Great Southern Road Trip
This was the first of four recces to develop the Great Southern Road Trip, a 10 day, 2200 kilometre adventure in the South West, Great Southern and Wheatbelt.
Australia Day Road Trip
This Road Trip coincided with the Australia Day break in 2019. For the past seven or more years we would get up to 25 people and 15 vehicles join us on this holiday weekend – a break that we extended to four days.
2019 was a little different. Only a two night static camp plus Mike and Nick and their entourage wouldn’t be there. Moving every day. Still a four day break.
North Dandalup Dam to Dwellingup
The meeting point, for most, was North Dandalup Dam on Friday. Adi, Kerry, Brad and Jane met us at the end of the day at Jayes Campground. and Jeff and Micaela were a day later at Walpole. It was still a considerable convoy out of North Dandalup Dam.
We travelled south along the Darling Scarp to Marrinup and then Dwellingup.
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- Along power line track near Marrinup.
Dwellingup to Jayes Campground, Gnowergerup
Nanga Road took us south from Dwellingup to Harris Dam, Collie, Glen Mervyn Dam and Mumballup.
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- Tunnel to separate road traffic from mine traffic.
Andrew met us at Wilga, once a thriving timber town; now a quiet bush hideaway.
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- Wilga Post Office
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- Near Wilga.
From Wilga we headed west to Greenbushes to see the lithium mine. Not far out of Greenbushes the Hester-Cascades Track is a great drive as it climbs the southern end of the Darling Scarp. We arrived at Jayes Campground a short time later. It was a cold night and fire restrictions were in place so there was no fire. Everyone was in bed by 8.30 p.m. to beat the cold.
Jayes to Great Forest Trees Drive
Next morning it was around four degrees and places where the sunshine filtered through the the trees were highly favoured.
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- At Jayes Campground.
We drove through the Kingston National Park along Corbalup Road to Perup, and then onto Muirs Highway for a short distance before turning south onto Deeside Coast Road. Nine kilometres along this beautiful drive we stopped at a fire tower.
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- Our convoy at the fire tower.
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- The Beard Fire Lookout on Deeside Coast Road is listed an historic site..
Another five kilometres and the first karri tree appeared.
Great Forest Trees Drive to Eco Park, Nornalup
Tony had been experiencing issues with his vehicle and he needed to take some positive action by the time we reached the start of the Great Forrest Trees Drive.
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- Cliff, Tony and Kerry trying to fix Tony’ starter.
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- Ayesha waiting for Tony to repair his vehicle.
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- At the start of the Great Forest Trees Drive.
The Great Forest Trees Drive was closed – probably because of fallen debris as a result of the major storm the previous week.
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- At Shannon Dam.
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- Shannon Dam
Then to Fernhook Falls and on to Mt Frankland.
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- Ayesha at Wilderness Lookout.
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- Soho Lookout at Mount Frankland.
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- Looking south from Mount Frankland.
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- Mt Frankland Fire Lookout.
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- Cairn at the summit of Mount Frankland.
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- Atop Mount Frankland looking north.
North Walpole Road takes drivers from Mount Frankland through magnificent stands of karri flanking rich farmland south to Walpole, where the South Western Highway ends and the South Coast Highway starts.
Tingle Drive
From our base at Eco Park we headed out to Hilltop Drive, Circular Pool, Tingle Drive and Monastery Landing.
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- Hilltop Lookout, just out of Walpole.with views of the Nornalup and Walpole Inlets.
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- Brad in tingle tree.
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- On Hilltop Drive.
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- Circular Pool
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- At Circular Pool.
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- Low water level in the Frankland River at Circular Pool.
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- Lower part of Circular Pool.
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- The Frankland River below Circular Pool.
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- Tingle Drive
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- Frankland River from Tingle Drive vantage point.
Conspicuous Cliff
Next stop was Conspicuous Cliff Beach, just a few kilometres from Eco Park.
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- Conspicuous Cliff Beach
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- Conspicuous Cliff Beach
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- The Lookout at Conspicuous Cliff.
Parry Beach
After a quick visit to Peaceful Bay we travelled to Parry Beach where we caught up with Dave Snooks, a friend from Perth who moved to Denmark a few years ago. Dave guided us into Boat Harbour and the Quarrum Beaches.
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- Parry Beach
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- We couldn’t drive any further along the beach.
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- On Parry Beach.
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- On Parry Beach.
Boat Harbour
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- Boat Harbour Beach
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- Relaxing at Boat Harbour Beach.
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- Boat Harbour Beach
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- Boat Harbour Beach is worth the long drive in.
Quarrum Beaches
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- Descending from the track down to Middle Quarrum Beach.
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- Middle Quarrum Beach
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- Beautiful Middle Quarrum Beach.
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- At Middle Quarrum Beach.
After lunch at Middle Quarrum Beach we pushed on towards Big Quarrum. via the Quarrum Dunes.
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- Approaching Quarrum Dunes.
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- At the start of the Quarrum Dunes.
The beach at the western end of Big Quarrum had been totally washed away by last week’s big storm, thwarting out attempt to drive through to Peaceful Bay.
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- Leaving the Quarrum Dunes
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- We didn’t notice the the re-use of resources till we returned from Big Quarrum Beach.
We returned to Eco Park.
Return home via Lake Muir
Before we made the return journey to Perth we visited the Nornalup and Walpole Inlets.
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- Coalmine Beach, Nornalup Inlet.
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- Coalmine Beach, Nornalup Inlet.
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- The Knoll, Walpole Inlet
© Kim Epton 2019-2024
918 words, 50 photographs.
Text and Layout
Kim Epton
Photographs by
Jane O’Neil
Dan Wales
Andrew Brooks
Cherry Bayalong
Kim Epton
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