Well, winter is the main rainy season down on the coast in the south-west of WA. But I decided to head back inland, in the hope that it may be a bit drier, as constant wet days do wear you out after a while.
I realized it would probably be cooler away from the coast. And it is certainly cold overnight but after frosty mornings, the days generally warm up with glorious and welcome sunshine.
Before I left, I visited Cape Leeuwin, which is the most south-westerly point on the mainland of Australia. Apparently, it is also considered where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet, but it all looks like the same water to me!
The cape was named by Matthew Flinders after the Dutch ship “Leeuwin” (Lioness). This ship visited these waters and charted some of the coastline in 1622.
The lighthouse at the point was built of local limestone in 1895. It is still a working lighthouse and vital to the safety of shipping in these treacherous waters.
Heading inland, I tried where possible to keep away from main highways and travel via the local roads. These backroads are usually in good order, although they may be corrugated or potholed in places.
I really enjoy seeing the countryside and passing through the little towns or villages missed if you stay on the main roads. There is considerably less traffic and sometime you are lucky to see a car all day. That is just fine by me!
Between my paper map and the satellite navigation system in the truck, I managed to find my way around, mostly without too many problems.
However, things did go astray a few times, as a “road” unexpectedly turned into a rough, narrow and overgrown track and occasionally the satellite navigation just gave it all up as too difficult!
But each time I did eventually make it back to civilization, secure in the knowledge I had had an amazing adventure!
The little town of Boyup Brook is located between the tall forests of the coast and the vastness of the wheat belt further inland. This is rich sheep country and there are many lambs in the fields at the moment.
Nearby, the old railway still spans the Blackwood River. The locals know this gracefully curved bridge, which was built around 1912, as the Skeleton Bridge.
The railway is long gone, but a fairly pleasant walk a couple of kilometres along the old tracks brings you to this delightful and peaceful spot.
In its life the bridge has been covered by flood waters and damaged by raging wildfires, but is still holding its own against the constant flow of the river.
Heading further north, I encountered Lake Grace again. When I last passed through this area in the summer, the lake was entirely dry salt.
But after the winter rains, the lake is filling and presents an entirely different view.
One back road took me past this old bridge, one of the earliest built in WA. Spanning the Wadjekanup River, the old wooden bridge has a certain rickety charm.
You can walk across and it does creak and groan a bit but for driving, it has been replaced by a more substantial but rather ugly concrete structure built alongside.
Nearby is this little church, built entirely of wood. This quaint building has been serving the surrounding rural community of Pindellup for the last 100 years or so.
A small cemetery is located nearby and it is obviously well tended by the local families, many of whom are the descendants of the original settlers in this area.
In many places, wildflowers are starting to bloom in the bush. These yellow flowers are certainly prominent and were growing beside a country road.
