Day 34

Thursday 9th April 2015

Augusta to Australind

We intend to stay in the Wellington National Park near Collie so we cut across the South West diagonally to Nannup and then on up to Donnybrook. To Nannup we pass through forests for most of the way. After Nannup we miss our turn off so just take the next available road which becomes quite interesting if not a little bumpy. We see hand written signs for “Chookinup”. Well I guess everything around here ends in UP anyway. Eventually we find a free-range chicken farm with hundreds of chooks scratching about, their hen houses are old caravans! Which only goes to show that not all vans end up on blocks at old seaside van parks with signs out front declaring “This’ll do”.

We continue on through orchards of apples, pears, plums, mandarins and pumpkins. I spot one orchard with rows of espaliered apples, gee that must be hard work to manage. It’s also surprising that they are growing both cool and warm climate fruit. As well there are olives, wine grapes and eggs. One could fill the pantry on this road alone. Woody buys a bag of apples and munches and moans contentedly having never tasted apples so fresh (that’s my city boy). It is getting quite wet.

By the time we reach Collie it is very wet. It is a big old town and the locals seem quite cheery. There is a chap selling raffle tickets for two and a half tonne of firewood, now that’s what I call a decent prize. Damn shame we can’t use it.

Because the rain has set in for the duration and is seriously heavy, we wimp it and go to Australind on the coast near Bunbury and a warm powered caravan park with a little less mud. We are overlooking the Leschenault Inlet, which in this weather is no particular joy at all.

Accom: $28.00

Travelling Kms: 248Kms