Weekend away and bushwalking in Nannup, Western Australia

 Hi everyone, I hope you and yours are doing well. 

A couple of weekends ago, my husband and I went for a little weekend get-away down in Nannup, in Western Australia's south west. Only about 98 kilometres from where we live (about and hour and 20 minutes), it is a great place to get away without having to drive for hours. 

We stayed at a little fully contained cottage on a small acreage at Blackwood Banks Chalets - nestled between the Blackwood river and the state forest, about 20 kilometres south west of Nannup via the Brockman Highway. Just lovely. 

Arriving on Friday afternoon and leaving Monday morning, we could have stayed at the cottage all weekend relaxing, and there were a few places we could wander through the bush nearby, but we drove into Nannup for two bush walks on Saturday and then a little further afield on Sunday. 

Unfortunately being mid winter we were a little early for wildflowers. We parked in Nannup (just past the caravan park on Brockman Street) and walked across the old rail walk bridge, which is the start of the Timberline Trail, then branched off to walk through the Kondil Park where there are three walks - The 700 metre Casuarina Walk, the 2.5 kilometre Sheoak Walk and the 3.3 km Wildflower Wander. These are all circular walks which suit us. Trail signage helps you keep on track.  

There is also a parking area for the Kondil walk trails not far from Nannup off Barrabup Road. 

Below you can see the bridge over the river at the start of the trail in Nannup. If you walk down to the river on the right of this picture there is a tree with flood heights for different years marked. Amazing how high the river can reach in flood. 

And here we are on the Kondil walk trail. Markers help guide you - the axe is the Timberline Trail - and the footprint is the Kondil walk. 

Below are a few early wildflowers. I am not a botanist, so not absolutely correct with my identifications. From top left clockwise - one of the Greenhood orchids, one of the Hoveas, not sure of this white one, the orange is possibly Prickly Bitterpea, one of the Wattles, one of the Eucalypts possibly Karri tree, Wild Plum, last season's Hooded Lily, and in the centre fruit of the Snotty Gobble tree (Persoonia longifolia). Don't you just love that name! I love seeing this tree in the bush. 

From Kondil we walked back to the car at Nannup and then drove out to Barrabup Pool on the Timberline Trail within the St John Brook Conservation Park. We had our lunch under the shelters overlooking the pool.

First settled by Europeans in 1857, Nannup’s history revolves around the timber industry and the opening of the railway line in 1909.  

The Timberline Trail is a moderately easy 20 kilometre walk and cycle trail between Nannup and Cambray Siding, following part of an extensive network of disused forestry railway lines which once transported timber hauled by wood fired steam driven locomotives from bush camps to Barrabup, Nannup and Jarrahwood timber mills and then to Busselton Jetty on the coast for export during the early 20^th Century.  

The Trail, which can be broken into sections, making it ideal for day or overnight walks, is marked by white triangular signs displaying an axe.  Interpretive signage along the way gives walkers a historical insight into the timber industry and the life of the timber cutters.  

You can see the trail on the map below. If you had a push-bike you could ride out on the Timberline Trail from Nannup to Cambray Siding, and then return to Nannup via the Sidings Rail Trail. As I don't have a bike I unfortunately haven't done the whole circuit. 

Distance:  Nannup to Cambray Siding via the Timberline Trail - 20 kilometres one way. Cambray Siding to Nannup via the Sidings Rail Trail - 15.24 kilometres one way

Hundreds of wooden sleepers were cut by hand with broad axes and laid by crews working in all weathers and living in canvas tents or simple wooden shelters in the bush. The majority of the railway sleepers have been removed but a few can still be seen along the Trail.  

After lunch we took the short walk out to the potato patch which was where vegetables were grown for the timber workers. 

The Timberline Trail is an easy shady walk. We have done it several times from Barrabup Pool to Sleeper Hewers Hut (5 kilometres and return), and then on another day from the opposite way from Cambray Siding to Sleeper Hewers Hut. (4.8 kilometres and return). I have talked more in depth about these walks in a previous post - The Old Timberline Trail, St Johns Brook, Nannup

A great App to have on your phone is the Experience Nannup app. This app shows you the trails around Nannup and the GPS tracker shows you exactly where you are. Last time we were in Nannup on the Timberline Trail we came across a guy on his bike who was lost. We were able to show him on the app where he was and guide him back to Nannup. 

As it is winter we didn't see many wildflowers along the trail, but there is always something to take a photo of. 

Clockwise from top left - Banksia nut, Tassel Flower (but not in flower), red inside the bark of the Snotty Gobble tree, Hovea, a caught leaf, and an emerging orchid (possibly one of the Greenhood orchid family). 

And a few birds which I managed to get photos of while we were having lunch. They don't stay still for long! 

From left to right - Red Winged Fairy Wren female, Red Winged Fairy Wren male, and a White Breasted Robin. 

It was now mid afternoon and we drove back to our cottage and enjoyed taking a walk and sitting on the front verandah watching the little birds. 

Below clockwise from top left - Spotted Scrub Wren, Splendid Fairy Wren - Dull plumage, Red Eared Firetail, Western Rosella male, Western Rosella male, Western Rosella Female. 

Why do they always turn their backs? 

And kangaroos! These are Western Grey Kangaroos. They had come up from the bushland and were sitting in the paddock near our cottage. 

And some photos from around Blackwood Banks Chalets

Nannup is 267 kilometres from Perth, Western Australia

For those interested in mountain biking, there are extensive trails around Nannup. Trailforks.com/Nannup

For more information on Nannup & the Timberline Trail

Timberline Trail, St Johns Brook - on my blog

Nannup Wildflower Walks - on my blog 

TrailsWA-Old Timberline trail

Trail Hiking- Old Timberline Trail

Experience Nannup

Experience Nannup app. - maps and GPS locator

On Sunday we went to 4 Aces and the One Tree Bridge out Graphite Road towards Manjimup, but that is a story for another time. 

Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 
I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Mosaic Monday @ Soul & Mind & So On

Saturdays Critters - Viewing Nature With Eileen

Inspire Me Monday

Travel Tuesday

Pictorial Tuesday 

Talking About It Tuesdays @ Slices of Life

ThroughMy Lens 
Image-in-ing
My corner of the world through my camera 
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global hosted by Randomosity. 
       and Little bird - Pienilintu
Thankful Thursday 
Welcome to Nature Thursday

Skywatch Friday

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

Until then, enjoy your day... it won't be back. 

Beringbooding Rock Water Tank, eastern wheatbelt, Western Australia

Built by sustenance labour, the largest rock water catchment tank in Australia gives us a glimpse into the past.

Hello everyone. I hope you and yours are doing well. Today I am taking  you away from the coast and up to the north-eastern wheatbelt, to Beringbooding Rock, one of the many granite outcrops found throughout the Western Australian wheatbelt.

Walls hewn from the rock surround the rock channelling the water

Beringbooding is dominated by a ten and a quarter million litre water tank built during 1937-38 for the farming community. It is the largest rock water catchment tank in Australia.  The concrete tank and catchment was built by sustenance labour. This scheme provided employment during the Great Depression. About 100 men were employed at Beringbooding at a cost of 10,000 pounds. One weeks work was given to each man for each child – for example four children equalled four weeks work. Those doing sustenance work had an extra 20 shillings per week added to their Government paid sustenance payment, which was seven shillings a day for up to five children with a maximum of 49 shillings a week.  They were brought by rail to nearby Bonnie Rock from Perth and lived in tents. These men were often unaccustomed to hard manual labour.

You can only marvel at the engineering and manpower that constructed this water catchment, and wonder about the first impressions of these city men when they were deposited in this far corner of the wheatbelt, beyond which lies uninhabited scrubland.

The tank is fed by a seven hectare catchment area. Rock walls hewn from the rock itself encircle the rock and channel the rain water via a concrete aqueduct into the tank. Big fires were lit on the granite and allowed to burn all night making the rock red hot. Water was then poured over the rock and the granite exploded in big layers. These slabs were sledged away, stood on their sides and cemented together to form the rock walls up to a metre high.

Over the years the corrugated iron roof covering the concrete tank started to come adrift through age and strong winds, creating a safety hazard, and has now been removed. However without a covering, water has been evaporating, and due to the significant amount of algae in the tank, the water has been deemed unfit for crop spraying, watering stock, or firefighting. Latest reports indicate the Shire of Mukinbudin has received funding to install a temporary cover and is committed to secure funding for a new permanent tin roof.

Camping area at Beringbooding Rock

The picnic and free camping area is conveniently located at the base of the rock. A 2.3 kilometre walk trail starts at the gate at the base of the tank and takes you over the rock to a variety of natural features

Rock cairn at the highest point, erected by HS King

I suggest you take a photo of the information map and allow a minimum of one and a half hours. The rock cairn at the highest point was erected in 1889 by surveyor and early explorer HS King.  You can enjoy spectacular 360 degree views over grain-growing farmland to the south and west, and virgin bushland to the north and east.

Gnamma hole surrounded by rock wall. The tank can be seen in the background.

Features include a huge balancing boulder that seems to defy gravity, a sheer rock face where the forces of nature have been at work, and gnamma holes: rock depressions which collect water during rain, providing an important water source for early Aboriginal people, settlers and animals. On the north eastern side of the rock you will find the “Kangaroo Hole”, a deep water natural pool. During October and November you will see the red Kunzia pulchella flowering next to the pool. It is amazing how plants can grow in small crevices in the rock.

Balancing rocks

Kangaroo Pool with flowering Kunzia in the foreground

The surrounding bushland includes salmon gums, sandalwood, melaleuca, acacia, grevillea, Ti-tree, hakea, cassia, kunzia, quandongs, and native orchids. Many birds inhabit the area.

Exploring the rock gardens

Clockwise from top left - Kunzia, wild orchids, quandongs, and Waitzia 

Throughout the wheatbelt you can see other similar rock catchment walls and dams. They make great places to stop and explore. You will also find evidence of other sustenance scheme projects throughout Western Australia.

FACTS BOX

Location :  Located 357km from Perth, near the intersection of Beringbooding and Cunderin Roads, about 65 kilometres north east of Mukinbudin and 13 kilometres east of the Bonnie Rock wheat bin in the Western Australian north-eastern wheatbelt. You might get a bit of an idea from this map below. The red dot is Beringbooding Rock, with our capital city Perth on the coast. 

Facilities:

There are several partly shaded compacted gravel hard standing sites suitable for caravans and camper trailers. Facilities include picnic tables, fire pits and an eco flushing toilet.  Non-potable water is available from a 60,000 litre water tank fed with piped water. Please bring your own firewood, and beware of fire restrictions and take away your rubbish.

The 2.3 km walk trail is suitable for those with a moderate level of fitness. Please take the usual bushwalking precautions. The rock can be slippery when wet.

Useful Information: 

Wheatbelt Tourism - https://www.wheatbelttourism.com/granite-outcrops-in-the-wheatbelt/

The Wheatbelt Way - https://wheatbeltway.com.au/

Shire of Mukinbudin - https://www.mukinbudin.wa.gov.au/

Ornate Dragon Lizard

Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you have enjoyed learning a little of our history. My article about Beringbooding Rock was published recently in Caravan World magazine, June 2024 edition. 

I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Mosaic Monday @ Soul & Mind & So On

Saturdays Critters - Viewing Nature With Eileen

Inspire Me Monday

Travel Tuesday

Pictorial Tuesday 

Talking About It Tuesdays @ Slices of Life

ThroughMy Lens 
Image-in-ing
My corner of the world through my camera 
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global hosted by Randomosity. 
       and Little bird - Pienilintu
Thankful Thursday 
Welcome to Nature Thursday

Skywatch Friday

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

Until then, enjoy your day... it won't be back. 

A walk along Koombana Bay and the Bunbury waterfront, Western Australia

Hi everyone, I hope you and yours are doing well. 

The last few weeks, I have shown you some of the walks near where I live. Today I will share another. 

Back in 2017 I shared a walk around a walk around the Leschenault Inlet in Bunbury - the city near where I live. On the map below you can see the Leschenault Inlet which I wrote about in that post. 

The last few days we have had beautiful sunny winter days - perfect for walking. Last Thursday we went into Bunbury and walked along Koombana Bay from the Dolphin Discovery Centre to the old gantry crane. When I looked it up on the internet the distance showed 2.5 kilometres, but that was via the roads. We walked along the beach front. You can see the route on this map. The blue line shows the drive route - but look closer and you can see where the land meets the water - this is where we walked along the walking paths. 

We parked at the Dolphin Discovery Centre and walked west. Opened in 1994, the not-for-profit Dolphin Discovery Centre was established to allow tourists and locals to interact, learn about and enjoy the local wild bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) that regularly visit the area. There is a dolphin interaction zone on the beach, interpretive centre, swim tours, as well as a cafe. You can learn more about their work here: Dolphin Discovery Centre

You can't see the dolphins very well in these pics below, but as you can see people have gathered to see them. You should not interfere with them or feed the dolphins. 

Here is a previous post I wrote about the dolphins around Bunbury: A magical dolphin experience. No I wasn't in the water with them to take this photo. This was from a previous summer when we were out in a boat and I hung over the side with my camera to take some images as the dolphins swam up to us. SO magical. 

Koombana Bay beach is very popular during summer, especially with those staying at the caravan park across the road. It is a safe beach for children. These shade sails are taken down in the winter (this is an old photo) and the lookout tower was unfortunately uprooted and blown across the path during recent storms. A bit further along is where they play beach volley-ball during the summer. 

Along here there is also a very popular playground and picnic area, very popular with families. 

Next stop is the Wardandi Boodja - a five and a half metre corten steel sculpture located in the park on the foreshore. The sculpture represents a Noongar face, created by sculpture artists Nicole and Alex Mickle of Safehaven Studios as well as the local indigenous community who played a significant role in helping to create the artwork. The messages around the base of the sculpture encourage us to slow down and listen, and step gently. 

From here we walk past the 62-Thirty Cafe and the Koombana Bay Yacht Club. Many of the boats are parked up in the yard for the winter. 

Then we walk over a bridge that takes us over the channel that links Koombana Bay to the Leschenault Inlet. Locally called "the plug" there are gates that can been closed during big storm surges. Along here you can learn about the many ship wrecks that litter this part of the coast from years ago. 

On the other side of the bridge are big new high-rise residential apartments, a hotel and many cafes and restaurants looking out over the bay. There is a new little bar that we sometimes stop at if we are walking along here during the late afternoon in summer. There is a new little Asian cafe along here - Flow 36 - which is a great place for lunch. I need to take a photo next time we are there. 

From here we just keep walking around past all the restaurants until we reach the breakwater going out to the old gantry crane. In this photo below you can see where we have just walked by. You can see the walk bridge where we walked over "the plug" on the left hand side.

It is a pleasant walk out to the old crane. Big boats are moored in this sheltered waterway I think some people live on them. In the second photo below you can see an overall view of the boat harbour with the walk out to the old crane on the right and the land-backed wharf of the outer harbour on the left.  This photo was taken a few years ago - I need to take a new one. 

The old jetty is gone now, replaced with this rock breakwater causeway jutting out into Koombana Bay.  The original jetty was constructed by convict labour employed by local contractor, William Forrest in 1864. Previously people and goods were transferred by boat from ships anchored offshore.   The jarrah and karri decking was supported on piles of jarrah, blackbutt and wandoo. The jetty was decommissioned in 1982 and despite an intensive campaign the jetty fell into disrepair and its demolition was completed in June 2013.

Today only the electric ship loading crane remains. The crane was built in 1911 by Sir William Arrol & Co Ltd in Parkhead, Glasgow. Arrol was a civil engineer who also built the Forth Rail Bridge in Scotland and the Tower Bridge in London. He also built the Arrol Gantry at the Harland and Wolff Shipyards in Belfast which were used to construct the Titanic and her sister ships. 

From here we turn back down the causeway, passed another restaurant and the Jetty Baths playground and picnic area. 

And the Australian Darter drying his wings after diving for fish, and the white egret posing.

Then back the way we had come, past the restaurants, over the footbridge, back past the yacht club, to the Koombana Bay 62-Thirty Beach Cafe for coffee and a muffin before heading back to the car. Please don't feed the seagulls! The don't need any encouragement. 

That's it from me today. I hope you have enjoyed this walk along Koombana Bay and the Bunbury waterfront. Do you have a favourite waterfront walk? Perhaps you would like to tell us about it in your comments. 

Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 
I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Mosaic Monday @ Soul & Mind & So On

Saturdays Critters - Viewing Nature With Eileen

Inspire Me Monday

Travel Tuesday

Pictorial Tuesday 

Talking About It Tuesdays @ Slices of Life

ThroughMy Lens 
Image-in-ing
My corner of the world through my camera 
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global hosted by Randomosity. 
       and Little bird - Pienilintu
Thankful Thursday 
Welcome to Nature Thursday

Skywatch Friday

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

Until then, enjoy your day... it won't be back.