All the way to WA - Standing on the shoulders of giants!

August 05, 2023

Day 13 August 5, 2023

It was Saturday, so of course we had factored a parkrun event into the travel itinerary. We were up early to drive half an hour up the road to Manjimup, where the run starts at the King Jarrah tree. The tree is believed to be 500 years old, with a diameter of 2.6m and a height of 45m – that would seem to make it worthy of the title ‘king’.

Although this was event number 462 at Manjimup, it does not have a high attendance - the presence of the 6 of us swelled their numbers to 30 - but they were a friendly group and very welcoming. One enthusiastic local, Karlee, chatted to us all before the run. Afterwards, when we had congregated waiting for the celebratory cake for those who had achieved significant milestones – 250 and 300 events respectively - she asked Nicki and I if we were mother and daughter? I wasn’t game to ask her which of us she thought was the mum, because I felt the answer was going to be pretty obvious … suffice to say, I’m suddenly considering botox!

After a prolonged wait for the cake – because it would have been rude not to – we adjourned to the Two Little Black Birds café for breakfast, which was an impressively slick operation for a very busy café and the food and coffee were both delicious.

Back to Pemberton, where we had arranged a late check out, we had time to shower and pack up our gear. The accommodation people have all been, dare I say it, very accommodating! Helped in no small measure by the fact that it is the off season and there are not many tourists around.

We drove on to Walpole and the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk, with a small diversion on the way to see some other rather tall trees in the aptly named Big Tree Grove and the Snake Gully Lookout. We also managed to spy a white breasted Robin flitting in the trees – a bird endemic to southwestern Australia. The tree top walk was certainly impressive, and the forest floor walk was also very interesting. There were many Karri trees in the forest, but also some giant trees called Red Tingles, identifiable by their reddish-brown bark and their buttress-shaped bases, and their near relatives the Yellow Tingle. We spent a very informative hour and a half wandering both the upper and under storeys of the forest.

We arrived at our Airbnb in Denmark in the late afternoon and quickly settled into the rustic, chalet-style home. Lighting the wood heater was the first task, as it was by then quite cool. Shane and Wallsy went off to do the ‘hunter-gatherer’ thing, while the rest of us relaxed. I went walking, searching in vain for a track down to the inlet, which was tantalisingly close, but not obviously accessible, with light failing I had to give up and return to the house.

Shane cooked dinner and Wallsy provided moral support, while the rest of us enjoyed some biscuits, cheese and dip, to whet our appetites. Eventually we were dished up a delicious meal of roast chicken breast, gravy and roast vegetables!

After dinner we replenished our wine glasses and played a rather hilarious game of Articulate – a team game where team members have to describe a word to one player, using word clues and actions – a little like Pictionary, but without the need to draw. The end result was a great deal of laughter, more wine and a win to the girl’s team!

Tomorrow has been planned and our departure time determined. Our work here is done!