Trip to SW Western Australia, March 2018

Drove to Hamelin Beach for lunch. A lot of people around looking for rays. There was one swimming around, but you couldn’t get a very clear view of it.

Arrive at our campground after lunch - a large area in bushland on top of a cliff. Disappointingly far from the sea.

Rain started about 15 minutes after my return but didn’t last long. Now cooling down with a fresh breeze.

Friday 16 March

Side trip to look at Canal Rocks, large rocks separated by the titular ‘canals’ through which the sea surged. You could walk over a bridge to watch. Nice detour.

Arriving in Busselton we did our shopping, had lunch and headed for the jetty. What we wanted to do was walk to the end of the jetty, visit the underwater observatory and get the little train back. This wasn’t an option - the only way to get into the observatory was to buy a ticket which included a return ride on the train. We had just missed the start of an underwater tour so would have to wait an hour before the next one. 

Saturday 17 March

Drove to the Dolphin Centre at Bunbury. Interesting displays inside plus a digital dolphinarium and tanks containing other creatures eg. octopus, turtles, clownfish.

Headed out of Bunbury and on to our campground for the night - Potters Gorge at the Wellington Dam Reservoir. Large campground amongst the trees. Very crowded - lucky to get a spot. Note on the toilet door advertising a kiosk selling refreshments nearby but we couldn’t find it.

Sunday 18 March

Drove up to the dam. Passed the infamous kiosk on the way. It was nowhere near the campsite. 

Drove into Collie as we needed a supermarket. Nice little town and quite buzzing. While we were waiting for the supermarket to open Rob looked around a small agricultural museum and I treated myself to a cappucino from a converted railway carriage in the park.

Passed a mining camp as we left Collie. Had lunch in the town of Williams. Soon after a swarm of insects hit the windscreen like bullets and left it covered with their obliterated bodies.