Bunbury to Freemantle

 

After leaving Bussleton we travelled up through Bunbury again stopping at Koombana Bay for another look for dolphins but none appeared. We then continued up the coast road to Lake Clifton where we stopped  to view the “Living Thrombolites”. Which are in the Yalgorup National Park. Later on the trip further north we encounter “Living Stromatolites”. These were common 600,000,000 years ago and were the basis of life on earth they are constructed of microorganisms, and they grow about 1mm a year. There are very few places on earth today were the conditions are right for them to survive.

A boardwalk has been built over the lake to facilitate viewing. 

 

 

A bit difficult to photograph them under water.

 

 

We then went inland to Lane Pool conservation reserve to spend the night at The Baden Powell camp site at the Lane Pool Forestry reserve near Dwellingup.

We intended to spend two nights but only spent one as there had been a considerable amount of rain, the forest was very cold and damp. It looks better in the pictures.

 

 

 

On the 2nd July we moved on to Woodman Point Caravan Park just south of Freemantle for 2 nights.

I went for a nice walk, a whole beach to myself ideal for contemplating the meaning of life the universe and everything.

 

The next beach was not so quiet, very popular with windsurfers.

 

 

Pelicans an the jetty waiting for scraps from the fishermen.

 

The port of Freemantle is on the mouth of the Swan River south of Perth. Captain Charles Freemantle arrived there in 1829 and claimed  possession in the name of the king. It is now an international port. I visited some of the sights the first being The Round House which is the oldest public building in West Australia. It was originally built as an 8 cell gaol in 1831, it is now open to the public as a museum.

 

 

I had not realised before the difference between stocks and pillories.

 

 

 

I visited the Arts Centre which was very interesting unfortunately not allowed to take pictures. I found a lot of interesting shops and purchased some second hand books.

In the morning we had parked by the now disused prison as there was a good market there. The prison was decommissioned in 1991. , . Later in the day I went to visit the prison but it was only open to organised tours and each tour covered different areas so I did not go into the main building only the gatehouse museum which was very interesting. 

 

On the 4th of July we went into Perth again to visit the company that I had hired the van from as It needed some new tyres and the wheel alignment setting before heading north. At that point I had driven just over 2,000 km.