Walpole

Left Gracetown headed for Walpole, however we popped into Pemberton, as we wanted to climb the tree everyone talks about. We had planned to on our original itinery to stay at Pemberton but had heard about Walpole also. Let's do both, we thought. Arrived at Pemberton by 11.30am and found the 'Bicentennial Tree’ sign and went straight there. Oh my golly golly gosh, this was so high, that we got a sore neck looking up to the top. Boys said they'll do the climb but I said no way, anyhow no thongs allowed and I had said no to Oliver, he had thongs on also. Mark and Dylan started off and mark was ahead, Dylan got as far as about 5 metres and that was high enough. This tree is hundred of years old and has small iron bars that stick out of the tree And then a small, not very safe, wire on the side as you climb. You had to certainly watch your step or you could slip through. It was in total 60 metres high, with a platform in the middle if you decide you don't want to go any further or just a rest stop. No more than 6 people up the tree at any one time and you had to make sure if you were coming down someone wasn't coming up, as it’s a one-way climb. Well done to Mark he did to the platform, half way. We all encouraged him to come down when he reached there, as Oliver was yelling out, that's enough come down now!! We also found out when we were talking to people at the tree that there's another tree you can climb called the 'Gloucester' tree however people had said there was a 2 hour weir a d a huge queue to climb it. We drove to see this tree too; however there was a lady making sure everyone paid the national park fee of $11. We only wanted to look, so we opted to just drive out but could see it from the car park. We weren't waiting hours to climb it or paying just to look at it.  We had a picnic, as we always do, and had our lunch at the bicentennial tree. We headed off now another 100 km to Walpole and the owners of the last park, Gracetown, had said to go to Coalmine beach Caravan Park. That was our destination then, and this park was just north of Walpole and nestled in to an inlet right on the waters edge. Lady at the park said find any spot you like and then come tell me which one you have chosen. How laid back are they, I guess it wasn't that busy either. No.16 we will have and it's a hop step and a jump from the playground, always handy, and the toilet block, very handy. Kangaroos are just eating grass around the sites and a few children play in the playground. Lily screams with excitement that there's a park, and before mark can turn off the car she opens the door and pounces out running and skipping towards the park. She has been making so many friends at the park and the past park we were at that people would walk past and say 'hi lily'. Even in the ladies toilet the other day in Gracetown, a lady says morning Lily. I'm like what, lily knows more people then me. She has grown up a lot in 3 months and both mark and I think she's the social butterfly and her confidence level has improved so much. Well she's obviously introducing herself, as everyone knows her name.  Except those legs she doesn't like to use, still likes mark's shoulders. . We set up and are relaxed while kids are off playing in the park. An ale was needed at this stage. 

Boys up the Bicentennial Tree

Mark up the Bicentennial Tree