Pemberton Western Australia

Well we have had our week and actually leave here tomorrow.  Where has that time gone?  However it has been truly marvellous.  Our first adventure was on the Pemberton Tram ride into the forest. 

 This diesel motor tram carriage ventures into the forest along old railway lines that were used by the mills in days gone by but ceased to run in the 1980’s.  The tram crosses 6 bridges, stops at the Cascades and at the Warren River Bridge before returning to Pemberton.  When leaving Pemberton you pass the working saw mill and then descend into the Karri forest where you pass Karri, Marri and Jarrah trees reaching to the heavens. 

setting the railway boom gates to lower

passing the working saw mill

travelling through the forest

the Warren River Bridge

the Cascades

looking down from the rail into Lefroy Brook

West Australian Karri is the second tallest tree in the world (reaching 90 metres) after the mighty Californian Coast (America) Redwood which reaches 100m and third tallest is the Victorian Mountain Ash.  The Karri, whitish grey in colour after shedding its bark, grows at approx. 1m per year in height, tall and straight until reaching its peak and only then does it start to thicken out.  One can only wonder at the age of some of the trees we have seen that would need at least 4-6 people with arms outstretched to circle the trunk.  They only have branches at the top of the tree so the trunks look like telegraph poles. 

Bruiser in the Karri forest

The Marri (known in the east at Bloodwood) is not as tall and has rough bark that seeps red coloured sap (therefore ‘bloodwood) so is quite distinct to the Karri.  The bark is often black in colour and looks as though it has been through a fire.  Jarrah has a trunk that is smooth but ‘striped’ in appearance. 

Marri or Bloodwood weeping sap

The trestle bridges that we crossed look quite daunting from the carriage as they are high above the water of the Lefroy Brook which runs into the Warren River at our last stop.  The trip takes 1 ½ hrs and we would thoroughly recommend it to all.

hedge sculpture at Pemberton Railway Station

Thursday saw us doing a drive into Albany (approx. 450km return) so as to pick up the mail that had been forwarded.  We drove down to Northcliffe before veering off across to the South Western Hway which took us through Walpole, (home of the Tree Top Walk), Denmark and then onto Albany.  We had visited this area twice previously so the aim of the day was to get the mail and then return.  Albany is a thriving busy centre and for tourists there is much to see.  Previously a centre for whaling there is now a whale world museum which is quite interesting to visit along with historical buildings etc.  We enjoyed our lunch after collecting the mail and then headed back out of town.  We returned via Mt Barker and the Muirs Highway through to Manjimup and I even gave Lawrie the afternoon off and drove home from Mt Barker.  We passed through more tall timber country along with lots of grazing cattle so the journey was quite enjoyable (and not much traffic).