Walpole Adventure

It started with a kiss. Never thought it would come to this! Nah. Just kidding. It started with a day, and ended up being 6 of the little darlings. Walpole is just too relaxing, too picturesque and too goddamn easy to play in. 

Sandy Beach Walk Trail

Maisie the Kookaburra

To start with we parked the van in
a place called Rest Point, right next to the Walpole/Nornalup Inlet. The water is calm and very conducive to a handy Kayak or two which of course means Michael is out as much as possible playing captain and fishing for dear life. The area is laden with wildlife. Kookuburras, Crows and Pelicans alike stand around waiting for the good camper to take pictures of their ‘birdly goodliness’. They are the perfect models, staying still for hours, luring in the amateur photographer with their model good looks waiting for a treat or ten.

Walk trails around here are very well done. Obviously meant for tourists it doesn’t feel like a tourist sausage where you are forced to observe everything the same way as everyone else. This is indicative of the whole Walpole area. Kudos to the design team.

Rest Point

Rest Point

Swarbrick Artloop

Over the course of a few days, we have kayaked, fished, walked, had lovely meals in quaint restaurants and visited any number of natural eco-systems in their prime. Our first outing from the park included a visit to Swarbrick Artloop where sculptures intertwine with nature in an arty display of form with no function.

 From there it was on to Fernbrook Falls via a little used sand track called Angove Road (very liberal use of the term Road). This proved to be a little bit of adventure and a completely fun experience. We ended up spotting a range of colourful fauna including a lovely little orange toadstool and sand plain favourites

Toadstool on Angove

‘Banksias’ in flower. Farms are hidden in golden valleys nestled in harmony with tree farms and dotted with conservation areas. Kangaroos dance along on gravel and there isn’t a car in sight. This is biodiversity at its best and in harmony with humans for once.

Fernbrook falls although not running at this moment is a real treat. Gorgeous rock pools with glimmering red and orange undertones make you want to run your fingers through the puddles.

Fernbrook Falls

Trees of course surround this textural site adding a rough edge to the deep muted warmth of the stones beneath. I can imagine the lone aboriginal with his spear drinking from the clear waters as it trickles under the bridge and through the drop.

The area surrounding the pool behind the falls seems sentient, waiting maybe for the rain to fall and winter to fill its coffers? I make a note to come back a little later in the year to witness this spectacle. Rowell’s Pool further on is so tranquil Michael and I nearly fell asleep, drugged by its’ meditative atmosphere. This spot is ideal for campers out for Kayaking in the winter months.

Michael on Mt Frankland Summit

Mt Frankland was the next destination and what a place to go. We climbed the Class 4 Summit trail, which is pretty much vertical in some places, up a steep granite covered cliff face surrounded by Karri trees and awesome panoramic vignettes.

I am not the fittest person and neither is Michael but a little huffing and puffing never hurt anyone (ok, just a little). Our reward was the spectacular view and the pride of actually making it. Well worth the effort. We finished the day with a glass or two of local (Geographe, WA) Sav Blanc Sem (2012 Dragonfly) that was so yummy and reasonably priced I bought another bottle. Highly recommended.

Next day we went to the king maker for this visit –Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk. This incredible structure, built 40 metres above the ground in the middle of the ancient Tingle Tree Forest is a highlight for anyone. Even those like me who are afraid of heights. It did sway and bounce a little which made for some interesting faces if anyone cared to observe but I managed to get from platform to platform with nary a faint.

Grandma Tingle

Tingle Tent

To be appreciated though these trees need an up close and personal view and this we did via the gorgeous Ancient Empire walk through the old Giant Tingle trees. This was the highlight of my visit. The incredible bulbous hollowed out trunks of these unique trees bring out the little child in me. The roots and trunks take on characters from story books and the peaceful tranquillity of the boardwalk lures me from one hidey hole to another. 

This is a place I could spend time in introspective contemplation, writing and creating art works. Michael and I have both said we will come back for more in the future.  Extraordinary is too mild a term for places like this. I just wish more people appreciated its beauty instead of rushing through just to say they were there.

To finish this little ditty, Michael and I had fun playing in the Discovery Centre attached to the Tree Top Walk and completed our day taking a picture in the Kiddy car. Told you it brought out the little child in us!

Michael playing in car