Le Grand National Park Week40

                         Week 40

                 Le Grand National Park

Who out there says we aren’t creatures of habit? Of course our last day in Esperance was in the other golf course we discovered. Playing with the birds here is an experience for old ducks like me. It is the first golf course we have encountered which doesn’t end the ninth hole at the clubhouse. By the time we had played twelve and eventually reached our thermos of coffee, we were hanging out big time. Thus we came to understand why this club has one fixed price. Who is going to stop after nine when you haven’t arrived back at your car?

We ended up playing in an unusually hot day and ended up with an old guys whose partner had deserted him because of the heat - no not his wife, his golfing partner. He was a relative beginner who could hit that driver, but had no control over direction. He hit some long long shots, but finding them was a problem.

Thus with long awaited anticipation we headed out for a sojourn at Lucky Bay, one of the campspots in Cape Le Grand National Park. Because there are showers, the price is $9 per person per night, but they don’t guarantee hot water, or indeed water itself, but they do charge you for it. Camp hosts come around about 5 to collect your dollars, so the savy travellers come in at 7 hoping for a spot and a free night.

This indeed was a popular destination and as we edged each night closer to the school holidays in WA, there were more and more campers each night. We couldn’t get over the number of Frenchmen here.

Because I was a squib, Brian had to climb Frenchman’s Peak by himself, but teamed up with some French backpackers and they took some shots for him to show he had scaled the heights. I don’t do steep rocky slopes with bravado so Brian was kind and didn’t pressure me.

We had been for a walk between Lucky Bay and the next cove that was described as an easy walk. After that, I was even more disturbed about attempting a climb they described as hard. Our legs got a good workout on the easy walk. It must be beautiful in the height of the wildflower season, but we are still captivated by the magic of this park.

Many of the bays and coves are deserted and offer idyllic spots to picnic or just savour the surroundings. On the more popular beaches you can see walkers, surfers and kiteboarders or even fishermen driving further to find that perfect spot. But we are in the south, so the water temperature is not enticing, especially in the wind. Still hardy souls are swimming and snorkeling with gay abandon.

Our neighbour was a local here for a few days serious fishing and shared his catch of salmon with us and the van next door as well, so we had an unanticipated feed of fish that was delectable.

All good things must come to a close, and though there are showers here, there is only so long the water in the caravan will allow unpowered camping without facilities. We must learn to be more frugal. I have learnt to do the “bushman’s shower” so it is great when I go to a shower where I can leave it running and enjoy!!!!! So we headed for another long drive, broken by a free camp on the way. Now we can boast we stayed at Needilup, behind the hall, population 1. Camps five let us down, because they promise toilets here, but they haven’t been operational for at least 4 years, but the local populace was friendly and offered the use of their facilities if the need arose.

Our destination is the Stirling Range National Park, but we stop at Ongerup to fill up the tanks and to view the Mallee Fowl information Centre. We are the first visitors for a week, so it is not the height of their tourist season. These small communities are doing it tough, but they still have spirit and good cheer.

So we finally emerge through the dust of roadworks at Moingup Springs campground, our base for exploring the Stirling Range National Park. The mist is so low in the morning the air is wet, but it is not actually raining. 

We didn’t have the best weather, but we did manage to explore. The best was Bluff Knoll, the easiest walk. Most are class 4 and 5 and three to four hours, a bit beyond my abilities and fitness, but we do walk for an hour and get an impression of why people should visit here. On our return the winds whipped up to a mini gale and showed us why you have to be prepared for all eventualities. If the weather had improved, we would have stayed another day or to so Brian could go back and climb to the top, but it wasn’t to be.

There have been searchers here looking for a missing hiker. They searched for ten days but have now given up. It is vast, dangerous, but beautiful. At our camp are white tailed black cockatoos who remind us of flying fox colonies. They screech and squark at first light, jostling for position so sleep beyond 4am is broken.

After a week of unpowered bush camping, the washing basket is full, and the batteries in the van, over four years old have run their course in life so must be replaced. We have also been out of phone and email contact for the week so have missed communicating with the real world. Undecided as to our next destination, we have stopped in Mount Barker, mostly to wash. Brian of course blanched at the price and is now champing at the bit to free camp again to test out his new batteries. Rain is keeping us closeted in the dry and warm but they need it desperately here so we don’t begrudge them a drop. It is interesting to see reports of flooding in Carnarvon, where their river usually runs underground, not a drop to be seen and is the town’s water supply along with all the farms in the district.

It was great to get a message from Carola that she is a grandmother to Emily Kate. Congratulations to Kevin and Rianna and all the family. Another little dancer has entered the world. Wow!!!!

Merry Christmas to you all.

Best wishes for a festive time with family and friends and loved ones to be thankful for a beautiful world.

The peaceful Nomads.