3 Sep 2009 – Margaret River Region
30 Aug: started our drive 0930hrs heading to the Margaret River region, a drive which would usually take 3hrs. Lake Clifton is one of the few places in the world where the living rocks/thrombolities grow, was one of the stops followed by Yalgorup (meaning swamp in aborigines) National Park where the delicate wild flowers were located. After about 7hrs, we arrived at our accommodation Canal Rocks/Smith Beach, a charming rustic 3 bedrooms unit facing the ocean. There were two whales playing with the surfers and some wild kangaroos in the backyard. Dinner at Assisi in Dunsborough (the crab pasta is highly recommended).
31 Aug: Sugarloaf Rocks (beautiful red & pink shells), Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse (the guide had a pet snake python), Wise Vineyard (excellent lunch with a Chardonnay/2007 to compliment the food but forget the dessert), Eagle Bay, Yallingup Galleries (Abundance of Love by Liz McKay, A$2,450 completely out of my price range), Natural Olive Oil Soap Factory (wish I was having check-in luggage to buy some of their stuff), Laurance Wines (interesting chandelier of wine glasses) and Saracen Estate (unique design with barrels).
1 Sep: 1st day of spring, Woody Nook (walls of name cards), Yahava Coffee & Margaret River Distilling Co (pond with floating crocodiles), The Margaret River Dairy Co (yummy yogurt), Candy Cow/Cowaramup (sweet fudge), Jah Roc Galleries/Margaret River (beautiful wood furniture and glass), Watershed Premium Wines (so-so lunch but a decent 2008 Viognier in the company of 3 baby kangaroos in the vineyards), Cape Mentelle Vineyard and Providore (all kinds of everything).
2 Sep: Karri Forest (impressive straight solid trunks), Boranup Gallery (fine art, sculpture & wood furniture), Flat Rock/Augusta (not much wild flowers yet), Cape Leeuwin (threatening waves), Voyager Estate (delicious lunch with a tasteful 2006 Shiraz), Olio Bello (Kenson went crazy with the olive oils and dips), Ellensbrook Historic Place (serene grounds), Cowaramup Reef/Gracetown (where the Cape to Cape Trail/100km passes thru’)
Thank you to Peggy, Ian & Kenson for a wonderful time. An annual reunion at different locations is a very good idea 🙂