Esperance to Albany 3/4 to 13/4

Reluctantly, we left the wonderful Cape Le Grand  for Esperance.  Unfortunately for us, we’d booked ahead as everyone had told us that Esperance is often booked out.  Our caravan park was small and had great amenities but was extremely noisy.  Our site was right next to the road leading to the port; so road trains were constantly driving past.  Not only that, but when they saw a fellow driver they knew, they sounded their air horns, and because it was a T ’junction they also used their air brakes.  Esperance is a busy port with two large ships being loaded with grain and lead respectively, so the freight trains which also passed our caravan park, were extremely busy as well – day and night.  Sleep? What sleep?

Twilight Beach

Twilight Beach

Pink Lake at Esperance

After visiting the local Sunday market we set off on Esperance’s Great Ocean Drive, past the local beaches.  Our favourite was Twilight Beach, no wonder it has often been voted WA’s favourite beach.  We also passed a wind farm which generates electricity for the Esperance region.  Pink Lake was the last stop on our tour.  The pink shade is caused by the algae in the salt lake.

We also enjoyed using our bikes in Esperance, and for once - no punctures!  Unfortunately we didn't have any food for Sammi the Seal who was waiting for us at the wooden jetty.

 

We left Esperance heading towards Albany.  Our first stop was 80km west of Esperance at Stokes National Park. Luckily we’d only planned on travelling a short distance as we ran into our first full-on headwind, and we were using diesel at a much higher rate than normal.  Mark felt that the wind was so strong that he even thought he glimpsed ‘white caps’ in the middle of the road.  (Note -for those interested in fuel economy stats; we’ve now travelled over 8000 klms since leaving Brisbane in the cruiser and we’re averaging 17.2 litres per hundred klms.)

As we’ve found in most National Parks in S.A & W.A, the amenities at Stokes Inlet were excellent.  We learnt that this free camp was quite new as the old camping ground was razed by a bushfire last year and it has only been upgraded in the last three months. The new amenities include new eco toilets and wonderful stainless steel campers kitchens.

Camp Kitchen  1 of 4 at Stokes Inlet NP

Stokes Inlet

Stokes Inlet is a very shallow expanse of water which links to the ocean only after the surrounding rivers flood.  On Thursday, which was overcast and showery, Mark and I set off for a 1.7km walk.  We eventually walked about 8km and reached the so called ‘inlet’.  Everywhere along the shoreline there were dead coral outcrops, some more than a metre high; evidence that the water level in this inlet used to be much higher than it is at present.  When we reached the inlet we were surprised to see that there is only a 50m stretch of sandbar between the waters contained within Stokes Inlet and the ocean itself.  It’s difficult to believe that the sea, which was roaring into the Bay, doesn’t cut into the inlet.

The sea biting into Stokes sandbank

Our next stop was Munglinup Beach.  We found this beach very wild and desolate.  The beach drops away suddenly and doesn’t look very safe for swimming, however people who have been here before tell us that it is quite safe as there is a reef further out ensuring that the beach is quite protected. 

Campsite Munglinup

Munglinup Beach

 After a wild, wet and windy night we moved on to Stirling Range National Park.  Many great climbs of the ranges from this campsite, most notably Bluff Knoll, however we decided to give it a miss for this time at least.  (There are signs in the campsite about a missing person.  A 79 year old man who went for a walk in October and has yet to be found.)  The other interesting feature about Stirling Range NP is the black cockatoos who return every morning and at dusk.  They wheel around, screeching and whistling, as they take turns to swoop down to the creek for a drink of water.  They could have been a bit quieter at 5:30a.m. with the temperature about 5 degrees.

We then moved on to Albany.  For those who haven’t been here before it  is pronounced Al, not All bany.  It’s a very scenic and historic town.  I was really impressed with the neatness and the different architecture in the town.

Convention Centre

Uni of Albany

We drove to the Lookout driving past an avenue of trees planted in remembrance of fallen Anzacs. 

At the lookout we came across the large Desert Soldiers Memorial which was the scene of the first Anzac Day Ceremony held in Australia.  The Anzac Memorial on Mt Clarence, gives views right around Albany – from Princess Royal Harbour to the south; Middleton Bay in the east and inland to the ranges.  

We also drove to Torndirrup National Park and went to Whaleworld, a museum located on the existing site of a former whaling station.  It was a very interesting tour and the only reason this site closed in 1978 was because of the huge costs needed to refurbish the fleet of tender boats and other facilities..  Neither Mark nor I could believe the size of the blue whale’s jaws (the entrance into the space now housing skeletons of various whales; including the sperm whale behind it in the photo.) 

  We wondered how Mr and Mrs McBride managed to raise their 8 children in a two room cottage on display.  We also find it hard to believe that they managed to have 8 children in this one bedroom and kitchen cottage.  

Misery Beach

 The pretty little beach in the photo is called "Misery Beach."  This is because it used to be scarlet  during the whaling era.  Not only was the water blood red, but also full of sharks who were very keen to eat as much as the whale as possible before they were butchered. The men who did this work were paid three times as much as other workers in the area, not only because of the dangers involved but also because they could not wash the smell off their bodies.

We then drove to the natural features in this area, Cable Beach, the Gap and the Natural Bridge.

Cable Beach

The Gap

The 'small' boulder in the middle of Cable Beach is as big as an elephant and weighs 10 tonne.  It was tossed onto the shore by the waves.  The cliffs at The Gap are 20 metres high and eventually the land bridge will fall and become yet another gap in the coastline.

The land bridge

Mark wanted me to pose on top of the land bridge!!!

On our last day in Albany we visited the Princess Royal Fortress.  We were impressed by the engineering feats for such an early time in Australian history.  In the 19^th century the loss of Albany to an enemy naval squadron was recognised as a potential threat to the security of Australia.  Consequently, even before the official federation of the separate states, all Australian states agreed to pay for the construction of this fort in Albany.  It was opened in 1893, the first federal defence in Australia.  The gun batteries maintained their role as a deterrent until 1956 when missiles were developed.  The guns were connected to the underground magazine by a series of slit trenches.  Imagine the work involved with creating these trenches, through the rock. It was an inspiring and informative morning.

Next we are travelling towards Shannon National Park, on the way we'll pass Denmark and Walpole.  We'll be in touch after Easter, so have a wonderful Easter everyone!