Augusta and Pemberton

Ideally we would spend more time exploring the Margaret River area but we are racing to stay ahead of the next weather front which is coming our way and the temperature is a bit cooler so we really want to get back to where the weather is warm. As a result we packed up next morning and continued our journey by heading down through some beautiful forests to the town of Augusta and onto Cape Leeuwin which is the most south westerly point of Australia and is where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet. Cape Leeuwin also boasts that it has the tallest lighthouse in Australia.

Driving through forests in Margaret River

Cody and Aidan at Cape Leeuwin

We then drove to Pemberton where we climbed the Bicentennial Tree and the Gloucester Tree. These were great fun, although scary! The viewing platform up the Bicentennial Tree is 75 metres high and you have to climb up 130 pegs which are nailed into the tree, without any safety equipment! If you slipped on a peg and lost your hold you would fall to the ground, it is amazing that you are still allowed to climb them (thankfully!). Shell, Aidan and Cody admitted they were pretty freaked out at first, but the view at top was spectacular and luckily it was a lot easier climbing down than up. Shell admits she was still pretty happy to have 2 feet back on the ground.

The Bicentennial Tree - Jaime and Cody are at the first platform already

Cody and Aidan climbing the Bicentennial Tree

Aidan, Cody and Shell at the top of the Bicentennial Tree

The Gloucester Tree climb was not as high but it was a straighter climb up the tree, so was quite tiring. There are a number of trees like these in the region and were used as bush fire spotter towers in the past.

Cody and Jaime coming back down the Gloucester Tree

We also stopped at Beedelup National Park and had great fun on the suspension bridge over the Beedelup Falls.

Jaime and the boys playing on the suspension bridge at Beedelup Falls

From here we moved into the Shannon National Park to camp for the night.  This was a great camp spot in the forest, very different to anywhere we had camped to date. Aidan and Cody loved the fact that you had to collect wood and light a fire to heat the hot water system, so that you could have a shower. To Jaime and Shell the forest felt more like we were somewhere in America – we were expecting a whole lot of kids to turn up for “summer camp”!

Aidan putting water on the fire to heat the hot water for our showers in Shannon National Park