Western Australia
« Previous EntriesMulka’s Cave
Friday, May 21st, 2010Not long ago I was passing by Wave Rock, one of Western Australia’s well known attractions, and so I dropped in for a look. But the famous rock wasn’t the highlight of that day for me: instead it was a less-visited site not far away, known as Mulka’s Cave.
Most tourist literature on Wave Rock mentions other things to visit in the area, and one of these is Mulka’s Cave. Tour buses do stop there, however Wave Rock gets nearly all the attention, leaving Mulka’s Cave relatively overshadowed. If you’ve driven all the way to Wave Rock - and it’s a long way from anywhere - it’s a pity not to go a little further and see something unique.
Mulka’s Cave is about 18km beyond Wave Rock, near Hyden in Western Australia’s wheatbelt. Much of the road there is sealed, and the last gravel section is good. What you find at the end of it is a low hill of granite with a small cave at its base - looking a little like the mouth of a whale shark.
Entering the cave involves just a short walk along a flat path, then up a gentle ramp to a platform. There’s no fee - you just turn up and go in. The cave isn’t large, and doesn’t have stalactites (it’s granite), but if you look closely at the walls and ceiling you’ll see what makes this little nook different - an assortment of ancient Aboriginal cave paintings.
At first there doesn’t appear to be much to see, but once your eyes grow accustomed to the low light, images become clearer. There are hand stencils, plus depictions of the animals used as food in this area. Some are hard to spot and may require some manouvering up the sloping floor in order to better see out-of-the-way parts of the ceiling. The harder you look for the markings, the more you see.
The art in Mulka’s Cave is believed to be around 3000 years old according to a WA museum report I read. On the other hand, another internet source claimed 30000 years, and the Aborigines would have been around back then. In any case, the cave paintings are very old. They are also associated with the legend of Mulka, an ancient character whose story you can read all about at the cave.
There are also some pleasant walks from the car park, which complement the cave and make a visit even more worthwhile. My legs definitely appreciated a walk after a long drive.
A short loop trail passes through a range of local vegetation, and reveals fine examples of a gnamma hole and a lizard trap used by Aboriginals in millenia past. The gnamma hole is a rock waterhole which retains water long after rain, and the lizard trap in this case is simply a slab of granite propped up on stones. They may be basic, but features like these helped the Aboriginals thrive, and there are information signs to fill you in on the details.
So if you’re visiting Wave Rock, I can recommend going a little further to Mulka’s Cave. You won’t just see ancient paintings - you’ll get an interesting glimpse into a culture that was around long before any Romans thought of starting an empire.
Topics: Attractions, Western Australia | Add Your Comment »
Salmon Beach, WA
Saturday, April 17th, 2010Rugged, pristine, scenic, isolated and deserted … If you like walking along beaches fitting that description, then you might like Salmon Beach. Just don’t expect to go for a swim there.
The Salmon Beach I’m referring to (there are probably others) is in the southwest corner of Western Australia, in the D’entrecasteau National Park. It’s just a few kilometres west of Windy Harbour, whose name provides a clue as to why swimming isn’t recommended. This part of the coast feels the full force of winds and swells sweeping up from the southern ocean, making the beaches a little windswept and rough for much of the time (but not all the time). Windy Harbour itself has sheltered swimming, but not Salmon Beach.
I found Salmon Beach when visiting the coastal cliffs at Windy Harbour. From this tiny hamlet of shacks and campsites, a nicely paved road winds up to the top of the spectacular cliffs nearby. The cliffs and dramatic coastal views are the main drawcard here, and provide good reasons to visit the area. A number of side roads branch off to lookouts, and one of the first you come to takes you the short distance to the Salmon Beach parking area.
A viewpoint just before the beach gives a preview of what you’ll find - unspoiled beach and cliffs, wild and untamed. If you visit outside of summer and holiday periods, you’ll probably have it all to yourself. If you don’t, it still won’t be crowded.
A short walk from the car park through dunes puts you on the beach. In one direction you see limestone cliffs rising sharply out of the sea, usually with waves smashing on the rocks at their base. In the other direction - a stretch of sand backed by high dunes, with more cliffs further on. What you won’t see is anything man-made, other than human visitors. The only developments on this beach are those brought about by erosion, climate and sea level changes.
So what can you do here? Salmon Beach isn’t somewhere you’d go to swim or sunbathe (although it’s possible if conditions are just right), but it’s a great place for beach walks. Also playing in the sand, or just chilling out watching waves crashing or storm clouds passing by. Beach fishing may be another option, but as a total non-fisher I’m not qualified to comment.
As someone who loves to relax and soak up the sounds, sights and smells of a wild beach, I do feel qualified to say that Salmon Beach is a great spot for that sort of passive nature appreciation. The sunsets can be delightfully moody too. And it’s somewhere that those with conventional vehicles can access the sort of unspoiled beach you’d often need a four wheel drive to get to.
Topics: Beaches, Western Australia | Add Your Comment »
Wilderness Views From Mt Chudalup
Wednesday, March 31st, 2010If you’re visiting Northcliffe, in Western Australia’s southern forests, a good side trip is to visit the coastal cliffs of Windy Harbour. However, when driving to the coast it’s easy to whizz straight past Mt Chudalup, as so many do. I reckon it’s worth stopping for the short but scenic climb.
Don’t be misled by the “Mt” prefix. Like most West Australian features labelled as mount something or other, Mt Chudalup is no lofty peak; rather more like a big hill, with a summit altitude of 187 metres. Any reasonably fit person can reach the top with a little effort - it is an uphill walk with some steep bits near the top.
Lack of altitude is no handicap. The surrounding area is mostly low and gently undulating, and Mt Chudalup’s modest height gives a commanding view over forested wilderness stretching to the horizon, or to the coast. It’s a great way to gain a perspective of the area, and just how undeveloped it is.
If you drive between Northcliffe and Walpole, you may notice that the forest is not all the same. There are pockets of gigantic karri trees as seen on the postcards, but between these are patches of marri, jarrah, and other smaller trees. Some sections are hilly and lush, while others are flat, sandy and more open. While you can observe this variation from a car, standing on Mt Chudalup reveals the diversity in a more graphic way, all at once.
To visit, turn up the signposted side road which branches left (if heading towards the coast) 16km south of Northcliffe. A short drive up good gravel brings you to a car park (with a toilet), from where it is about 1.5km walk to the top. An hour is sufficient for most people to do the return walk with a rest on top. More time might be needed if you’re unfit, or it’s hot, or you just want to take your time and properly observe the changing vegetation.
The walk begins in big forest, but as you ascend the trail the surrounds become more open, and lower. At Mt Chudalup’s summit you’ll find bare granite domes - a little steep in places, but providing extensive and unobstructed views. There’s usually a good breeze to cool you down, too. There are also some steep drops which should be treated with caution in high winds; blown-away companions would be hard to retrieve!
Returning is via the same route, and nearly all downhill! Whether you go to better appreciate the environment, or just for a nice view, visiting Mt Chudalup is a short detour and a pleasant addition to a day trip from Northcliffe.
Topics: Walks, Western Australia | Add Your Comment »
Yeagarup Dunes - Where Sand Invades Forest
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
The Pemberton area in Western Australia is best known for its spectacular forests of karri and other native trees. But rising suddenly out of this forest - and slowly creeping inland - is an expanse of big sand dunes on the move. These are the Yeagarup Dunes, the largest land-locked mobile dune system in the southern hemisphere.
The sand dunes are about 20km southwest of Pemberton, and are an odd sight when you first come upon them, rising up to 40m above otherwise normal forest. They form a ten kilometre long body of sand being blown inland, swallowing the forest at a rate of about 4 metres each year. Slow, but unstoppable.
Having a look around the dunes, or at least their edges, provides a refreshingly different angle on what is mostly a forested and farmed region. Here are three ways of getting a taste of it.
1. Organised 4WD tour
Pemberton Discovery Tours operate trips in 4WD vehicles with experienced drivers. Although the Yeagarup dunes are “land-locked”, they aren’t far from the coast, and the tour takes you right to a wild deserted beach where the Warren River gently enters the sea. The tour also passes through old growth karri forest, with good descriptions of everything you see.
I’ve done this tour, and learned from the commentary despite being already well acqainted with the region. It’s a great way for non-4WD vehicle owners to see an interesting area few get to see, with someone skilled and experienced to worry about driving safely through some very hair-raising terrain.
2. Do-it-yourself 4WD tour
Anybody with their own four wheel drive vehicle can drive through the Yeagarup dunes to the coast. The catch is that you would need to be confident with driving through deep sand with some very steep slopes, and possibly no-one else around to call on for help if stuck.
3. Do-it-yourself walking tour with conventional car
This option is available to anyone who has a regular two wheel drive car and the willingness to go walking. It’s also the cheapskates option, which may be why it was how I first explored the Yeagarup dunes!
From Pemberton, head towards Nannup on the Vasse Highway. About 12km from Pemberton, turn left down Ritter Road. Thls turnoff is near where Old Vasse Rd (through the Warren National Park) joins the highway. Continue down the gravel Ritter Road, and after a further 11km you’ll reach Yeagarup Lake with its picnic area and toilet. Beyond this point is strictly for four wheel drive vehicles, so if you’re in a regular car, park here.
After taking in the small lake, proceed on foot down the sandy track which is a continuation of Ritter Rd. Not far down this track a wall of sand is encountered, appearing very out of place in the thick forest. The exact spot where you leave the track to climb the dunes will vary from year to year, but should be clear enough when you come to it. Remember to keep an ear open for approaching vehicles, and be ready to quickly move aside off the sometimes narrow track.
Once up on the sand, you’re in another world. To one side spreads a view over low forest, dense and green, while on the other stretches just sand - and lots of it. Part beach-like, part desert-like, it forms a stark contrast to the surroundings.
Away from any vegetation, you can pretend to be in part of the Sahara desert, and take suitable photos. Sand-boarding could be an option if you’ve got something to slide down large dunes on. Otherwise, just going for a wander to explore the dunes - wherever takes your fancy - can pass the time pleasantly. The coast is too far for a return day walk, but there’s plenty of sand to explore.
I should point out that walking in the soft sand can be sweaty work, even in winter, so a drink bottle might be appreciated. Also, if you plan on walking far, look back and take a mental picture of where you entered the dunes … to help you find the exit point later! Some days finding your way out may be easy. On cloudy days, with fresh tracks scarce and footprints wind-covered, it may not be so obvious.
When you’ve had your fill of mobile forest-eating sand dunes, simply return the way you came.
More information:
Yeagarup Dunes (Pemberton WA website)
D’Entrecasteaux National Park (Dept of Environment & Conservation)
Pemberton Discovery Tours (look under Beach & Forest Eco Adventure)
Topics: Attractions, Western Australia | Add Your Comment »
Merredin Railway Station Museum
Monday, December 21st, 2009Many country towns have small historical museums, and standards vary. One which I found to be rather interesting and well done is in the Western Australian town of Merredin, and although it focuses on railway history there is more to it than train memorabilia.
Merredin, with around 3000 people theses days, is an important wheatbelt service town mid-way between Perth and Kalgoorlie. In older days it gained importance not just for agriculture but with its strategic location en route to the flourishing goldfields. Railways played a large role in the area’s history, so it seems appropriate that a museum be located in the old railway station building.
The Merredin Railway Station Museum is right near the centre of town - next to the main highway heading east but largely overlooked by the busy passing traffic. Upon entering and paying the small fee (adults $4 when I visited in 2009) you are given a little booklet which serves as a good guide to the museum. One of the impressions I left with was just how well organised and labelled the collection was. Whatever your level of interest may be, there is enough detail to feed it.
Plenty of photos and written descriptions fill the rooms of the old station, including the early settler women’s room, but here they play a supporting role. Central to the collection is an abundance of diverse objects: genuine artefacts from the past. Most are connected in some way with the railways, but not all.
One which caught my interest was a wheelbarrow used by prospectors to haul their gear from Perth to the goldfields before the railways arrived. I’d read how they used to push their loads hundreds of kilometres across untamed land, but to see one of these heavy-looking wheelbarrows in real life gave me new respect for the challenges people faced back then … and the difference the railways must have made.
Outside, the platforms provide an open-air collection of larger objects. Parked on one railway track is an assortment of train carriages and engines, including a steam engine waiting to be restored. While I was there a bunch of children amused themselves happily pretending to be engine drivers. You can also climb up into the signal cabin where a mass of levers control the surrounding tracks, while catching a view of the town.
Train buffs and boys of all ages will probably find this museum most appealing. However anyone with an interest in scratching beneath the surface to get a feel for the area’s history should get something out of it. Check with the visitors centre in Merredin for current opening times.
More information:
Merredin Railway Museum
Central Wheatbelt Visitor Centre (Merredin)
Topics: Attractions, Western Australia | Add Your Comment »
A Drive Through Boranup Forest In WA
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009Pleasant forest drives in Western Australia are not limited to the southern forests region. The Margaret River region, known more for its wine and surf, also has a delightful gravel road winding its way through majestic karri forest.
The road is Boranup Drive, which starts from Caves Road just south of Lake Cave and re-joins Caves Road 11km further south, towards Augusta. If you’re travelling along that part of Caves Road, then a detour up Boranup Drive can be used as a slightly-longer alternative to continuing on the bitumen.
The attraction of this drive is the forest it passes through, and the walks which can be accessed. Boranup forest consists mainly of regrowth karri - the whole area was logged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the explosion of life you see (up to 60 metres tall) is what has grown back since then. Karri is the third-tallest tree species in the world, and while the trees along Boranup Drive are not quite as tall or wide as the karri regrowth near Pemberton, they are still impressive.
In the middle section of the road lies a small open space which was once a picnic area - it’s at the intersection of a narrow four-wheel-drive trail named Anchor Rd. The trail is signposted, but the sign is hard to spot (and only if heading north); look for an area of flat open space adjoining the road. The picnic table was removed long ago, and there are no facilities, but it still makes a great spot to park and enjoy some local bakery products while soaking up the forest ambience. Bird noise here can be delightfully cacophanous at times.
This old picnic area can also be the start of some pleasant walks. When the forest was being logged, narrow gauge tram tracks were laid to enable log removal. The routes of these long-gone tracks are now four-wheel-drive trails in varying stages of being overgrown, and they make excellent walking tracks. One way to enjoy them is just go for a wander and see where you end up, and Anchor Rd is a good candidate for this. Another option is to consult the book “Walking the capes” by Jane Scott for some maps and walk descriptions.
Boranup Drive is a firm gravel surface, suitable for conventional cars, although it can be bumpy due to corrugations, pot-holes and rocks. Expect your car to get a good shake-up! It is also narrow, so keep the speed down and be ready to move over and make room for oncoming vehicles. If you don’t mind this sort of driving, Boranup Drive can be a scenic addition to a tour of the Margaret River region.
Topics: Scenic Roads, Western Australia | Add Your Comment »
Merredin Town Tour
Monday, October 12th, 2009The Western Australian country town of Merredin looks fairly average at first glance, the sort of place most travellers might stop for food and fuel before moving on. But it’s far from average, and boasts a town tour that is surprisinqly worthwhile.
I stumbled on this little gem while driving around the wheatbelt, a large agricultural region inland from the west coast. Previously I’d only used Merredin, 285km east of Perth, as a brief refreshment stop. Being the largest town for hundreds of kilometres makes it very suitable for that. This time, however, I stayed overnight to explore some of the natural attractions in the area. That’s when I found out about the Snapshot Tour, a town tour run by “Discover the Wheatbelt” late afternoon every day for most of the year.
Normally I avoid organised tours, but as it cost only $15 and would only take up 90 minutes, there wasn’t too much to lose. Curiosity got the better of me.
It didn’t take long to see why this was going to be a good tour. The guy running it, Martin Morris, is a long time Merredin resident who not only knows the place inside out, but is passionate about it. Being a tour guide isn’t just a job - he already has a day job. He leads tours because he enjoys showing off his town, and this enthusiasm makes the tour very engaging. On the surface, a country town’s airstrip and wheat bins may not sound like the subjects of gripping tales, but the stories behind them, as told by Martin, are worth hearing.
The tour uses a comfortable small coach, and takes in points of interest in and around the town. Merredin’s history is talked about, as you might expect, but it’s the focus on the town’s present that left the greatest impression on me. In particular, the way water is harvested and recycled in an arid climate. Examples of waste-water recycling were pointed out, which would otherwise be easy to not notice. The gathering of rainwater from granite outcrops, and the present fight against salinity, are other cases of Merredin’s people adapting to their challenges.
In contrast to most inland Australian towns, which are slowly shrinking, Merredin is actually growing. The tour helps explain what is different about Merredin, and why the growth is not surprising. Martin’s other role as a town councillor allows him to give insights into many of the town’s innovations, and provides a source of many interesting stories about the town and its people.
I felt that the relatively small investment of time and money in doing this tour was well rewarded. Never again will I think of Merredin as just a toilet stop!
Links:
Discover The Wheatbelt
Topics: Activities, Western Australia | Add Your Comment »
Guesthouse In A Monastery At New Norcia, WA
Monday, August 31st, 2009
New Norcia in Western Australia is definitely not off the beaten track, but it offers some accommodation which is truly out of the ordinary. It is Australia’s only monastic town, and the accommodation is a guesthouse run by the monastery following a fifth century tradition. I recently stayed in this unique place.
New Norcia began in 1846 when a monastery was built 132km north of Perth, and a small town grew up around it. In the tradition of St Benedict (born in Norcia, Italy), the monks offered hospitality to passing travellers, as they still do to this day in the guesthouse attached to the monastery. The numbers of monks may have reduced, and their schools closed, but the monastery still owns and operates the town, a situation unique in Australia.
Guests stay in either single or twin rooms, some with ensuites and others sharing a bathroom. Standards could be summed up as basic but comfortable - everything you really need is there, including a guest lounge room, dining room, and kitchen. Meals are provided, and the showers are consistently hot. In keeping with the surroundings, quietness is requested at night, and there is no TV.
You can attend prayers with the monks and eat with them if you want to, providing you are male, but you don’t have to. I ate with them in their refectory to experience how monks at New Norcia do dinner - without speaking, other than someone reading from the bible. The food was very good, but as a slow eater I found it a little rushed. You can eat in a more normal way in the guesthouse dining room if you prefer, as most guests do.
Whether you stay there or not, the twice-daily walking tours are an excellent way of exploring this one-of-a-kind town. Of its 64 buildings, 30 are classified by the national trust for their heritage value, giving it probably more historical ambience than anywhere else in Western Australia.
Even if you’re like me and prefer the roads less travelled, staying in the monastery guesthouse is a good reason to visit the much-visited town of New Norcia.
Links:
New Norcia website
The monastery guesthouse
Topics: Accommodation, Western Australia | 4 Comments »