McCulloch Family Giant Leap: Karri forest exploring in Pemberton

It was a tough slog packing up this morning. We were really dragging our feet as we just didn’t want to leave this wonderful caravan park and all the people we had met. We swapped our details with a few people and got some recommendations for when we do the top half of the Northern Territory. Then it was time to load the kids into the car as they had been running around and playing with their friends so it had allowed us to pack up and hitch on without them around. Thankfully it wasn’t too hard to convince them to hop in the car and before we knew it we were heading down the dirt track and on our next adventure.

We had chosen to go through Nannup as it was a place we hadn’t seen and thought it would be an easy drive. There were certainly a lot of up and down over hills but the road was straight which made it easier. This is probably the furthest we have driven in a long time and we certainly felt it about half way through the trip when we would normally be arriving at our destination. This was about the time we were arriving in Nannup and Jason saw that the main road was closed and thought it was due to local markets, but it was actually all closed off as there were rally cars everywhere. So we followed the detour signs and I just hoped and crossed my fingers that it would allow for a caravan to fit through. It did, just, and we kept on going as that was enough drama for my day (and really it wasn’t much at all).

Now we entered into countryside that was still hilly but also had the winding roads. It made the drive a lot more eventful and added that level of concentration to poor Jason. Even at one point when he braked we felt the van wobble a bit, nothing bad but something we hadn’t experienced before. So we pulled over and checked the tyres and made sure everything was okay and for the boys to go to the toilet. Back on the road and we just tested the brakes on a straight part of the road just to check there wasn’t something wrong with the brakes and it never happened again. We just put it down to braking too hard on a bend so lesson learnt and we took the rest of the trip a bit easier.

By now we were starting to enter a bit of the forest countryside and it was just stunning, exactly how the photos capture it. We could see Pemberton off in the distance and it looked like it was on a steep hill so I did wonder what the caravan park would be like but it was easy to get to as it was at the same side of town as we came in. Also as we were here just before lunch so our site was all cleared and ready for us. We managed to get in easily, unhitch and set up quickly and then sit down for a bite to eat. Jason even discovered we have tv reception here and guess what was on, the cricket final between Australia and New Zealand!

All set up easily under the trees.

On the other side of the road it drops down to more camping area and then a little creek.

Not a bad outlook.

There was an outdoor wooden heater at the front of our van and Hamish asked if we could light a fire. I said I would have to check on the fire restrictions but probably not. Luckily though a worker from the park went past on his bobcat and asked if we were going to light a fire. So I asked if we could and he said of course and that he would bring over some wood that other campers had left behind! Score and now the kids are very happy.

After a while though I thought we should get out and see a few more things, even though the park here is so peaceful you could easily just sit back and relax. We thought we would do the tram trip as the brochure said it runs every day except Christmas day, so off we headed. Well it runs every day except Christmas day and Sundays (outside school holidays) it seems. Not that we were worried as we are here a few days so will come back tomorrow morning to do the trip. So we quickly stopped into the corner store and grabbed some milk and marshmallows for the fire (essential items) and dropped them back at the van before heading out to find our first big tree.

We went looking for the Bicentennial tree but my navigator on my phone was hopeless so instead we found the cascades which are a beautiful running creek over some rocks. There they had a map which showed us how to get to the Bicentennial tree. Of course this did not prevent me from giving Jason the wrong instructions on where to go and we even heard someone on the UHF radio who we thought was talking to us and said yes it was down that road. So off we went, but not even 1km into the trip Jason decided to let the air down in the tyres as they were still pumped up for towing. As he did that I looked at my phone again and then the photo of the map we had taken and realised we had gone the wrong way and that the person on the UHF must have been talking to someone else.

The Cascades.

Bicentennial Tree

So after a quick turnaround we were back on track and managed to find the tree easily. Climbing it however was not going to be so easy. Hamish wasn’t in a good mood and well to be quite honest I didn’t even get half way up to the first part before chickening out. It isn’t like it is steps all the way up, they are just steel rods that come out from the tree and there is nothing to stop you if you slip between them. To the left is a bit of square fencing wire but I see the only point of that being to try and prevent someone from going off the side if you are passing another person. I found going up actually harder than coming down.

From there it was straight back to the van to chill and try and enjoy the rest of the afternoon. In hindsight maybe we should have all just chilled at the van for the afternoon. Still I managed to get a bit of school done with Hamish and being the last week before Easter school holidays it will mean that once we complete the last three days we get rewarded with a good break. The boys even lit the fire as I was cooking dinner. It was nice sitting down and watching the fire burn and then after dinner we toasted our marshmallows before calling it a night.

Nothing like enjoy a fire.

The kids like their marshmallows well done! Actually Kayla's is just a stick as she would eat hers straight away.

Day two in Pemberton was started with Hamish’s on-air lesson and a bit of school before we headed out to do the tram ride. We got there a little early so ironically did a bit of school that I had packed, but before we could finish it the boarding call was made and on we hopped. It was a really good tour through the area and forest and we learnt so much about the areas and the trees that make it what it is. Even crossing the rivers was impressive and it sounds like they would be a lot more fierce and higher in winter which would be great to see. That being said I loved the slow trickle as it just added to that idyllic setting feel.

Getting the boom gates down and up are not yet automated.

Taking it all in.

Such a pretty line.

The entire trip out the guide spoke and then the whole way back he didn’t give any commentary. This allowed you to enjoy the view and emerge yourself in the natural beauty. I can’t say serenity as the tram itself is quite loud, especially when the kids are allowed to toot the horn. Mind you Kayla fell asleep on the way back and woke up when it was time to get off.

Looking out as we cross a bridge.

Love how the trees are making a tunnel for us.

Reflections in another creek.

We then retreated to the van for some lunch, another school session and a bit of relaxation. Then it was off to the Gloucester tree to have a look. Well I had no intentions of even contemplating climbing it but I thought Jason might. Jason seemed more interested in chatting to others and just admiring the sheer size and beauty of the tree. In the end Jason was the only one that had an attempt but didn’t want to go to the top especially with his sore hip. Hamish even had to have a go but I put a limit as to how high he could go as I didn’t want to have to go up and rescue him.

Hamish and Kayla were very keen.

I had to tell Hamish to stop there.

Jason having a go.

Keep going, you can do it.

And that was as far as he went. Not that I can talk, I didn't even try.

Now it was time to call it a day in regards to sightseeing as we have a big day planned tomorrow so we returned to our campsite and got our fire going earlier. Jason even whipped up some damper for a late afternoon tea. Nothing like good damper cooked wrapped around a stick and then butter and golden syrup poured in the middle when it is cooked. Delicious. Even some parrots liked the damper too as they landed on Jason’s arms and head just to try a bit. Surprisingly the kids were quite scared of the parrots and didn’t want to have a bar of them landing on their arms or heads.

Kayla and all her friends.

This is as close as she wanted them to get.

Friendly little fellows.

Don't make yourself at home mate.

We were up nice and early again to get a start on the day and prepare for our trip to Walpole. We had decided that Jason would cook up roast silverside in the morning, well the start of it and then leave it in the Dream Pot all day so that when we came home late in the afternoon we didn’t have to worry about cooking dinner. So it was a bit of a mad rush getting that done, the kids fed and dressed and all ready for Hamish’s on-air lesson but we managed to do it and as soon as Hamish finished his lesson we were in the car and making our way to Walpole.

Our reason for the rush was that there was an eco cruise tour that we really wanted to do but it only operated once a day and left at 10am. So that gave us 1 ½ hours to get to Walpole and the drive apparently takes 1 ½ hours. So yeah, not a lot of room spare. The drive was amazing and you could see where the bushfire had come through. It wasn’t just a small section either, it was huge and you felt like it would have been so high and fierce yet now the trees are getting their new shoots and it is starting to look beautiful. Not the same forest look but a rejuvenation and the fighting spirit that life will continue in the forest. We just made it to the tour with five minutes spare.

The burnt out areas are turning a beautiful green.

Just amazing to see the contrast of colours.

Luckily it wasn’t full and we could fit on. It was a gamble but we didn’t want to pre-book in case we didn’t make it in time. He said we were in luck as they had packed an extra cake! Bonus, but I wasn’t concerned about the food as we don’t go anywhere without a substantial amount packed as I know my two kids can eat up a storm when they are in the mood. The cruise itself takes you down the waterways and right to where the river meets the ocean. It is very scenic and doesn’t get too deep at all. However you could be forgiven if you didn’t even notice the beauty of the place as you are too busy listening to and watching the tour guide.

Where the inlet met the ocean - the water was so blue.

Making our way to the spot for morning tea.

You felt like you were on a dessert island (other than the boat you can see).

I have never met a tour guide who perfectly combines history, humour, natural knowledge and laughter all into one fantastic cruise. I certainly did not know the history quiz answers but this guy just blew me away with the colourful stories that have come out of Walpole and the connections to all over the world. At the halfway point we docked the boat to a little ramp and after a quick climb up the hill we saw a spectacular beach. That is the point that the kids and I headed back and let Jason go down and explore the area. Once back at the boat I stripped down the kids and let them have a paddle and play whilst I enjoyed a cup of coffee and some cake. We got to see some big fish and a stingray so that was an added bonus.

Looking down onto the beach.

Imagine bringing a boat out to here, a secluded beach.

Yep and this is just before the weather turned bad.

Meanwhile the kids were having fun playing.

Keeping an eye on that stingray.

Now it was time to head back and don’t think the guides commentary and knowledge stopped there. The whole way back he kept going and going. He has achieved so much for this area and also influenced many other states and even countries to construct their own treetop walks. The tour cost us $90 (the kids were free) and whilst I wasn’t sure it would be worth the cost before boarding, I certainly disembarked thinking I had gotten more than my money’s worth. I just wish I could remember everything he told me.

Walpole is surrounded by natural beauty.

From there we headed to the bakery to grab a bit of lunch and contemplate our next point of call. We were meant to go and check out the treetops walk in the Valley of the Giants but by now the weather had turned into a constant drizzle (apparently Walpole receives the most rain in WA). As we will be in Denmark in about a week we decided to leave it for now and try our luck with the weather when we are in Denmark. If this was our only opportunity to see it we would have gone but having not packed raincoats and only having one umbrella we didn’t think it was worth trying today. Instead we headed back to Pemberton and chilled out for the rest of the afternoon.

Poor dude, but good on him.

As we had washed that morning we were worried that it would all be soaked but when we drove into the caravan park it wasn’t on the line, instead we saw it nicely folded in the laundry. Some kind person had taken it off for us. We later found out it was the park manager and we thanked him kindly. He asked if we had heard people the night before and apologised that nothing was done about it. I must have looked dumb founded as I had heard nothing the night before. Jason said he heard something but it hadn’t worried him. Apparently it had upset one fellow camper and he went off and said that he was now leaving WA and going home. Interesting as he was going to go all the way up to Karajini National Park and back through the centre to NT before making his way (yes I hate to admit it) home to QLD.

Umm sorry parrot but I want to light the fire.

Honestly if we all did that after one bad sleep we wouldn’t get to enjoy our holidays much. We just told the manager that it hadn’t bothered us and the other guy was obviously highly strung. Other campers agreed with us and didn’t hear a thing. Later on the manager noticed our wood pile was getting low. Yes it was but we didn’t think it was worth buying a massive big bag of wood. However we were in luck and the manager kindly brought us heaps more to use. So now we have more than enough for our last two nights here.

The kids enjoyed the treat of toasting marshmallows, well Hamish did anyway. Kayla prefers to just eat them straight out of the packet. Then as it was getting chilly we moved inside for dinner and to get the kids to bed. We had planned to go back outside when the kids were asleep and enjoy a red wine whilst watching the fire, but it was too cold in my books. Instead we turned on the heater in the van and sat in the warmth.

Our last day in Pemberton was quite a lazy one really. We were happy just to do a little bit of local exploring and just chill. After some school we did go out to do the Karri Forest Explorer Drive which took us past Big Brooke Dam (Pemberton’s water supply), then a little camp area and some other thing that we had no idea what it was going to be but thought we would check it out. Unfortunately we still have no idea what it was as we found out the road was closed off.

Guess we won't be going down that road.

Okay so onwards we went through the forest and then back on some bitumen and then back on the dirt road again. We didn’t get far down the dirt, just to the start of the forest and we came across another road closed sign. Well there goes the rest of the drive as this was all one way. This detail should be maybe something the Tourist Information Centre should tell you, especially when you say that you plan to do the drive. Instead we were lucky enough to be able to easily turn around and get back out onto the bitumen road that would take us home. We even came across a little roadside fruit and vegetable stall that seemed too cheap to be true. A big bag of plums were only $2 so we grabbed them some limes and corn. All up it came to $4!

How could you not enjoy this drive.

Out exploring a bit more.

The little roadside stall we came across.

Back out in the open - beautiful fields.

Our purchases.

We then returned back to the van for a big cook up lunch. Jason worked with the Webber whilst I got the fire going and cooked my corn cobs on the coals. Kayla was too impatient and ate her corn cob raw, but then also had half of Hamish’s when they were cooked. After this we did more school and then headed out to the Berry and Lavender café for some afternoon tea. Jason had a pancake with berries and ice-cream on top whilst I tried the lavender scone. Both were delicious and both were so huge we couldn’t finish them. I mean my plate was empty but I shared with the two kids so technically I didn’t eat it all.

My afternoon tea.

Nice view of the playground.

Hamish trying to fix the car.

Kayla found a new friend.

By now it was looking quite cloudy so we quickly went and checked out the local swimming pool (which was a nice big waterhole) and returned to the caravan park so I could get the washing off the line. I attempted to teach Hamish another school session and really I shouldn’t have. He just wasn’t interested and I got more and more frustrated before finally snapping. I don’t know why I even tried to persist as he is more a morning person like me so why try and get him to do a hard session late in the afternoon. Eventually though we all calmed down, me from my anger and Hamish from being upset and we got the session done and went out for dinner.

Local swimming pool.

We had decided earlier in the day to go out for dinner at the local pub as it looked like it had lots of character. It certainly did and the meals were really nice and they had lots of colouring in books for the kids and even puzzles for the adults. It was nice to have a good family dinner but eventually we had to head back to get the kids to bed and pack up in preparation for moving on the next day. I managed to score the good job of putting the kids to sleep whilst Jason packed away outside. I was grateful to be in our warm cosy bed.