Heading away from the coast, we decided to camp for a while in the Wellington National Park, east of Bunbury. What a great decision this was! Our campsite was located on the edge of Potters Gorge, part of the Wellington Dam system, and surrounded by a forest of eucalypts, teeming with birdlife. In the heart of the park, the Collie River runs free and we were able to swim with the ducks in the deep, cool pools of fresh water. Such a treat! After that we returned to the coastal township of Mandurah.
Wellington National Park
The campsite at Potters Gorge was very spacious, peaceful and surrounded by forest. The gorge was interesting with a colour palette typical of the outback, reminding us that we were on the edge of very arid land. The Dam wall has been painted by local indigenous artists to represent the town of Collie and its people. The great surprise was the amount of water flowing through the beautiful Collie River, cascading into deep, cool, freshwater pools that were irresistible on a hot day.
Dive into Honeymoon Pool in the Collie River:
Birds and Animals in Wellington National Park
The park was home to a large range of birds and animals, which we had much delight in watching and photographing.
Mandurah
After our refreshing stay inland, we headed back to the coast to stay 20km south of Mandurah. Mandurah is WA’s largest regional city and less than an hour from Perth. It is set against a backdrop of magnificent beaches and an estuary twice the size of Sydney Harbour. Originally known as Mandjoogoordap, Mandurah means ‘meeting place of the heart’. We were fortunate enough to be able to set up camp on the banks of the estuary just before the famous 'Crabfest' when keen fisherman from all over Australia descend on the town to celebrate the humble blue swimmer crab. Birdlife is abundant in Mandurah and the Peel Region which make it a perfect location for bird watchers and nature lovers. It is home to over 100 species of native and migratory birds that nest, breed and feed on the estuary.
The Estuary from our campsite
Some feathered friends
Osprey
We were very fortunate to be able to watch several osprey's in the area, hunting, feeding and watching for prey. Jim captured this wonderful sequence of an adult osprey and its recently fledged youngster near their impressive nest of sticks located high up in a tree overlooking the estuary. The young osprey was very vocal, demanding food from the adult perched above it.
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