Cam and Lib With Us

Our 5 Day Road Trip Around South West Australia

We have been in Australia for almost half a year and so far this working holiday visa has been all work and no holiday. The imminent departure of 2 of our closest friends gave us the kick up the arse we needed to finally plan a trip and, halfway through our year of travelling, actually start to do some travelling. While we don’t regret immediately settling down and working full time it was great to be reminded that we came to Australia to live the wild and free lifestyle we dreamt of during that long British winter and, so far, our lives hadn’t changed that much. We’ve made an amazing home for ourselves in Perth but we’re definitely ready for a change and with 2 months in a van in New Zealand fast approaching a mini road trip was the perfect getaway and first taste of #vanlife.

A road trip it was and, due to time constraints, we decided to head south and explore the green and fertile south west corner of Australia, a region that is almost criminally underappreciated. After an early start and a trip to the other side of the city (in rush hour traffic) we finally got our first glimpse of Cheap Charlie, the plucky little Toyota Hiace that was to become our home for the next 5 days. Cheap Charlie may have been the budget option but he was definitely the best companion we could have chosen for our trip and, as he bravely battled high winds with a broken suspension for the entire 400km+ journey from Perth to Albany, he cemented his position as our sturdy and trustworthy (if slightly comical) home.

We feel that now is the perfect moment to offer some advice and very strongly urge you to get the maximum level of insurance when you rent a van for your road trip. We had barely made it to the end of our first day when a very helpful woman in the supermarket car park informed us that there was something hanging off the underside of our van that definitely should have been attached. As it turned out this was the suspension that had been, thus far, completely broken. It explained a lot. Our immediate thought was that the trip was over, we would have to go back to Perth and leave Cheap Charlie behind before we’d even had a chance to sleep in him (well, before some of us had even had a chance to sleep in him…) Luckily, however, in a stroke of unimaginable genius when, slightly intoxicated, we had booked the van we had opted for the maximum level of insurance and the rental company had the problem fixed by lunch time the following day with no questions asked. The trip was saved and after a slow morning and breakfast at Bred, the best cafe in Albany, we were back on the road. 

In the end we were realistically only delayed for about an hour and drove away feeling as though the road trip gods had truly smiled on us. However, our luck was bound to end at some point and we were very abruptly reminded of that as we pulled up to The Gap and Natural Bridge to take in the sights only to be met with battering rain and wind strong enough to blow us off our feet. While initially disappointed we decided that this weather actually made the incredible natural scenery better. For those who don’t know, The Gap and Natural Bridge are features in a section of granite coastline that boasts a dramatic 40m high sheer cliff face with a man made viewing platform that extends out over the surging Southern Ocean. This is an incredibly dramatic natural wonder that demands incredibly dramatic weather to go with it. And that is exactly what we got. Whilst still beautiful we do feel that if you saw this view on a calm summer’s day you would be missing out on an incredible spectacle, a silver lining that made the weather bearable.

After retreating to the safety of dependable old Cheap Charlie we made our way to our next stop on route to Walpole, the Blowholes. Although initially confused we discovered that the blowholes are holes in a rock platform that hangs over the sea through which, if the swells are large enough, water spurts out as the waves break. This is yet another natural wonder that is at its best in stormy conditions. The walk to the blowholes is stunning enough on its own that it doesn’t really matter if the blowholes are active as the beautiful views of the coastline are an attraction on their own. However, we were there to see what the blowholes were all about and we were not disappointed. The road trip gods smiled on us again as, from a safe distance, we witnessed another group get absolutely soaked by a huge wave and show us exactly why all the signs warn you not to get too close. With another natural wonder ticked off the list it was back to Cheap Charlie again for a stunning drive through the forest of the Walpole-Nornalup National Park. We love a good forest and this was one of the best we have ever seen with perfectly smooth and winding roads that were truly a pleasure and an honour to drive along. In the warm glow of the gently setting sun we rolled up to the Walpole campsite and found ourselves struck by the overwhelming feeling that we could stay there forever and be the happiest people in the world. Cheap Charlie bravely drove through the gathering crowd of kangaroos that had turned out to welcome us as we pulled into our spot for the night. At the Walpole Rest Point Caravan Park the people rule during the day, but at night the kangaroos take over, making even a simple trip to the toilet impossible.

As the sun rises over the peaceful waters of the Nornalup Inlet, the kangaroos and the people strike a truce and nature lives in harmony once more as the new day starts. Truly one of the best things we have ever done is watch this sunrise and simply enjoy the feeling of being reminded just how lucky we are and just how beautiful the world can be. The beauty of the moment, however, is that it is fleeting and cannot last forever, we needed breakfast and a morning poo and had a full schedule ahead of us. Saying a wistful goodbye to this slice of paradise we headed off to face our fears and take on the Valley of the Giants Tree Top walk. As we purchased our tickets the staff member warned us that the platforms bounce as people walk on them and… wow, they were not kidding. Breathtaking for many reasons, the Tree Top Walk offered us incredible views and an appreciation for solid ground deeper than we have ever felt before. Even if you’re scared of heights or bridges (as we, unfortunately, are) this is worth facing your fears for as the views were truly stunning. As you literally and figuratively come back down to earth, don’t skip the Ancient Empire Trail, a manageable path that takes you through the ancient and rare Red Tingle Forest. It’s not why people come to the Valley of the Giants but it is definitely not to be missed, especially if you love a forest as much as we do. It was magical to experience this beautiful place from both the lofty tree tops and the sturdy roots.

After this it was time for a quick stop at Beedelup Falls and Cape Leeuwin before reaching the popular South West destination: Margaret River. It was nice to be back amongst civilization and, although the campsite was literally crawling with children, they made a nice and manageable change from the looming kangaroos. We decided to treat ourselves to some slightly more cosmopolitan activities and try to enjoy this famous wine region as much as we could whilst still, unfortunately, being on a road trip (as you may know, wine and driving don’t tend to mix very well). Although we have no real experience to compare it to, Margaret River felt to us as though it had the distinct air of some small Canadian mountain town with a pleasantly relaxing atmosphere. As we soaked this up with a side of delicious pastry from Margaret River Bakery we began to notice that the buzzer system the bakery had been using up until now had been replaced by somewhat tentative staff attempting to unite every order with its owner by simply wandering round and asking what people had ordered. This seemed a little unusual as we hadn’t seen any issue with the buzzer system and didn’t see a need to replace it with this low tech alternative but, hey, we weren’t the experts. Having finished our breakfast we began making our way back to the car when we noticed the lights inside the bakery had been turned off and customers were being turned away. Maybe they were just closed but 10am was a little early for that. As we walked along the main street we noticed that other businesses had their lights off as well and there were a fair few confused looking staff members nervously talking on the phone. We asked a couple of friendly ladies working in the pharmacy what was going on and they told us there had been a power cut. It seemed to stretch a long way and we wondered whether this had affected the entire high street which, in the middle of the day, seemed pretty major and they told us ‘oh no… it’s the entire post code.’ 

We couldn’t believe a power cut could affect such a large area and were even more shocked when we were informed by our next campsite that they were dealing with the power outage and it would be back soon. This campsite was in Busselton, over 50 km away. This was a power outage on a scale we hadn’t experienced before and seemed pretty major to us. The ladies, however, didn’t seem fazed in any way. We had heard a lot about the laid back Aussie attitude but were surprised that this truly didn’t seem to concern them. Baffled, we pressed on, wondering why they didn’t seem to mind. We were informed that this was, incredibly, a regular occurrence that happened 2-3 times a year. This was a rather abrupt reminder for us that Australia is very big, which shouldn’t have come as a surprise but it’s very easy to forget in a place which feels so similar to home. Everything here seems to be on a scale we simply cannot understand coming from such a compact country. Here, you can drive for a whole day and be in pretty much the same place, a single power cut can stretch across a 50km (30 mile) radius, and kangaroos outnumber people 2 to 1. Despite feeling so familiar to us, Australia keeps finding ways to show us that it really is a truly incomprehensible country. There is just no way to get your head around the sheer scale of this place.

Slight diversion aside, the trip wasn’t quite over yet. As we were in Western Australia’s most famous wine region we were determined to get a sample of the classic Margaret River experience. We set out to indulge our pretentious side and enjoy a wine tasting. Our chosen destination: Vasse Felix, the oldest winery in Margaret River and the closest we felt we could get to the heritage we were used to in Europe. It definitely did not disappoint. Pretty much all of the wineries in Margaret River allow you to drop in, pay $10-$15 for a wine tasting and sample a selection of their best wines while enjoying a casual and informative chat with a welcoming staff member. We felt decidedly classy, and decidedly underdressed. Luckily wineries in Australia are (unsurprisingly) very laidback places where everyone is made to feel welcome. We were approaching the point of being fatally relaxed and decided it was about time we stirred ourselves and made our way to the once again fully powered campsite in Busselton. We were nearing the end of our trip and felt that a couple of sundowners in a nearby bar were exactly what the doctor ordered. Well afternoon turned to evening and the evening turned into a bigger night than we had planned for, but that’s how all the best nights start and this was definitely one of the best nights. If we had explored some of this region sooner we would absolutely have tried to spend a few months living there and may have even been tempted to stay. As it was we were satisfied with a short visit and simply feeling lucky to have experienced such amazing places. We also found ourselves thinking, it’s time to head home. And for the first time ‘home’ meant Perth. Yes, after unintentionally being here for half a year we are ready to leave and do some travelling, but we have also found ourselves a home on the other side of the world and it will always be in our hearts.