Easter Monday 9^th April, 2012

This morning our way led to the 300 souls village Hyden. I made a short visit at the Peoples Scape Sculptures which are metal sculptures showing people by some kind of activity. Then we drove to the Wave Rock, a 110 m long and 14 m high rock wave. The weather eroded the wave out of the rock. Nice to watch it, but not spectacular. Then we walked the Hyden Rock Walk to see other rock formations. On the hike we saw from time to time Rock Dwelling Dragons (a kind of small lizards) rush away. Then I saw sandalwood which is cultivated here in the region. We got to Hippo's Yawn as I read the plan wrongly. The rock really looked like a hippopotamus with open mouth. After this short hike we drove to the Humps, a nearby rock hill. Here we visited Mulka's Cave, a cave with rock paintings and hand prints from Aboriginals. Then we made two short hikes. The Kalari Trail went at the top of he Humps and beside some more rocks we had a amazing look over the wide Australian country. Again and again I am fascinated by the width of Australia. Back at the bottom we decided to walk also the Gnamma Trail. It lead through the bush and then back to the carpark. It was not as beautiful as the first hike. Then we drove to Hyden and then to Kulin. A bit out of Kulin we saw a few horses made by scrap metal. Here it is a kind of contest between the farmers who creates the most original horse. After a short break in Kulin where we saw an Oldtimer museum from the outside we continued to Wickepin. A bit outside we saw a sign to the camping of Yealering. We decided to go there and, as yesterday, had to pay in the hotel.

Tuesday 3^rd April, 2012

In the morning we visited the dolphin research center in Bunbury. Here we could watch to films about dolphins, but unfortunately no dolphin could be observed in the bay. So we decided to continue driving southwards. In Brusseltown is an old quay going 2 km out into the sea. At the end you can go below the water, but it was closed due to the heavy waves. So we drove to Cape Naturaliste and made a short hike around the light house. I was still taking pictures as Dominik went back to the camper and met a big kangaroo. Unfortunately it disappeared until I arrived. Our trip led us throut the Leewin-Naturaliste National Park. Here there are many flowstone caves. Some of them were only discovered after a bushfire. The biggest one open for visitors is Ngilgi Cave. First there was a short introduction about the cave and after we could wander around by ourselves. There are many flowstones in different sizes. After we decided to to visit any other caves as this one must have been the most beautiful. Back on the main road we stopped at a labyrith. It was was funny, but unfortunately we did not know that there were also doors. But until the end we found all paths. After we drove until Augusta, the most south-western town of Australia. The town seamed to be very small and thus we drove back to Margaret River. In the last few years the region around Margaret River made a name for good Australian wine. We saw many wines during the drive.

Tuesday 27^th March, 2012

In the morning at 8am Sandra wanted to exchange a book at the camping reception, but it was still closed. We thought they maybe have changed to winter time here in Western Australia without us knowing it. We knew from former Australia visits that the time changes can be different in each federal state. I asked at a petrol station and learnt that Western Australia does not change the time. Relieved we drove to Beekeepers Nature Reserve to see the salt lake. The salt shimmers in the light like snow. Left and right of the road is a huge area of salt. Then we drove with a few stops to Yanchep National Park. On the way we saw a grass tree with eight seed sticks. That we have not seen so far. At Yanchep National Park we first booked a guided tour to the flowstone cave. On the way to the cave I observed two Kookaburras in the tree. After watching them for a while we went into the flowstone cave. I was interesting to hear how they develop. We could touch a broken down peace of the rock. It looks like ice, gleams in the light, but feels like stone. After the tour we went to the Koala colony. We saw a few of them sleeping. In the same trees there were many, many black and white cockatoos. They made a huge noise and were flying around all the time. As it was already after 3pm we wanted also to see the kangaroos. Here in the park there should live some Western Grey Kangaroos. As we did not met any on our walk I wanted to go back to the Koalas. This was a good decision then one of them walked down the tree to get to the fodder. We watch it very long and had then do decide what we want to do now as we still did not see any kangaroos. I called the camping of Midland and reserved a place as we wanted to drive there today anyway. Immediately after the kangaroos passed jumping. We were fascinated by these animals which did not let themselves disturb by humans. Then we drove to Midland to pass our last night in the camper. In the camping we did not find immediately our place as we did not see any numbers. A kind man explained that they stand on the side of the road and we realized that his car is standing at our place. We put our camper so that his car fitted beside it. In the evening we started to put our stuff together.

Friday 24^th February, 2012

Punctually at um 8:30am I entered the time machine which brought me to the year 1830. Tasmania was still called Van Diemen's Land and in Port Arthur logger camps were build where convicts had to work. Starting 1833 repeat offenders from all Australia were moved here. At 1840 more than 2000 convicts, soldiers and civil employees lived in Port Arthur. After the transport of convicts to Van Diemen's Land ended in 1853, mainly convicts with psychical or physical illnesses stayed here. 1877 the camp was closed and many building abolished or destroyed by bush fires. A few houses got sold and a small town named Carnarvon developed. The stories told about this place led to the first tourists coming at around 1920 to see the ruins. Hotels and shops opened in the area and the place got renamed again to Port Arthur. End of April 1996 another tragic chapter was added to this historical place. A spree killer shot 35 people and another 19 got hurt. Next to the ruin at the place of the massacre there is a water filled block. I examined the compound in detail and is it was imposing what all happened here. After the visiting all the buildings I drove towards Remarkable Cave. According to two maps there should be a gravel road, but it was paved until the end. What did I learn: do not always believe the map! I wend down to the caves and could see how a bit of water flushed back and forth. It was beautiful, even if it just was low tide. Then I continued to White Beach. Here I made a long walk along the beach and enjoyed the turquoise water. I visited the coal mines as I did not yet have enough Tasmanian history. Here the convicts had to mine coal and also here there were ruins to visit. On the way to the mines I saw an old friend: a black and yellow bird. As I later learned this is a cockatoo. Konrad and I saw already one in the Wilson Promontory National Park. My way led to Taranna. Here is the first animal park in Australia to give the visitors an understanding of the Tasmanian devil. As I reached the park the local birds got introduced. Soon the eastern quolls got fed. Eastern quolls look like cats, but are related to the Tasmanian devil. It was funny how fast they found their hidden food. There was still some time until the feeding of the Tasmanian devils which I was waiting for. The park also has kangaroos and wallabies, but those I did not visit as I like them more outside in the wild. The feeding was rough, they get the meat and fought about their food. That is the reason for their name.