As we left Perth our itinerary had been set by accommodation availability more than anything. We had left our bookings late so took what we could get. Stay duration was more set by minimum stay periods and filling the holes, but we made the most of it. It turns out this section of our trip was relatively light on the photo taking.
Serpentine
We had evntually found ourselves a slot in the caravan park just outside of Serpentine. It was a pretty nice spot, central to a few attractions and giving us power and a pool. A valuable combination given the hot temperatures than followed us.
Serpentine Falls
Serpentine Falls were the first waterhole waterfall combination we had visited for a while. Our standards were set pretty high by the sights we’d visited further north.
Serpentine Falls was pretty good. Ironically, we never took a camera when we went up close so don’t have the photos to prove it. It had two large pools and the water was flowing over the falls. It wasn’t a huge drop like Emma Gorge or Jim Jim but still pretty. Proximity to Perth meant it was a popular spot and we didn’t see the need to swim. We had become swimming holes snobs.
The National Park had some walks as well. We walked up the Bluff, a steep climb up the fire trails to get a great view of the area. It was certainly warm and we felt the climb after a less energetic few weeks. The view was pretty good and at different points you could see the falls, the forests and the ocean.
Timber Touring
One advantage of staying in Serpentine Falls was its proximity to all the little timber towns in the area. A couple of day trips allowed us to take in several of these little communities, their sights, markets and wound you through some beautiful forest drives. Some of the towns were worth a stop, others could be seen well enough in the drive.
Serpentine Dam was a highlight, the dam looked good and was surrounded by forest and parrots were plentiful. The pick of the little towns were Pinjarra and Dwellingup. In hindsight we wished we’d stayed at Dwellingup, it was prettier and less dry than Serpentine and much closer to the MTB trails.
Lane Poole
Lane Poole was the home of some very enjoyable mountain bike trails. It’s quite an extensive National Park, with a large network of both walking and cycling tracks, several campground and swimming spots.
We visited with only one thing in mind, mountain bike trails. We’d seen the maps and knew that we could make a good, fun loop out of a series of the green trails. It had been quite some time (since Katherine) that we’d been biking so needed to ease back into it. The best thing about these trails were that there were so many. It also seemed most riders were above our skill level, so there wasn’t much need to share.
The trails were pretty, winding their way through the very beautiful bush and forest. It was constantly shaded, with the trees and shrubs changing with elevation and different sections of the park. A couple of the climbs elicited some pretty heavy whinging on the first day and the girls needed to learn the art of switchbacks.
The campgrounds were packed with holiday campers, so there was no hope staying there, but we certainly found the swimming spots. Although there were several to choose from, we visited the same one twice. It was convenient to the trails we’d ridden, had space for a picnic and was huge. Despite the Christmas crowds the area had more than enough room for all.
Mandurah
Early into our stay in Mandurah, we felt it was quite like Townsville. Regional but well serviced, coastal and relaxed. We pondered what living here could be like. We explored the town pretty well, doing a lot of it on foot or by bike. It was super easy, with the main waterfront precinct and public spaces all close together. It was also flat, so cycling was pretty easy.
We saw the beaches, harbour, river and dining precinct as well as going a bit further towards the outer beaches and National Parks. We were pleasantly surprised by how much there was to do here, especially given Perth was less than an hour away.
Giants
The Giants of Mandurah are a relatively new thing. A series of giant-sized giant sculptures which have been carefully curated and placed around the Mandurah area. These timber totems are very cool, with each placed in a different environment with a different pose. Based on our experience, they are popular too, with all the giants having more than a few fans checking them out. Sadly though, one giant has already been attacked, burned down by some moronic individuals a few weeks before our visit.
There is also of course the hidden giant. Get the symbol off each as you visit, put it through the code breaker at the Mandurah Info Centre and its location is revealed. We visited all the available giants before cracking the code to find their hidden friend. The trips are designed to get you out and exploring the Mandurah area. To their credit, they have done well as it’s unlikely we would have visited any one these locations otherwise.
Thrombolites
We made the day trip to see the thrombolites. We had seen stromatolites before at Hamelin Pool, and thrombolites at Lake Clifton near Cervantes. Here however gave you a much better view of these creatures. These thrombolites were pretty good. They were the most intact we have seen, looking to be in good health and still growing. Amusingly the place also doubled as a hat graveyard, with the strong winds stealing many hats from unwary tourists. We stopped counting once we hit ten, with plenty more to be spotted.
