100,000 tomorrow.  I go to bed with the phone beside me because if they call it will be at 4.30 in the morning but I would wake in an instant for $100,000!!

Headed off for our walk. This time we headed north along the path down to the car park of Florida Beach.

The path stays up high on the dunes.

Past the Golf Course – didn’t find any stray balls.

We are heading to the Cut – an entrance into the Peel Inlet.

At the Cut looking to the Indian Ocean then back towards the Peel Inlet. This area is called Port Bouvard.

Walked to the end of the groin - looking northwards towards Mandurah.

Climbed up on the rocks to look back to Florida Beach.

Steve spotted a pod of dolphins having a feed. There was a baby who was having fun leaping through the waves. They would catch a big wave into the rocks and then turn quickly and leap back over the wave before hitting the rocks. Too hard to capture on film but managed a couple of shots. We stood for a while watching them frolic – don’t need to pay for a dolphin tour.

This was the best as I got of them surfing - got the little one but missed the big one who is the splash in front.

Headed back along the path. Took this shot for Jon – he will have to travel Australia trying out all the golf courses – doing the Nullarbor one is a must too.

Only spotted this one Bob-tailed skink. There were signs to be aware of snakes but luckily we didn’t meet any.

Back to the van for a very late cuppa. Steve kept on with his little jobs and I went back to my trip planning. Rang Rebecca to chat about their recent Cape York trip to help me plan ours. Had a lovely long chat.

Joined Bob & Margaret for drinks inside out of the cold wind. Another cool night, 23 degrees.

Wed, 29th Nov, 2017 Bob & Margaret’s, near Mandurah, WA

7.30am 20 degrees and overcast. Only getting to 22 today. A light drizzle came over while we had breakfast but we decided it was still good to go for a walk.

Headed south onto the beach pathway which then goes down through the dunes to Melros Beach. This is the end of the housing along the coast. The concrete path continued to a lookout – will have to bring the camera next time. Bit bleak this morning with the heavy sky. A gravel path continues through the dunes south along the coast but we turned around and headed back for a cuppa.

The new starter motor arrived so Steve put that in. I worked on our trip for next year trying to work out camp spots and kilometres for fuel etc.

Malcolm rang – must have ESP, as he is getting sorted for the trip to the Cape with us next year. It is 31 degrees in Westbury – amazing. There is a storm building and there is a lot of rain forecast for Victoria so he is hoping they will get a lot as he has had to a lot of irrigating so free water from the sky would be great.

Kev and Linda came over in the arvo so we all had a great time chatting.

Back in the van for dinner – all closed up as it is quite cool again.

NO PHOTOS TODAY.

Tues, 28th Nov, 2017 Bob & Margaret’s, near Mandurah, WA

7am 24.3 degrees, cloudy – hence it is warmer.

Watched Sunrise – they still haven’t rung me so the Cash Cow jackpot is now at $70,000. They are in Palm Cove for today and on Green Island. Funny watching as a shower of rain came down on them.

Rang Mum and Dad for a chat, saying they should have been out at Palm Cove to wave to me!!

Went over to Kev and Linda’s for a cuppa and so Steve could bend up some stuff on Bob’s machine there. It has been so wonderful to have the shed and Bob’s gear so Steve can get all his work done. Kev thinks it is great too as he is resheeting his van. Bob and Margaret as such wonderful people.

Sky cleared after lunch for another lovely afternoon. Such a hard life we have!!

Decided we need to do some exercise so plan to start walking each morning – well we will see what happens tomorrow.

Started to rain about 9pm but only a light shower.

NO PHOTOS TODAY.