SEGMENT 5 The area around Esperance has
several National Parks and incredibly beautiful beaches. We found our
own secluded cove and enjoyed the solitude for two days. The water was
clear but rather cold. Cape Le Grand National Park offers stunning beaches
(pic01) and brilliantly white sandy bays -- we could spend several weeks
here! Yet we moved on to Albany and explored Torndirrup and West Cape
Howe National Parks with their spectacular coastline. Near Walpole, we
ventured out on the Tree Top Walk to admire the giant Karri trees from
above. Gloucester Tree in the vicinity offered quite a thrill: used as
a fire watch tower in the past, its trunk is studded with metal pegs (pic02)
so you can climb to a platform at 190 feet (61m) just under the crown.
An experience not for the faint-of- heart! Fremantle has risen from being
a suburb of Perth to a neighborhood of its own fame with many old buildings,
cobblestone streets and dozens of cafes and Italian restaurants. After
enjoying a relaxed day there, we continued to Perth to visit some friends
we had made on the Nullarbor. Anna and Mike had just moved to Perth from
Sydney and we helped them put together some IKEA furniture. This was quite
a fun break from our usual explorations! We walked around Perth for 2
days and enjoyed its busy CBD (downtown) and quaint neighborhoods and
relaxed in peaceful Kings Park with its incredible views of the skyline.
Then we met up with the Jeep Owners Club of Perth and ventured onto the
Mundaring Powerline Track (pic03) just east of Perth which runs along
a power line through the hills (see
report). Afterwards Geoff invited us to his house to show us his treasures.
He had been restoring several Jeeps and has a substantial model car collection
(pic04). Then we joined the group for a belated birthday party for Steve
who welcomed us to his home for the night. Steve also helped us change
the transmission fluid since its color was quite tinted. We had a wonderful
time with these fellows and are grateful for their help and hospitality. |
pic01 |