'Cape to Cape'.....I am sure I have mentioned this phrase before...Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin. It is a phrase much used in this part of the world. And there is a walking track, similar to our Heysen Trail, which actually does allow those so inclined to tramp along the coast from Cape Leeuwin to Cape Naturaliste (or vice versa!)
We took the easier option...atop eight thumping diesel cylinders. The distance from Busselton to Augusta and Cape Leeuwin is in the vicinity of 100 kms, a shade too far even for us hardy ramblers to hoof it....and anyway, who would feed the cat whilst we were away?
We actually visited this area on two different occasions, as is obvious from the photos which clearly show different weather, but for the sake of continuity I have melded the two.
On this journey of exploration we motor full steam down the Caves Road direct to Cape Freycinet and on to Cape Leeuwin before noodling our way back nosing in to all the coastal townships along the way.
The Caves Road, so called because it actually takes visitors to the many cave sites between the Capes (we are not into caves....literally!), is a much more picturesque drive to Augusta than along the Bussell Highway. Patches of thick woodland on the rolling hills are interspersed with vineyards on the slopes, and, at this time of the year,
every so often the varying greens of the bush are lit up with the beacons of blossom of this local tree (and to date no-one can tell me what is is called). This one is a comparative 'shrub',
as can be seen when looking at this much more mature example.
The road into Cape Freycinet, one of the many points along the coast to have been named by Baudin (who would have guessed?), was lined with many of another plant typical of much of WA...the 'Blackboy'. These were fine specimens.
I know I have previously noted how much the coast of this part of the state reminds us in so many ways of Kangaroo Island. Cape Freycinet was no exception. Thick scrub, white, limestone like roads, sandy coves interspersed by rocky headlands, all washed by a constant rolling surf coming in from the Indian Ocean, presented a very familiar scene.
We didn't dawdle here other than to take a quick peek. By this time we had come to learn that one bay is very much the same as another along this coast, but of course, this knowledge only comes with having 'been there, done that'.
Further to the south, at the south-western corner of the continent, where the Indian and Southern Oceans do indeed meet, Cape Leeuwin and nearby Augusta awaited our inspection.
Despite quite a few positive recommendations, nothing about Augusta itself particularly appealed to either of us and we did little else but travel through it. Cape Leeuwin and its surrounds was a different matter altogether.
Standing at nearly 40 metres high, the lighthouse at Cape Leeuwin is the tallest in the country and can be clearly seen in the distance on the approach road from Augusta.
It is built of local limestone and was completed in 1896. Interestingly, its construction had been proposed many years before this, but the Government funds being poured into the development of the Kalgoorlie-Coolgardie goldfields meant that there were no public funds available. I wondered how many seafarers died as a result of this funding priority.
Tours of the lighthouse are on offer to visitors, but at the prices charged we decided the Internet was a much better information option (and with my dickie knee, stairs are not fun).
When we visited the lighthouse information centre and cafe (the western wall of which can just be seen at the left of this shot), the tour fee did not surprise me. What did annoy us both was the fact that they also charge to wander around the facility at ground level. That really got under my skin. We peered through the fence instead....after all, a budget is a budget!
And later, as I was preparing this blog, I managed to pinch an aerial shot of this same area for another perspective.
As it transpired a nearby water wheel, which can be viewed entirely free of charge, and which, if the blurb is to be believed, is the most photographed item in WA, was of far more interest.
This now completely calcified device is an ingenious creation. Located on the coast some kilometre or so from the Leeuwin light, the wheel was built in 1895, initially to supply water for mixing the mortar used in the lighthouse construction, and later for consumption by the lighthouse keepers and their families.
Water from a natural spring travelled down the flume and over the wheel. This in turn drove a small pump which could then deliver one litre per stroke to the lighthouse area from the artesian bore into which it was sunk. What a machine....continuous operation, day and night, no power required and completely silent. How natty!
This is the overflow pond from the spring which is now a haven for thirsty seabirds. And as you can see, the coast is rugged.
On our retraced steps north from Cape Leeuwin we poked our noses into the small holiday village of Flinders Bay, partly to check out the local caravan park which is the only one in the Augusta district which take pets, and partly to just see what was there. What a charming spot it is, and one with quite a history.
This off season sleepy hollow apparently springs into life as the heat of summer bites the worthy citizens of Perth and other areas to the north. They flock to places like this in droves for the relief of the southern coast climate just as they stream to Victor Harbor and points beyond in SA. We were told this small bay boat ramp just buzzes with tinnies,
whilst this large and well equipped foreshore park, totally deserted on the coolish day of our visit, will be swarming with holiday makers of all descriptions.
Beyond the park in what can only be described as a seaside hamlet, stand a few houses of some considerable charm, and, by way of counterpoint,
The now alternately 'winter sleepy - summer frantic' Flinders Bay was a vastly different place in the mid 1800's. Then it was a bustling port to which a local railway brought many tonnes of logged timber for export to the world and those engaged in the local whaling trade called in for provisions. This history is recalled in a series of most informative displays housed here in the Flinders Bay 'Rails to Sails' park (which is much more impressive than it appears at first glance)
Next on the agenda, as we continued to retrace our steps northwards, was Redgate Beach. Now this place also has a history, one anchored (almost a pun there...read on) in events during weather much less benign that on the day of our visit. As can be seen here, the beach itself lies beyond a rocky outcrop. Lying on the ocean floor, just beyond the gap between the rocks at the right of the photo and those to the left of them, is the rusting hulk of the sail assisted steam vessel, the Georgette.
Herein lies another similarity with KI. To early shipping, this coastline presented nightmare navigational conditions. Poor charts, unpredictable weather, low reefs, and isolated groups of submerged rocks, and an initial complete absence of any form of navigational aids such a lighthouses, spelt disaster for many of those intrepid souls who plied these waters. Some perspective may be gained from the fact that in one ten year period in the 1800's 80, yes 80 vessels met their doom along this stretch of coast.
The Georgette was amongst this company. Loaded with jarrah timber and carrying 50 paying passengers, she left Fremantle in late November 1876, bound for Adelaide, calling in at Bunbury and Busselton en route. Just after midnight on 1 December, whilst making her way south past the area of Redgate Beach, she began to take on water. It is now believed that her hull had been damaged during the timber loading. Despite the combined efforts of the ship's pumps and many of those on board hand bailing, the invading seawater made steady progress.
When the boilers were finally flooded and power was lost, the skipper, a Captain Godfrey, decided to abandon ship. The seas were frightful. As lifeboats were lowered over the side they were swamped by the raging surf. With the advent of daylight, the Georgette was being pushed further and further towards the rocky coast. The ship's plight was seen by a local stockman, Samuel Yebble Isaacs who was riding along the seashore cliffs. Isaacs, who was employed by the Bussell family, immediately rode to the nearby Bussell homestead and raised the alarm, but all the men were out on the property.
Grace Bussell, the 16 year old daughter of the station owner, saddled up and, with Isaacs, rode back to Redgate Beach. Here, in a feat of extraordinary courage, she and Isaacs swam their horses through the surf to the now wrecked ship and encouraged all those on board to jump into the sea and grasp anything they could whilst the two horses then swam them back to the shore. Incredible as it sounds, after numerous such sorties to and from the ship over a four hour period, Grace and Sam managed to save all but 12 of the ship's company. Of those who perished, most had been lost in the initial attempts to launch the lifeboats.
The news of this rescue flashed around the world. Grace became know as the 'Grace Darling of Australia', and both later received bravery medals. In a sad reflection of the times, Grace's was sliver, whilst Sam's was bronze, but at least the Government had the decency to gift Sam 100 acres of land near Margaret River where he prospered until an untimely fall from a sulky resulted in his death at 75. Grace went on to become Mrs Drake-Brockman, wife of WA's surveyor-general. Her memory is perpetuated in the names of Gracetown and Lake Grace.
Next on our coastal odyssey was the holiday town of Prevelly, but before we again ventured to the shore, Liz was keen to visit nearby Leeuwin Estate winery. This is one of the two wineries we visited by exception....Leeuwin Estate because Liz had always wanted to see it, and the other, the nearby Voyager Estate, because it came highly recommended by local friends.
Leeuwin Estate is well know for hosting many concerts, a bit like 'Barossa Under the Stars', or a 'Day on the Green' in the McLaren Vale area but on a much grander scale. It is well equipped to do so.
Once past the impressive cellar door and restaurant entrance,
we came to the equally impressive concert area where this large soundshell stands at the edge of the forest and looks out over a huge lawn area which we estimated could probably seat a couple of thousand concert goers.
And for those wanting a bit more comfort, there is always the balcony area which also looks out over the sound shell.
The Leewin Estate Concert programme has been running annualy now for 29 years. And they don't do things by halves. Performers ranging from Dame Kiri Te Kanawa through to Tom Jones and Ray Charles have all done their thing at Leewin. I am a bit peeved that both our programme and the bank balance will preclude our attendance at the February performance of Diana Krall (with the Perth Sympohny Orchestra no less), but with a patch of lawn coming in at a starting price of $140 per head, this is a bit beyond us. And then there is the problem of accommodation and transport, neither of which is insurmountable if one wishes to shell out another $250 for a night's bed in Margaret River and the shutle bus fare. Mind you, there is no need to take your own food......a pre-ordered picnic hamper will be awaiting those who have paid the $135 for this comfort (and it only includes one bottel of wine!!) At this stage we are content to dream and plan for next year.
Oh, yes, there is actually a vineyard here and a working winery. Here some of the vines can be seen flourishing just beyond the concert lawns.
Now as I mentioned earlier, this was to be our lot in regard to the Margaret River wineries, but our Perth friends the Glossups loudly sang the praises of the nearby Voyager Estate, where, we were assured, the gardens would blow us away. Absolutely right, Deb and Greg.
Even as we pulled into the car park we could see we were onto something special. White walls, trees and the most manicured fine grass lawns we have come across in our travels, were our first impression.
At the entrance to the winery gardens stands a huge flagpole, which by all accounts is usually supporting a massive raised Australian flag (it takes two employees to raise and lower it), but for some reason it was not flying during our visit. We suspect the wind may have been too strong. But that is not the end of the story. Beneath the flagpole and its surrounds lies Australia's largest underground barrel cellar. Measuring 60x30x6 metres, this incredible vault took over three years to build. Mining industry equipment was needed to remove the rock and earth. A special feature of the cellar, apart from its size, is the vaulted ceiling which consists of 70,000 red bricks laid over a specially constructed formwork. Unfortunately the cellar can only be viewed on a special tour....we had neither the time nor had made the appropriate arrangements....but it is on our list for a return visit to Busso at some time.
The entire cellar door and its surrounds are in the South African 'Cape Dutch-style'. Apart from the fact that this is an architecture favoured by the owner, Michael Wright, he argues that the climate and flora of WA's south-west are very similar to that found in the Cape of Good Hope area of South Africa (and he is right...sorry...it's been a while!) Voyager Estate is the culmination of a vision Wright, a former farmer and businessman, had to establish and maintain a high class winery in the Margaret River area. In 1991 he bought the established, premium vines, vineyard which is now Voyager and set about creating what is recognised today as one of WA's foremost tourist attractions. (he must have been a very successful businessman indeed)
The gardens surrounding the cellar door are nothing short of stunning. The main feature is the 'Werf' (yard) garden which extends from the flagpole over most of the barrel cellar,
where the cobbled pathway took us past intricately clipped hedges
and the cellar door entrance pathway
to the reflective pond at its end.
From here is was a short step on to the rose garden and a view of some of the vineyards beyond.
We had take a route which found us at the rear of the cellar door buildings where more stunning gardens awaited us.
and then it was across the lawns to the building itself where we did have a look at the cellar door and its associated restaurant, but did not sample the wares on offer, nor, out of respect for those eating and drinking, took any photos of what is an equally stunning interior.
And in case you were wondering, notwithstanding all its cellar door magnificence, Voyager Estate is a working winery, where much care has been taken to increase the plantings only in the areas of the estate where the soil is most suitable. On the remainder, the Wright family run fine Merino sheep. We were reminded of our previous visit to the Gooree Park Estate near Mudgee where wine production and raising stud racehorses go hand in hand.
As an interesting footnote, the Wright family have further extended the Dutch Cape-style theme of the estate through acquiring the name and trademark VOC, the initials of the old 'Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie', probably better and well known to you all as the Dutch East-India Company. Why they did so and what advantages this brings I am not sure, but from what we saw at Voyager Estate, Michael Wright does not do anything without a reason or success.
And now back to the coast where Prevelly, Gracetown, Smiths Bay and Yallingup all await our attention.
Gnarabup beach at Prevelly, here seen beyond the roof of the waterfront cafe and car park, is reputed to the one of the finest in WA. Despite our best efforts, we could not for the life of us see why. It was OK, and for this part of the coast, unusually protected from big swells by an outer reef, but beyond that and its obvious but not uncommon (for this part of the world) natural beauty, we were left somewhat nonplussed by the claim.
Prevelly exists almost exclusively as a holiday town, where the homes which nestle in the bushland of the slopes overlooking the coast,
demonstrate that this place is not occupied either permanently or on a part time basis by the financially challenged. But I have to say the dry and dead remnants of the devastating bushfires which swept this area a couple of years ago did take the edge off the scene,
and we did have trouble trying to understand why one would build a 'beach house' so far from the beach, notwithstanding the view.
Enough sniping......what does Gracetown, know universally here as 'Gracie', have to offer, apart from its historical connection with the wreck of the Georgette and the recent fatal shark attack. Like all towns along this coast, Gracie is built on the hill overlooking the bay.
At either end of this bay are South and North Point, spots known for the excellent surf break which curls up over the reefy bottom. Gracetown is a mecca for surfers. Except for this year. According to the owner of the Gracie general store, the death two weeks ago of the surfer at a break just beyond South Point, and the increased numbers of shark sightings all along this coast, has resulted in a drastic downturn in surfer numbers. We did our bit for him by ordering an extra sandwich!
Mind you, why would you go into the water here? At least none could say they hadn't been warned!
And here is the famous South Point at Gracie, the area of white water just beyond the point. It look innocuous enough here but on a big day this break thumps.
Strangely enough at the other end of the sweeping bay we have North Point, where there is also a good surf break
and here there were two intrepid surfers who were clearly not letting events of the past weeks deter them in their quest for the wave of the day.
To get the previous shot of the township I had scrambled down a rocky hillside at the northern end of the bay. When I turned to climb back, I was struck by this rock formation which is typical of this coast. These are big lumps of ironstone indeed.
From the rocky surfing breaks of Gracetown we travelled further north along the coast to the very up-market resort beach of Smiths Bay, where, the weekend after our visit, a round of the Australian Surf Ironman series was contested. I was peeved I had other things to do that day.
The wide sandy expanses of Smiths Bay stand in stark contrast to the small bays of Gracie and Prevelly, but on their day a more than challenging surf thumps onto this shoreline off the Indian Ocean. If you look closely, the lump on the horizon at the end of the hill line is Sugarloaf Hill.....we are now almost back to Cape Naturaliste.
Apart from the highly expensive resort accommodation on offer here at Smiths Bay and the wonderful beach, nature can also put on a display of a different sort. I was captivated by the sight of this stunningly blue 'Splendid Fairy-wren'. I would love to say that this photo was a result of superior photographic skills and a bent for shots of the natural world, but I know I wouldn't get away with that....it was sheer luck that I hit the button at just the right time as this delightful creature flitted busily about the bush and came obligingly to rest for a couple of seconds on a nearby fence.
.
Our Cape to Cape journey is nearly at an end.... all that now remains is a visit to the famous Yallingup Beach, the home of Taj Burrows, a current high flier in the world of professional surfing.
The beach access road takes visitors past
the holiday homes or rentals of this tiny township, all built yet again on the side of the hill overlooking the beach but quite some distance from it. A small general store provides for the immediate needs of those in residence, but apart from that there is little by the way of services.
But people don't come to Yalingup for glitz.....they come for the waves. The Yallingup break is considered one of the finest in the country. And even on the relatively bleak day of our visit, there were plenty taking advantage of waves (not that they can be seen here)
I have to concede my surfing skills are severely limited. In fact in the heady days of the 60's when all my mates were off hanging five or ten from their nine foot malibus, I was swimming or paddling a surf ski. Strangely, given my passion for almost everything else to do with the ocean, I never had any interest in surfing as such and was quite happy to wear the 'gremlin' tag. Not that this was the word shouted when my 18 feet long and relatively unmanoeurverable ski came thundering down the same wave as those on their surf boards....the words used then were of quite a different ilk. Tough...might is right...time to scatter boys!
I just have to accept what is said about the Yallingup break...I am in no position to do other than bow to those with greater knowledge in these matters. But at last I had actually seen what all the fuss is about, and there can be little doubt that his time here has served Taj well.
And so ends our Cape to Cape mini-odyssey, one on which we were often reminded of home in different ways and one which served to douse the fires of the curiosity which are born of hearing and reading so much about a district without having visited it. Now we had.
Our Busselton experience is almost at an end. In real time, we leave Sandy Bay tomorrow morning (Monday 16 December). I still have some Busso snippets to include in the blog, but that will have to wait for a few days until we have settled into The Estuary Caravan Park in Mandurah, our next port of call as we make our way back towards Perth (after we have our new hot water service fitted, that is).
We took the easier option...atop eight thumping diesel cylinders. The distance from Busselton to Augusta and Cape Leeuwin is in the vicinity of 100 kms, a shade too far even for us hardy ramblers to hoof it....and anyway, who would feed the cat whilst we were away?
We actually visited this area on two different occasions, as is obvious from the photos which clearly show different weather, but for the sake of continuity I have melded the two.
On this journey of exploration we motor full steam down the Caves Road direct to Cape Freycinet and on to Cape Leeuwin before noodling our way back nosing in to all the coastal townships along the way.
The Caves Road, so called because it actually takes visitors to the many cave sites between the Capes (we are not into caves....literally!), is a much more picturesque drive to Augusta than along the Bussell Highway. Patches of thick woodland on the rolling hills are interspersed with vineyards on the slopes, and, at this time of the year,
every so often the varying greens of the bush are lit up with the beacons of blossom of this local tree (and to date no-one can tell me what is is called). This one is a comparative 'shrub',
as can be seen when looking at this much more mature example.
The road into Cape Freycinet, one of the many points along the coast to have been named by Baudin (who would have guessed?), was lined with many of another plant typical of much of WA...the 'Blackboy'. These were fine specimens.
I know I have previously noted how much the coast of this part of the state reminds us in so many ways of Kangaroo Island. Cape Freycinet was no exception. Thick scrub, white, limestone like roads, sandy coves interspersed by rocky headlands, all washed by a constant rolling surf coming in from the Indian Ocean, presented a very familiar scene.
We didn't dawdle here other than to take a quick peek. By this time we had come to learn that one bay is very much the same as another along this coast, but of course, this knowledge only comes with having 'been there, done that'.
Further to the south, at the south-western corner of the continent, where the Indian and Southern Oceans do indeed meet, Cape Leeuwin and nearby Augusta awaited our inspection.
Despite quite a few positive recommendations, nothing about Augusta itself particularly appealed to either of us and we did little else but travel through it. Cape Leeuwin and its surrounds was a different matter altogether.
Standing at nearly 40 metres high, the lighthouse at Cape Leeuwin is the tallest in the country and can be clearly seen in the distance on the approach road from Augusta.
It is built of local limestone and was completed in 1896. Interestingly, its construction had been proposed many years before this, but the Government funds being poured into the development of the Kalgoorlie-Coolgardie goldfields meant that there were no public funds available. I wondered how many seafarers died as a result of this funding priority.
Tours of the lighthouse are on offer to visitors, but at the prices charged we decided the Internet was a much better information option (and with my dickie knee, stairs are not fun).
When we visited the lighthouse information centre and cafe (the western wall of which can just be seen at the left of this shot), the tour fee did not surprise me. What did annoy us both was the fact that they also charge to wander around the facility at ground level. That really got under my skin. We peered through the fence instead....after all, a budget is a budget!
And later, as I was preparing this blog, I managed to pinch an aerial shot of this same area for another perspective.
As it transpired a nearby water wheel, which can be viewed entirely free of charge, and which, if the blurb is to be believed, is the most photographed item in WA, was of far more interest.
This now completely calcified device is an ingenious creation. Located on the coast some kilometre or so from the Leeuwin light, the wheel was built in 1895, initially to supply water for mixing the mortar used in the lighthouse construction, and later for consumption by the lighthouse keepers and their families.
Water from a natural spring travelled down the flume and over the wheel. This in turn drove a small pump which could then deliver one litre per stroke to the lighthouse area from the artesian bore into which it was sunk. What a machine....continuous operation, day and night, no power required and completely silent. How natty!
This is the overflow pond from the spring which is now a haven for thirsty seabirds. And as you can see, the coast is rugged.
On our retraced steps north from Cape Leeuwin we poked our noses into the small holiday village of Flinders Bay, partly to check out the local caravan park which is the only one in the Augusta district which take pets, and partly to just see what was there. What a charming spot it is, and one with quite a history.
This off season sleepy hollow apparently springs into life as the heat of summer bites the worthy citizens of Perth and other areas to the north. They flock to places like this in droves for the relief of the southern coast climate just as they stream to Victor Harbor and points beyond in SA. We were told this small bay boat ramp just buzzes with tinnies,
whilst this large and well equipped foreshore park, totally deserted on the coolish day of our visit, will be swarming with holiday makers of all descriptions.
Beyond the park in what can only be described as a seaside hamlet, stand a few houses of some considerable charm, and, by way of counterpoint,
the occasional genuine old beachside shack still defies those of a 'makeover' bent whilst it awaits the chance to again come alive with the sounds of holiday makers for whom class and style are of no importance whatsoever compared with the chance to spend time with sand between their toes and fish scales stubbornly clinging to summer brown arms.
The now alternately 'winter sleepy - summer frantic' Flinders Bay was a vastly different place in the mid 1800's. Then it was a bustling port to which a local railway brought many tonnes of logged timber for export to the world and those engaged in the local whaling trade called in for provisions. This history is recalled in a series of most informative displays housed here in the Flinders Bay 'Rails to Sails' park (which is much more impressive than it appears at first glance)
Next on the agenda, as we continued to retrace our steps northwards, was Redgate Beach. Now this place also has a history, one anchored (almost a pun there...read on) in events during weather much less benign that on the day of our visit. As can be seen here, the beach itself lies beyond a rocky outcrop. Lying on the ocean floor, just beyond the gap between the rocks at the right of the photo and those to the left of them, is the rusting hulk of the sail assisted steam vessel, the Georgette.
Herein lies another similarity with KI. To early shipping, this coastline presented nightmare navigational conditions. Poor charts, unpredictable weather, low reefs, and isolated groups of submerged rocks, and an initial complete absence of any form of navigational aids such a lighthouses, spelt disaster for many of those intrepid souls who plied these waters. Some perspective may be gained from the fact that in one ten year period in the 1800's 80, yes 80 vessels met their doom along this stretch of coast.
When the boilers were finally flooded and power was lost, the skipper, a Captain Godfrey, decided to abandon ship. The seas were frightful. As lifeboats were lowered over the side they were swamped by the raging surf. With the advent of daylight, the Georgette was being pushed further and further towards the rocky coast. The ship's plight was seen by a local stockman, Samuel Yebble Isaacs who was riding along the seashore cliffs. Isaacs, who was employed by the Bussell family, immediately rode to the nearby Bussell homestead and raised the alarm, but all the men were out on the property.
Grace Bussell, the 16 year old daughter of the station owner, saddled up and, with Isaacs, rode back to Redgate Beach. Here, in a feat of extraordinary courage, she and Isaacs swam their horses through the surf to the now wrecked ship and encouraged all those on board to jump into the sea and grasp anything they could whilst the two horses then swam them back to the shore. Incredible as it sounds, after numerous such sorties to and from the ship over a four hour period, Grace and Sam managed to save all but 12 of the ship's company. Of those who perished, most had been lost in the initial attempts to launch the lifeboats.
The news of this rescue flashed around the world. Grace became know as the 'Grace Darling of Australia', and both later received bravery medals. In a sad reflection of the times, Grace's was sliver, whilst Sam's was bronze, but at least the Government had the decency to gift Sam 100 acres of land near Margaret River where he prospered until an untimely fall from a sulky resulted in his death at 75. Grace went on to become Mrs Drake-Brockman, wife of WA's surveyor-general. Her memory is perpetuated in the names of Gracetown and Lake Grace.
Next on our coastal odyssey was the holiday town of Prevelly, but before we again ventured to the shore, Liz was keen to visit nearby Leeuwin Estate winery. This is one of the two wineries we visited by exception....Leeuwin Estate because Liz had always wanted to see it, and the other, the nearby Voyager Estate, because it came highly recommended by local friends.
Leeuwin Estate is well know for hosting many concerts, a bit like 'Barossa Under the Stars', or a 'Day on the Green' in the McLaren Vale area but on a much grander scale. It is well equipped to do so.
Once past the impressive cellar door and restaurant entrance,
we came to the equally impressive concert area where this large soundshell stands at the edge of the forest and looks out over a huge lawn area which we estimated could probably seat a couple of thousand concert goers.
And for those wanting a bit more comfort, there is always the balcony area which also looks out over the sound shell.
The Leewin Estate Concert programme has been running annualy now for 29 years. And they don't do things by halves. Performers ranging from Dame Kiri Te Kanawa through to Tom Jones and Ray Charles have all done their thing at Leewin. I am a bit peeved that both our programme and the bank balance will preclude our attendance at the February performance of Diana Krall (with the Perth Sympohny Orchestra no less), but with a patch of lawn coming in at a starting price of $140 per head, this is a bit beyond us. And then there is the problem of accommodation and transport, neither of which is insurmountable if one wishes to shell out another $250 for a night's bed in Margaret River and the shutle bus fare. Mind you, there is no need to take your own food......a pre-ordered picnic hamper will be awaiting those who have paid the $135 for this comfort (and it only includes one bottel of wine!!) At this stage we are content to dream and plan for next year.
Oh, yes, there is actually a vineyard here and a working winery. Here some of the vines can be seen flourishing just beyond the concert lawns.
Now as I mentioned earlier, this was to be our lot in regard to the Margaret River wineries, but our Perth friends the Glossups loudly sang the praises of the nearby Voyager Estate, where, we were assured, the gardens would blow us away. Absolutely right, Deb and Greg.
Even as we pulled into the car park we could see we were onto something special. White walls, trees and the most manicured fine grass lawns we have come across in our travels, were our first impression.
At the entrance to the winery gardens stands a huge flagpole, which by all accounts is usually supporting a massive raised Australian flag (it takes two employees to raise and lower it), but for some reason it was not flying during our visit. We suspect the wind may have been too strong. But that is not the end of the story. Beneath the flagpole and its surrounds lies Australia's largest underground barrel cellar. Measuring 60x30x6 metres, this incredible vault took over three years to build. Mining industry equipment was needed to remove the rock and earth. A special feature of the cellar, apart from its size, is the vaulted ceiling which consists of 70,000 red bricks laid over a specially constructed formwork. Unfortunately the cellar can only be viewed on a special tour....we had neither the time nor had made the appropriate arrangements....but it is on our list for a return visit to Busso at some time.
The entire cellar door and its surrounds are in the South African 'Cape Dutch-style'. Apart from the fact that this is an architecture favoured by the owner, Michael Wright, he argues that the climate and flora of WA's south-west are very similar to that found in the Cape of Good Hope area of South Africa (and he is right...sorry...it's been a while!) Voyager Estate is the culmination of a vision Wright, a former farmer and businessman, had to establish and maintain a high class winery in the Margaret River area. In 1991 he bought the established, premium vines, vineyard which is now Voyager and set about creating what is recognised today as one of WA's foremost tourist attractions. (he must have been a very successful businessman indeed)
The gardens surrounding the cellar door are nothing short of stunning. The main feature is the 'Werf' (yard) garden which extends from the flagpole over most of the barrel cellar,
,
where the cobbled pathway took us past intricately clipped hedges
and the cellar door entrance pathway
to the reflective pond at its end.
From here is was a short step on to the rose garden and a view of some of the vineyards beyond.
We had take a route which found us at the rear of the cellar door buildings where more stunning gardens awaited us.
and then it was across the lawns to the building itself where we did have a look at the cellar door and its associated restaurant, but did not sample the wares on offer, nor, out of respect for those eating and drinking, took any photos of what is an equally stunning interior.
And in case you were wondering, notwithstanding all its cellar door magnificence, Voyager Estate is a working winery, where much care has been taken to increase the plantings only in the areas of the estate where the soil is most suitable. On the remainder, the Wright family run fine Merino sheep. We were reminded of our previous visit to the Gooree Park Estate near Mudgee where wine production and raising stud racehorses go hand in hand.
As an interesting footnote, the Wright family have further extended the Dutch Cape-style theme of the estate through acquiring the name and trademark VOC, the initials of the old 'Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie', probably better and well known to you all as the Dutch East-India Company. Why they did so and what advantages this brings I am not sure, but from what we saw at Voyager Estate, Michael Wright does not do anything without a reason or success.
And now back to the coast where Prevelly, Gracetown, Smiths Bay and Yallingup all await our attention.
Gnarabup beach at Prevelly, here seen beyond the roof of the waterfront cafe and car park, is reputed to the one of the finest in WA. Despite our best efforts, we could not for the life of us see why. It was OK, and for this part of the coast, unusually protected from big swells by an outer reef, but beyond that and its obvious but not uncommon (for this part of the world) natural beauty, we were left somewhat nonplussed by the claim.
Prevelly exists almost exclusively as a holiday town, where the homes which nestle in the bushland of the slopes overlooking the coast,
demonstrate that this place is not occupied either permanently or on a part time basis by the financially challenged. But I have to say the dry and dead remnants of the devastating bushfires which swept this area a couple of years ago did take the edge off the scene,
and we did have trouble trying to understand why one would build a 'beach house' so far from the beach, notwithstanding the view.
Enough sniping......what does Gracetown, know universally here as 'Gracie', have to offer, apart from its historical connection with the wreck of the Georgette and the recent fatal shark attack. Like all towns along this coast, Gracie is built on the hill overlooking the bay.
At either end of this bay are South and North Point, spots known for the excellent surf break which curls up over the reefy bottom. Gracetown is a mecca for surfers. Except for this year. According to the owner of the Gracie general store, the death two weeks ago of the surfer at a break just beyond South Point, and the increased numbers of shark sightings all along this coast, has resulted in a drastic downturn in surfer numbers. We did our bit for him by ordering an extra sandwich!
Mind you, why would you go into the water here? At least none could say they hadn't been warned!
And here is the famous South Point at Gracie, the area of white water just beyond the point. It look innocuous enough here but on a big day this break thumps.
Strangely enough at the other end of the sweeping bay we have North Point, where there is also a good surf break
and here there were two intrepid surfers who were clearly not letting events of the past weeks deter them in their quest for the wave of the day.
To get the previous shot of the township I had scrambled down a rocky hillside at the northern end of the bay. When I turned to climb back, I was struck by this rock formation which is typical of this coast. These are big lumps of ironstone indeed.
From the rocky surfing breaks of Gracetown we travelled further north along the coast to the very up-market resort beach of Smiths Bay, where, the weekend after our visit, a round of the Australian Surf Ironman series was contested. I was peeved I had other things to do that day.
The wide sandy expanses of Smiths Bay stand in stark contrast to the small bays of Gracie and Prevelly, but on their day a more than challenging surf thumps onto this shoreline off the Indian Ocean. If you look closely, the lump on the horizon at the end of the hill line is Sugarloaf Hill.....we are now almost back to Cape Naturaliste.
Apart from the highly expensive resort accommodation on offer here at Smiths Bay and the wonderful beach, nature can also put on a display of a different sort. I was captivated by the sight of this stunningly blue 'Splendid Fairy-wren'. I would love to say that this photo was a result of superior photographic skills and a bent for shots of the natural world, but I know I wouldn't get away with that....it was sheer luck that I hit the button at just the right time as this delightful creature flitted busily about the bush and came obligingly to rest for a couple of seconds on a nearby fence.
Our Cape to Cape journey is nearly at an end.... all that now remains is a visit to the famous Yallingup Beach, the home of Taj Burrows, a current high flier in the world of professional surfing.
The beach access road takes visitors past
the holiday homes or rentals of this tiny township, all built yet again on the side of the hill overlooking the beach but quite some distance from it. A small general store provides for the immediate needs of those in residence, but apart from that there is little by the way of services.
But people don't come to Yalingup for glitz.....they come for the waves. The Yallingup break is considered one of the finest in the country. And even on the relatively bleak day of our visit, there were plenty taking advantage of waves (not that they can be seen here)
I have to concede my surfing skills are severely limited. In fact in the heady days of the 60's when all my mates were off hanging five or ten from their nine foot malibus, I was swimming or paddling a surf ski. Strangely, given my passion for almost everything else to do with the ocean, I never had any interest in surfing as such and was quite happy to wear the 'gremlin' tag. Not that this was the word shouted when my 18 feet long and relatively unmanoeurverable ski came thundering down the same wave as those on their surf boards....the words used then were of quite a different ilk. Tough...might is right...time to scatter boys!
I just have to accept what is said about the Yallingup break...I am in no position to do other than bow to those with greater knowledge in these matters. But at last I had actually seen what all the fuss is about, and there can be little doubt that his time here has served Taj well.
And so ends our Cape to Cape mini-odyssey, one on which we were often reminded of home in different ways and one which served to douse the fires of the curiosity which are born of hearing and reading so much about a district without having visited it. Now we had.
Our Busselton experience is almost at an end. In real time, we leave Sandy Bay tomorrow morning (Monday 16 December). I still have some Busso snippets to include in the blog, but that will have to wait for a few days until we have settled into The Estuary Caravan Park in Mandurah, our next port of call as we make our way back towards Perth (after we have our new hot water service fitted, that is).
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