Sunday 17^th June, 2012

During the night we experienced different noises. First our fire alarm started to beep and only calmed down after we removed the batteries. We guess it was the cold smoke from the fireplaces. Then there was the howling of the dingos and at the end the birds whistling their morning song. We just started to drive when a few wallabies jumped over the road. A bit further a dingo crossed the road. At Yurmilkmik we started to hike to a viewpoint. We just start as Konrad spotted moving rocks. At a second look they were wild pigs. Some of their ancestors must have been escaped. Then we crossed a suspension bridge and hiked through dry grass to the view point. Here again we had a wonderful view over the National Park. Here I got induced to walk another few kilometers to the Motor Car Falls. A wide path led nearly to the falls, only the last few meters we had to climb over rocks. The effort was worth it as we got to a waterfall with a relaxing ambiance.

Back at the camper we continued driving to Bukbukluk and a short walk allowed for another view over the park. Then we drove to the Gagudju Lodge in Cooinda. On the way we saw at times the flames blazing in the grass to clean the country. After a break we drove to Nourlangie. A walkabout passed different places with rock art. Then we walked up the nearby Nawurlnadja and enjoyed the view to Nourlangie. As the sun was about to set we drove slowly back to the camping site. On the way we saw a wallaby crossing the road. In the restaurant of the lodge we enjoyed a nice dinner. Our stock of food is going low and as we are soon flying back we did not buy much.

Friday 15^th June, 2012

Our journey went back to the Wangi Falls. Here we hiked around the waterfall and enjoyed the view. But for a refreshing bath it was still too early for us and thus we decided to continue. Tolmer Falls we watched from above from a viewing platform as they were very high. Then we went to the Tabletop Swamp. Here a short hike lead to a small pond with trees in the water. We did not go too close as there could be crocodiles. At Florence Falls we put on the swimming suits and packed a pick-nick. We first hiked along a creek to the waterfall basin. We enjoyed a refreshing bath and I tried to swim to one of the two falls, but the drift was too strong and I did not reach it. After we had a nice pick-nick and let us dry by the sun.

Our last stop was at the termite mounds. On a field there are many mounds build like a slim wall in north-south direction. Thus they get in the morning and in the evening the full power of the sun, but not during noon when it is the hottest. On the other side of the carpark were other termite mounds of the more common round type. One was much taller than Konrad. With this experiences we drove to a camping and found there a place for the night. Today we saw from time to time some wallabies, but they always jumped away before I got a picture. In the evening we saw a few grazing in the pasture just next to the camping.

Wednesday 4^th April, 2012

The rain was the most faithful company we had today. At times weaker, at times stronger, sometimes a break and then of another time the full programme. Due to the bad weather we saw a few emus and kangaroos on the pastures at the side of the road. We wanted to visit a waterfall at Beedelup National Park. The path led over a suspension bridge from where we did not see any waterfall. Despite all the rain only a little water dropped over the rocks. After this short walk we drove to Gloucester National Park. Here we visited the Gloucester Tree, which is 72 m tall and the worlds tallest fire lookout tree. The platform was used until 1952 and in this area 8 other karri trees where also mounted like that. On a kind of spiral stairs with metal sticks we could have climbed up, but due to the rain it was too dangerous. Armed with rainproof clothes we dared out of the camper and walked a 800 m path to watch karri trees. The karris are a sort of eucalyptus which is only growing in western and south-western Australia. As there is a chain of National Parks in this region we were driving for hours through many karri forests. Our next destination was the Valley of the Giants. Here there are tingle trees, another kind of eucalyptus which can get up to 400 years old. The trees can get 60 m tall and may have a circumference of 16 m. In the trees there is a suspension bridge construction so we could watch the trees from above. The highest point was at 40 m. Then we walked a path leading to old and partially hollow trees. I was impressed how tall and wide the trees can get. As it got soon evening we drove to Denmark and stayed at the water. Next to our camper the Denmark River flows into the Wilson Inlet.

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.